Hava Nagila

     You all know how much I love music. Well, I was listening to some cultural music and came across the iconic Hava Nagila. I looked up a translation of the lyrics and thought this would be a fun song to share with everyone.

     Wouldn't it be nice if American churches had iconic, happy songs to group-dance to?

HAVA NAGILA	LET US REJOICE & BE GLAD
Hava nagila, hava nagila Hava nagila ve-nis'mecha Repeat Hava neranena, hava neranena Hava neranena venis'mecha Uru, uru achim Uru achim belev same'ach	Let us rejoice, let us rejoice Let us rejoice and be glad Repeat Let us sing, let us sing Let us sing and be glad Awaken, awaken brethren Awaken brethren with a cheerful heart.

Here's some music to go with it!

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

     This is one of my favorite Hymns. Written by Martin Luther, this song has certainly stood the test of time for relativity. During the Nazi regime, when the military came to round up the Jews for concentration camps, a small group of outraged Germans walked with them singing this hymn -- they were martyred for their refusal to leave their Jewish friends.

     There are two versions of the song (one more classic, one more modern). Pay special attention to the lyrics; oh, that we Christians today could muster such words as back then...

Lyrics:

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing.
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe.
His craft and power are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right man on our side,
The man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He.
Lord Sabboth, his name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him.
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure.
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers
Not thanks to them, abideth.
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also.
The body they may kill,
God's truth abideth still.
His kingdom is forever...

Classic Version:

Modern Version:

Perceptions - Fades Away

     I heard this song the other day, and I went crazy over how much I liked it! This song is "Perceptions" by Fades Away. The theme is the hypocritical Pharisees as they get ready to stone the repentant sinners.

Living the good life

You're so cool

It's easy to condemn the outside

Nothing can hinder your crusade

To purify the morally insane

Thank God you're not like them

With your hands held high

And perfection within

You're so much more worthy

(You're so deserving)

If you're so holy, take your place

And draw the first blood from me

When you cast that stone,

I'll try not to see your name

Sitting upon your judgement throne

Awaiting the next sick arrival

Waving your finger in the air

Assuming everyone is unaware

You're just as sick as the rest,

With your backbone gone and a hole in your chest

You perfect disaster

(You perfect disease)

If you're so holy, take your place

And draw the first blood from me

When you cast that stone,

I'll try not to see your name

(Your name)

When this is over,

And all the damage has been done

The weak will rise (the weak will rise)

And stand as one.

We are the helpless

We're growing stronger every day

We're not alone (We're not alone)

We're not afraid.

If you're so holy (holy, holy),

Take your place (your place, your place),

And draw the first blood from me

When you cast that stone,

I'll try not to see your name

(Your name)

Music and Lyrics

For those of you that don't know me, I love music. Well, I had an interesting experience today with music and why listening -- I mean REALLY listening -- to lyrics is extremely IMPORTANT!

I really like the band The Script. I think they have a cool sound and the songs I've heard on the radio seem morally neutral. I decided to buy their CD so that I could enjoy them all the time in my car...

I unwrap the disc an slide it into my CD player and begin bouncing to some fun music when *BAM* the lead singer almost yells an atrocious curse word. I was shocked but continued to listen to the music because I really, REALLY liked it. After playing it a couple times, the swear word started getting to me; so, I decided to re-burn the disc without the curse (I have an editing program). Thinking my problem is now solved I keep having fun with the music.

*Today* I was walking with my Dad and started singing one of the songs from the CD. "So if you see Kay, will you tell her that I love her / And if you see Kay, let her know that I want her back". He looks at me funny and asks, "Who are you singing?" I explain to him about the CD I bought and that this was one of my favorite songs.

"Sing that part again," he asked; which I did. "Are you so naive that you don't even hear what you're saying?" he asked. Evidently I was when to my utter amazement and sheer horror, he told me that "if you see Kay" was a not-so-creative way of spelling out "the F-word".

Talk about a rain on my little party of innocence day. I nearly cried when I found out (not to mention being crushed that the band I liked was being deceptive.) Here I am, thinking I'm singing about a girl named "Kay" when I get hit with a bullet the size of a book of lyrics.

Let this be both a lesson and a warning to music lovers. Be careful what you listen to, and if there is even a hint of "inappropriateness" in an artist, there is probably WAY more (in unexpected places to say the least.)

*Sad Face* :(

Motions

This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

("Motions" by Matthew West.)

I really like this song (even though it is totally out of my music genre). When I hear those words it makes me want to stand up and fight! It inspires me because I know that I do not want to go through "Christian Motions" -- no, I want to live Christ with every fiber of my being! As I like to say, "It is not me, but Christ IN me."

I was praying last night and I was feeling weak and insignificant. I started just talking to God...

"Lord, I feel so small. I feel like I don't mean anything..." I prayed, as I did, thoughts started filling my head, kinda like God was talking back to me.

"Well, aren't you small?" the thought came.
"No! I'm not supposed to be am I?"
"Are you?"
"Well... yes, I am small."
"Yes you are. Now that that's out of the way, what should come next?"
"Next? What do you mean?"
"We have established that you are tiny and helpless. Right?"
"Yes, I am helpless, there's nothing in me that is mighty."
"Yes and no. You of yourself are weak and helpless, but I AM in you aren't I?"
"Yes you are. You're HUGE! You made the world and everything in it!"
"Yes I did. And I AM in you. The less YOU you put in my way the more I can shine through you."
"I see. So, You are strong in me, even more so when I'm weak. Right?"
"You got it."
"Well then, Lord, I need You to be strong in me right now, and carry me through because I am too weak of myself to do it."
"Christine."
"Yes?"
"I've been here the whole time."

Our problem so often is that we pray to God, but forget to let him take the reins. We say, "Oh Lord, help me!" then go off and do our own thing. The most difficult part of prayer is really TRULY allowing God to consume us, to the point where people can't see "us" anymore but "God in us." That is why my motto is "Be the best example of Jesus Christ that you can possibly be." After that point God takes care of everything else -- literally!

But, that step is so frightening. Like Matthew West put it, "This might hurt, it's not safe." A lot of times doing what God asks it terrifying -- think of all the things he asked the men of the Bible to do! -- but no matter what God says, we have to obey because it serves his greater glory. Too often we ask God, "Why? Why are You doing this to me?" but as humans, we don't deserve anything. We deserve to burn in hell; so a much better question would be, "Why not? Why does anything good ever happen to me?"

Knowing how shortsighted even the wisest of humans are, I'm so glad God has my fate in His hands. I'd mess everything up (and quite often I do, be getting in God's way to me.) By far, the best life to live is the one where you allow God to do whatever He wants with you. Trust me when I say that you'll be AMAZED at how He works everything for the good.