Merry Christmas with Music

 My promised Christmas Music Playlist is here at last! Find it at the top of each page.

Those of you who have been reading my blog will know this will be a difficult Christmas for me. It's the first one since Mom died.

But at the same time, I also know it will be the greatest Christmas I have ever had. That is the parallel of being a Christian. My heart mourns, but my Spirit is filled with joy and gratitude and excitement beyond what I can express. Or beyond what I have even begun to really understand.
 
I know that Mom is spending her first Christmas in the presence of Jesus. But I am in his presence too. I feel him stronger and hear him louder than I ever have before. Soon I'll be joining them (and the rest of my "great cloud of witnesses") in person. Not because I've never sinned. Not because I've suffered more than others. But only because of what Jesus did and who he is: God's only Son who came to earth to die as a sacrifice for your sins and mine. And because of that sacrifice, because he paid the penalty of death for our sins, he has the right to offer forgiveness to anyone who asks. Anyone. And the moment I did ask, he came into my life and I've never been the same. For me, Christmas is all the time. I so deeply want it to be that way for you too! 


I hope, as you have read my blogs, you have seen glimpses that Jesus IS real. Please don't let another Christmas (or another day) pass without picking up a Bible and learning about God's love for you and His purpose for your life.There's an adventure waiting for you. I beg you not to miss it.  

It took me several hours to create the "Christmas Playlist"  and I put it in a format that you can play while you surf around the rest of the web.
Mostly, I want to give you some joy and peaceful moments to turn your heart and mind towards home. Not just the one you have now, but the home you feel in your heart you should have. The one people are always reaching for when they say they want an "old fashioned Christmas". That Home can be had and is waiting for you. In this life and the next.

I've picked many different types of songs, from different genres and spanning 6 decades. I hope listening will allow you to enjoy yourself, feel relaxed, put you in the mood for Christmas and lay open the layers of your heart.

The lyrics to the last 3 songs are in the post, "LYRICS for Christmas Playlist a la LAURA-LEE".  Just follow the LINK below.

LYRICS for Christmas Playlist a la LAURA-LEE

Have a wonderful Christmas as you find out that Jesus came because he loves you ... Above All.

Love Laura-Lee

LYRICS for "Christmas Playlist a la LAURA-LEE"

O COME, O COME EMMANUEL:

Translated: John Neal, 1818-66

 

Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,
Who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, oh, come, our Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times gave holy law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come O Rod of Jesse's stem,
From ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow'r to save;
Bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Oh, bid our sad divisions cease,
And be yourself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

 

 

 

ROSE OF BETHLEHEM:

 

There's a Rose in Bethlehem
With a beauty quite divine
Perfect in this world of sin
On this silent holy night

There's a fragrance much like hope
That it sends upon the wind
Reaching out to every soul
From a lowly manger's crib

Oh, Rose of Bethlehem
How lovely, pure, and sweet
Born to glorify the Father
Born to wear the thorns for me

There's a Rose in Bethlehem
Colored red like mercy's blood
Tis the flower of our faith
Tis the blossom of God's love

Though it's bloom is fresh with youth
Surely what will be He knows
For a tear of morning dew
Is rolling down the Rose

Oh, Rose of Bethlehem
How lovely, pure, and sweet
Born to glorify the Father
Born to wear the thorns for me

There's a Rose in Bethlehem
With a beauty quite divine
Perfect in this world of sin
On this silent holy night

Oh, Rose of Bethlehem
How lovely, pure, and sweet
Born to glorify the Father
Born to wear the thorns for me

 

 

ABOVE ALL:

 

Verse 1
Above all powers
Above all kings
Above all nature
And all created things
Above all wisdom
And all the ways of man
You were here
Before the world began

Verse 2
Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders
The world has ever known
Above all wealth
And treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure
What You're worth

CHORUS
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

Verse 1
Above all powers
Above all kings
Above all nature
And all created things
Above all wisdom
And all the ways of man
You were here
Before the world began

Verse 2
Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders
The world has ever known
Above all wealth
And treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure
What You're worth

CHORUS
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

CHORUS
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

Like the rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

Body Painting: Burgeoning Artform

** CAUTION: Some Photos may be inappropriate for younger or sensitive people

 

 

 

Yes. All the people in the previous pictures are naked. The clothes are literally painted on to them.

 

 

Yes. These are also photos of naked people.

 

 

 

 

 

And yet MORE naked people.

 

Body Painting, which is quite literally using the naked human body as the painters canvass, is an art form that is growing steadily and now moving into the mainstream of our culture. So, even if you don't want to, you will probably come across it at some point pretty soon. It's no longer just an avant garde form of artistic expression, but everybody seems to want in on the fun. It shows up at almost every place and function. From parties to weddings.

