Happy Day After Christmas!

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas. I had a beautiful day with my family, and it snowed!

Here's a song for you all for the day after Christmas. I love the message in it.

Christmas Joy!

I feel like I need to give myself a big dose of Christmas joy today. I'm going to start by watching this video a few times.

Road Trip - Wyoming

Last weekend I headed to Wyoming to visit my aunt and uncle on their ranch. I had been invited because Tony DeSare was doing a concert in their town on Friday night.

If you don't know who Tony DeSare is, it's time you met. He is an amazing pianist and singer who puts on an entertaining show. He's really good at crooning the old standards, but he also covers some newer songs and original works as well. Here are a couple of videos.

This one just makes me happy.

And this is just nice. 

And this one makes me go WOW!

There are a lot more videos of him on YouTube. Check him out. Buy his cds and go to his concerts. He deserves to be a lot more famous than he is. 

Saturday we drove to Devils Tower. I had never been there before, so it was an experience for me. The day was beautiful, and I took A LOT of pictures. Here are some of the better ones. 

We stopped so I could take a picture when we were getting close. 

Some Native Americans consider Devils Tower and the area around it to be sacred. They hang strips of cloth and feathers in the trees to form a type of prayer bundle.

I knew Devils Tower was big, but I didn't realize how big until I was standing at the base of it. 

I thought this bright green moss stuff was neat. It almost looked like fluorescent paint had been spilled on the rocks. 

There is a trail around the base of the tower and the views from it are impressive. 

See the rabbit?

Hello. 

There were several people climbing the tower while we were there. You can see a man in a red jacket a little to the right of the middle of this picture.

There he is again. 

There are two guys at the top in this photo waiting for their friend in the red jacket to finish climbing. 

Two interesting facts I learned are that the top of Devils Tower is about the size of a football field, and it is dome shaped. 

After we finished the first trail, we walked along another one called the Red Beds trail that makes a wider circle around the tower. It was lovely, but steep at times. 

The dirt really was red around there. 

I almost stepped on this little snake. I took his picture instead. He was only about the size of a pencil. 

This squirrel wanted his picture taken, too. 

I like this rock formation. I think the right hand side looks like a face. 

Do you see it? 

I so glad I got to experience Devils Tower. Many thanks again to my aunt and uncle for taking me to see it.

Thursday Evening Inspiration

I've been listening to this arrangement of My Jesus I Love Thee by The City Harmonic on a loop tonight. It's simple but beautiful. If you want, listen along with me.

Nearer, My God, To Thee

I went to a choral concert last night where this arrangement was performed. I think it's pretty amazing. Have a listen.

A song of June...

One of my favorite piano pieces, June (Barcarolle), Opus 37b by Tchaikovsky. 

Amazing Love

A song for Good Friday meditation.

My Lord, what love is this
That pays so dearly
That I, the guilty one
May go free!

Amazing love, what sacrifice
The Son of God, given for me
My debt He pays, and my death He dies
That I might live, that I might live!

And so, they watched Him die
Despised, rejected
But oh, the blood He shed
Flowed for me!

And now, this love of Christ
Shall flow like rivers
So come wash your guilt away
Live again!

~written by Graham Kendrick, performed Bebo Norman

It's looking like a beautiful day...

A new favorite

I have a new favorite band: The Lone Bellow. Have a listen.

 

Here's another one.

 

 

And another.

 

 

I just love the harmonies. Their whole album called The Lone Bellow is great. Check it out.

The Struggle Tour

This past Wednesday night I had the opportunity to see three of my favorite bands together in concert. It was a really fun night of worship and great music.

The first band to play was Rend Collective Experiment. If I could choose to be in any band, this would be it. This was my second time seeing them, and they were just as good as I remember.

 

One of the best songs off their newest album, Homemade Worship by Handmade People, is called  Build Your Kingdom Here. Have a listen.

 



 

They were followed by Audrey Assad. I absolutely love her voice.  One of the guys from one of the other bands jokingly said that she sings so well because she swallowed an angel. I think that might be true.

 

 

Here is one of the songs she performed - Sparrow.

 

The final group and headliners of the tour was Tenth Avenue North. This was the second time I have seen them in concert, also. They are an amazing band - so full of energy and so passionate about Jesus. Their most recent album is called The Struggle. It and all their other albums are worth getting if you don't have them already.  

 

 

One of my favorite songs from The Struggle is called Worn.

 

 

I also really like Losing.

 

 

This tour is about half over, so you still have time to see it. If they come to your neighborhood, you should definitely go. You will be blessed. 

Holy (Wedding Day)

I'm loving this song by The City Harmonic right now. Have a listen.

Weary

I've been feeling a bit weary in my spirit lately. To be honest, a lot weary.

This week, I've probably listened to this song about 50 times. Its message inspires and encourages me. I hope it encourages you, too.

Symphony!

I was lucky to get to go and hear the Colorado Symphony last Saturday - thanks again, Aunt Cathy!

