Pressing On

365 Day Project-Day 31-Brighter Than The Sun

This is my beautiful daughter and her beautiful family. There is Maseo, then Mandy and Matt, and then Uriah. This picture was taken during a family photo shoot and the boys were having fun throwing leaves.

I love spending time with my grandbabies. We have fun playing and laughing, they are such a delight. 

They’re who I thought of when I heard this song earlier today and then I saw this picture and thought it fit as well. 

 

 

365 Day Project-Day 30-Stereo Hearts

I like Adam Levine and Maroon 5.  I watched the whole first season of “The Voice” because of him.  Also, because of him, I heard this song by Gym Class Heroes, which I also like.  They’re pretty interesting.  I like that, too.

Hey, it’s Monday… whaddya expect?

365 Day Project-Day 29-God and Sinner Reconcile

I owe thanks to Steve McCoy for introducing me to a lot of good music.  Through him, I’ve discovered the Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, Beirut, Bon Iver, to name a few. 

Now, that’s not how I heard of Stephen Miller.  I found out about him through my Genius Recommendations on Itunes.  I love the song that was recommended, so I downloaded it.  And then I saw that McCoy had written about Miller’s recently released worship album, from which I got my single (I hope to share that one here eventually). 

So, tonight I looked up Stephen Miller videos and came across this one that talks about the development of this album and then offers this song.  Love the solid theology, love the musicianship. 

 

365 Day Project-Day 28-Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise

Lazy Saturday… Not much to say… So… I won’t.  Here’s the Avett Brothers.

365 Day Project-Day 27-If I Die Young

I grew up listening to Country Music.  My parents liked it, so it was what we listened to.  I listened to the likes of Jimmy Rodgers, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, so many of the “oldies.”  Rock ‘n’ Roll came along and I dropped Country pretty quickly.  I didn’t come back to it until years later, because my ex liked it so it was what we listened to.  I listened to the likes of Garth Brooks, Ricky Scaggs, George Strait, Brooks and Dunn, and Dwight Yoakam. 

I say all of this to say that I am familiar with Country.  I know Country.  That said, I don’t listen to Country any more.  I don’t particularly like it.  It could be that I spent so many years “having to” listen to it that I don’t want to anymore and now that I don’t “have to” I’m not going to. 

So, I’m not going to… unless it’s Keith Urban… or Taylor Swift… or Rascal Flatts, maybe… or the Band Perry.

If I Die Young - The Band Perry - The Band Perry Videos

365 Day Project-Day 26-New York

I may have mentioned in the past that I find a lot of new songs from the shows I watch.  I think it started with Dawson’s Creek and the songs they would include in the show and then list at the end for anyone who was interested.  I was. 

I’ve watched as that trend has continued through the various shows that I watch.  I hear a song playing during a critical scene and I’m hooked.  I have to look up the song, who played it and then decide if it’s something I want to download.  I’ve done that with a lot of the songs in my collection. 

Tonight’s selection is a song I heard during a recent episode of Grey’s Anatomy; the episode where Teddy finds out Henry died on the operating table and Meredith and Derek get Zola back.  It was a rollercoaster episode.  I broke down in grief at one point only to whiplash into joy at another.  Rollercoaster!  This song was the hook.

 

365 Day Project-Day 25-My Love

Ok, so I’m still fixating on the music from the Twilight Series.  Each movie has had a song that gripped me with its beauty, its wistfulness.  The first Twilight movie gave me “Bella’s Lullaby” which I’ve already showcased here (Day 4).  This song is from the third movie in the series, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.”  Yes, I know I skipped the second movie, but I’ll get to it.  This one is for today.

