Of course my crush Steven Curtis Chapman is on this theme (or mini-theme) week!  It was today's song that made me decide to do as much as a theme week with the idea of moments of life as I could.  I think it goes without saying (and yet I'm going to say it) that I LOVE THIS SONG. Life is made up of moments and what will you do with them?  This song encourages us, in fact challenges us, to breathe in and out, taste the tears as they fall, laugh hard and long when it comes, pay attention to every heartbeat, see the miracle of every moment.  Just like yesterday's song, if we blink too long then we are going to miss the here and now of our lives.  And we don't want to.  Oh you may think you want to but hindsight is 20/20 and I'm telling you that the here and now of every day is what makes you stronger, what makes you appreciate all of life.  This song was birthed, in part, through another one of my "go to, live by" verses.  Psalm 118:24, "This is the da

One of my "go to, live by" verses is Psalm 90:12, "Teach us to number our days rightly so that we may gain a heart of wisdom."  So when I heard Revive's song, Blink, start off one of their songs with the idea of that scripture I tuned in...and I loved what I heard!  Life happens fast, much faster than some of us anticipate and if we blink too long we may miss something amazing.  So Revive's song is about the blinks of life, not missing the color of life before it fades to gray (love that line), not running too hard and fast for the success we think completes us but instead choosing to love well because in the end that's all anyone is remembered for. When we allow God to show us, teach us how to live out our days (i.e. number them) in ways that are lasting and impactful then we have allowed him to impart to us true wisdom.  And we then become known as a person of wisdom.  See wisdom and knowledge are two very different things.  In fact some of the most

Faith is a choice, not a feeling.  No really.  It is.  I don't always feel like believing and having faith but I make a choice.  Because feelings are fickle and unreliable.  In Jeremiah it says that the heart is deceitful and beyond cure, who can understand it?  Well God understands our hearts, he's the only one because he's the one who created it.  What is deceitful about our hearts?  They run on feelings and feelings are fickle.  We can't base belief on feelings, we have to override our feelings and choose.  So I choose and my faith looks up to HIM.  He is my strength, he is my zeal, he is my everything especially when my feelings threaten my choices.  How about you?  Have you been able to order an override or have you been living off of feelings?  I encourage you, I pray that you will make the choice to allow your faith to look up to HIM.  My Faith Looks Up To Thee  - Tisa My Faith Looks Up To Thee  - Guy Penrod

And to end our theme week of 80's Girl Bands I give you Vixen.  Tee hee hee, another girl hair band.  I can't decide if this band was prettier than some of their guy counterparts.  Haha!  I love that in this video they show the girls "working out" all made up with their hair huge and everything.  Oh my gosh.  Do they look at themselves now and wonder what in the heck were they thinking?  Well at least they look better now .  I'm amazed that all these bands are still pumping out music and touring although I see from Vixen's website that they haven't done a gig since 2009.  There's not much else to say about Vixen.  They were just another hair band who had a couple of big hits and have been living off of them ever since.  Sounds harsh but it's true! :) Most of these bands from the 80's had 1-2 big hits and that's what they have lived off ever since. So here's to 80's Girl Bands, making their mark on 80's music history!  Edge O

Because I didn't listen to a lot of girl bands in my day I had to Google 80's Girl Bands this morning and as soon as Expose popped up, with this song, I couldn't believe that I had ever forgotten this song!  This song was a huge hit for this girl band.  And watching the video this morning made me feel old.  :)  Does anyone else find it strange that you haven't heard a song, or even thought about it, in years and yet when you hear it again you still know all the words?!? We have such strange memories.  So is Expose still together?  Still touring?  Why, yes! Yes they are.  Just like the other bands featured this week they are still hitting the stage and entertaining audiences.  Today's song was popular in my middle school/high school teen "love" days.  I remember listening to this song and connecting with it in regards to whichever boyfriend had just broke my heart.  Oh I'm so ashamed...but apparently not ashamed enough to keep that bit 'o news to

