Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Oh How The Years Go By - Amy Grant



The video doesn't go along with the message I think of when I listen to this song.  I'm thinking of a marriage.

Oh How the Years Go By
by Amy Grant
 

In our times of trouble
We only had ourselves
Nobody else
No one there to save us [Except our families, Zion Communities, and Jesus Christ, right?  Mosiah 3:17, also see blog post "Dancing Through Adversity"]
We had to save ourselves
 

And when the storms came through
They found me and you
Back to back together
And when the sun would shine
It was yours and mine
Yours and mine forever
 

Chorus
Oh how the years go by
Oh how the love brings tears to my eyes
All through the changes the soul never dies
We fight, we laugh, we cry
As the years go by
 

There were times we stumbled
They thought they had us down
But we came around
How we rolled and rambled
We got lost and we got found
Now we're back on solid ground, yeah
 

We took everything
All our times would bring
In this world of dangers
'Cause when your heart is strong
You know you're not alone
In this world of strangers


Thursday, November 12, 2015

Pocket Full of Sunshine

By Natasha Bedingham 

The "pocketful of sunshine" I refer to when I sing along to this song in my car or when washing dishes is a Soulmates MarriageWhen we have a Soulmates Marriage, trials or adversity have much less impact on us.  It's like we have a forcefield around us that buffers us from the irritating, bad, dangerous, hurtful, Survival of the Fittest behaviors of others with whom we must interact on a daily basis at school, work, in our community, on the road, and even at church.  Children being raised by parents who have a Soulmates Marriage are encompassed by this forcefield also so that they too have a buffer zone around them.  It literally has the power to "take us away, a secret place, a sweet escape."  And if for whatever reason we don't have this with our spouse, we can draw closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.  When we are part of his family, we experience blessings similar to a Soulmates Marriage (#Love of God) through his atonement and the power of the Holy Ghost.  This song is just another way of singing "Love At Home."

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah

I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine
I got a love, and I know that it's all mine, oh
Do what you want, but you're never gonna break me
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me, no


Chorus
Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape(a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)
Take me away (take me away)
To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A higher place (a higher place)


I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine
I got a love, and I know that it's all mine, oh
Do what you want, but you're never gonna break me
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me, no


I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine
I got a love, and I know that it's all mine, oh
Wish that you could, but you ain't gonna own me
Do everything you can't control me, no


Repeat Chorus


There's this places that I go
And nobody knows
Where this river flow
And I call it home [So many people don't know about this "home" and how amazingly powerful and Sustainable it is in the face of temptation and adversity (Matt 11:28).]


And there's no more lies
In the darkness, there's light
And nobody cries
There's only butterflies


Repeat Chorus (3)

The sun is on my side [The Son is on my side.]
And take me for a ride [When I sing this part I think of the "ride" of life, which includes all of our relationships, and how it is so much better when we keep the Lord's commandments regardless of the circumstances we are called to bear (2 Nephi 1:20).]
I smile up to the sky [Gratitude]
I know I'll be all right [Faith]
The sun is on my side ["Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God." ~D&C 101:16]



Thanks to Natasha for this song.  I love it! It has helped me get through a number of hard days because when I sing it and spin it (see Spin the Lyrics), I can feel it's true.  That strengthens my faith in Jesus Christ.  Since I am divorced, I look to him for my "pocketful of sunshine."

Jesus, Once of Humble Birth


Jesus, once of humble birth,
Now in glory comes to earth.
Once he suffered grief and pain;
Now he comes on earth to reign.
Now he comes on earth to reign.

Once a meek and lowly Lamb,
Now the Lord, the great I Am.
Once upon the cross he bowed;
Now his chariot is the cloud.
Now his chariot is the cloud.

Once he groaned in blood and tears;
Now in glory he appears.
Once rejected by his own,
Now their King he shall be known.
Now their King he shall be known.

Once forsaken, left alone,
Now exalted to a throne.
Once all things he meekly bore,
But he now will bear no more.
But he now will bear no more.

See Hymn #196 on LDS.org