Tag: peace

Categories
Jesus Life

Painting

PainterFeatured songs: Paint My Life and The Mystery, by John Michael Talbot and Terry Talbot from their 1980 album, The Painter.

I enjoy songs that explain a facet of God, whom I cannot see, by comparing it with something I can see.

There are also writers and poets who, during the past 2000 years, have done their best to describe facets of God and His nature. Some of them have written their descriptions in the form of prayers that stay with us to this day.

One of the most famous of these was written by St. Francis of Assisi, who lived back in the early 13th century. He is remembered as a founder of the Franciscans, a Catholic religious order. During his life, he dedicated himself to more closely identifying with the teachings of Jesus Christ, to the point of taking a vow of poverty, and preaching repentance. His Prayer Of St. Francis is translated as follows:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

I was not raised as a Catholic, but during part of my childhood I lived in South Bend, Indiana, the home of the Catholic-based Notre Dame University. Back in the days when televisions stations did not broadcast for 24 hours a day, I vividly remember staying up late enough for Johnny Carson to be over, followed soon afterwards by the sign-off of television station WNDU in South Bend. In addition to the national anthem, they also played a recording of the Prayer of St. Francis. It seemed a peaceful end to the day.

Today when I read the words of this prayer, I am reminded of those aspects of the Christian life that involve communion with God, through prayer and meditation on His word. And if you want to find Jesus music that fits into a meditative style, look no further than John Michael Talbot. Although he released an album in 1980, Come To The Quiet which includes St. Francis’ prayer put to song (Peace Prayer), he and his brother Terry Talbot also used some of these themes in two of the songs on their joint album The Painter. They used the imagery of a God as an artist, painting His image on the canvas of my life, with colors of His qualities.

Here are the two songs First, Paint My Life:

So paint my life with your charity
So paint my life with your mercy
Paint my life with your humility
And I will share in your glory

Jesus, paint my life!
Jesus, paint my life!

Color your brush with your kindness
Color your brush with your meekness
Color your brush with your gentleness
Color your brush with your forgiveness

Jesus, paint my life!
Jesus, paint my life!
Jesus …

And now, The Mystery.

Could you be findin’ the Mystery
You have been looking for?
A kingdom where servants will come to be kings
Are you looking for?

And you’ll know
That the sweet paradoxes unfolds
And the mystery will clearly show
And you’ll know
And you’ll know…

Jesus, paint my life
(Could you be findin’ the mystery?)
Jesus, paint my life
(Could you be findin’ the mystery?)
Jesus, paint my life
(Could you be findin’ the mystery?)

And we know, you are the Master of painters
Comin’ the true Prince of Peace
And we know, you are the true Creator
Comin’ the King of Kings

Jesus, paint my life with charity
(Could you be finding the mystery?)
Paint my life with mercy
(Could you be finding the mystery?)
Paint my life
(Could you be finding the mystery?)

Can you be the light of the world?
Can you be the light?
Take the light that’s given to you
Can you be the light?

Can you give your love to the world?
Can you give your love?
Take the love that’s given to you
Can you give your love?

Jesus paint my life with charity
(Can you be the life?)
Paint my life with mercy
(Can you be the life?)
Paint my life
(Can you be the life?)

Paint my life

And if you want more meditative music, check out Talbot’s Come To The Quiet album.

The Painter, 1980, John Michael Talbot & Terry Talbot [iframe http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=gregrejoy-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000SZF2H8&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr 120 240] [iframe http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=gregrejoy-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000SZBSGW&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr 120 240] [iframe http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=gregrejoy-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000SZZ0E8&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr 120 240]
Categories
Jesus Life

A Home

If you’ve ever felt like you were just going through the motions of life, trying to make everyone think you were just fine, when inside you were dying, this song is for you. It reminds me that Jesus knows how I feel, that He’s been there already, and He has the solution: To give Him your burden, your struggle, your pain, and let Him carry it for you. In exchange, He gives you security, safety, and peace. What better cure could there be to the problems of life?

Photo credit--Will Hybrid, Flickr
Photo credit--Will Hybrid, Flickr

From Don Francisco’s 1981 album The Traveler, listen to his beautiful song, Give Your Heart A Home.