 

365 Day Project-Day 24-Silver Springs

Ok, so a friend posted a Dave Matthews Band video on Facebook and I thought it would be a good one to share tonight.  I love that video, too.  But then, another friend posted a Fleetwood Mac video from 1977, when they had just released their album, Rumours.  I think I posted earlier that I’ve been a fan of Fleetwood Mac since the days of Rumours.  I even saw them live at a Day on the Green concert in Oakland in 1977.  Good times…

I then started looking at Fleetwood Mac videos and came across this one.  This song was not included in that album, but was included as a B-Side to the single “Go Your Own Way.”  I actually purchased that single on a 45 rpm (regrettably, I gave it away years ago, with all my other vinyl).  I remembering hearing it back then and fell in love with it.  I was going through a painful breakup and this song was one that got me through that time.  It was beautiful then, it is beautiful now. 

I’ll save DMB for another day. 

 

Jesus and the Woman at the Well

Justin Taylor posted this on his site, Between Two Worlds.  I love this story of the Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus at the well.  I can so relate to her and to see in this reenactment how Jesus speaks without any judgment or condemnation and offers “Living Water” to her and then to see her eyes widen… that moment of awareness; gave me goosebumps.   

 

365 Day Project-Day 23-Ashokan Farewell

Posted last night’s musical selection by Mark O’Connor and started looking through other songs he’s played.  Found this beautiful song.  I’d heard it before several years ago and fell in love with it.  Tried to find Mark’s version from his album, Heroes, but couldn’t.  Found this version by the original composer, Jay Unger, instead.  So beautiful.

 

365 Day Project-Day 22-Amazing Grace

It has been a long weekend with long hours worked yesterday and today.  And tomorrow is Monday… I will need much amazing Grace to greet the coming week. 

 

365 Day Project-Day 21-Foolish Games

1997 was a difficult year for my daughter and me.  There were a lot of life transitions going on and we were coping as best we could.  One way was through music.  It was then that I started collecting music from the Windham Hill label.  Instrumental music from the likes of Will Ackerman, Jim Brickman and Liz Story was what I used to soothe and console me.  My daughter turned  to the likes of Jewel and in turn turned me on to her.  It was Jewel’s first album, Pieces of You, that captured me with the beautiful voice and haunting lyrics. 

We’re both in much better places now, Mandy and I.  For that I am grateful, but there are times when I hear a song (as I did today) and in listening I find myself thinking back to the pain again.  It’s ok, though, because as I look at that pain again, I find it less gripping, less “painful.”  I find myself thanking God for the here and now.  And that is a good thing, because even though the here and now can be wild and crazy, it is not the there and then.

 

365 Day Project-Day 20-At Last

A legend passed away today.  Etta James was 73.

 

365 Day Project-Day 19-Holocene

January’s just over halfway gone.  It’s finally raining.  Melancholy is the mood du jour, but, it’s ok.  As I think of it, I tend toward it being a normal state as a Christian.  It’s a longing, a missing something; and since this is not our home, it is normal to long for home, for Someone.  It doesn’t lack joy, though.  There is a deep joy; a joy at knowing that home awaits.  Despite the here and now, there is joy in knowing home awaits.  So the here and now is tolerable, joyful even.  There is joy in fellowship, knowing we’re headed home.

Bon Iver seems appropriate. 

 

365 Day Project-Day 18-Rumors of Discipline

More need to unwind after a crazy day… More Liz Story. 

365 Day Project-Day 17-Wedding Rain

Crazy day at work.  NEED something to help me wind down.  Jim Brickman is normally my go-to performer to settle me down.  But I just recently discovered Spotify.  It’s a fascinating new digital music service that gives you access to millions of songs. As a result I’ve been listening to quite an assortment of artists, including Liz Story.  I know her one song, “Wedding Rain,” but haven’t had the opportunity to listen to much else… that is, without purchasing it.  The fascinating thing about Spotify is that you get to listen to whole songs, albums even, for FREE.  Yeah, I know!  So, I’ve been listening to all sorts of artists that I’ve only heard snippets from on Itunes.  Of course, now that I can hear the entire albums, I may just purchase more, so I think it’s a good thing all around. 

At any rate, this is the first song that I heard from Liz Story.  It still mesmerizes me.  It takes me to a lovely, quiet place, away from the craziness. 