The Go-Go's were around when I was a kid but at the height of their popularity I was still bee-bopping to The Temptations, The Beach Boys, etc and by the time I was listening to current music Belinda Carlisle had struck out on her own.  So because of that today is a double feature!  Belinda, solo, isn't a girl band but I associate her with one since that is how she got her start.  :)  It seems The Go-Go's were popular due to Belinda's lead.  They've gotten back together from time to time but Belinda is the one who has maintained a career.  When I was in 7th grade Belinda released "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" and I loved this song!  Actually I got the cassette tape it was on and played that on, yep you guessed it - that bubble gum pink cassette player I mentioned the other day.  :) Anywho...enjoy the double feature today!    We Got The Beat  - Go-Go's Heaven Is A Place On Earth - Belinda Carlisle

Heart, the girl hair band of the 80's, wasn't one that I listened to a lot but some.  Like this song.  I think I probably know more of their songs than I realize.  Heart is so...funny!  Even though they are girls they really are a hair band like the men were!  In fact, truthfully?  Some of the men were actually prettier than this band - ahahahahahahaha! Anywho, when I feature girl bands from back in my day Heart has to be part of the week.  :)  I wondered what was up with this sister duo so I googled them and found out that just like The Pointer Sisters they are still touring !  Crazy!  In fact they are taking the stage in June with a fave band of mine, Def Leppard! These Dreams

I have very vivid memories of dancing around my bubble gum pink room to this song way back in my day.  Obviously I am not ashamed to admit that. ;)  I had The Pointer Sisters cassette tape, which I played on my also bubble gum pink cassette player - obviously I was in a phase... :), and would dance around my room.  Now.  As an adult I listen to this song and think, oh my gosh!  It totally talks about sex!  As a kid I didn't really get that and apparently my parents hadn't listened in!  :)  It's like Olivia Newton John's Let Get Physical.  Because she was shown in exercise gear I really thought it was all about exercise...but back to The Pointer Sisters.  I was wondering where they are today, what are they doing...they are STILL touring !  And they look GOOD!  Wow.  But I can't help and think that they are living off of today's song choice...well, who cares?  If they can then great!  Happy Tuesday! I'm So Excited

Theme Week!  :) This week I decided to feature Girl Bands from back in my day.  So get ready for a blast from the past! :) Back in the day boy did I love me some Bangles.  Girl Bands were a rarity and they shot up on the charts for songs like Manic Monday and today's song, Walk Like An Egyptian.  Really when I listen to this song as an adult I just laugh.  What the heck? Why would you sing a song about walking like an Egyptian?!?  My youngest redhead likes this song because she is fascinated by different cultures and one of them is Egyptians.  So she thinks this song is great because of that!  Ha! So happy Monday, walk on people!  :) Walk Like An Egyptian

When I hear this song I hear my Mom singing it.  I associate this song with her in my childhood church days.  I love this hymn and partly because it makes me think of Mama.  :) Bill and Gloria Gaither penned this during hard times.  Most, if not all, great hymns and great expressions of praise to God are birthed out of hard and challenging times.  That is when the test of who we are and what we believe about God come to the forefront.  Because he lives I can face tomorrow.  Because he lives all fear is gone.  Because he lives I have a future.  It's a wonderful tribute to our God and King.  Because he lives indeed!  Because He Lives Because He Lives (Gaither Vocal Band)

Okay I couldn't help myself.  I woke up this morning humming this tune.  :) So, just a quick word about the ridiculousness of the rapture happening today, at 6 pm of course, and the world completely coming to an end in October.  UM.  FOOLISHNESS! Harold Camper and his gaggle of crazies need to actually read their Bibles if they actually are God followers as they claim they are.  Matthew 24:36 definitively says that no one, not even Jesus himself, will know the day, hour, etc.  Sheesh.  How much clearer does God need to be about the subject?  Matthew also says in an earlier chapter that anyone who calls someone else a fool is in danger of the fires of hell (Matthew 5) but did God mean Harold too?  Because the man is a fool!  Maybe God meant if the person wasn't a fool so in this case I'm in no danger when I make the statement that well, he is a fool!  (There I've said it twice!)  :) So anywho...enjoy today's bonus song!  It's the end of the world as we know i

