Crazy blessings for 50 cents...

So today, I took a walk down memory lane. Music helped me along the way - actually, music was what took me there. Growing up, it seemed like we always had music playing. Actually, it didn't just seem that way. We did have music playing. All the time - except for when I was reading. For some reason, all thru childhood, I really had to have the house quiet to read (which may explain why I loved to sit on the roof for my quiet times...). Living in Russia has transformed me, though. Now, you could have music, TV, arguments, and a remodel job all going on at once around me, and I wouldn't even look up. Ask Shawna - she'll tell you I'm not makin' a word of this up. Actually, now I have a hard time concentrating when it's silent....
But that's not what I started writing about.

I went to the used CD store today, and I had a bit of time on my hands, so I looked thru the junk cd section. Y'know - the area they put stuff they just wanna get rid of. Usually you can find 47 copies of every album the Backstreet Boys ever recorded, those random Christmas CDs everyone on the planet already has, and the soundtracks to movies that didn't get famous because of their music.
But today, I found a treasure. Growing up in a Christian home, we always had worship music playing - the tapes of Hosanna Praise and other things. So there it was - the 25 best praise and worship songs from Hosanna Praise. Yes, they're old. Yes, I'm a little surprised they even made it onto a CD. And yes - the CD was only 50 cents. But - I bought it.
These songs are my childhood! Every song brings a memory (or a flood of them), and every memory brings praise to my lips. A few days ago I wrote on here about remembering. Turns out I'm getting pretty good at that!

This CD I bought today has 20 different songs that bring back amazing memories. I thought I'd share some of them with you.


"Celebrate Jesus"
Being in 5th grade and doing the overheads for church every Sunday morning; getting there insanely (to my 11-year-old mind) early so my mom could practice the piano before service started, and eating chocolate donuts for breakfast from Safeway.

"My life is in You, Lord"
I have a vivid memory of this song playing while we had a bbq at my parents' best friends' house, and I danced around their kitchen to it. I loved to sing this song at the top of my lungs around the time my sister was born.

"Holy, You are Holy"
they always sang this song an octave higher than I was comfortable with (or lower, depending on how you look at it...). This song definitely brings back Sunday afternoons at home, when my dad was taking a nap on the couch, my sister was still tiny, and my mom was making dinner. Ah...good times....

"I will call upon the Lord"
This song reminds me of camp. I hated camp. Funny - all my good camp experiences have been as a leader, not a camper. It's a good song, though

"I will celebrate/Jehovah Jireh"
I was 6 and we started attending a home fellowship of about 15 families. We met in our pastor's living room, the kids would sit in the service, too. They had the kind of carpet you can brush your hand over and make it a different color - when you ran your hand across, it appeared to be a dark rose color; if you ran your hand over the other way, it looked like a much lighter pink. We used to write with our fingers while sitting on the floor and 'listening' to the sermons....

"All hail King Jesus"
Back to doing overheads at church. The overhead for this song had a coffee stain on it.

"Fear not"
When I was 5, I 'accidentally' watched a movie at some friends' house about the end times and persecution. It terrified me to my bones, and I would lie in bed, just sure that soldiers were coming to take me and cut my head off because I wouldn't deny Jesus' name.
Shortly after watching that movie I heard this song. I used to sing it to myself over and over again in bed. Amazing words - "Fear not, for I am with thee, says the Lord"

"Be Bold, Be Strong"
They played this song when my aunt Shanni left for Eastern Europe on a missions trip. If any song in the world reminds me of Russia, it's this one. She was there long before I ever even dreamed I'd live in the former Soviet Union!

"Let Your Spirit rise within me"
This song always went too fast for me, but I love the words - and the hand motions we learned at camp!

"I will arise"
A friend of the family used to hold me in his arms and we'd sing this song at the top of our lungs (although as I think back now I'm pretty sure it was a solo performance - he got a kick out of my 5-year-old passion).

"Let God arise"
So I can't sing this song 'correctly'. From the moment we thought it up (just like every other Sunday school class in 1980s America), we could never sing 'let His enemies be scattered'. It's 'let His enemies be splattered', and that's just the way that song has to be sung. I think it's a Sunday-school law.

"I sing praises"
This is one of those songs I really started to think about, as I sang it. It spurred me to look into why in the world God's name should be praised. My dad rocks. I think he can explain anything.

"Glorify Thy name"
Another one of those songs that reminds me of 'writing' in the carpet.

"I exalt Thee"
This one brings back a memory from not too long ago - a candle-light service, everyone joining together to pray and spontaneously breaking out into song. It was incredible.

Well, wow. My heart is praising God for the amazing memories I have filed away in my brain.

Not bad for 50 cents, eh?