Anyway
by Martina McBride
You can spend your whole life building
Something from nothin'
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway
You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway
God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway
This world's gone crazy
It's hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway
You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
In a moment they can choose to walk away
Love 'em anyway
God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
Yea - I do it anyway
You can pour your soul out singing
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway
Yea, sing it anyway
Yeah, yeah!
I sing
I dream
I love anyway
Why I chose these Lyrics: I'll admit that while Martina McBride has a decent voice and some decent songs, she's not one of my favorite country music artists. I'm much more likely to turn to the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, Josh Turner, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts and the like.
Still, this ended up being the first song I downloaded for 99 cents from iTunes. Melissa asked me, 'Have you heard the new song by Martina?' I said, 'No, but I'm not a big Martina fan.' She replied, 'Me neither, but this is a really good song.' So, I trusted her (as we both love music and both love a lot of the same music) and downloaded the song without having previously heard it. I figured for 99 cents I didn't have a lot to lose right? It wasn't going to pay for my Ambien or anything! To date, I've only downloaded two songs--this one and one other one that Melissa recommended.
And yes, I admit that country is one of my favorite genres. This liberal, Jewish girl from the North grew to love country music during her days at Davidson. It's hard to live with a girl as southern as Loralea and in a place where most of the radio stations only play country music and not learn to like at least some of it. Loralea is solely responsible for my 'country music conversion' and much of my country music education, along with Marla and others. Somehow Carrie never converted to liking country--I'm not quite sure how one does this while living in the south for four years!
Now I like country because compared to most new popular music today, at least the artists can sing and you can hear the words over the music in the background! I'm starting to feel like an old fart, but honestly when I turn on a pop station I think what is this rubbish? Now I know how my parents felt when I didn't want to listen to NPR and wanted to turn up Debbie Gibson, Whitney Houston, or whomever else was on the pop scene! Although, these folks seem fairly benign when compared to the music hitting the radio waves today.
But, why I picked this song. That was the point right? First, I like it because Melissa introduced it to me. I like music and songs that remind me of a certain person (like Rain reminds me of Sarah and Bob) and make me feel connected to that person.
Written after Hurricane Katrina, Anyway, when belted out by Martina McBride (the little country singer with the huge voice, as she is known) speaks volumes about the human spirit. On Friday nights when I pick my Weekend Lyrics, I find I'm turning to lyrics about God more often than I had expected I might.
This song reminds me that no matter what, God is there through our suffering. I do not believe in a punishing God--a God that 'chose' me to get sick. What I do believe in, is a God who loves us through our suffering. This may manifest in the form of a postcard from my cousin Dana on a particularly rough day, an email from a friend, a beautiful sunset, extra cuddles with Asher, a new CD filled with glorious music, a break in pain, a delivery of flowers, a moment of clarity to write, a good night's sleep, a great book on tape or whatever it is my spirit seems to need that day to 'get through'.
by Martina McBride
You can spend your whole life building
Something from nothin'
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway
You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway
God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway
This world's gone crazy
It's hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway
You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
In a moment they can choose to walk away
Love 'em anyway
God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
Yea - I do it anyway
You can pour your soul out singing
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway
Yea, sing it anyway
Yeah, yeah!
I sing
I dream
I love anyway
Why I chose these Lyrics: I'll admit that while Martina McBride has a decent voice and some decent songs, she's not one of my favorite country music artists. I'm much more likely to turn to the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, Josh Turner, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts and the like.
Still, this ended up being the first song I downloaded for 99 cents from iTunes. Melissa asked me, 'Have you heard the new song by Martina?' I said, 'No, but I'm not a big Martina fan.' She replied, 'Me neither, but this is a really good song.' So, I trusted her (as we both love music and both love a lot of the same music) and downloaded the song without having previously heard it. I figured for 99 cents I didn't have a lot to lose right? It wasn't going to pay for my Ambien or anything! To date, I've only downloaded two songs--this one and one other one that Melissa recommended.
And yes, I admit that country is one of my favorite genres. This liberal, Jewish girl from the North grew to love country music during her days at Davidson. It's hard to live with a girl as southern as Loralea and in a place where most of the radio stations only play country music and not learn to like at least some of it. Loralea is solely responsible for my 'country music conversion' and much of my country music education, along with Marla and others. Somehow Carrie never converted to liking country--I'm not quite sure how one does this while living in the south for four years!
Now I like country because compared to most new popular music today, at least the artists can sing and you can hear the words over the music in the background! I'm starting to feel like an old fart, but honestly when I turn on a pop station I think what is this rubbish? Now I know how my parents felt when I didn't want to listen to NPR and wanted to turn up Debbie Gibson, Whitney Houston, or whomever else was on the pop scene! Although, these folks seem fairly benign when compared to the music hitting the radio waves today.