I love this song.  From the moment Rascal Flatts, whom I LOVE, released it I have loved it.  Such a powerful song on two levels.  When you find the one, the one that God designed for you, it's as if the journey to find them was worth it.  Like the song says, all the others just serve as northern stars pointing the way.  True, sincere, honest, authentic love heals.  There's a quote out there that says (in effect), being loved by someone deeply gives us strength but loving someone deeply gives us courage.  How has authentic loved healed you?  How has it made the journey worth it for you? Take that to a spiritual level (of course!).  We journey along life's roads trying to find true, sincere, honest, authentic love in things and people when only God can and will provide what we are looking for.  And all the things we try, and all the things that fail in the attempt, serve as northern stars pointing the way to God.  His love heals and makes the journey worth it. My hope for

I was first introduced to Chris & Conrad's music through one of my most favorite ever artists, Brooke Fraser!  She authored this song and they picked it up, put it on their first album, made it their first radio play and started holding interviews with radio stations.  It was in an interview with Wally from Total Axxess that I heard Brooke penned it.  Of course she did because she is amazing!  Oh, but this blog today isn't about her, it's about Chris & Conrad. :) Outside of the fact that a fave artist penned this song, I LOVE how Chris & Conrad sing it.  It quickly became a favorite because it's lyrical content is rich, meaningful, and compelling.  Last spring I was on a personal retreat and in the bookstore of the place I was at there was Chris & Conrad's CD on sale.  I bought it because I love today's song so much I thought I might like others on their album.  WOW!  I love their whole album.  They are two talented guys who love God and use the

With this song, off the 1969 Abbey Road album, The Beatles kept doing what they did best - providing the world with great music!  It's a simple song with few lyrics but it is meaningful and upbeat and classic Beatles.  I was creating a Wedding Seating Music CD this morning for a wedding this weekend and I found this song as an instrumental and HAD to include it for seating music!  Such a great song.  I love how George Harrison, author of the song, uses the sun to tell the story of love.  There's a saying it reminds me of.  "Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place." (Zora Neale Hurston)  As the song says, the ice is slowly melting.  Just as the sun melts the ice so does true and sincere love melt the cold heart.  And when the heart is warmed by love it crawls out from its cold hiding place and unfurls into a thing of beauty.  Btw, there were many videos to chose from with this song but this is the one I chose because I enjoyed watching it almost as much

What happens when someone says you are beautiful? (Okay this question is probably only for the ladies but men?  By all means answer if you feel the need!)  What happens when someone says it and you know they mean it?  Does it empower you?  Does it boost your confidence?  Does it put a spring in your step?  Does it make you believe that perhaps you are beautiful - inside and out?  Ginny Owens, blind since the age of 3 because of a degenerative eye disease, sings about what happens when our Creator calls us beautiful.  When our Creator calls us beautiful it trumps any other time we've heard it.  When he calls us beautiful he is doing so seeing the very depths of us, all the nooks and crannies that we hide from others and even ourselves.  When he calls us a beautiful he does so through eyes that see all the knitting together (Psalm 139) that he did to create us.  He holds the definition of true beauty.  And he calls us beautiful according to that definition.  AMAZING.  Ginny points

Cary Brothers is just one guy, not several. :) He likes to make sure people know this about him.  I saw him Sunday night under the billing, "The Cary Brothers Band".  He clarified.  He's not a "the", he just is.  He's got a good sense of humor about the whole thing.  So Cary did what perhaps no other musician has done.  He was born and raised in Nashville, TN but left Nashville, went to L.A. to play...music.  If you are scratching your head over that, don't worry he is too!  (Usually musicians GO to Nashville not leave it, you know that right?) So Cary is on tour with one of my most fave artists Brooke Fraser.  He's an indie singer/songwriter hailing from, well, L.A. currently.  :)  As most indie artists these days he plays both guitar and piano.  And also a foot jingle jangle thing that he calls Nigel.  (You had to be there.)  I'm not sure I could actually listen to a whole album straight of Brothers music but his songs mixed in with others I