The night's headliner, Olga Kern, dazzled us with her playing of Grieg's piano concerto and an encore piece by Moszkowski, but before she played, the orchestra started out with a short work: Glinka's overture from the opera Russlan and Ludmilla. It's such a delightful piece, and it seems to have stuck in my head more than anything else we heard that night. I've willingly added it to my list of favorite orchestral pieces. Here's the overture performed by the Berlin Philharmonic.

Lilacs

If you've been in my neighborhood lately, you may have noticed that the lilacs are absolutely gorgeous this year. I've been going out of my way to stick my nose in every bunch of flowers on every lilac bush I come across, breathing in as much of that heavenly smell as I possibly can.

The flowers made me think of this song by Rachmaninoff. It was originally a vocal piece based on a poem by Ekaterina Beketova that he then transcribed for solo piano. It is lovely. Happy listening.

In case  you are interested, here is the poem, translated from the original Russian.

Lilacs

In the morning, at daybreak,
over the dewy grass,
I will go to breathe the crisp dawn;
and in the fragrant shade,
where the lilac crowds,
I will go to seek my happiness.

In life, only one happiness
it was fated for me to discover,
and that happiness lives in the lilacs;
in the green boughs,
in the fragrant bunches,
my poor happiness blossoms.

~ Ekaterina Beketova

Come To Me

Right now I'm really loving the song Come To Me put out by Bethel music. Turn up your speakers and give it a listen. It's beautiful.

The perfect soundtrack

to accompany the weather outside my window.

Happy New Year!

I gave up on making New Year's resolutions a long time ago.  

However, I've decided to make one this year, inspired by a song I've been listening to a lot lately: Let Me Rediscover You by Downhere.

It really speaks for itself. Listen and reflect. Maybe you'll want to make a resolution like mine this year, too.

Let Me Rediscover You by Downhere

Your Spirit hovers over my waters
Your love burns longer than the sun
The skies of thunder echo Your wonder
Your praises can't be over-sung
The whole universe is witness
To only a part of what You've done

So let me rediscover You
And breathe in me Your life anew
Tell me of the God I never knew
Let me rediscover You

You see my weakness, my pride, my blindness
You wield Your power through them all
Of all the mysteries, still,
The greatest to me is that You're faithful with I fall
How can I say I know You,
When what I know is still so small

Let me rediscover You
And breathe in me Your life anew
Tell me of the God I never knew
And let me rediscover You

Let me cry "Holy, Holy, Holy"
Let me awaken to Your majesty
And see a glimmer of Your glory
Let me abide in You

Let me rediscover You
And by Your grace I'll follow through
Reveal to me the God I thought I knew

Let me rediscover You
And breathe in me Your life anew
Tell me of the God I never knew
And let me rediscover You

Tell me of the God I never knew
Jesus, let me rediscover You

Love Has Come - Matt Maher

With one voice the Angels sing;
songs that make creation ring
Prophets hear and call us
to live in spirit and in truth

Father Yahweh, Elohim;
voice of thunder, spirit wind
Breathe on me your very life;
Grace will make the darkness bright

Word of God enthroned,
dwell in us forevermore;
Love has come to show the way
Hallelujah, peace be with us
Love has come to show the way

God of covenant divine,
lead us to the end of time
Beyond sorrow, beyond fear;
beyond pride and earthen tears

Word of God enthroned,
dwell in us forevermore;
Love has come to show the way
Hallelujah, peace be with us
Love has come to show the way

Keeper of the sacrifice,
manifest in Jesus Christ
Born to die and wake the dead
As we hunger, keep us fed

Now salvation has come
in the New Jerusalem
Dancers dance and singers roar;
proclaiming Jesus Christ is Lord

Word of God enthroned,
dwell in us forevermore;
Love has come to show the way
Hallelujah, peace be with us
Love has come to show the way

Word of God enthroned,
dwell in us forevermore;
Love has come to show the way
Hallelujah, peace be with us
Love has come to show the way

Friends are friends forever...

Last weekend I headed up to Greeley for a concert featuring Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith who are traveling together on their 2 Friends Tour.

I have literally been a fan of Amy Grant for as long as I can remember. Her first albums came out around the time I was born. My mom had them on vinyl, and we listened often.

I didn't get into Michael W. Smith's music until a little later. I was nine or ten years old and my mom bought my sister and me one of his records. I had no idea at the time who Michael W. Smith was, but I remember thinking that I was pretty cool and grown up because I had a "rock and roll" album.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this concert. I haven't really kept up with either of their newer music, but I was hopeful that they would sing a few of their older songs. And they didn't disappoint on that. Almost the whole concert was a trip down memory lane.

Part of the concert they sang together and some was solo, although it seemed like Amy was on the stage more than Michael. Some of the highlights for me were Amy and Michael performing Angels Watching Over Me,  Emmanuel from the Christmas albums, Sing Your Praise to the Lord, and a group sing along with Thy Word.

Also, Amy's solo, just her and her guitar, of El Shaddai and Michael's performance of Rocketown made my night.

It was a really neat concert, even though they ended it by singing Friends, (seriously I wish that song would go away), and I'm glad I had the opportunity to go.

*These pictures aren't mine. We weren't allowed to take pictures during the concert, so I stole these from Amy's facebook page.

Love this song!