Music Monday: A Cowgirl, A Diva, and a Shameless Hussy

Okay...today will be a little different on here....
Instead of posting lyrics...I am going to introduce you to 3 ladies that I had the privilege to meet and listen to on Saturday night. I have had the opportunity to be invited to a Living Room Round...this is my 2nd one. Well, let me say that I love it....I love going to listen to some great music and stories to go along with the music. I can be honest and say that I didn't have any real idea of who these ladies were...but after hearing them I highly recommend them.

Becky Hobbs  (She's the Cowgirl)
Click on her name to go to her website. This lady can write and sing....she is from Oklahoma. She wrote Angels Among Us...which if you are familiar with country music you will know that Alabama sang it. The story behind this song is also one that needs to be read . I hope you will take the time to check it out.

Benita Hill (She's the Diva)
She's got a more sultry voice ...amazing. A couple of her big hits were performed by Garth Brooks--one of my favs. He performed..Two Pina Coladas and It's Your Song. She is a cancer survivor who believes in the healing power of music/songs. I would encourage you to check her out...


Kacey Jones (She's the shameless hussy)
Okay...let me just say she's quite different than the other two....her music and her lyrics are not the traditional type lyrics, but they still resonate in a way that will make you laugh until it hurts.

I bought a CD from all this gals...and can't wait to listen to them...and share my favorites.
Take some time and check them out on line...and if you like their music...buy a CD....

Be Blessed

S.
This lady is hoot....I

Quotable Thursday

"We are most alive when we are loving and actively giving of ourselves because we were made to do these things. It is when we live like this that the Spirit of God moves and acts in and through us in ways that on our own we are not capable of."-Francis Chan from "Forgotten God"

My small group has been reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan....this quote is from this past Wednesday. We were primarily talking about why do we want the Holy Spirit to be a part of our life...and I think the quote sums it up for me. I am most alive when the Spirit is actively a part of my life. When I let Him lead and I surrender my control....in those times that is when He is capable of doing things through me that I cannot do on my own.

The key for me is that many times I don't give up that control...I hold onto it, thinking that I can do this better than Him. I can fix the problem better than Him. I know what I need better than Him. And the reality is that I know nothing. The reality is that I tend to mess things up more when I try to do it on my own.

The other part is that even when I do give up control and feel that I have followed His prompting that I then second guess myself. Was that the right thing to do? Is He telling me to stand still in this situation? Am I supposed to say or do this? Was that really Him?

I know that the answer is to follow peace....and I have felt that peace many times, but sometimes I think I get amnesia and can't remember what that peace actually feels like. Sometimes I can create a "false" peace...and claim that it's His peace.... and well, sometimes I am just rebellious.

S.

Wordless Wednesday: Winter

Just some shots I took recently of winter here in Nashville....We got snow (I missed it), but I caught the tail end on Sunday and went out and got a few shots.....

Hope you enjoy them.

Be Blessed!
S.

Music Monday: Need you now by Lady Antebellum

If you didn't know, I am a country fan. I know for some they will think...what? You like Country....Yep, I am have been a country fan for many years....some of the time, I repressed it. But know that I am living in the Country Capital of the World...my love for it has been resurrected.

One of my favorite groups right now is Lady Antebellum. I bought their new album off of itunes on Tuesday. Great Album...

The song: Need you Now has had a lot of air time....as I was driving this weekend, I listened more intently to the song and there was a couple of key phrases that just jumped out to me. I have highlighted them below. The second highlight is the one that I want to call the most attention to....getting to the point that you'd rather hurt than not feeling anything at all. I love that....it's so easy to not feel anything...to become numb to life, to love, to friends.....but that's not living. To live you have to all yourself to be hurt...it means you have a heart. It means you can feel the ups and the downs of life. It's taken me awhile to get to the point of wanting to "feel" again....but I do want to risk being hurt again. I was ready to take that plunge again....I am ready to take that plunge again. I was listening to a radio interview with Hilari from Lady Antebellum and she talked about being in love and being hurt. She also talked about that she knew she was ready to love again when she okay with being vulnerable again. Vulnerable to allow people inside our inner circle...allow people into our dreams and our heart. 

