So, each night when we put Henry to sleep we play music. We have a wide range of options, from instrumental versions of Hymns, Michael W. Smith, Queen, and Kayne West to Lullaby albums from Jewel and Nick Lachey to just normal albums by Andrew Peterson, Andrew Osenga, and Jack Johnson, but my favorite artist to listen to while I am trying to convince Henry its time to sleep is Joshua Kadison. If you are someone who matured musically in the 90's you might remember Josh by his 3 hits (Jessie, Beautiful in My Eyes, and Picture Postcards from LA) off his debut album (Painted Desert Serenade). And then for most of you he fell off your radar, but I continued to follow him and love everything he put out, which is not enough if you ask me.
I was listening to Painted Desert Serenade a couple hours ago and was reminded that when I first bought the album I was surprised by the lyrics of the song Jessie. When it first rose to popularity I thought that Jessie called at 5 am and said that they could move to Mexico Youth Academy, but in reality she says that we can move to Mexico you, the cat, and me. I don't know why I thought it was a youth academy, maybe it was because I was still a youth at the time, or maybe my ears simply played tricks on me.
As I have mentioned from time to time I used to write song lyrics [I say used to because it has been quite a while that I wrote a song that had more than three lines and was not intended to get Henry to calm down or go to sleep], in addition I am that guy that when he buys a new CD/download the first thing I do is check the booklet to see if lyrics are included and then I follow along for my first full listen. I love the way people put words together, my favorite bands/singers are those that are the best lyricists or at least pick the best lyrics to sing.
Now, I remember when Seal released Kiss from a Rose and I was so curious about some of the lyrics, specifically where or when was this kiss? Was it a kiss from a rose in the rain, on the brain, or a train or grain or drain or something completely different, what exactly was this guy singing about? And I remember someone asking him what he was singing and he said something along the lines of it doesn't really matter what I am singing what matters is what you are hearing, how you interrupt it. At the time that answer irritated me to no end, but back then I was a black and white type of guy, I consistently wanted to know what was right and wrong, whether that was politically, religiously, or lyrically.
If you have been following this blog for any amount of time you will realize that I am not the guy anymore, I pretty much live in the grey areas. And while I still believe that there are certain things that are right and wrong, politically, religiously, lyrically, I think that they are a lot less things than I used to think. I like to think that this has to do with a stronger understanding of grace and love, or it could be that I have begun to grow tired of arguing. I have been becoming a person who would rather leave as friends than as conqueror and conquered, rather leave with the possibility open that we may talk again than leave with the conversation over and done with forever.
I am still a work in progress, and truth be told I am beginning to think that I always will be in progress, and truth be told I am becoming very peaceful in that knowledge. To that end, I apologize for the times I may still try to 'win' when I should be playing for the tie, I apologize for the times I come across as a jerk, or worse. I apologize for the times when I fight for my Youth Academy when it really is you, the cat, and me.
Peace and Love,
Pastor K
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