Today is my Dad's birthday and so I have to dedicate today's song to him!  I picked today's song because when I think back to being in the car with him, or staining the stupid house with him (the staining was stupid not him...just clarifying! Haha!), or going on our dates, or traveling to his job sites with him I can hear him singing along to this song!  And I was amazed at how he hit the high notes like Frankie Valli does.  My Dad and Mom raised me on this music.  It is as familar to me as a old favorite blanket! :)  Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons were a favorite for us.  As I was YouTub"ing" them and taking a trip back through memory lane I was amazed at how many of their songs I know by heart. A broadway show came out a few years back, "The Jersey Boys" and it is the story of Frankie and the Four Seasons.  Of course my Mom and Dad have seen it, they loved it!  I bet I would too. Happy 63rd birthday Daddy.  Thanks for walking like a man all thes

It's interesting to me that as I am in a struggle with the Church of today I find myself desiring to go back to my "spiritual roots" and sit in a Baptist sanctuary each Sunday and sing hymns and enter back into the kind of structure that I haven't been a part of in a very long time since I have been in a non-denominational church for so long.  I LOVE this hymn.  Okay, confession.  I love most every hymn.  They seem much more God focused than us focused like the contemporary song of today.  Or perhaps that just my struggle focused perspective I carry with me these days!  :) But back to the hymn... I don't think I really know what true surrender is.  I think I'm learning (slowly, oh so sloooooooowly!) but I don't think I fully grasp it yet.  What makes it okay that I haven't gotten the fullness of surrender yet is God's grace.  His grace carries me through my stumblings.  I've had glimpses, I've experienced glimpses of surrendering all for

So this song caught my attention because it's kinda where I've been the past couple of years.  Not that my heart is cold toward God but my heart is definitely cold toward "the Church".  GASP.  Can you believe I just admitted that to the hundreds, er okay 5, of you that read this?!?  And if you know me the confession isn't a new thing you've heard come out of my mouth!  ;)  I love how Starfield just says/sings it like it is.  The lack of passion for Christ in the Church is exhausting to me.  I'm tired of biblical sayings that flow so easily from the tongues of people but haven't rooted in the hearts of people.  I'm tired of worship songs that are all about us and not about God at all (think I'm exaggerating?  Examine some of your fave worship songs - are they about us or God?  Just sayin'.).  That's enough - if I keep going I may be on the soapbox for a while! :) Anywho...I love the heart that this song conveys.  Bring back the fire Lor

I really considered doing the Friday the 13th theme song for today's song but it creeps me out too much to even look it up on YouTube so that idea got nixed pretty much right away!  For some reason today's artist, Eowyn, landed on my idea list for this blog-experiment.  I can only surmise that I heard one of her songs on a Pandora playlist, liked it and added her name to the list of artists to feature!  Too bad I also didn't jot down the name of the song that caught my attention... :) So I picked one.  It's one of Eowyn's older songs, from 2006 or thereabouts.  She couldn't be more different than yesterday's featured artist!  Eowyn belongs on a playlist with Skillet, Fireflight, etc - definitely not on a playlist with Brooke Fraser, Ingrid Michaelson, etc.  So she's proving to me, and you, that my tastes kind of run from one end of the music spectrum to the other!  I like Eowyn.  I have no idea how to pronounce her name but I like her!  She's got

Ingrid Michaelson is quickly becoming a favorite.  She seems to be representative of the kind of music I am leaning towards the past couple of years.  More mellow, simple.  Today's song made Michaelson big because Old Navy picked it up for a commerical series back a couple of years ago and it seems people were finding themselves humming the song and asking Old Navy who it was.  Just goes to show you'll never know how you will make it big.  :)  I love the lyrics (of course) of this song.  It makes me think of Lanny and I.  How he can look at me and desire me (hey, I'm just being real and he IS my hub!) after seeing me in the early morning hours or living with me for the past 15 years just blows me away!  But he really loves me the way I am.  And I love him the way he is.  What a blessed thing to have in a marriage or even just a relationship!  The Way I Am

