Sing to Jesus

I’ve been seeing a theme in the blogs I’ve been reading.  

It’s this theme of letting go.

Each person has their own take and perspective on it.

How they do it, how they don’t, and why to let go.

Letting go has been fairly easy for me. I find that the memories/experiences that I have that were negative or painful are often the ones that I least remember. 

They are hidden in the deepest depths of my soul… occasionally a conversation or new experience will bring them back up, and I’ll cringe and reflect on how painful they were.. then breath a sigh and move on.. thankful that it is in the past.

Sometimes I wonder if my selective amnesia is a blessing or a curse. I mean, who would want to remember a bad experience? Then again, isn’t it those experiences that shape us the most?

All I can say is I’m thankful I do not have to re-live them..

They are of the past..You live, You learn..

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            Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame

            Lord of our sinful hearts.

            He is our great Redeemer.

            Sing to Jesus, Honor His name.

            Sing of His Faithfulness, pouring His life out unto death    

Come you wear and He will give you rest

Come you who mourn, lay on His breast

Christ who died, risen in Paradise

Giver of mercy, Giver of Life                                 

            **Sing to Jesus by Fernando Ortega

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I love these words. In our weakness, pain and suffering.. 

We can sing to Jesus. He is the Lord of our shame.

"'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus"

I love hymns. There is something so beautiful about them.

They are gentle, kind, compassionate all wrapped up together.

Slow but steady, strong and meaningful at the same time.

The following hymn was written by Louisa M. R. Stead. She wrote these words after watching her husband drown and die trying to rescue a drowning boy. She later became a missionary to South Africa.

Beautiful words filled with so much faith. If it were I, would I have that much faith?

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"'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus"

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to take Him at His Word;

Just to rest upon His promise,

And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to trust His cleansing blood;

And in simple faith to plunge me

’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just from sin and self to cease;

Just from Jesus simply taking

Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,

Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that Thou art with me,

Wilt be with me to the end.

Refrain

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more!

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“In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them.” (Psalm 22:4-5)

Alanis and Me

Today, I had the urge to listen to some good old school Alanis Morissette. I remember listening to her in middle school and being told by my youth pastor that she was of the devil and that I should burn/destroy all her albums.

Lets just say I'm so glad that I didn't.
She helps me unleash the inner independent women in me!

Not only that I have very fond memories of her music. Especially her "Jagged Little Pill" album.

It always strikes a chord ::Ding:: You Oughta Know.

I am not a huge music person but there are those few artist and songs that invoke emotion in me.

Among the top invokers ::

 Alanis Morisette
 Regina Spektor
 Ramones
 Smashing Pumpkins
 Jars of Clay
 Fernando Ortega

**I know.. They are quite different musical genres represented above.. It's about the memories

"After all..memories are all we have" - K. Ngaihte

The Shelter

I, like many others, go through phases where I listen to one CD on repeat for days into weeks..and occasionally months.

This weeks obsession Jars of Clay's new album :: The Shelter

This album is amazing. Not only is the music fantabulous (Yes, I just made up that word.) the lyrics are well written.

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One of my favorite songs on the album is // Out of My Hands
The lyrics of the chorus of this song especially are quite lovely. It expresses the depth of what God did for us. Nothing we did or could do, only what God has done.

And it's out of my hands
It was from the start
In light of what You've done for me
In light of what You've done for me
You lifted my head
Set me apart
In light of what You've done for me
This is what You've done for me
It's out of my hands

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Another favorite is // Shelter
The music and voices in it remind me of a whole chorus of angels singing together. Perhaps a tiny glimpse of what heaven will be like when we stand in front of God and praise him. It's really beautiful.