Caedmon's Call.

I'm a huge fan of musicians who write their own music.

I also enjoy other musicians' work, but singing what you write...well, that's a very big thing with me.

In college, when I first heard the Christian band Caedmon's Call, I was naturally drawn to their cool, laid-back melodies, but also the dynamically rich lyrics.

In a recent effort to finally organize the trazillion CDs I've accumulated since CDs came out, I came across my Caedmon's Call music, and, in turn, some of my old favorites. The fun part about being such a huge procrastinator is that rediscovery sheds light on things that apply now that might not've before.

This is the case with "Walk With Me," a Caedmon's Call song I always enjoyed, but now embrace hourly, align with in spite of myself, and put on repeat in my car at least once a week. The video is here, and lyrics are below:

Walk With Me

Walk with me quiet, walk with me slow

With watered down coffee and words of gold

'Cause I can feel the edges of these things

When I hear you speak to me, so walk with me

Walk with me empty, walk with me strong

The hush of our voices, when the day seems so long
It is like a balm, it is like a jewel
It unravels all I thought I knew

Will you lead me, beside the still waters

Where the oil, it runs over, and my cup overflows
You restore my soul

Tell me the story, where old is made new
The promise of ages, and all things that are true
When the shadows fall and the wrecking ball
Swings and tears me through the heart

Will you lead me, beside the still waters
Where the oil, it runs over, and my cup overflows
You restore my soul

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.

I'm so thankful for so many blessings in my crazy life (despite my attempts to mess it all up):

1. Friends in many places -- high and low (geographically, of course) -- who actually want to spend time with me. Wha?!

2. FOOTBALL SEASON!

3. Good music. I do love a good lyric, and set to fun tunes, even better. And LIVE..... ::happy sigh::

4. The option to look at a situation, make the best of it, and find ways it can be improved. For whatever reason, this never gets old for me. (Ok, maybe some days at 4:45pm it gets old. But usually, I'm all up for it.)

5. Pop Ball. I talk a lot in conversation and in writing about my Nan, and many times include stories about The Colonel, but I know for a fact that I don't give him the "air time" he's due. Mr. Cliff has not only been wonderful for my Nanny and for our family, but he has led a rich, full life in which he's done #4 on this list tirelessly, and has done it with gusto and without regard for age, life hindrances, or disasters of any kind. I admire this man more than I could say, and thank him with all my heart for being the only grandfather I can remember ever knowing. It can't be easy to jump into a family like ours, but he did it, and last weekend he turned 87. God bless him.