Miracle Girl

In my family, I have developed a tradition. With the arrival of each grandchild, I write a song. Whitney arrived nearly five months ago in November. So, I am a little behind on getting her song written. Her parents, Lauren and Dean, have been very patient. So, I give you "Miracle Girl."

Miracle Girl

A miracle even before she was born

Coming into their life, it soon was clear

She would be one who would change their world

Always keep growing, and lead us from here

Miracle Girl making a believer of me

Every time I greet you, new miracles I see

Telling the world that you believe

Miracles will happen when God is near

Light in her eyes, as this little one grew

Her face had a charm that welcomed you

More than the trait of eyes of blue

You knew that this was a Godly hue

Miracle Girl making a believer of me

Every time I greet you, new miracles I see

Telling the world that you believe

Miracles will happen when He is near

Her life won’t be easy, time takes a toll

There will be moments, of scoffs from the crowd

The Spirit inside gives her strength to stay whole

Determined to keep living her faith out loud

Hey, Miracle Girl, you’re a wonder to see

And you are bringing miracles to be

Follow her, and you will soon believe

Supernatural things are easy to see

As the years wear on and life takes its course

Her face will always stay tuned to the light

She’ll take each moment for better, for worse

Leading many to change wrongs to right

Miracle Girl making a believer of me

Every time I meet you, new miracles I see

Telling the world that you believe

Miracles always happen when He is near

With God as Our Father

The Bible repeatedly refers to God as father and his followers as his children. Dependent upon our relationships with our earthly parents, this can either be a calming thought or one that leads to tension. Some of us were taught that our heavenly father was mostly a judge who showed his disappointment and anger when we made mistakes. Most of the time when I think of the relationship between father and son, my mind goes to how I feel as an adult, but perhaps the better way to imagine the concept is between a wise father and a very young child. The Bible tells us that God is far superior to humans in reasoning and love (Isaiah 55:8 is only one place we find this truth) and we can readily see that as the creator of this vast universe in which we live, he is far beyond us. When we are mere babes-in-arms or toddlers, and our fathers are given the responsibility to care for our needs and train us up in the ways that we should go, perhaps that is when we are most like the relationship between God the father and we the children.

Pastor Steve McMillan at Bow Valley Christian Church recently used an illustration that points to the truth in this. When a child reaches that age where they begin to walk (usually within a few months of their first birthday) we see the pride of the father in the child. The child manages to get up and hold onto some piece of furniture and walks along it before coming to the end of safety. At some point, they must launch out on their own and so they stretch a leg and arm out and take those first halting steps. Soon the awkwardness of legs, body, and heavy head get in the way and the child thumps down on the forgiving cushion of a nicely padded bottom. At this point we don’t see the father berate the child for falling. We don’t hear him say, “What is wrong with you? You only took three steps!” No, instead the father is ecstatic. He cheers the babe on and says, “Wonderful, you did so well. You took three steps before falling." He pulls out his cell phone and tries to capture the next steps on video. He calls his wife into the room and says, “Honey, come in here quick, see what our daughter has just done!” He calls his parents on the phone and acts like his child is the most brilliant and coordinated child on the planet. He jumps around and hoots like a mad-man, all because this child took three steps and fell hard.

So too, our heavenly father is more interested in the steps we take than in the many times we fall. Sure, he does not want to see us fall and get hurt; there is pain in his heart when he sees us scrape our knees and bruise our muscles. Yet, he is more interested in the fact that we actually walked for a while. He is there to encourage us to get up, wince at the pain, bandage the scrapes, and get moving again. Fathers do not worry about the falls. Certainly, if the child keeps falling for the next several years there may be something wrong and the father intervenes to find a way to help the son walk, but that is not the usual case. 

So, what of my life here on this earth? Am I focussed on how many times I fall or on how much progress I am making? I would do well to set myself some goals and aim toward them rather than focussing on the time I spend on the ground. My heavenly father is certainly looking at foot-steps and progress, otherwise he could not be my loving father at all.

