This morning on the way to the kids' school, we were listening to the Passion: Awakening CD. "How He Loves" was playing when we pulled into the parking lot and I brought the car to a stop right when the song gets really good. Some of you musical people know the name for that part of the song and are saying it to me like I can hear it through the computer screen. Anyway, y'all know which part I'm talking about.
It seemed like such a shame to turn off the car before we got to sing "And we are His portion and He is our prize! Drawn to redemption by the grace is in His eyes. If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking. And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest. I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way that He loves us..." Jackson threw off his seat belt and climbed in the front seat and we sang it together with all our guts.
I remembered being only yay big and in the back of that station wagon, sitting behind my mama's big 80's hair and belting out some Amy Grant and Larnell Harris. Nothing in life was so urgent that we couldn't finish "Angels Watching Over Me" before we got out of the car.
*****
This old church directory photo from FBC Victoria, Texas, came into my life this week. There is no end to how much joy it's given me. When I look at it I feel loved.
65 comments:
Sweet memories! Just yesterday Jack started singing along with Chris Tomlin, "Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow you." Love hearing those little voices sing. Oh, and I think Jackson looks just like your Dad in this picture!
Sweet times....now I'm feeling kinda old because I think I wore those earrings..ha! Sweet story. Thanks for sharing your cute picture :)
That song is a jam! I love love me some Crowder, but have you heard the actual songwriter sing it? Love his orig lyric 'sloppy wet kiss' instead of Crowder's 'unforeseen kiss'.
And that story is awesome. I came from an unbelieving family, so belting out p&w music begins with me and my kids' generations. So grateful!
That picture is a blessing.
Thanks for sharing your life with us. I love the picture of you, your mom and dad. I have been taking your mom's studies for many decades now. I think I began her studies when I was your age and we won't say how old I am now.
As I looked at you mom and dad, all I could think of is the time your mom shared in a video that the dryer broke and they needed a new one. If I remember correctly, your dad didn't feel that a dryer was a necessity in a woman's life. Your mom decided to hang the clothes on the antlers of the deer that were around their home. From there, he understood the need of a dryer. Looking at how young your folks are in that picture, I can just see that scenario playing out in my head like a Lucy and Ricky moment from "I Love Lucy."
Through that picture, it brought much laughter to me today. Thanks for sharing.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this story!
Ah, love that song! What a sweet picture of you and Jackson singing praises to God! Oh, how He loves us and how He loved y'all's praises, I'm sure! :)
Man, you look like your mom! Can you style your hair like that someday, just for fun, preferably a Wed?!
Love this story. Reminds me of when my kids were little and they WOULD sing at the top of their lungs with me. My daughter's favorite song was "Our God is an Awesome God". Treasure those moments!
oh how i love this post.
what sweet memories from your past and ones you are making in the present!
Amanda, I think this may be one of my favorite blog posts from you. :)
what a sweet moment with your little man. you are such a great mom amanda! i learn so much from you.
1. I think that there are a lot of people in the world who are fair weather big hair fans. Like, when it is popular, they're into the big hair. But the minute flat hairstyles become the thing, they toss their velcro rollers aside. Obvs, your mother is not a fair weather big hair fan.
2. I love Amy Grant. Don't think I haven't downloaded her greatest hits to my iTunes, like any respectable 26 year old girl.
3. I want a video of Jackson singing. :)
I remember going to LifeWay to buy a worship cd that we just had to have. Me and the children were so excited that as soon as we got to the car we just sat in the parking lot listening to it. Our hands were flying and tears were streaming down our faces (or at least mine). Then a knock on the car window. It was a lady asking us what song we were listening to. She said she just had to go inside and get it. When I heard that I wasn't as embaressed.
And I love the photo!
Such a good memory to cherish, remind Jackson when he's in high school of it. He'll laugh, I remember those moments with my mom and brother. Too bad he can't sing the whole cd, that would be great!
Oooh! I love those memories. :) I love now being on the mom side listening to my daughter attempt to sing along with the radio. It wasn't hard to take that KLove challenge to listen to only country. I don't think I could handle my two year old singing too Toby Kieth.
Annabeth looks just like you in that picture and you like your mom. It's funny how blasts from the past brings smiles across a face. Sometimes if I feel homesick for family, I'll flip through old albums and instantly it will bring a smile to my face.
