I can't stop falling in love with you!

Some worship lyrics by Steve Green I just had to share this evening! How can one not smile after this?

Tim

BETTER THAN LIFE

Better than the riches of this world,

Better than the sound of my friends' voices,

Better than the biggest dreams of my heart,

and that's just the start

Better than getting what I say I need,

Better than living the life that I want to,

Better than the love that anyone could give,

your love is

Pre chorus

And you hold me now in your arms and never let me go,

You Oh Lord made the sunshine, the moonlight in the night sky,

You give me breath and all your love, i give my heart to you because,

Chorus

I can't stop falling in love with you,

I'll never stop falling in love with you.

Susan Boyle - Britains Got Talent 2009

OK .... I'm sitting here bawling in front of my computer! *sniff* You have GOT to see this video ... it is so amazing! If a person doesn't get watery eyes after see this they might as well be dead. I couldn't believe that voice came from that woman. Wow! I've been quite chastised yet again for judging on appearances! What a fantastic triumph!

Click here: YouTube - Susan Boyle - Britains Got Talent 2009 Episode 1 - Saturday 11th April

Here is an article from the nydailynews.com:

Susan Boyle on Britain Got Talent

by dwarthy

Meet the frumpy, unemployed, 47-year-old woman who shocked Simon Cowell.

During auditions for "Britain's Got Talent" this week, Susan Boyle of the village West Lothian walked on to the stage to snickers from the audience and an eye-roll from Cowell. After she unleashed a perfect rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical "Les Miserables," she left with the crowd on its feet.

"Without a doubt, that is the biggest surprise I've had in three years of the show," said one of Cowell's co-judges, Piers Morgan.

Boyle received three perfect scores and is the early favorite to win on the hit reality TV series.

"I know the minute you walked out on that stage that we were going to hear something extraordinary and I was right," quipped Cowell.

In just three days, the clip of Boyle's stunning performance has notched 2,605,000 views on YouTube.

"I've always wanted to play before a large audience," Boyle said before hitting the stage. "I'm going to make that audience watch."

Make Me A Channel of Your Peace

It is shortly after 6am, and the alarm just blared waking me from my slumber on this Resurrection Day. As I laid in bed for a few minutes, praying and mentally preparing for this day, a song popped into my head. “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace,” an adaptation of the Prayer of St. Francis.

Here is a link to the video of this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRvtkZs7oNg&feature=related

One might wonder why this particular song came into my head today instead of the usual Easter classics – but it was the contrast of the phrase “where there is darkness, only light” that brought it to mind on this Easter morning. Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Christ – God’s light overcoming darkness, God’s hope overcoming despair, God’s forgiveness overcoming wrong.

I don't want to infringe on copyright laws so I won't share the lyrics of “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” on this site. However, here is the Prayer of St. Francis from which it originated …

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.
As we go forth proclaiming and celebrating the resurrection today, may it be done with this prayer in mind.

OK, better roll here ... Have a most blessed Easter everyone!

Habakkuk's Concerto

MOVEMENT ONE

‘Why?'
‘How Long?'
Cry, and worry.
Wrestle with questions beyond you.
With eyes wide accuse God of indifference.
‘Do You not care’?
‘Do You not listen’?
‘Will You not save’?

MOVEMENT TWO
The answer ~
No explanation,
A Revelation ~
‘Watch and be amazed’.
Helpless.
Hungry.
Hope.
Faith in God’s Promise ~
Rest on The Rock.
Watch.
Linger.
Wait.
Hold to Assurances of The Holy One.

MOVEMENT THREE

Justification.
Meaning.
Purpose.
Righteousness not your own.
Grace.
Glory.
Presence.
See what The Everlasting has done, is doing, will do.
Power.
Praise.
Strength.
Counting on God’s Rule and reign.

FINALE

Sing.
Dance.
Feel the coolness of a peaceful joy.

The enemy is carried away on the four winds.

E. Natalie Johnson

After reading this, I sat down and read the book of Habakkuk, and truly enjoyed it. It's not a book that is discussed very often, so it was nice to dive into something new! I suggest go and read the book of Habakkuk! Don't worry about the pronunciation of his name. (My sister would pronounce it "Have-A-Chuck"! Just read his book. Wouldn't it be terrible to arrive in heaven, converse with Habakkuk and be forced to admit that we never read his book? lol

"Psalm"

Sometimes a person can get some of the most beautiful things from the most off the wall places and here is one of them by Roxy Music!