Musical Influences

 
Writing songs and poetry is a deeply personal process that, at the same time, is influenced by many other voices. The thoughts, concepts, and words in my head are there through a variety of musical, literary, and poetic influences. Sometimes I am inspired to write a song or poem about a grandchild, a friend, or love in my life, and the words that are used are dependent upon the qualities of that person. Phrases and concepts of other songs and stories blend with original thoughts and a song is born. This is what it means when song-writers speak of their musical influences: the material they have read and heard becomes part of the canvas for a new song.

In the last 12 days, I wrote a song for our sixth grandchild, Aubrey Claire. The song, although it does not yet have a melody, contains references to three songs by three respected song-writers. Sting (Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner) wrote the song “Wrapped Around Your Finger” about how the apprentice becomes the master. Certainly, that is what must happen in every generation but not without some angst on the part of both master and apprentice. There is a tension between old ways and new ways that is recognized in Sting’s song and my own.

The second musical influence is the song, “Change the World,” written by Tommy Sims, Gordon Kennedy, and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Eric Clapton had a big hit with this song and it has inspired many others to write about changing the world. In my song, the concept of “if I could change the world” is transformed to the idea of how all of us do change the world and the hope of a grandfather for the positive change a granddaughter might make.

Lastly, a song written by the members of the band Jars of Clay, "Revolution," challenges us all to “be a revolution.” Here are the full lyrics to that song. Listen to the song here.

Revolution

Peace takes a taxi to the underground.
I want to love the world but I don't know how.
I'll blame it on the d.j. spinning all the fast songs,

ain't playing anything that I can sing along.

If you know the words try to sing along.
When you get the beat, grab a hammer, bang a gong.
'Cause you don't gotta fight or make yourself belong to be a revolution.

If you want to learn to play the "rock guitar,"
Throw down your guns, you're gonna be a star.
You gotta begin with who you know you are to be a revolution.
The time is right to cross that line and let love find a way.

So, if you know the words then try to sing along.
When you get the beat, grab a hammer, bang a gong.
'Cause you don't gotta fight or make yourself belong to be a revolution.

Songwriters: Stephen Daniel Mason, Charlie Lowell, Dan Haseltine, Matt Odmark; Published by Universal Music Publishing Group.

A Song for Aubrey Claire

You’ve got the world wrapped around your finger

And yes, you can change the world

I see you changing my world now

As your hand round my finger curls

You can already steal my heart

You will always inspire my thoughts

From your tiny birth, you start

Beginning to tie the knots

And, you will change the world little one

You will be a revolution

Go ahead and change this world

We wait for your contribution

This world is in need of much change

Too much poverty, war, mistrust

People looking for those who can

Be the change, lead the rest of us

Can one really change the planet?

Those words are hope and a trust

Little one, if anyone can

It’s your generation that must

You will change the world little one

You can be a revolution

Go ahead and change this world

We wait for your contribution

Think about it, make a case

Work it out, and use some laughter

Make this world a better place

For those who follow after

You will change the world little one

You can be the revolution

Go ahead and change this world

We await your work’s fruition

Even if you must change me!

Violet

You have got my heart on a string.

I haven’t even met you and you

You have got my heart on a string.

You are brightening my senses

Ignoring all my defenses

You have got my heart on a string.

You’ve a name that makes me think light,

Posies and roses, sun-beams bright

Wonderland, daisy chains, starlight

And beautiful indigo night

You have got my heart on a string.

I haven’t even met you and you

You have got my heart on a string.

You are brightening my senses

Ignoring all my defenses

You have got my heart on a string.

Your walk is noble, full of grace

Hold your head high as faith you chase

Fill up a room yet take no space

Til all can see the better place

You have got my heart on a string.

I haven’t even met you and you

You have got my heart on a string.

You are brightening my senses

Ignoring all my defenses

You have got my heart on a string.

The moon calls birds to fly, depart

Violin strings that pull a heart

Love’s the grace that feels like a dart

My bond with you will never part

You have got my heart on a string.

I haven’t even met you and you

You have got my heart on a string.

You are brightening my senses

Ignoring all my defenses

You have got my heart on a string.

For Violet Alice Smith born September 6, 2015