I was first introduced to Kutless through the movie, "Passion of the Christ".  I'm not sure how I was because the song isn't on the official soundtrack but perhaps it landed on some soundtrack inspired by the movie.  Or maybe it just landed on the music charts the same time the movie cam out and I associated the two!  :)  Regardless.  Kutless is a rock group.  First known for their heavy approach to music they have found their place within the Christian music scene with their worship albums and regular studio albums.  Maybe it's my imagination or maybe I'm just really perceptive but they seem to have mellowed a bit musically as the years have gone by.  Because of their sound I love their worship albums and well their other stuff.  I like that the lead singer can go deep and gritty and then go smooth and mellow.  He's very versatile.  Sea of Faces is the recognition that even if there was only one person in the world who needed eternal salvation Jesus wo

So Jeremy Camp's deep voice drew me in like Todd Agnew's did EXCEPT Jeremy differs from Todd in that he doesn't have a grainy quality to his voice.  His is as smooth as butter.  Man the deep and smooth voice of Jeremy Camp gets me every time.  The first song I heard of Camp's was "Restored" and it was penned out of his testimony .  Jeremy married the love of his life and shortly after their marriage she died from cancer.  So he became a widow at a very young age.  And subsequently had to walk through some stuff with God because of his heartbreak.  A few years down the road he met a woman, another artist, named Adie and now they have at least a couple of kids together.  :)  God restores.  Camp is down to earth and I appreciate that more than anything.  His songs reflect his desire to know God in deep and personal and real ways.  I REALLY appreciate that! My Desire is about desiring to die to self and take up the cross of Christ.  It's about desiring to l

First time I heard Todd Agnew I was blown away by the literal depth of his voice.  And once I got used to the depth then I heard the grain in it and that blew me away and all that together gave him a fan!  And then if his voice wasn't enough I read and listened to his lyrics and well, by now you all know how lyrics suck me in!  :)  I love Todd's album "Grace like rain".  Not just most of the songs but the entire album.  Long before I started getting the reality of relationship with Christ, Todd got it and was singing about it!  :)  I'm grateful for the depth of truth in his songs.  I'm grateful that he calls out the Church, himself included, and in essence sends the message, "We can do better than this ." I picked this song today because it is a great reflection of the American church.  Don't think I'm hating on just the American Church but it is my frame of reference so obviously it becomes the example.  In this song Todd makes observatio

Be thou my vision Lord of my heart.  Be my vision for my words.  Be my wisdom for my thoughts.  Be my vision for my actions.  Be my vision each day and night.  No matter what may come be my vision.  Oh Lord, be thou my vision for you are the Lord of my heart and life. Be Thou My Vision

There's a reason why Steven Curtis Chapman is my "crush". :)  It's songs like these that add to how amazing he is.  He has a gift musically but also lyrically.  I'm sure his wife would let us know that he isn't perfect as a hub or Dad BUT he seems to know that too and then he uses his flaws to write music and encourage others!  This is a great song for any day of the year but since America's Mother's Day is tomorrow I thought I would jump on that bandwagon and put it in as today's song.  :)  Can I get a witness - being a Mom isn't for the faint of heart.  And Steven wisely highlights that in this song with lines like: You run all day at the speed of life You fall into bed when you run out of hours You wonder if anything worth doing got done Making history with every touch and every smile You may not see it now, but I believe time will tell how you are changing the world one little heartbeat at a time Being a Mom is almost indescribable.