“Psalm”
(ferry)

Try on your love

Like a new dress

The fit and the cut

Your friends to impress

Try on your smile -

Square on your face

Showing affection

Should be no disgrace

Try out your god

Hope he will send

Kindness from strangers

On whom you depend

Try on his coat

A mantle most fine

Myriad colours

His harmony-thine

Believe in me

Once seemed a good line

Now belief in Jesus

Is faith more sublime

Head in the clouds

But I can´t see the lord

Short of perfection

I´ll try to be good

I´ll stand at his gate

I´ll wait for his sign

Then i´ll walk in his garden

When it´s my time

Drink from his cup

Hush now don´t you cry

His quiet waters

Will never, never run dry

Nearing death´s vale

He´s here by my side

He leads me to paradise

A mountain so high
Don´t be afraid

Just treasure his word

Singing his praises

I know that i´ll be heard

He´s gonna take you by the hand

He´s gonna make you feel so good

Open up your eyes

And then you´ll see all that you should

Forget all your troubles

You will feel no pain

He´s all that you need

He´s your everything

When i´m feeling all at sea

Deliverance is that distant shore

I will not be worried

Someday his house will be my home

For ever more,

For ever more …

I just love this song!

And the stars made music ...

Something rather interesting I came across ...

Something like 20 years ago, Astrophysicist Dr. Fiorella Terenzi aimed the famous SETI radio telescopes of Socorro, New Mexico at a galaxy naked to the human eye (she knew it was there based upon the radio waves it emitted), and she used a synthesizer to transform the radiation of galaxy UGC 6697 into discernible frequencies that human ears could hear. Essentially, she discovered that the frequencies heavenly bodies emitted could be related to human ears in the form of gigantic and almost overwhelming music. Although this “space music" is much different than anything that humans would create, Dr. Terenzi analyzed it and realized that although it sounds somewhat random to our ears, it actually represents a complicated system of tonality that is produced by the spiraling nature of this galaxy. The symphonic nature of this galaxy evokes the idea of a million piece orchestra, an orchestra in which no two instruments are alike.

Wow! I find this stuff amazing,astounding even! I believe that the stars do sing. Scripture says the rocks will cry out if we don’t praise Him. There have been many times that I have wished we could just shut up for one day so that the rocks praise Him, but I don’t think it would sound like what I imagine. I can’t wait for arts and craft time in heaven with the Creator God. And believe you me, this isn’t sarcasm. Think about how much we are wowed by “special effects” and then think about what it would be like not just to manipulate, but to actually CREATE. Pure, unadulterated ORIGINALITY! Wow ...

Immortal Beloved

I just finished watching the 1994 movie "Immortal Beloved" and it has to be one of the best movies I've seen for awhile! It pretty much is a biographical puzzle. Beethoven after his death left a letter addressed to his "immortal beloved," with no hint as to who that person was. As a last testament this document may have been faulty, but as a biographical puzzle it was great, inspiring two centuries of fevered speculations, of which this film is the latest and most romantic and oh so sad.

I don't know if the movie has solved the puzzle of the unnamed beloved, but I care not, because it has done something more valuable: He has created a fantasy about Beethoven that evokes the same disturbing, ecstatic passion we hear in his music.

Beethoven is played in the film surprisingly by Gary Oldman, who at first seems an unlikely choice.Then we see that he is the right choice. He plays perfectly a man on the edge of madness, obsessed with women, even more obsessed with Karl (Marco Hofschneider), the young nephew he hopes to turn into a prodigy. He wages a lifelong campaign of hate against Karl's mother, Johanna (Johanna Ter Steege), telling his brother Caspar (Christopher Fulford) she is a foul slut. The movie proposes an interesting explanation of Beethoven's hatred of her and love for her son, one which sensible biographers will question, but that fits perfectly with the terms of the story.

Beethoven's deafness is a subject through much of the film, including a precious scene where the Rossellini character leads him from the stage after he grows confused during a public performance, and another in which he touches the wood of a pianoforte to hear the music through his fingers. He tried desperately to conceal his deafness, fearing it would destroy his livelihood, and in the movie they sometimes reproduces what he can hear: Low rumbles sounding something like the music of the whales.

Beethoven writes to Schindler (the one trying to find the "Immortal Beloved", at one point, arguing: "It is the power of music to carry one directly into the mental state of the composer. The listener has no choice. It is like hypnotism." I rarely do anything close to movie reviews, the quote pretty much sums it up! I now have to find the soundtrack!!

"The vibrations on the air

are the breath

of God speaking to man's soul.

Music is the language of God.

We musicians are as closeto God as man can be.

We hear his voice.

We read his lips.

We give birth to the children

of God who sing his praise.

That's what musicians are.

And if we're not that, we're nothing."

