Weekends

Lately, my weekends have been feeling - well not so weekendish... It's kind of a sad state I'm finding myself in. I work all week, only to work more on the weekend. In the midst of it all I'm trying to balance a personal life, leading worship, engaging with my friends when I see them and not totally blowing everyone off just to work more. What's funny is that when I was younger and apparently pretty naive, I thought people who worked late or long hours were cool, or driven and usually successful. Now I know the real truth - the were simply tired. Probably tired of the hours, tired of feeling the pressure in their minds and in their shoulders... and probably even just a bit tired of life itself. Unfortunately, I now know this feeling all too well.

I know that I am the kind of person who doesn't want to let people down, but life is just too short to spend it working constantly - or to be constantly thinking about work... This weekend when I head over to my family's cottage on Diamond Island in Cassopolis, MI to lay a tile floor in the kitchen with my dad, I will be resting... Despite the intense physical labor I may endure, I will be resting in comparison to the non-stop life I lead now...

That's all I know 4.5 days and counting until I can relax - I hope...

In You

Here's the beginning of a new one...

------------------------------------------------------------------------

All creation

Sings your name

I listen with my heart

I hear this glorious sound

Of faith lived for your renown

.........

In You….

In you I find my freedom

In You…

In you all fear is gone

God In You

In you I take my refuge

In You

In you I find my joy

God sustain me

Rearrange me

Rescue me from sin

I give my life to you

To help make your dreams come true

Lord my thoughts

Lead me away

From all I have in You

I lay down my heart again

Come change it from within

Michigan!

If you haven't heard this guy yet, and if you live in Michigan - well you should just be ashamed of yourself. He wrote his first album devoted specifically to this state - I mean it's called Michiagn but seen as "Greetings from Michigan - The Great Lakes State on the album." He is a bit eclectic musically, but the more you listen the more you love.
Here's the track listings on this superb album:

1. "Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)" - 3:44
2. "All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace!" - 4:33
3. "For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" - 3:57
4. "Say Yes! to M!ch!gan!" - 2:46
   • (The track title refers to a Michigan tourism slogan from the 1980s)
5. "The Upper Peninsula" - 3:23
6. "Tahquamenon Falls" - 2:18
7. "Holland" - 3:26
8. "Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)" - 8:20
9. "Romulus" - 4:41
10. "Alanson, Crooked River" - 1:18
11. "Sleeping Bear, Sault Saint Marie" - 2:52
12. "They Also Mourn Who Do Not Wear Black (For the Homeless in Muskegon)" - 6:21
13. "Oh God, Where Are You Now? (In Pickerel Lake? Pigeon? Marquette? Mackinaw?)" - 9:23
14. "Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)" - 2:02
15. "Vito's Ordination Song" - 7:07

For those of you of the Illinois persuasion - his second album (of 50) in the states concept albums had the words "Come on Feel the Illinoise" on the cover for his album dedicated to the land of Lincoln. A highly enjoyable experience as well - I would describe his music as hilarious / brilliant.

The Countdown