My favorite Christmas song this year

I’ve never been clear on why this song gets sung only at Christmas, but it’s one of my favorites. Words are below.

The tree of life my soul hath seen,

Laden with fruit and always green:

The tree of life my soul hath seen,

Laden with fruit and always green:

The trees of nature fruitless be

Compared with Christ the apple tree.

His beauty doth all things excel:

By faith I know, but ne’er can tell,

His beauty doth all things excel:

By faith I know, but ne’er can tell

The glory which I now can see

In Jesus Christ the apple tree.

For happiness I long have sought,

And pleasure dearly I have bought:

For happiness I long have sought,

And pleasure dearly I have bought:

I missed of all; but now I see

‘Tis found in Christ the apple tree.

I’m weary with my former toil,

Here I will sit and rest a while:

I’m weary with my former toil,

Here I will sit and rest a while:

Under the shadow I will be,

Of Jesus Christ the apple tree.

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,

It keeps my dying faith alive:

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,

It keeps my dying faith alive:

Which makes my soul in haste to be

With Jesus Christ the apple tree.

The Paul Johnson Guide to Effective Decision-Making

HT: Mark Bradley of the AJC. I heart PJ.

Funny how God works like that

A while ago in real-people time (as opposed to blog time … in blog time it was only a couple of posts ago), I wrote about something I learned in Philippians 4:6 – 7. Beth wants an answered prayer. God says He gives peace. I think my exact words were, “I’m not looking for peace. I’m looking for an answer. More specifically, a yes answer.“

Well, God showed me.

A couple of weeks ago, as I pondered a desperate situation in which I found myself, I began to pat myself on the back for keeping a strong spirit, for not being afraid, and for keeping faith in the face of trouble. As I journaled, the words came to me: “I really feel like God is guarding my heart and my mind in Christ.”

It was one of those times where you can almost feel God tapping you on the shoulder. I lunged toward my Bible and opened it to Philippians 4:7.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Well, would you look at that. I got what God said I would get. Which is what I needed the whole time.

Huh.

(Hat tip to Amanda Rose for getting me off my arse and finally writing again. Your turn.)

My favorite drug

In full disclosure, it’s impossible for me to say I’m totally against mood-altering drugs. I love the way caffeine makes me feel. Today I had a full-caf latte (from my perfectly-sized Bialetti Moka), my first full-caf coffee in several weeks, if not months.

Anything is possible … Maybe I’ll paint that still-blank canvas. I may write a book today. I ought to redesign this website from scratch. I could drive my new car to Orlando to watch the shuttle launch. Or I could probably run there. Who knows? I can do anything!

Playing with a theory

Mike and I went out with some friends last weekend to Swallow at the Hollow, a tasty dinner and fun venue despite the unfortunate moniker. Three country/folky songwriters were performing that night and we stayed for the show. As a result, I’m developing a theory about lyrics, mostly pop and pop country: If the song begins with the word “I,” I’m probably not going to like it (take, for example, most American Idol singles). These lyrics seem easy. A little bit cookie-cutter.

As a corollary, Mike Nelson offered the suggestion that if the song mentions a car by name (mostly Chevy and Ford), it’s not looking good for that one, either. See almost every country song ever.

While I might anticipate backlash from songwriter friends (how many songs have I written, again?), almost all their songs are lyrically strong, with every word pored over and deliberate. I appreciate that about them.

Perseids

Tonight marks a high point of the Perseid meteor shower for North America. Get out your binocs and a lawn chair, hope the clouds part long enough for you to see a good show, and enjoy with a nice glass of something tasty. You should end up with lots of wishes granted. If you’re into that sort of thing.

Harmonize with me

Have I already said 30 Rock is the best show on television right now? I even look forward to reruns (I’m approaching that age where things on TV sometimes move too fast for me so I have to “run it back,” which makes reruns particularly enjoyable as I pick up things I missed the first time).

In the “Hard Ball” episode, Tracy awards Kenneth a spot in his entourage. Kenneth’s job is to harmonize with Tracy. Whenever Tracy breaks out in song, Kenneth is there to add a little alto. It’s a fun picture of marriage; almost nothing makes me happier than to erupt in song with Mike Nelson bringing in the countermelody. Our bathroom is often not unlike the Barry Gibb Talk Show.

What’s already His

Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.
- Frances R. Havergal, 1873

I have a thing for hymns. The words (which were at one time somebody’s “contemporary worship”) transcend cultures. I sang these this past weekend at church and have been pondering them ever since.

My will is voluntarily submitted – I decide that it shall be no longer mine.

My heart, on the other hand, was already His to begin with. It is Thine own. It’s His home. It’s where He lives and works and does things. It’s where He moves.

Forty years

Forty years ago today, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first humans to plant their feet firmly on the surface of the moon.

That is frickin’ unbelievable.

Alaska had been a state for ten years.
You could still spend a halfpenny in England.
The Beatles were still together.
Sesame Street was a fresh new kids’ show.

For millennia, people had been standing on earth, looking at the moon. It may as well have been a trillion miles away for how accessible it was. And yet on that day, people watched on television as two guys walked around on it. I can’t imagine witnessing anything in my life as world-changing as that. I need to go talk to Aunt Pearl about it …

What it doesn’t say

I’ve been repeating Philippians 4:6 in my head the past two days:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I couldn’t remember where it was in the Bible (and I was too lazy to look for a concordance), but I knew that part. And I couldn’t quite remember the second part, but I figured it was something about how God would meet your needs and answer your prayers. But then I figured out where it was and read the next verse:

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Dang. I’m not looking for peace. I’m looking for an answer. More specifically, a yes answer. But God says His peace is what I need, not a yes.