I Spy Beauty...

A (sometimes) weekly post about beauty seen, heard or discovered...

I'm in the mood where I come all untied 
I'm in the mood to say shit that'll change people's minds 
I love you, I swear it, I would never lie 
But I fear for our lives and I fear your closed eyes

What will your legacy be? 
'War Sweater' from the album Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said The Last Time I Saw You...

I've loved this Wakey!Wakey! song for a long time, but I've been listening to it again this weekend especially.

I love the stunning strings and classical piano. I am always a sucker for a song in a minor key. The closet rebel in me loves the attitude of the lyrics and lines like 'I'm in the mood to say shit that'll change peoples lives'. I love the transparency. 

I love that this is a beautiful song calling out the un-beautiful in religion and belief.

I've been thinking about these things lately. The way we blind ourselves with stubbornness. The way our fear of difference alienates and divides. The capacity for all of us (even progressives!) to hold to belief with a fundamentalist fervor and arrogance. I long for the day when we, as Christians, as humans even, can keep our eyes and hearts open. A day when we are willing to question our own certainties and embrace others in their certainties. As Sara Groves says, "I've got layers of lies that I don't even know about yet" (Eyes Wide Open from Firelies and Songs.)

War Sweater reminds me that our legacy as believers (whatever that belief may be) should be that we lived with the humility and grace that knows we haven't figured it all out yet- not one of us! We all have something to learn. There should be no need for truth to be worn like a war sweater. 

P.S. There's also a nice acoustic version here.

#1 Light Outside

I decided last night that in an effort to get writing again I would challenge myself to write 10 blogs in the next 10 days.... and then today happened.... so I really don't feel like blogging or saying much out loud (aka in type) at all. But here goes.



Well, it not really a blog, but this song by one of my favourite bands - Wakey! Wakey! -has become an absolute haven for me this past year. It is a poignantly beautiful and hopeful song. It is a song about our need for each other, our need for the hope and grace that comes through (real) relationship.

And this song has taken on a whole different level because my dear friend, mentor and the man who, along with his family, 'saved' and cared for me in my darkest moments is facing a very uncertain future - and possibly his fourth brain surgery in 12 months. In my own pain and confusion I long to speak light and hope in a dark situation.

We all should....