I hear your hollow laughter
Your sighs of secret pain
Pretending and inventing
Just to hide your shame
Plastic smiles and faces
Blinkin’ back the tears
Empty friends and places
All magnify your fears

If you’re tired and weary,
Weak and heavy laden
I can understand how
It feels to be alone
I will take your burden,
If you’ll let Me love you,
Wrap My arms around you,
Give your heart a home

It hurts to watch you struggle
And try so hard to win
But trade your precious birthright
For candy-coated sin
Wasting precious moments
Restless and confused
Building up defenses
For fear that you’ll be used

If you’re tired and weary,
Weak and heavy laden
I can understand how
It feels to be alone
I will take your burden,
If you’ll let Me love you,
Wrap My arms around you,
Give your heart a home

Take My yoke upon you
And walk here by My side
Let Me heal your heartaches,
Dry the tears you’ve cried
Never will I leave you,
Never turn away
Keep you through the darkness
Lead you through the day

If you’re tired and weary,
Weak and heavy laden
I can understand how
It feels to be alone
I will take your burden,
If you’ll let Me love you,
Wrap My arms around you,
Give your heart a home

Wrap My arms around you,
Give your heart a home

The Traveler, Don Francisco, 1981 You can get a copy of this album from         

Don Francisco’s web site here. Look for

“Our Oldies”.
Categories
Life

Snow

-Photo credit: CaptPiper, Flickr
-Photo credit: CaptPiper, Flickr

We are still early enough in our winter weather here in Nebraska that the snow has not been heavy so far this year. I know there are other places in the U.S. that have had way too much snow.

Me? I like snow, at least through the end of February. The child in me still revels in that blizzard that closes everything down, forcing us to stay home and live differently for a couple of days.

And following along with the theme of snow, here is a nice little song I recorded off of KCRO years ago on a day when it was – yup, you guessed it — snowing. I don’t know who recorded this version that I have (the announcer never named the artist, and it must not have been a big enough hit to have the information survive to today, 27 years into the future), but what I did learn from my research on the Internet is that it was Stephanie Booshada who made it popular. Called Somewhere It’s Snowing, I’ve not heard her version, but she and a David Stearman are the two authors of the lyris. Perhaps this version was David singing it:

[Addendum, 11/26/2011: The internet now shows more info about this song. It was indeed performed by David Stearman, on his 1982 album Together Forever.

I once read in a poem
When snow covers the earth
That it hides the world’s scars
And gives nature new birth
And they say when a man turns
From sin to the Lord
That forgiveness like snow
Covers him evermore

And somewhere it’s snowing,
See the soft drifting down
As the snowflakes surrender
To the hardening ground
Like the good grace of Jesus
That now covers our sin
In the kingdom of heaven
It’s snowing again.

And it’s told that the angels
Lift their hearts and rejoice
When one traveler turns homeward
From his way to the Lord’s
If somewhere someone’s turning,
He’s giving his all
Then God’s grace like the snow,
Is beginning to fall

And somewhere it’s snowing,
See the soft drifting down
As the snowflakes surrender
To the hardening ground
Like the good grace of Jesus
That now covers our sin
In the kingdom of heaven
It’s snowing again.

You can purchase this track

at this website
Categories
Jesus Life

Tears

On New Year’s Eve, it is customary to look back at the year that just passed, and to make predictions about the year to come. It’s been a tough year for many, with the financial meltdown and recession, possibly the loss of a job, and many other problems that we’ve gone through. We don’t know if the next year will be a better one or not. Regardless of the presence of a new president in the White House, he still has to deal with disasters that currently exist and new ones that may yet occur.

What I can depend upon without any doubt is that God will be with me in the next year, just as he’s been with me all of my life. We are not promised an easy road; we are promised that Jesus will be with us every step of the way. He told his disciples in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

On their 1981 album, Fools For Christ, The Songwriters had this great song, One Less Tear For God To Shed. If you don’t know Jesus personally, in this new year to come take that step of faith and accept the salvation that He has made available to all. Don’t give your Father in heaven any more reasons to shed tears on your behalf.

Tonight there’ll be laughter
And music in heaven
Another wayward boy
Has finally come home

I can hear angels
Praising the Father
And raising their voices in
A hallelujah song

I know I’ve never given God much reason to smile
Just been a tear in His eye
But tonight I’m one less tear for God to shed

Jesus washed me in His blood
And He raised me from the dead
Filled me with the Holy Ghost
And now I’m Spirit-led

Tonight I’m one less tear for God to shed

I’m never alone now
‘Cause He lives inside me
He lifted the heavy load
I carried for so long

Now I can’t help but
Tell everybody
I’m headin’ for paradise
And you can come along!

You know you’ve never given God much reason to smile
You can wipe one tear from His eye
And tonight be one less tear for God to shed

Let Jesus wash you in His blood
And He’ll raise you from the dead
Fill you with the Holy Ghost
And when you’re Spirit-led

Then you’ll be one less tear for God to shed

Tonight I’m one less tear for God to shed
Yes, tonight I’m one less tear for God to shed
Don’t you know
Tonight I’m one less tear for God to shed

[spoken]
If you’ve never asked Jesus into your life
You can do it right now
And be one less tear

For God to shed

Fools For Christ / Guilty Of Love double CD Click here to purchase
the album Fools For Christ