Ludwig Van Beethoven

And celluloid heroes never really die

Yesterday I heard on the radio what has to be my favorite Kinks song and it brought back a flood of memories of my days growing up in Venice Beach, California. When I was young I used to listen to that song and dream one day I would live in Hollywood, where all my heroes and villains lived ... It just brought me back to a place I cherish !! Anyways ... Allow me to share the lyrics with you ...

Celluloid Heroes

Everybody's a dreamer and everybody's a star,
And everybody's in movies, it doesn't matter who you are.
There are stars in every city,
In every house and on every street,
And if you walk down Hollywood boulevard
Their names are written in concrete!

Don't step on great Garbo as you walk down the boulevard,
She looks so weak and fragile that's why she tried to be so hard
But they turned her into a princess
And they sat her on a throne,
But she turned her back on stardom,
Because she wanted to be alone.

You can see all the stars as you walk down Hollywood boulevard,
Some that you recognize, some that you've hardly even heard of,
People who worked and suffered and struggled for fame,
Some who succeeded and some who suffered in vain.
Rudolph Valentino, looks very much alive,
And he looks up ladies' dresses as they sadly pass him by.
Avoid stepping on Bela Lugosi
'cos he's liable to turn and bite,
But stand close by Bette Davis
Because hers was such a lonely life.
If you covered him with garbage,
George sanders would still have style,
And if you stamped on Mickey Rooney
He would still turn round and smile,
But please don't tread on dearest Marilyn
'cos she's not very tough,
She should have been made of iron or steel,
But she was only made of flesh and blood.

You can see all the stars as you walk down Hollywood boulevard,
Some that you recognize, some that you've hardly even heard of.
People who worked and suffered and struggled for fame,
Some who succeeded and some who suffered in vain.

Everybody's a dreamer and everybody's a star
And everybody's in show biz, it doesn't matter who you are.

And those who are successful,
Be always on your guard,
Success walks hand in hand with failure
Along Hollywood boulevard.

I wish my life was a non-stop Hollywood movie show,
A fantasy world of celluloid villains and heroes,
Because celluloid heroes never feel any pain
And celluloid heroes never really die.

You can see all the stars as you walk along Hollywood boulevard,
Some that you recognize, some that you've hardly even heard of,
People who worked and suffered and struggled for fame,
Some who succeeded and some who suffered in vain.

Oh celluloid heroes never feel any pain
Oh celluloid heroes never really die.

I wish my life was a non-stop Hollywood movie show,
A fantasy world of celluloid villains and heroes,
Because celluloid heroes never feel any pain
And celluloid heroes never really die.

The video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh23A2GptAQ&feature=related

Christianity as Music

How many times have you heard that this person or that person, or maybe yourself is not acting very "Christian"? Vulnerability is a big risk, because there will always be people who will not like what you have to say or reject who God has made you and not like the experiences you have had. consider ways that you might share your experiences, thoughts, and dreams with others at church. Expect that not everyone will rejoice with you or mourn with you, but I truly believe that anyone who really understands the grace of God will be grateful for your story and come away with a greater picture of the goodness of our God.

Christianity is a beautiful and flawless piece of music composed by God. Sometimes, the musicians (us) attempting to play it hit a few wrong notes or play it off key. Sometimes we make such an awful noise that they cause their audience to run away from them, holding their ears! But every now and then, a musician who is practiced in their Christianity plays the music and it is glorious and wonderful and sweet. We shouldn't fault the composer (Jesus) when unpracticed musicians play His composition; a composition should be judged when it is played by the best, not the worst.

The thing is that we are all immature and immaturity means that a goal has not been met. Imperfection means that things are not as they should be at a given stage of development. There’s a big difference. Adam was created perfect but he still required instruction to grow in his maturity. Jesus was created perfect but even he “kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52)

When I think about it this way a huge weight is lifted off my shoulders. The big struggle of so many Christians, including myself, is a lack of patience with themselves or others for not being instantly “finished”. I am convinced that when you read the Bible, you realize that the “heroes of the faith” tend to be no different – flawed people who nonetheless are chosen and loved by a God who is not too proud to be associated with them. There is Peter, denying that he knows Jesus in Matthew 26. And then there is God, calling himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:6, among others), and proclaiming that Peter is the rock upon which he will build his church (Matthew 16:18), forever associating himself with his flawed yet beloved followers.

For all of my weaknesses and sins, I get the sense that God likes us, that God is using us anyways, and that because when we are vulnerable, God will get the glory for not kicking us to the curb but instead loving, forgiving, and using him to bring others to Him. remember that the grace that has been bestowed upon us is so much greater than we can give back. Let us purpose to show this grace to others. The world is starving for grace and will take notice when we show this to each other. This is the music our world needs to hear!