A Sabbatical Blessing - "Be Like Trees (Psalm 1)"

Well my Sabbatical has officially begun this week.  It's amazing how much more relaxed and peace-filled I feel already!  Even though we're doing a lot to get ready for our first segment of travel.

Check back here often (or just keep an eye on facebook or twitter to know when I post something new), and there will be reflections of various sorts throughout these 12 weeks.

A significant thread running through this sabbatical will be spiritual journaling through songwriting.

Until I start having experiences that prompt their own reflections and songs, I plan to begin by reading, praying and writing may way through the Psalms.

To kick that off, a couple weeks ago I was meditating on Psalm 1 and wrote this song, "Be Like Trees," as a sabbatical/sabbath blessing.  May we all be like trees planted by streams of water, reaching deep to draw life from the Source, yielding fruit and thriving as a result of delighting in the Lord and meditating on the Word.  And may all that God's grace does in and through you prosper. Blessed are you!

Grace and peace,
luke <><

Kindle The Light - Song/Hymn for Pentecost!

Here's another repost of a song I've shared earlier ... but again, it is timely (especially for anyone in churches that follow the Christian year)!

"Kindle The Light" is a retuned hymn, original text by Charles Wesley ("O Thou Who Camest From Above"), for I a composed a new melody and  chorus last year for Advent and repeated again for Epiphany.

But the hymn is really a Pentecost hymn, about the blazing fire of the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus and poured out on God's people to bring faith, stoke love, and strengthen for service.

The song has been well-received by our congregation, and a couple others who got the song from me earlier in the year.  Below is the SoundCloud wigit, allowing you to hear a rough mix of a recent studio version of the song, and you can view/download a PDF chart HERE.

Blessings!

An Ascension Psalm! (O For a Shout of Sacred Joy re-posted)

Happy "Ascension of the Lord" day, everyone!

I thought for this "uplifting" occasion (groan) I'd repost the Ascension hymn that I wrote just after the celebration of the Ascension last year.  It's a retuned hymn for which I adapted Isaac Watts' Psalm 47 paraphrase, "O For a Shout of Sacred Joy," set it to a new tune, and added a chorus.  There's a well-known and oft repeated Kuyper quote that the chorus alludes to as well.

If by chance you are still in search of an Ascension psalm/hymn to sing this Sunday in your church, please feel free to use it (SoundCloud audio and PDF chart in C accessible below).

Otherwise, everyone else simply enjoy!



You can view/download a lead-sheet for it HERE.

Grace and peace,
luke <><