The Maker

I've liked the song, "The Maker," since I first heard it.  I have the Dave Matthews Band live version that is over 9 minutes long.  I liked the lyrics instantly for the biblical references and who doesn't like an extended DMB jam session? 

However, I heard it this week for the first time in a while and, for the first time, I heard the story of spiritual transformation of the river and was able to relate in human experience.

In the beginning, the river is deep, dark and cold having run a twisted mile.  It stands "with arms wide open" longing for acceptance and love, yet describes itself as "a stranger in the eyes of The Maker."  How many people do you know that would describe themselves like that? 

I'm impressed by the knowledge of the river and that it recognizes The Maker.  It's as though the river remembers who created it and has been watching God's people since the beginning of time, but doesn't feel worthy or useful, it's "body is bent and broken from a long and dangerous sleep."  

How many times have you not been able to see because of a fog in your eyes, or perhaps more often, the fear in your life? I am so inspired by what must have been excitement when, through the fog, the river saw its maker walking to it. Once Jesus was baptized by John The Baptist in the river, it was "not a stranger in the hands of The Maker." Its cold, dark water was now flowing over Jesus as He was being blessed by the Holy Spirit. 

Now with a new light in its life, the river begins to offer help by working the fields of Abraham and points out to Brother John that there are "homeless daughters" with broken wings. What all has this river witnessed in its silent observance that it now feels empowered to change? Did it not take action before because it thought no one cared? 

By the end, the river is rising from its sleep. The line seems to lure the water higher and higher over its banks. I wonder what it will do? Now that it is redeemed and can feel, how will it contribute?  

"The Maker" lyrics:

Oh, Oh Deep water 

Black, and cold like the night 

I stand with arms wide open 

I've run a twisted mile 

I'm a stranger
in the eyes of the Maker 

I could not see
for fog in my eyes 

I could not feel
for the fear in my life 

From across the great divide 

In the distance i saw a light 

John Baptist
walking to me with the Maker 

My body is bent and broken 

by long and dangerous sleep 

I can work the fields of Abraham 

and turn my head away 

I'm not a stranger
in the hands of the Maker 

 Brother John 

Have you seen the homeless daughters 

standing there
with broken wings 

I have seen the flaming swords 

there over east of eden 

burning in the eyes of the Maker 

burning in the eyes of the Maker 

burning in the eyes of the Maker 

burning in the eyes of the Maker 

oh river rise from your sleep....

What I Like About The Christmas Season

(I realize this is very late.  I wrote this in response to a mental blog I was writing of things I didn't like about Christmas.  I thought I would go back and write that untoward blog, but I couldn't bring myself to ruin anyone's Christmas with it even though it would be followed with this warm and fuzzy.  Anyway, posting this, albeit late, should free up my blog thoughts that have been dammed up waiting for a decision on what to do with this one.)

Even if I'm trying to not get caught up in what Christmas is in current American culture, I inevitably get pulled in every year by a few Christmas traditions. Here are some things about Christmas that I enjoy:

Holiday Baking. My mom likes to stack up their kitchen with tins and plasticware full of goodies at this time of year. Peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's Kiss on top, Chex Mix, chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, pretzels and nuts covered in white chocolate, fruitcake cookies, sausage balls, pumpkin roll, and my favorite, made-from-scratch sugar cookies that we get to help decorate. She has tried to cut back recently by asking each of us to pick one thing for her to make, but there are five of us (not including spouses and children) so the selection is still grand. We know what the others will say and are careful to select one all our own. This is probably why I always choose the sugar cookies. I enjoy getting to decorate them more than eating them! Now my husband's sister is in love with them and has been added to the request list! There's no getting away
from holiday baking. It is such a part of the season for me that I still encourage Mom to do the baking, even though I can't eat any of it!

Gifts. I'll say it. I like it when people buy me stuff. My family gathers in the living room on Christmas morning and each person has a pile of gifts in front of them. My mom likes to make sure everyone has plenty of gifts to open and goes to great lengths to ensure equality in value and sometimes quantity, regardless of value. We take turns opening gifts, everyone watches what is being opened. You get your picture taken, throw the ball of wrapping paper across the room to the designated trash bag, then worry about whether or not to keep the box and bow before selecting your next gift to open. It makes for a long, but fun, morning.

Messiah Sings. When I worked for First UMC, Knoxville, the Choir Director organized a Messiah Sing for the community and I attended out of curiosity. I loved it and have attended one nearly every year since! For those who aren't familiar with this event, you sit in sections based on your voice (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) and sing select pieces of Handel's Messiah. The first year Shea and I went having no idea what we were doing and were herded to tenor and soprano, respectively. Lol! Shea was lost and distracted by the fact that he was sitting next to David Keith. I tried my best to keep up with the sopranos until the third or fourth "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!" in the Hallelujah chorus when nothing came out of my mouth but a squeak. But oh it's so much fun and thrilling to sing along to those powerful songs. I suppose I should say I like to hear singing in large groups in general, which tends to occur more often at Christmastime. The last few years our church has combined with two other area churches for a Christmas cantata. The result is a 50+ person choir, and the sound of all those voices together makes me think that must be what it sounds like in heaven when all the angels sing. Also, I recall many Christmas Carolling adventures I've been on. Bearden UMC in Knoxville has a great tradition of carolling in the nearby trailer park and they give gifts to those who come to their doors. While the songs of carolling usually include well-known secular songs, the Spirit of God is what takes them there and it is a lot of fun to sing out with a group of happy hearts.

Vacation. When I was a student, I was always relieved when Christmas Break arrived. Now, my husband and sister are teachers and so I take a week off around Christmas and New Year's to spend time with them while they are on Christmas Break. New Year's has become, for me, a time of cleaning and organization. I think it's because while I'm off I always put away the Christmas decorations and find places for all the new stuff people bought me. In the middle of December, I find myself looking forward to getting things in order.

What I like most about Christmas, is spending time with family. All of the above-mentioned activities are made special by the family members involved. Thankfully, our society takes a whole day off on Christmas and I am able to enjoy maintaining and creating traditions with my loved ones.

You may be thinking I have left out what should be my number one favorite thing about Christmas, Jesus. However, outside of activities within the church, I just don't see Jesus in what we call Christmas. Besides, I love Jesus every day of the year, not just from Thanksgiving Day to Christmas Day, and He is more than a tradition to me. =)

I'm a good listener...

I'm a good listener, but it has occurred to me that maybe I'm a storyteller, too.

This past weekend was the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough.  My mother and I attended via passes from a co-worker.  This was mom's first experience at the festival, and my 4th.  The last three years I have been the beneficiary of two free passes from a co-worker.  I had nearly forgotten, but my first time at the event was more than 10 years ago!  Maybe 15?  And, guess what?  It was also via a free pass from a co-worker!  Thank you to my generous friends who spend their time volunteering so I can attend for free!  (Note:  I'm not a complete mooch. This year I offered to recompense my friend and she didn't refuse, so I paid her $40.  Still a great deal considering a Saturday only ticket costs $95.)

I love to listen to a good story.  The masters of storytelling at the festival can weave characters and situations that completely transport you from the chair you're sitting in to their world and make you want to stay and look around a bit longer after the story is over!

Mom enjoyed herself; Donald Davis was her favorite.  He is so expressive and humorous!  We listened to Donald first, then John McCutcheon, a folk singer/storyteller likened to one of my all-time favorites Will Rogers, and finally we listened to the queen of storytelling, Kathryn Windham, who is now in her nineties.  They performed in that order at the Courthouse Tent starting at 10:00 am, with Donald being the first speaker of the day in that tent.  Each time a teller was introduced, the host would encourage us to tell our own stories at the Swapping Ground.  One time she even said that people at the Swapping Ground want to hear our stories, which isn't always the case at home.  :)

I knew we had to get there early to make sure we got a seat inside the tent (because I didn't want to bother carrying a chair), so we arrived at 9:00 am and were in our seats by 9:15 am.  The tent was already packed!  Somehow, we were able to get seats just behind the wheelchair section.  Our plan was to get a good seat and hold on to it until we left at 2:00 pm.  Other people had the same desire for a good seat, but somehow thought they could arrive just before the session started and get a Tent Monitor to seat them like they had reserved seating at the Barter.  This, of course, is nearly impossible and it stressed out the Tent Monitors to the point they were about to confiscate the belongings left behind by the dear elderly couple next to me who had stepped out to stretch their legs between speakers!  I fought for them, what can I say, they had been nice to us.

Seriously, it was mad.  I liken it to the crowd I see out shopping the day after Thanksgiving.  These shoppers have a reputation of being discount-hungry rabid moms desperately trying to give their miserable family a good Christmas.  But I see them in a different light today.  They're not poor.  They're not benevolent.  They ARE hungry (and perhaps near rabid) to get something they feel they DESERVE and have to get before someone else undeserving takes it from them.  Just like these people today with their chairs.  They demanded.  They even stole.  They walked right into people.  They did what they wanted with no regard for rules or others.  It's not the day-after-Thanksgiving sales that stir up the crazy in them, it's the sheer drive of greed and selfishness in any setting on any day of the year!  You wouldn't expect to see this kind of behavior at a tame event such as a storytelling festival, but now I know we can turn anything into a quest for the best.

So, anyway, the tellers that day kept encouraging us to tell our own stories.  They say everyone is full of stories that need to be told.  I've told mine for the day.

(Sirius XM radio is playing portions of last weekend's event beginning Friday, October 8th!)