I wish I was better at translating my emotions into words: but I love this picture. It's wonderful to *feel* this love so accutely, isn't it?
I took video of my littles jumping up and down to this year's Passion worship that we watched online. "Come on, come on down, let's sing a new song! Come on, come on now, a shout of liberty!" Oh, my heart went crazy! I know I'll think of that moment whenever I hear that song...and maybe the oldest 2 will remember too. It was quite precious to me!
hugs,
rachel
LOVE IT!!
That picture is FANTASTIC!
Have totally done the singing in the car thing. :)
Love that pic of you and your parents...very sweet. :)
Love that Pic! Your mom may kill you, though!
Kathy W
Mansfield, TX
First of all...that picture? PRICELESS! Your momma was HOT! :)
Second of all...Since I became a mother in 1997, not a day goes by that I don't feel like I'm reliving my childhood through my mom's eyes. She passed away while I was pregnant with my second child (I have four). And I promise you, every single day I wish I could call her up and tell her that something that the kids did or something that I did stirs a childhood memory in me.
I hope you called your mom and told her about your singing moment. :)
Blessings,
Sandy
That picture is beyond sweet!
i love the line from that song "heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss." one version says, "heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss."
i heard once that "to worship is to come towards to kiss."
i need that image of God coming near me to kiss/be intimate with me.
He is so good.
and my 12 yr old and i were flashing back this week to some d.c. talks' jesus freak...good times.
Boy did I belt out some "Angels Watching Over Me" in my day!!!! :) Love this post! And that picture----AWE.SOME!
I love this post - there is nothing than I like better than beltin' it out with my grandbabies!
I love the picture of you with your mom and dad. Your dad looks just the same!!
So cute, Amanda! In the zone, girl. Hot bath, Christian radio, belting it out with my Savior ... little kitty paws start reaching under the locked bathroom door ... knock-knock and "Momma, I need you ..." They just want to belt it out with Jesus, too! He's so wonderful. Nothing sweeter than singing to Him or reciting His own scripture to Him. How could anyone resist Him?
You mom looks like one of Charlie's Angels! SO fun to see!
I love that Jackson climbed into the front seat to belt it out with you. How heartwarming.
This post is a treasure. As is that picture.
The part in the song you're talking about? That would be the bridge. : )
Can we have an 80's party and make a video to Angel's Watching Over Me? Classic.
And for the record, I never get out of my car before a song is finished. If I do, then you'll know I'm really in a rush.
I love this! Often my kids and I will do this same thing! Toby Mac is especially conducive for crazy sing alongs in the car. :)
Have a great weekend, Amanda!
I love it!!
Love me some radio concerts with my grandbabies!! They love music and that thrills this Mammy's heart!! And on the church directory picture....Amanda - other than the hair color - you look a LOT like your daddy!! And Bethie, well Bethie has always been beautiful! And yes, we belted out years ago with Amy Grant, Steve and Annie Chapman, Keith Green, and The Imperials!
Love Mammy
And from the stories your mama tells, I know you're loved!!!!!! This is the only picture I've ever seen of your mom before Melissa. I always had a hard time imagining her as beautiful then as she is now, but she definitely was!
We sing hymns and praise songs with the kids each night before bed and I wouldn't miss if for the world- worshipping with my kids...and they're so funny to boot!
What a sweet picture!!!
Such great memories. I love that song and I so love belting out Praise Music with my kids!
I love old pictures. Not that this one is THAT old, but it is great! I decided to get out a few of my own "old" pics and I can get lost in looking at them because they bring such joy and memories!!
Ahhh, the Farrah Faucet hair!
Never met you, but somehow I can just picture you and Jackson singing your hearts out. :)
You are rockin some curls, girl! Hot rollers or natural?... I am curious!
My daughter and I can belt out some praise music like nobodies business. Then sometimes we see a car next to us just staring like we are crazy, but we don't care!
I loved some Amy Grant, too!
Laughing and crying!!! What great memories. Your post made me have a few flashbacks as well.
I love having those moments with my daughter! (And I'm way to pregnant for this post... I'm nearly in tears. Haha!)
Love, love, love it! : )
Makes me smile! I was singing along as I was reading your post!