I am happy to report that I am ready to be vulnerable again....It's taken awhile for me to get there but I am excited about the possibilies....now just to find someone to be vulnerable with....hmmm!!!

Be Blessed!!

S.

Need you Now

Picture perfect memories
Scattered all around the floor
Reaching for the phone cause
I can’t fight it any more
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind
For me it happens all the time

It’s a quarter after one
I’m all alone and I need you now
Said I wouldn’t come
But I lost all control and I need you now
And I don’t know how I can do without
I just need you now

Another shot of whiskey
Can’t stop looking at the door
Wishing you’d come sweeping in the way you did before
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind
For me it happens all the time

It’s a quarter after one
I’m a little drunk
And I need you now
Said I wouldn’t call
But I lost all control and I need you now
And I don’t know how I can do without
I just need you now

Yes I’d rather hurt than feel nothing at all
It’s a quarter after one
I’m all alone and I need you now
And I said I wouldn’t call
But I’m a little drunk and I need you now
And I don’t know how I can do without
I just need you now
I just need you now
Oh baby I need you now

Quotable Thursday: Fear vs. Freedom

If you don't know, I joined Booksneeze.com--a part of Thomas Nelson Publishing where bloggers are asked to review a book on their blog. I am excited about this opportunity because I love to read and I love to blog. A pretty good combination if I do say so myself. Let me say first off....this is NOT my review. I am only on page 30 and I am already hooked. However, I wanted to go ahead and share a quote from the book

"Fear obstructs our understanding and route to freedom. In fact it's the single biggest enemy of freedom, and it isn't until you get to the other side of fear that you experience the good stuff."--Brian Tome from Free Book

I have blogged about fear before...and my struggle with fear. I thought I was past it....but in starting this book. I realize I am not. I still have a fears in my life....not the little fears of spiders or snakes or bees. But I have the big fears...the fear of disappointing people, the fear of failure, the fear of not being loved, the fear of the unknown....  I am excited though to finish this book and see where Brian Tome goes with the concept of freedom (of getting to the other side). In the meantime, I hope you will take some time to reflect on the quote above...and think about what fears (if any) you have in your life. 

Looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you soon on this book....until then...Be Blessed!!

S.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wordless Wednesday

The cross and baptistry at 1st Baptist Church in Hendersonville. I loved the light and color.

S.

Music Monday: Unredeemed by Selah

Tonight I had the opportunity to go see Selah in Concert. They were performing a free concert in Hendersonville. Since I had to work today, I got off of work at 6 pm...which was just in time to get to the concert. I have to say it was good...okay for me it was great. It could have been better if the baptist were willing to move and groove a little more....but that's a whole different story.

I have never heard Selah in concert before tonight. I have listened to a few of there songs. The connection for me is from Todd's wife Angie. I have been reading Angie's blog for a couple of years...so there is a connection there. Anyway...I really enjoyed them. I enjoyed the testimonies...especially Amy's.  She talked about her desire to be married and how hurtful words had been spoken into her life many times over by people (specifically the last person she dated before she met her husband). But what I loved most was when Amy talked about how her husband (before he was) looked at her one day and said that "he knew that he knew" that they would get married. He didn't propose at that time, but Amy said for her that was the proposal. She said that he looked at her like she was beautiful (and she is) and he saw her through God's eyes and not through man's. I loved it and of course teared up...she then went on to sing one of my favorite songs...God Bless the Borken Road ... but that's not the song lyrics I am blogging about. Instead it was another song that they sang called Unredeemed. The words touched a chord in me....so take a look and see what you think. I hope that they touch you as they have touched me. I will also encourage you to buy their album..."You deliver me"--I haven't listened to it yet...but if what they sang tonight was any indication...then you should definitely buy it.

Be Blessed!!!

Unreedemed by Selah

The cruelest world
The coldest heart
The deepest wound
The endless dark
The lonely ache
The burning tears
The bitter nights
The wasted years

Life breaks and falls apart
But we know these are
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed

For every choice that led to shame
And all the love that never came
For every vow that someone broke
And every lie that gave up hope
We live in the shadow of the fall
But the cross says these are all
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed

Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But you never know the miracle the Father has in store
Just watch and see
It will not be
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed