videos that might just make you cry (consider this a warning)

Words.  I feel like I have written so many lately and yet few of them have made it to this blog!  I've been working on all sorts of things which meant my blog has been a tad neglected this week.

Anyway, in the past week I've seen two different videos on parenting that have brought tears to my eyes that I wanted to share.  Could I just be a super sappy mother?  Maybe.  Probably.  But maybe you'll end up liking them as much as I did.

Thanks to my friends Pita and Stephanie for passing these along!

Flash Mob, Air Force style!

Last week the USAF band did a flash mob at the National Air and Space Museum in DC.  It would be been incredible to see live, but the video is still wonderful.  My one year old was mesmerized!

oh, happy day!

To my love,

I'm so, so happy to be celebrating our anniversary today!  Love is complicated and marriage even more so, but I'm glad we're figuring this out together.  :)  This year I hope that we continue to learn to love each other more sacrificially.  Thank you for being so kind and patient.  Thank you for encouraging me to follow my passions and enabling me to serve others (and serving alongside me).  I'm thankful for each day I get to spend with you!  I'm glad that for our wedding we decided to memorize our vows and that we still remember them and can look into each other's eyes as we recite them.  Today I'm looking forward to a wonderful day with you and also looking ahead at another adventurous year!

  Love,

    Callie

"I would do it for you, for you

Baby, I'm not moving on

I'll love you long after you're gone

For you, for you

You will never sleep alone

I'll love you long after you're gone

And long after you're gone gone gone"

because you can never have too much Brandi...

There's a moment when the opening notes to a familiar song play and instantly I am flooded with memories and with BIG emotions (to use little kid language).  The song takes you back to "that time" (whenever it was) so quickly it's as if time travel were really possible.

Here's one of mine.

all sons and daughters: reason to sing

this spoke to my heart tonight.  hope that it does the same to yours.

p.s. click here to hear the story behind the song.

"may this journey bring a blessing"

In the midst of a very, very frustrating day  week  month, this is the song that has stayed in my head and hence, on my lips.  And please, feel free to imagine me sound just like this when I sing.  'Cause of course I sound just like Kristyn Getty.  ;)

"Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer"
Music by Keith Getty; Words by Margaret Becker
Copyright © 2002 Thankyou Music 

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labour through the storm.
You have called me to this passage,
and I'll follow, though I'm worn.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus guide me through the tempest;
Keep my spirit staid and sure.
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.

Let the treasures of the trial                                  
Form within me as I go - 
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne.

wedding music (take 2)

Guess what?!

The incredible string trio who played for our wedding just recorded an episode of Indy Wedding Podcast!

Aaaaaaand...they talked about our wedding!  :)  You can follow this link and listen to it for free on iTunes (they start around 3:50).  Or I can just summarize it for you.  They play a portion of the song "Anne's Theme" which they played for our wedding (we actually had it arranged for them) and talk about how they would like to play it more often.  Because it's just that cool.

If you are looking for an ensemble for an event in or around Indianapolis, check out The Deoc Ensemble. We highly recommend them!  They were so wonderful to work with and I never had to worry about the music at all - I gave them the music and signed the paperwork and didn't have to stress about that aspect of the wedding any long.  It was fantastic.  And it also didn't hurt that my sisters had performed with them for a few years so we knew they were both talented and trustworthy.

thanks to my amazing sister for telling me about this podcast. :)

Bon Joviver

Bon Jovi's song in the style of Bon Iver.  This is great. :)  I only wish they did the whole song!

via 22 Words

required saturday morning listening (Kick Drum Heart: The Avett Brothers)

Mr. Mays and I ran errands this morning and shopped for living room furniture.  This is my wake up and go music for Saturday mornings.  Enjoy!

wedding bell blues

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39 days until the wedding (I think....  Sometimes I lose track).

This seemed appropriate for the day.  Let's be done with the wedding and move on to the marriage!!

Now if only Mr. Mays would change his first name to "Bill"....  ;)

song for today

thanks to my AWESOME sister and brother-in-law, this is one of mr. mays and my favorite songs.  :)

blessings?

This beautiful song so, so captures what I have been praying and thinking about for the past year and a half.

Below is a description of the song:



Here is the actual song:

All Is Well

Are you ever haunted by lyrics? These are my haunting lyrics for today.

All is well all is well

Angels and men rejoice

For tonight darkness fell

Into the dawn of love's light

Sing A-le

Sing Alleluia

All is well, all is well

Let there be peace on earth

Christ is come go and tell

That He is in the manger

Sing A-le

Sing Alleluia

All is well, all is well

Lift up your voices and sing

Born is now Emmanuel

Born is our Lord and Savior

Sing Alleluia

Sing Alleluia

All is well

All is well. I have been pondering those words. The emphasis could truly be on any word and bring incredible significance. ALL is well. all IS well. all is WELL.

It's true. All is well. Because of a baby born long ago, all is well. "All" is not perfect. Life still hurts. But all is well. Despite circumstances, God has been good and gracious and I know that He will be in the future as well. It is through Jesus alone that we may sing, "It is well with my soul!"

All is well.

Oh Lord, this is my prayer! Give me Your grace to live this out.

Take all I am, Lord, and all that I cling to
You are my Savior I owe everything to
Take all the treasures that lie in my storehouse
They cannot follow when I enter Your house

So I surrender all to You
I surrender all

Take all my cravings for vain recognition
Fleshly indulgence and worldly ambition
I want so much Lord to make You the focus
To serve You in secret and never be noticed

Take all my hunger for all that’s forbidden
Every desire and sin I keep hidden
Search me and know me I want to bring to You
A life that is holy and sanctified through You

O Great God

O great God of highest heaven
Occupy my lowly heart
Own it all and reign supreme
Conquer every rebel power
Let no vice or sin remain
That resists Your holy war
You have loved and purchased me
Make me Yours forevermore

I was blinded by my sin
Had no ears to hear Your voice
Did not know Your love within
Had no taste for heaven’s joys
Then Your Spirit gave me life
Opened up Your Word to me
Through the gospel of Your Son
Gave me endless hope and peace

Help me now to live a life
That’s dependent on Your grace
Keep my heart and guard my soul
From the evils that I face
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me

 

>> Words and Music by Bob Kauflin
(Based on The Valley of Vision prayer “Regeneration”)

Heaven

There's a place far from here

Near to love, far from fear

Close to life, close to death

Close to my final breath

Where my hope has been stored

Where I'll touch the nail pierced hands of my Lord

Where my joy will never end

Where I'll finally see what I could not comprehend

Heaven, heaven, heaven, I can't wait.

What a sight to behold

Where God's light shines on gold

It might take my breath away

But I'll still live, so that's okay.

Where death is no more

Where I'll see the face of the One whom I adore

Where there'll be no more pain

Where everyone is pure without a stain

Heaven, heaven, heaven, I can't wait.

Where I'll sing a new song

For my Jesus, for my God

Where my hope has been stored

Where I'll touch the nail-pierced hands of my Lord

Where my joy will never end

Where I'll finally see what I could not comprehend

Heaven, heaven, heaven, I can't wait!!

-charity st. clair

I stand amazed in the presence

Of Jesus the Nazarene,

And wonder how He could love me,

A sinner, condemned, unclean.

How marvelous! How wonderful!

And my song shall ever be:

How marvelous! How wonderful,

Is my Savior's love for me!

He took my sins and my sorrows,

He made them His very own;

He bore the burden to Calvary,

And suffered and died alone.

When with the ransomed in glory

His face I at last shall see,

'Twill be my joy through the ages

To sing of His love for me!