365 Day Project-Day 16-The Cave

Yesterday, I played Mumford & Sons.  Thought them worth sharing again.

 

365 Day Project-Day 15-Come Thou Fount

Tonight I get to play a song I love, by a band I love.  The words are worth printing here, it is a wonderful hymn.  Such Grace.  Such comfort.

Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of God's unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

And the band, well, I’ll be playing more of them in the future.

365 Day Project-Day 14-Stay or Leave

Lazy Saturday. Perfect for Dave Matthews Band.  Lovely acoustic version.

365 Day Project-Day 13-Every Teardrop is a Waterfall

It’s been a long week.  Offered up Coldplay last night and it seems a good choice tonight.  Can’t go wrong with Coldplay.

365 Day Project-Day 12-Paradise

Have been trying to figure out a theme for my posts… a gradual transition from one style to another, but have come to the realization that my taste in music flitters from one style to another, with little rhyme, but sometimes there is reasoning… Ok, maybe the reasoning is in my mind, and it doesn’t necessarily transfer to the post, but it makes sense in my head…

Today was one of those days, where I really have no rhyme, and very little reason for the song selection… other than I like it.  And maybe that’s the only reason that I need… I like it.  And maybe there isn’t any rhyme, just rhythm.  Yeah, that was corny, but it’s late and it made me smile. 

We’re almost half-way through January and I’m still trying to get a handle on the new year.  I would like to do another show, but the last few months of inactivity, theater-wise, has been rather nice.  Being able to come home and not worry about lines or rehearsals, or performances has been nice. 

On the other hand, I miss it.  I miss the chance to develop a character, to walk through a scene, to talk about motives and back stories, to interact with a group of people on an artistic endeavor, all striving toward one goal.  The terror of going before a live audience… it scares the daylights out of me and is an incredible rush.  To connect with an audience… nirvana. 

I also want to be Grandma, or, rather, Gaga, to my beautiful grandsons.  I want to be able to go down to visit them whenever I can.  Matt and Mandy bought a house which has a bedroom that I can call my own, at least when I visit.  I want to be able to go down and help Mandy get her new home all set up.  Of course, there are a few things that need to be taken care of before “we” can move in.  They’re remodeling one of the bathrooms and re-texturing the upstairs’ walls and painting and re-carpeting… In the meantime, they’re living with Matt’s parents and I get to skype with my baby boys.

I’ve also committed to a 15-week Sunday night class, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement.  I took the class in 2005 and loved it.  It was hard, 15 weeks that included talks given by a different speaker each night, homework, a paper to write.  But I came away with a very different “perspective” of God’s heart for the nations. 

It’s more than a missions course, it’s a course on what it means to be a World Christian… a Christian who longs to see God glorified by every tongue, tribe, peoples.  God’s already said it will happen.  I just need to come alongside what He is doing and see where I can be part of that process, that story.  It’s a grand story.  And we all long to be part of a story.  We want to hear our part in that story, to see where we fit in and what grand and glorious things we will do, because we want to do grand and glorious things.  We long for that.  I long for that.

So, that’s where I am at the beginning of 2012.  Yeah, that’s me all over. 

365 Day Project-Day 11-Glimmer of Hope

I recently discovered Antoine Dufour.  He was one of my Genius Recommendations on Itunes.  Genius Recommendations are songs/albums that Itunes Store “recommends” based on your personal music library.   I was looking through the Store for some new instrumental music, saw the “recommendation” and I clicked the sample button… and I bought the album.  It’s called Sound Pictures.  Love his style.  We’re Facebook friends, too.

365 Day Project-Day Ten-Young Turks

Rod Stewart turned 67 today. 67.  I remember seeing him in concert 30 years ago.  A couple of girlfriends took me to see him as a Christmas present.  We had fun singing along and watching him perform.  He was a wild man, all over the stage and we loved it.  They also gave me a cassette of his latest album, “Tonight, I’m Yours.”  I wore it out, playing it over and over… and dancing.  Oh, did we dance. 

