Music has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. One of my mom's early photos shows me sitting at our piano at the tender age of 1ish, banging away at the keys. Another one, when my brother came along, shows both of us on the bench, me hoisting him up with all my 2.5 year power to once again bang at the keys. In all seriousness I started taking piano lessons in 1st grade and continued through junior high (with a short break at about 3rd grade). Then I started band in 5th grade playing my beloved silver trumpet and continued with that til 9th when sports became a much bigger part of my life on which my highschool mind was focused. I also sang in my church's junior choir from 1st through 5th grand and the 8th grade choir at school, but when I didn't get a solo part I tried out for I decided that singing really wasn't meant to be for me.
I have to laugh about that now because in late 2008/early 2009 I started singing on our worship team at our previous church. Mostly from peer pressure loving encouragement from the rest of the gang, and my husband was playing guitar too (which by the way, I've been starting to get a little better at as well). We left that church in May 2009 and joined a new church. I missed singing up front, so when 2 of the worship leaders from our new church left this past July for new endeavors Steve and I jumped at the chance to help lead. So here I am...what I consider a not so great singer leading our congregation in praise to a wonderful God who gave me a talent I've never really developed until now. This also makes me laugh because my brother is the musical one...not me. He even majored in that at college and sang (very well I might add) in his school's chorus. But I wanted to use my love of music and newfound talent to try to get over my fear of being in front of people and lead praises to the awesome God who takes away those fears. And I LOVE Love love how God speaks to me through the songs we sing during worship.
Tonight I found a website with lots of guitar chords for worship songs, old and new, and I've been youtubeing them if I find one I haven't heard in a long time. It has been fantastic. My own little personal worship time with the Lord. And all I wanted to do was practice guitar a bit. To name a few of the ones I found (because it wouldn't be worth your effort or mine to post entire lyrics): Pass It On, There is a Redeemer, Agnus Dei, We Want to See Jesus Lifted High, and one of my all time favorites Take Me In. If you don't recognize some of these look them up on Youtube.com You won't regret it.
Lastly I want to share one of the real reasons for writing this post (because it really just isn't enough to me to write about the randomness of my night). I need to finish with a story with some gusto. A few weeks ago I was listening to the radio and one of the dj's had just come back from a mission trip to Russia. He played a song that gave him some encouragement on his trip. I loved it and swore he said it was by Matt Maher. So I got home, looked up Matt's website and searched for the song. I didn't have any of the words or even the tune stuck in my head so I got frustrated when I couldn't find the song. It was a really really good song, with a message that made me think about my own life (and wonder what kind of changes I was going to need to make in the next few weeks because of this particular song). Well I gave up searching. AND THEN...I was leaving worship practice last Thursday and the last little bit of the song was on when I flipped stations. I was like "find a pen, get paper, don't crash your car, but write those words down!" So I did (WHILE I was stopped mind you). And I searched for the song this weekend on youtube and found it. WOOHOO!! It was by MATTHEW WEST and that was my original problem. So here are the words, for this song has been heavy on my heart the last week or so. I want to go into action right this minute, but I need a word from the Lord and I haven't the slightest idea where to start...pray for me please. And I will do the same...
IN MY OWN LITTLE WORLD-Matthew West
In my own little world it hardly ever rains
I’ve never gone hungry or always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket shoes on my feet
In my own little world
Population me
I try to stay awake through the Sunday morning church
I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give ’til it hurts
and I turn off the news when I don’t like what I see
it’s easy to do when it’s
population me
What if there’s a bigger picture
what if I’m missing out
What if there’s a greater purpose
I could be living right now
outside my own little world
Stopped at a red light, looked out my window
Saw a cardboard sign, said “Help this homeless widow”
Just above this sign was the face of a human
I thought to myself, “God, what have I been doing?”
So I rolled down my window and I looked her in the eye
Oh how many times have I just passed her by
I gave her some money then I drove on through
and my own little world reached
Population two
What if there’s a bigger picture
what if I’m missing out
What if there’s a greater purpose
I could be living right now
outside my own little world
Father break my heart for what breaks Yours
give me open hands and open doors
put Your light in my eyes and let me see
that my own little world is not about me
What if there’s a bigger picture
what if I’m missing out
What if there’s a greater purpose
I could be living right now
I don't want to miss what matters
I wanna be reaching out
Show me the greater purpose
So I can start living right now
Outside my own little world
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