Song: Come to the River of Life

The "river of life" is probably an overused concept, but it's still got resonance for me. I was baptized in a swimming pool, but if I'd had it to do over again, I'd like to be dunked in a river O Brother Where Art Thou-style.

I noticed after setting this down that the tune is close to "More Pretty Girls Than One" (a song I love) and maybe to other songs in the folk/country/bluegrass canon. Oh well.   --MC
LYRICS:

Come to the river of life
Come to the river of life
Well it won't ever run dry
There's an endless supply
Come to the river of life

The river of life flows fast and free
Its waters are the sweetest you'll find
One sip and you'll be filled
with the Spirit's own goodwill
Its a loving cup for you and me

Come to the river of life
Come to the river of life
Well it won't ever run dry
There's an endless supply
Come to the river of life

This river of life's like a mountain spring
No water every tasted so fine
You might try another source
but you'll never stay that course
It's a pearl a plenty just for you and I

Come to the river of life
Come to the river of life
Well it won't ever run dry
There's an endless supply
Come to the river of life

Well it's fast and its free
Won't you have a drink with me?
Come to the river of life

Song: Back to the Dust

A song for Ash Wednesday, an observance I didn't know anything about until college, when I first attended a service.  It's sobering to have a priest mark your forehead with ashes and tell you, "From dust you are made and to dust you shall return."  True, but sobering.  It's also a reminder not only of our flesh and of our broken selves, but that our time on this earth is short; let's learn and love and serve while we can.

The words and tune of this song sort of evolved as I put Merry's lunch together before school this morning.  I'd been thinking about Ash Wednesday and remembered Wendell Berry's interpretation of Genesis 2:7, where God makes the first human.  Berry says that God did not make a man out of dust and blow a soul into him (dust + soul = man); no, he says, the recipe for man-making is dust + breath = a living soul.  Anyway, I latched onto that phrase, "living soul."

About an hour later, Kim and I recorded this take live in our kitchen. Sorry for the occasional loud thumps--that's my foot. I couldn't keep it still!

LYRICS

God you made a living soul

took your very own breath

and blew it into this soil

Even though I'm dust I've got to walk till I'm called

back to the dust I'm from

Oh, the flesh is weak

Sullied by so much that it seeks

And when I feel these bones can't but break

Your spirit gives me strength

God you made a living soul

took your very own breath

and blew it into this soil

Even though I'm dust I've got to walk till I'm called

back to the dust I'm from

Lord, I'm not a child

Lord, I've trod about 10,000 miles

Seems no matter how far there's still a far road to go

So go with me always

God you made a living soul

took your very own breath

and blew it into this soil

Even though I'm dust I've got to walk till I'm called

back to the dust I'm from (x3)

Song: Lord, Make Me New

Another song. Thinking of the Apostle Paul's weary question: Why do I always do the things I don't want to do? A little later he writes, "Who will rescue me from this body?" (Romans 7:15-24) Also probably channeling a little B.W. Stevenson.


LYRICS:

Lord, make me new.
Let me be just like a son to you.
'Cause when I'm sad and lonely
you come rescue me again and once again
I'm asking won't you change me through and through.

Lord, I've been used.
I wrote myself a fiction for the truth.
But when I'm sick in mind and heart
you rescue me again and once again
I'm asking won't you change me through and through.

Lord, change me, Lord make me new.
Can you hear me calling on you?
Lord change me, Lord make me new.
I'm done with doing what I do.

Stick with me and I'll surely stick with you.

Song: If You Believe

A new song. I was thinking about the father of the boy with seizures, Jesus' response to him, and the man's reply--"Lord, I believe. Help me to believe" (Matthew 17, Mark 9). The thumping of the electric piano keys is terrible. Sorry-- MC

Song: Still My Soul

Photo by Luke McDaniel; Lake of the Angels, Olympic Mountains, WA


LYRICS:

I reach for things that I don't need

but my hands come up empty.

Afraid of what I'll lose

I miss light in the morning.

Still my soul and make me quiet.

The dream of all that I could be

steals joy from what I do.

A world of easy comfort

slows my restless search for you.