When I first read that Stewart had turned 67, I initially thought of playing “Forever Young.”  But, as I started looking for a video, I found “Young Turks” and suddenly… I was back in college, dancing, listening to Rod Stewart.  We were young… young turks.  And I knew, I had to post this one.

http://youtu.be/zQ41hqlV0Kk

365 Day Project-Day 9-Bolero

Have I ever mentioned that I love the TV show, Castle?  Or that I love Nathan Fillion.

I’ve been a fan of his since Firefly and I have the complete first season on video.  Sadly, the show was cancelled after the first season…  At any rate, I’ve watched Castle since the beginning and have loved every episode.  Ya gotta watch it!

Today’s song selection comes from the show tonight.

 

365 Day Project-Day Eight-How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

It’s Sunday.  The message this morning was on Community; Gospel-Centered Community; Community where God can work out our sanctification for our good, the good of the fellowship and His Glory.  It was a good message.  I am grateful for this community, brought about by His Grace and Love.

365 Day Project–Day 7-Falling Slowly

“Swell Season” is playing at the State Theater here in Modesto.  It reminded my of this song from the move “Once.”

365 Day Project–Day 6–Songbird-Fleetwood Mac

I read that an ex-guitar play for Fleetwood Mac died today.  I’ve been a fan of Fleetwood Mac since their “Rumours” days.  He wasn’t playing with them when I started listening to them, so I can’t really speak to his contributions to the band, but I do love their music. 

 

Faith

I mentioned in my Christmas letter that I was praying for my friend’s baby girl from China.  I mentioned that we hadn’t met her yet and that she may not even be born yet, but we were praying for her nonetheless.  I didn’t mention the blog that my friends have created to chronicle their journey toward adoption of this blessed baby girl.  The blog is called Faith2Adopt, because her name will be Faith. They’ve been awarded a grant to help with the adoption costs.  It’s a matching grant, so any money that is donated, will be matched by this grant, up to $6,000.00, so the total amount they could receive would be $12,000.00.  You can read more about the details here. I’m writing to ask your help, however you can, through donations, through prayer, through passing the information on to others who would be able to donate.  There is a deadline for this grant, so please pray that they are able to raise the funds.  We want to bring baby girl Faith home!  Can you help?  Thanks for letting me share.

365 Day Project–Day Five – Santa Fe (Beirut)

I’ve written about Beirut before.  I first heard their music in 2007, introduced to them by Steve McCoy at Reformissionary.  I fell in love.  There’s no way to describe the sound unless you understand Balkan-French-Mexican fusion...  You just have to listen.  Remember… we’re listening this year…

 

365 Day Project–Day Four–Bella’s Lullaby

Ok, so we’re leaving the Appalachias and heading west, or rather northwest; The Northwest, to be more precise.  I know there are those who will “hate” on me for this selection, but I like it and that’s all that matters… to me.  Yes, I’ve seen all the Twilight movies.  No, I haven’t read the books.  Not really interested.  I do enjoy the movies (I’ve attended all the midnight openings with my niece…), but I think it’s more the locale than the characters.  It plays into my pensive nature; the clouds, the rain, the drab overcast.  The dark ambiance fits my mood perfectly.  I love the beach, but my favorite time at the beach is when it’s rainy and overcast (fewer people…). 

BTW, I’m “Team Edward.”

365 Day Project–Day Three

I was gonna try to post something different, but I'm in a melancholy mood lately, soundwise.  Maybe it’s because of the time of year, the starkness of the season, fog and gloom.  I’m not saying I’m feeling melancholy.  It’s more an expectant feeling, a waiting, a pause perhaps. Or maybe I’m just sitting a spell… to listen.  I don’t do that often enough.  Maybe that’s why I picked music for my 365 Day Project.  I need to sit and listen… I hope you enjoy the selections.