Week 37 (finally back on track...)

This one is pretty simple. I've always loved this song. It's a sweet hymn with a wonderful melody. I left out the third verse. In doing so, my mind wandered back to my old baptist church where the Minister of Music would have said something like this... "Please stand with me as we sing hymn number 337, "Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus." We will sing the first, second and fourth verse."

Let me know what you think.

Enjoy,

Christopher

     Recorded September 13, 2012. Speaking of the Minister of Music at my old church... His daughter, Joy was my first big crush. I remember meeting her and her twin sister at Vacation Bible School when I was 5. I started attending the church regularly in 8th grade. From that point up until college, I chased that girl everywhere. Such good memories! I'm lucky that my first effort of the heart was for a good one! 

     "Tis So Sweet" written by Louisa M. R. Stead in 1882. 

Week 28...

A friend of mine from Ridge Church recently lost her mom. In those situations, I don't always know the right words to say, so I thought I'd sing them. The old hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul" has always been there to comfort me in times of grief. Here is an instance.

When I was young, I did not like school. Nothing interested me. It wasn't that I was bad at certain subjects. It wasn't that it was hard. It was mostly that I didn't like doing something I wasn't interested in. Still don't, honestly. My eighth grade year, something changed. I was given a teacher who made me excited about learning. Mr. Ozment was my science teacher. He found a spark in me and knew how to build it into a flame. I performed wonderfully on his projects and tests; Even did my homework. That year, I started a Bible study group that met before school. Mr. Oz was our sponsor. I loved everything about the man and was sad when the year ended. Even though he was no longer my teacher, I would often make my way to his classroom, just to hang out with him.

One day, I was sick and stayed home from school. Later that afternoon, one of my friends called me on the phone to see how I was. He said, "I heard the news and figured you had to leave school." I was confused and said, "What news? That I was sick?" He replied, "No, that Mr. Ozment died of a heart attack this morning on the way to school." I remember not being able to speak. I was genuinely crushed to the point that no air was moving in and out of my lungs. When I finally could talk, I told him, "I have to go," and hung up the phone. I sat down on my bed, leaned over and turned on my radio, then laid down with tears in my eyes. The song that was playing through the speakers was, "It Is Well With My Soul." I just wept.

If you don't know the story behind the song, you can read it over here. Horatio Spafford lost everything, but he knew he served a God who is just and righteous. The same one that I serve. Sometimes the words may be hard to find, but there is peace in the arms of the Great Comforter. When everything seems to disappear, He is the only constant in this world. I am glad that I know who He is.

Enjoy,

Christopher

     Recorded July 16-18, 2012. This one goes out to Danielle and Brett. Praying for peace for you and yours.
     "It Is Well With My Soul" written by Horatio G. Spafford. Tune by Philip Bliss.

Week 5

On October 8th of last year, I lost a friend. Kortney Blythe Gordon, her unborn baby (Sophy), and three others were driving down a Georgia highway. They were hit head-on, and  Kortney and Sophy died instantly. You can read more about Kortney, here. She was always, always smiling. She had an incredible joy inside. When you were in the same room with her, you could see that joy radiating out. I was comforted and encouraged every time I got to see her. The last time I did was at the One Amazin' Kid reunion show in December of 2010. I got to meet her fiance, Ben Gordon.

They were married in May 2011. Soon after, they became pregnant with a little girl they named Sophy Joy. They had only been married five months when the accident happened. My heart still breaks for Ben and the Blythe family. When I heard about the accident, I offered to do music for the memorial service. I was taken aback when Ben called me himself.  He mentioned that she always loved the hymn, "Be Thou My Vision." He told me to make it my own. Moments later, I was in my office praying and meditating on the song. The ideas seemed as though they were being downloaded from above. I was just trying to keep up. I rested on those ideas for a couple of days, but the song didn't seem finished. A verse from the Bible from the book of Psalm kept ringing in my ears. 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.  Psalm 100:4-5

I added this as a bridge to the song. I felt it was honoring to Kortney and the family. The service was a beautiful celebration of a life lived out to the fullest. The eulogy, written by her Dad, was filled with sweetness and grace. He wrote, "She was tireless in her passions. She was passionate in her ministries. She ministered to all who crossed her path. She made Christ the light of her path."

Just weeks later, I performed this same rendition at a wedding for a friend. It was such a tender season. A season in which I witnessed the extraordinary circle of life. A season in which my vision of life ripened. I know my existence is in the hands of One far greater than I. As the song says, "Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision or Ruler of all."

Enjoy, 

Christopher

Recorded at various times between January 25-29.

Words attributed to Dallan Forgaill in the 8th Century.
Translated from ancient Irish to English by Mary E. Byrne in 1905.
Versed by Eleanor H. Hull in 1912.