It was actually my brother, Paul, who introduced me to my "crush" Steven Curtis Chapman.  He had the More To This Life cassette tape and I stole it.  Yep, I sure did.  :) So every song on More To This Life is great but a few really grab me.  This song is one of them.  While I don't write songs (and you should all be thankful) and then sing them (and again you all should be thankful) I have always written stories.  All true stories. I gave it go at fiction when I was in 6th grade but the story turned out to be pretty much identical to the book I was reading and since plagiarism is frowned upon I decided to stick with non-fiction.  :)  So for me I just replace writing songs with writing stories and singing with speaking.  :)  This song perfectly verbalizes my heart about what I write and share with people. It always amazes me and humbles me when someone is moved in some way by what God has me write and share.  It happened again just yesterday and I was just blown away.  P

The lead singer of Lifehouse, Jason Wade, has this earthy/grainy/character filled voice that I really like.  The band has been around for a while but just recently (like in the past 5 years if you want to consider that recent) started making waves.  And yes, they've already landed on this blog once with "You and Me".  I must like them just a little bit.  :) I'm not sure what the band means by the song but I know how I take it!  :)  And since this is my "experiment" and my blog I get to ramble on about how I take the song.  :)  So here's a few of the lyrics strung together that really "get me": I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing With a broken heart that's still beating In the pain, there is healing In your name I find meaning So I'm holdin' on I still see your reflection inside of my eyes That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life

Until Gilmore Girls came along and used this song as their theme I had never heard it.  It's a great song!  Where some people may hear it and think Carole King, I hear it and think Gilmore Girls. Oh well!  I don't consider that to be horrible seeing as how that is one of my fave shows! ;) Carole King has made quite an impression on the music scene. She has led the way in many instances.  A strong woman with a strong voice that has influenced many musicians.  I mean heck you gotta be pretty influential in order to have a whole night on AI dedicated to you and your music! :)  But thanks to Carole King we have some amazing music, some amazing songs floating around out there to brighten our days.  Some of my other fave's of hers include: I feel the earth move, You've got a friend, It's too late, well I could go on and on.  Let's just say I love Carole King! :)  Where You Lead (I Will Follow) Where You Lead (I Will Follow) - Gilmore Girls Style :)

Adele has such a unique, interesting voice.  I really, really like it.  It's got a deep, rich, earthy tone.  It's hard to describe but boy, do I like it!  I was hard pressed to find a song that wasn't about relationships.  I gave up and picked this one for today.  I picked it, in part, because it showcases beautifully all the nuances of her voice.  She shows off her range and depth in amazing ways in this song.  Adele is incredibly talented, she would go well with Casey from this seasons AI.  In fact, I would love to hear them sing a duet together.  I'm not all that inspired today to dig into a song and share my thoughts about the lyrics so I'm just going to leave you today with Adele and her amazing voice and you can take the song for what it is sans my thoughts!  :)  Rolling In The Deep

On my Pandora I come across different, new-to-me artists as they play on my stations because they are like whoever I originally typed in.  Trace Bundy is one of those that I heard playing overhead and I had to stop what I was doing and jot his name down to investigate further. Trace Bundy is an amazing guitar player.  Amazing.  It's sad that in this day and age of technology we don't give more recognition to those who can do something so incredible WITHOUT technology.  Trace is someone who doesn't need to rely on any technology to wow his audiences.  I'm so grateful he shares his gift with the world because we'd be lesser people without it! Yes, he's THAT good.  THAT amazing!  Check him out. I can almost imagine that without his guitar slung over his shoulder he feels a bit lost at times.  He's so good that his guitar seems to be a literal body part that flows from him.  Enjoy! Bristlecone Canon  (check this out too!  It's Trace and Sungha Jung - a

I adore this hymn.  It is anointed.  Charles H Gabriel penned this hymn long ago and today it is as meaningful as it was then.  I sing, "I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene..." yet really I don't think I will be able to stand.  In reality I think I will fall to my knees in awe, in worship, in humility at being before my King.  What Jesus did for me and for you is hard for us to comprehend.  Do you realize that if he had not paid for our sins that we would be required someday to pay for them ourselves?  That is too big of a debt, perhaps even overshadowing the national debt (haha).  We never, and I really mean never, could have paid off the debt of our sin. Because of Jesus we don't have to.  How marvelous, how wonderful indeed!  Because of paying for my sins I have a song of praise and gratitude in my heart for God.  And I will sing it all my days.  How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me.  Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)  - Steve