For Mothers day a few years ago I told my kids I wanted them to memorize a part from, Lord you are Holy (I think that is the name?) for my present! It was awesome belting it out with them... one of my best presents ever! : )
"Wonderful, Glorious, Holy and Righteous, Victorious, Conqueror, Triumphant and Mighty, Healer, Deliverer, Shield and Defense, Strong Tower and my Best Friend! Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Soon and Coming King! Alpha, Omega, Lord of Everything! Holy Holy Holy, is Your name!"
I love it!! What an awesome picture!
I'm glad to know that I'm not the only person that can't stop a good praise song. Sometimes we sit in our garage until the song is over.
Mammy, yes, I look very much like my dad. I look like my mom too but my dad definitely marked me.
Just beautiful...
My son goes 'man -we have to get out when it's the best part of the song - and it always happens'.
Have a blessed weekend.
I love this:) Thank you for sharing! I have had these moments in the car with my sweet boy and they bring back the same sweet memories of singing with my mom. I hear every time we get in the car now "play my song mommy (Rise and Sing), then we can hear your song!(Where the Spirit of the Lord is)". Funny it is on the same Passion CD:)
What a great mommy moment. My daughters favorite sing at the top of your lungs song is Lincoln Brewsters Another Hallelujah. She shouts it out and does the drum beat as hard as she can with her hands.
And can we just say...AB looks so much like you!
I just realized that when I reply to your tweets, you don't see my comments b/c you don't follow me...and not that you should because you don't know me! Ha! But then again I don't know you...OK I'm cracking myself up over here. This is sounding really odd. Anyway, I love what you said today about crickets chirping. That has happened to me a lot this week & what you said brought comfort b/c sometimes I think it's just me who feels that way. And your reminder of the fact that I am "clothed with strength and dignity" was exactly what I needed! Thank you! :)
The part about your son climing into the front seat and singing at the top of your lungs together-that image got me all emotional, touched my heart, made my day. Precious perfection; thank you for sharing that with all of us.
Aren't y'all a good looking family! You're all so beautiful (well, and handsome)
Amanda, I just commented on LPM. Just had to come over here and read your other recent posts that I've missed and tell you Thank you, again!
Ahhhh...a heritage of faith...and fabuloso hair!
Sweet post, picture and song. Beautiful family. Loving the hair!
Amanda,
As I read this I thought of the heritage that you have and are passing on to your littles. How precious!!!
Oh and I love your mama's hair!! I was a big hair 80's girl myself =)
Have a Blessed weekend,
Dawn
I LOVE to sing in the car with my boys!! Cole's favorite is the CD from Church of Brook Hills "the green one" and I LOVE when he asks to listen to it and I hear him singing in the back of the van - sweet moments for sure!!
And I love that pic of you and your parents = adorable!
Have a great weekend sweet Amanda!
Precious...and I am pretty sure I had that same dress! My mom had a thing for collars!
i had a similar experience with that same song when i was playing it in my classroom this morning. my students were working on something and it got to the same part in the song (what is that called...ahhh!) i just couldn't bring myself to move on to our spelling test until it was finished. small world:-)
Total craziness! I was reading through blogs...which led to other blogs...which led to your blog. Then I saw your pic from FBC Victoria - that's where we presently live! We just moved to Vic 8 months ago for my husband's job. Our son goes to the FBC Day School. Small world! Love your blog! I also write a Coach's Wives devotional...I'll be sure to add your link.
www.thehometeams.blogspotcom
Oh Amanda...this is priceless. Thank you!
I love it! You are so cute and look just like AB and your mom is just beautiful! What ever happened to church directories?
Your parents look like a 1980s soap opera couple! :) I love eighties hair - I had no idea your Dad's hair was so dreamy back in the day. (I write like I know your parents personally, which I don't - but I guess you're used to that by now?)
And I see so much of Annabeth in that photo of you - do you?
I love doing the things that I remember my mother doing with me. It makes me feel like a good mom, because I had such a wonderful one. We are so blessed to have had happy childhoods. :)
Holey Hair, Batman!
Love it!
We just sang that in church Sunday morn! And yes, we are big too on not turning the car off until we're finished singing Selah's "Hosanna", or "Unredeemed"....or "Ain't No Grave" or anything on Liv Worship. Great post. - Amy
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