Songs to Live By (for this week anyway)

So my first *real* post will be in response to Friday's Blog Challenge over at Sweet Shoppe Designs. They want to know 5 songs that sum up the week. You're actually asking me to choose??? Ahhhhhh!!! I'm a BIG lyrics person, so while the title may not fit...or all of the lyrics...there are some that just jump out. You'd think I'd be running a lyric scrapbooking challenge somewhere. I should someday. *lol*

Well, here goes...
1. Fix You by Coldplay: After the hell that was last week (and those of you who know me know that I don't swear...and this one just isn't swearing...its really what it was. See Chrisandkara.com if you really want to know), Fix You just doesn't leave my head. It is one of my "Joey" songs, and all of the tragedy of the past week has reminded me of the tragedy that is my life now. Dramatic? Yes. But its still the way I feel when I'm honest with myself. Yeah, I hide it well. If only I could bring Joey back and fix him...maybe I'd be fixed myself. No, I don't need counseling, been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Its just grief. Grief that comes back when tragedy strikes. It will be there the rest of my life. You can sure give me a kleenex though. :)

2. Yellow by Coldplay: A song that cheers me up. I can just imagine Chris Martin singing that to Gwyneth, even though I do believe it was written before they got together (or someone told me that anyway...maybe not true). Its how I feel about Chris and Joey...I'd do anything for them. And the line about stars shining for you? Well, Chris's coworkers named a star after Joey when he died...so at least one shines for us. :)

3. All These Things I've Done by The Killers: Yes, another Joey song. sensing a theme here? This was one playing on the radio on all of the long drives back and forth to the hospital. We ended up buying the CD and becoming big fans because of it. the lyrics that fit this week:

If you can hold on
If you can hold on, hold on
I wanna stand up, I wanna let go
You know, you know - no you don't, you don't
I wanna shine on in the hearts of men
I want a meaning from the back of my broken hand

Sometimes we feel like we can't hold on...that its all falling to pieces. Yes, it was that kind of week. But darn it, we CAN hold on...and what we do has meaning. So even if that wasn't the intent when the song was written...its what works for me.

4. Never Alone by Barlow Girl:

I waited for you today
But you didn't show
No no no
I needed You today
So where did You go?
You told me to call
Said You'd be there
And though I haven't seen You
Are You still there?

[Chorus:]I cried out with no reply
And I can't feel You by my side
So I'll hold tight to what I know
You're here and I"m never alone

And though I cannot see You
And I can't explain why
Such a deep, deep reassurance
You've placed in my life
We cannot separate
'Cause You're part of me
And though You're invisible
I'll trust the unseen

[Chorus]We cannot separate
You're part of me
And though You're invisible
I'll trust the unseen

I'm not sure I really need to explain this one. This is the song my soul sings.

5. Hold Me Jesus by Rich Mullins: Rich is probably one of the best lyric writers I know. The world lost something special when we lost Rich. No matter what I'm feeling, Rich has a song for it. This weeks is this song:

Well, sometimes my life
Just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small

CHORUS: So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

And I wake up in the night and feel the dark
It's so hot inside my soul
I swear there must be blisters on my heart

CHORUS

Surrender don't come natural to me
I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down, I'm falling on my knees
And this Salvation Army band
Is playing this hymn
And Your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin

CHORUS

You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

So yes...sometimes life gives us the crappy. But I am so gosh darn thankful that I have a God who DOES care, and is right there to provide comfort when I need it so very much.

That's my blog, and I'm stickin' to it!