Gratitude day #24

Last night we had a corporate worship event at church. All the cell groups got together at church, rather than meeting as small groups, and we worshipped together for about 1.5 hours. I can't remember the last time I spent that amount of time just soaking in worship. I can't remember the last time I almost felt I was touching the hem of heaven. It was ... awesome (in the real sense of the word, not just the trite superlative version).

I am grateful to those who made last night possible - most notably the muso's and the creative team. Thank you for such an incredible evening.

If you get there before I do...

And this is why, even though I live 6000 miles away, I still listen to BBC Radio 2! Only on a station like this, that has been around for generations, would you get a story like this. Awesome! Thank God for the internet and the ability to still listen in to my favourite radio station.

So - to the point of this post - a woman calls in and tells a story about how when she was much younger she heard this song on the radio, and how it's influenced her life. The song is played, and I am in tears.

I won't spoil it for you, but let me give you a brief outline. It's the MOST beautiful love story. Beautiful. "Love, me" is a song about a conversation between a grandfather and his grandson describing the lifelong love between the grandparents, which overcame some pretty huge obstacles. For me, it is a complete contrast to many of the marriage relationships today - one that not only survives 50 odd years, but that is stronger at the end than at the beginning. Real love. And deep respect on both sides.

(Again, that is in complete contrast to the situation facing SA today with it's high rape count. Rape is not only about lack of respect for self, or for women, but is the complete antithesis of real love.)

So I share it with you, in the hopes that it will not only brighten your day, but give you hope for your own relationships - whether with your spouse (life partner), or with your family, or your friends.

Lullaby for my boy

Every night I sing lullabies to the kids, and tonight, for some reason, I suddenly wondered about what might happen if I were to die prematurely. Now I'm not saying I'm going to die prematurely, but I like to be prepared, or as prepared as one can be. My little man is so young that if I were to die now, he probably wouldn't remember me in years to come. I also know that one of the things people sometimes say, years on, is that they can't remember what their loved one sounded like, or even looked like. So, since the little man has a particular penchant for 'Summertime', I thought I'd record myself singing it for him - just in case, you know? (I know this plays with VLC media player, which you can download for free, so if you can't get it to play any other way, try that.)

Do ya LOVE me?

(with apologies to Simon & Garfunkel and The Hollies)

I'm sitting at my laptop working,
got a song that's playing through my he-he-head... (hmmmm)
On a tour of blogs and feeds
My tea and biscuits in my hand
And every stop is neatly planned
By the Reader and the time on hand....

"Do ya LOVE me?
Do ya love me?

Do ya LOVE me?

Do ya love me?

Do ya LOVE me?
Do ya love me -
Now that I can dance, dance, dance!
WATCH me now, OH!"

Bed-ward bound
I wish I wa-aas...
bed-ward bound!
Bed - where my thoughts escaping
Bed - where my dreams await me
Bed - where the warmth awaits me
under my duvet....

"Do ya LOVE me?

Do ya love me?

Do ya LOVE me?

Do ya love me - 

Do ya LOVE me?

Do ya love me?

Now that I can dance, dance, dance!

WATCH me now, OH!

(push, push) Shake it up, baby!

(push push) Why you're driving me crazy!

(push push) C'mon a little closer..." 

We've come full circle

Last week I took Nellie and one of her best friends to the Baxter theatre to see 3 Little Pigs. The show was lovely (although it started nearly 20 mins late!) and even I enjoyed it (which is saying something). However, the best moment of the outing for me was on the drive home. I'd put on a CD of ABBA covers, when 'Dancing Queen' came on. There we were, with the windows down, and all 3 of us girls were singing along at the top of our lungs.

Can you picture it?

As I was singing, I was suddenly struck by the fact that I'd done the EXACT same thing when I was a little girl, with my folks, while driving along in our old Chevy. Back then, of course, ABBA were relatively new on the scene, whereas now, they're classics. But I was struck by the moment, by the full turning of the wheel, from child to adult, but without the music changing.

I nearly wept at the sentimentality of it all, and the precious nature of children, at the thought that my childhood wasn't all pain and misery, and the thought that maybe one day Nellie will do the same thing with HER kids - as long as I continue to create moments for her that will fill her memory banks with good memories, with memories that will jump out at her at unsuspecting moments, and fill her with the same sense of joy as I experienced in that moment.

"Laughing with"

What do you make of the last line of this song? What exactlt is Regina Spektor getting at? Is it a gentle poke at our excuses or a statement about how we (humans in general) view God?



Here are the lyrics, in case you don't want to download the video.

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God
When the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one’s laughing at God
When it’s gotten real late
And their kid’s not back from the party yet

No one laughs at God
When their airplane start to uncontrollably shake
No one’s laughing at God
When they see the one they love, hand in hand with someone else
And they hope that they’re mistaken

No one laughs at God
When the cops knock on their door
And they say we got some bad news, sir
No one’s laughing at God
When there’s a famine or fire or flood

*Chorus*
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke
God can be funny,
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’ve lost all they’ve got
And they don’t know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize
That the last sight they’ll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one’s laughing at God when they’re saying their goodbyes
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke
God can be funny,
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughing at God in hospital
No one’s laughing at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
We’re all laughing with God