Song Lyric Saturday

It's Song Lyric Saturday time. Yep, it's back. I decided not to let my inconsistent self quash it. 

Having been to a wonderful concert tonight, I am reminded of the importance music plays in my life. Music is refreshing to my soul. It's cathartic and restorative. Live music is like manna from heaven. 

So, I'm going to share a favorite lyric from the artist I saw tonight, which is only fitting. Amos Lee is one of the greatest artists on the music scene right now. He's a singer-songwriter with an incredible voice rich with soul and depth. If you've never heard of him, do yourself a favor and check him out. He's totally worth it. 

The following few lines are from Amos Lee's song "Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight." Forgive me if they seem kind of random, as I will do my best to describe what they mean to me. 

But the people on the street,
Out on buses or on feet,
We all got the same blood flow.

When I hear this song, these three obscure lines stand out to me the most. The melody surrounding them is beautiful, but I think it's more than that that speaks to me. In these three lines, Amos reminds me that there is a "human" race. That I'm not an island. That the suburbian bubble I live in where everyone is well clothed and fed is not all that's out there. There's so much more. 

What I glean from these verses is twofold: 

1. It's a reality check that I've got it pretty darn good and I need to remember that and give thanks to the Lord for ALL of it. 

2. It's a reminder that I need to be looking out for my fellow man/woman. We've "all got the same blood flow." Isn't that the truth? We're all brothers and sisters in the end. Children of God. I need to remember not to be so internally focused when there's a world out there that needs more focus. I need to be kind to other people. Give mercy. Extend grace. Shine a light. Be the hands and feet of Jesus. Because there's a lost world out there, and it's up to us to share the truth of love and redemption. 

31 Days of Joy

I don't know about you, but I often get bogged down at this time of year with my to-do list, Christmas gift list, party-planning list, etc. So many lists and so little time. 


With that said, I'm giving myself a challenge for the month of December. I'm going to focus on sharing one thing that brings me joy every day for the entire month. Why is this a challenge? Two reasons: the aforementioned boggeddownedness (yes, I made that word up) and the idea that I can commit to posting on my blog every single day for an entire month.


The Lord gave me an epiphany the other day about perspective. As I was becoming harried at the thought of the inevitable time crunch I am coming under with Christms, travel, parties, gifts, and all, I was reminded of a verse of one of my favorite Christmas songs that has touched me this year like it never has. The song is "Do They Know It's Christmas Time" from Band Aid in 1984. The verse is:

The greatest gift they'll get this year is life

If you're unfamiliar with the song, it's basically about how fortunate we are and how important it is to remember those who are in need at this time of year. I've always loved this song, but this year, it's really hit me hard that we are so very fortunate to live in America and to have a roof over our heads, warmth, clothing, and water, among a multitude of other things. There are so many in this world without these very basic needs, and we take them for granted so often. We have life, and life is a gift from God.

So, I'm going to cast off the old robe of busyness and hurriedness I usually don this time of year, and take it slow, day by day, recognizing all the joy that the Lord has given me in my life.

Feel free to join in and spread the joy around. We could always use more joy. It doesn't have to be anything big; it just needs to be something that touches your heart. Just let me know if you do join in, so I can be blessed by your joyfulness as well. :)

So, for December 1, the thing that brings me joy is: life. This is the eve of my 34th birthday, and I'm overjoyed with my life. It is everything I wanted it to be and never expected. It truly is a gift. 

*Bonus*

I've thrown in the video for "Do They Know It's Christmas Time" in case you are unaware of the song or would just love to see some seriously 80s footage. ;)

Read

Do They Know It's Christmas Time Lyrics

here.