But, why I picked this song. That was the point right? First, I like it because Melissa introduced it to me. I like music and songs that remind me of a certain person (like Rain reminds me of Sarah and Bob) and make me feel connected to that person.
Written after Hurricane Katrina, Anyway, when belted out by Martina McBride (the little country singer with the huge voice, as she is known) speaks volumes about the human spirit. On Friday nights when I pick my Weekend Lyrics, I find I'm turning to lyrics about God more often than I had expected I might.
This song reminds me that no matter what, God is there through our suffering. I do not believe in a punishing God--a God that 'chose' me to get sick. What I do believe in, is a God who loves us through our suffering. This may manifest in the form of a postcard from my cousin Dana on a particularly rough day, an email from a friend, a beautiful sunset, extra cuddles with Asher, a new CD filled with glorious music, a break in pain, a delivery of flowers, a moment of clarity to write, a good night's sleep, a great book on tape or whatever it is my spirit seems to need that day to 'get through'.
Somehow, without fail, when I reach my lowest moments something happens that shows me the beauty in life here on earth. It can be something big or something very small that reminds me that God has not forgotten me. I'm always awed and humbled.
Anyway reminds me of the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the power of their spirits. How does anyone face such devastation and wake up to face another day? How do the people of Africa still smile and still have hope? How do we wake up the next day and the next day after we lose someone we love? I think at some point in all of our lives we face a time when we wonder what we are getting up for or we feel that each day we are just getting by: a new mother with post-partum depression, my own mother trying to work and take care of me after my gallbladder surgery, the times when a marriage is failing or has failed, and on and on.
On a more personal level this song reminds me of what my friends and I with chronic illness face. At times I have seriously wondered why in the heck I get up every day and think it's going to be better than the day before. I wonder what in the world makes me get up and give each day a try. I wonder what makes me think I can find healing. I wonder why I do this, why I still have hope, why I try so hard, why I keep fighting. I know the why is beyond me, that it is God working within me giving me my spirit and my strength when I do not think I have it.
Anyway reminds me of the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the power of their spirits. How does anyone face such devastation and wake up to face another day? How do the people of Africa still smile and still have hope? How do we wake up the next day and the next day after we lose someone we love? I think at some point in all of our lives we face a time when we wonder what we are getting up for or we feel that each day we are just getting by: a new mother with post-partum depression, my own mother trying to work and take care of me after my gallbladder surgery, the times when a marriage is failing or has failed, and on and on.
On a more personal level this song reminds me of what my friends and I with chronic illness face. At times I have seriously wondered why in the heck I get up every day and think it's going to be better than the day before. I wonder what in the world makes me get up and give each day a try. I wonder what makes me think I can find healing. I wonder why I do this, why I still have hope, why I try so hard, why I keep fighting. I know the why is beyond me, that it is God working within me giving me my spirit and my strength when I do not think I have it.
For about a year I met with a spiritual counselor who taught me that when we feel that we cannot sing our own song, God and others will sing it for us, until we are strong enough to sing it again. I love this analogy. It couldn't be more 'right on'.
Many of my friends have commented on my amazing spirit. They say, if faced with a similar situation, they would whither away, fall into the depths of depression, not be able to handle what I have handled.
In reality, I think we handle what life gives us. I don't think I've done anything amazing, especially after being a longtime member of DINET. And especially, when being aware of the greater suffering occurring around the world. Right now, my thoughts keep returning to the Utah miners who risked their lives, and those who lost their lives, trying to save their six fellow miners. That is true courage, true spirit, true grace. We, as human beings, step up to the plate in amazing ways, in ways we never thought we would be able to when life throws us a curve ball.
In reality, I think we handle what life gives us. I don't think I've done anything amazing, especially after being a longtime member of DINET. And especially, when being aware of the greater suffering occurring around the world. Right now, my thoughts keep returning to the Utah miners who risked their lives, and those who lost their lives, trying to save their six fellow miners. That is true courage, true spirit, true grace. We, as human beings, step up to the plate in amazing ways, in ways we never thought we would be able to when life throws us a curve ball.
I just do it. And so do the rest of us. No, life isn't what I wanted and it is hard. As my friend Anne says, "God doesn't always give us what we want, but he gives us what we need." Like Martina says, I keep hoping, I keep dreaming, and I keep loving anyway. . .because in reality there is no other way to keep on keeping on.
Blessings,
Emily
Photo: Our ever-expanding Rudbekia patch. Man, do these flowers just spread and spread year after year!
No comments:
Post a Comment