 

I have to admit that those who are doing it are definitely artists and quite brilliant ones too. But putting that aside, everyone is spending so much time saying that it's not just an excuse for people to run around without their clothes on that it reminds me of what Shakespeare said, "The lady doth protest too much, me thinks."

 If it truly is "no big deal", then why do they keep saying it over and over and over.

 

 And if it's truly just about the art,  then I wish to ask a question. Why is it never fat, flabby, wrinkly, people who are the "canvass"?

 

Just wondering.

 

~~ Laura-Lee

NEW SONG: "OverComer" by Mandisa (with LYRICS)

I previously talked about the power of the "spoken" word. So here's a new song I've come across and we can explore power of  "singing" words.
 With that in mind, I took the time to write down the lyrics, Laura-Lee Style.

You'll need some extra "Base Boost" on this one.

To play, "Overcomer" by Mandisa, look in the right column, Click the tiny "Play" symbol on the bar beneath, crank up the volume and read along. Enjoy! You'll be humming this one later.  It might take a moment for the song to upload to my blog. It's travelling from another website.
(and don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom) L-L





LYRICS to "OVERCOMER" by Mandisa

Staring at a "Stop" sign
Watching people drive by
T-Mac on the radio
Got so much on your mind
Nothing's really going right
Looking for a ray of hope

Oooooo

Whatever it is you may be going through (oooo~~~ooo~oooooooooo)
I know He's not gonna let it get the best of you

You're an Overcomer
Stay in the fight ‘til the final round
You're not going under (you're not going under)
‘Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when He reminds you
That you're an Overcomer (waaa ~ oooo oooo)
You're an Overcomer (waaa~ooooooo)

Everybody's been down
Hit the bottom, Hit the ground
Ooooo, you're not alone
Just take a breath, don't forget,
Hang on to His promises.
He wants You to know ...

You're an Overcomer !!!
Stay in the fight ‘til the final round
You're not going under (you're not going under)
‘Cause God is holding you RIGHT now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when He reminds you
That you're an Overcomer (wa~oooo ~ ooooo)
You're an Overcomer (wa~oooooo~ooo)

The same Man, the great "I Am"
The one who overcame Death
Is living inside of you.
So just hold tight, fix your eyes
On the One who holds your life.
There's nothing He can't do !!
He's telling You ~~~ OOOOOOOO
(Take a breath, don't forget,
hang on to His promises.)

(Kickin' Drum Solo)

You're an Overcomer
Stay in the fight ‘til the final round
You're not going under (you're not going under)
‘Cause God is holding you right NOW
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when He reminds You
That you're an Overcomer
You're an Overcomer

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."   1 John 4:4

 

(Everybody get ready to sing ...)

Don't Quit, Don't give in
You're an Overcomer
Don't quit, Don't give in
You're an Overcomer
Don't quit, Don't give in
You're an Overcomer
You're an Overcomer

("End with drums, please? Thanks.")

NOTE: If you want to PURCHASE "Overcomer" as a download, CLICK on the "CBD" LINK beneath the "Play/Pause" button and it will take you to the exact page at CBD.
(As always, any time you CLICK to CBD (Christian Book Distributors) from Laura-Lee Was Here, you get a discount).


P.S. For those of you not "in the know", T-Mac in the song refers to "TobyMac". Another Christian singer.

P.P.S. Check back at this blog. I'll soon have my Christmas Music Playlist up. It'll be some old and some new, but all cool. (If I can technically figure out the playlist 'thingey'.)

P.P.P.S. If you don't want to have to keep checking back, in the right column it has a place for you to enter an email address and you will be informed of new posts right to your INBOX.

P.P.P.P.S. Click the "Pause" button to get the song to stop playing over and over. (I just couldn't resist one more "Post Script")

Gettysburg Address: Words Remembered

When I was a child my mother had a copy of the Gettysburg Address hanging on our wall. I couldn't even read at the time, but whenever I asked Mom she would stop whatever she was doing (even when I'm sure she was very busy) and would read it out loud to me. Sometimes I used that to prolong my bed time. But even during those times, she would still read it to me, because she knew it was more important than going to bed on time. I didn't understand most of it, but hearing her say the words I knew it was something special. Something almost sacred. I suppose because she thought of it that way, it came across when she spoke out the words.

 Once, when we had a kitchen full of company, someone remarked about the Gettysburg Address hanging on her wall. It was right there in the kitchen. She believed those words weren't only for special occasions but for every day. So it was where we would see it every day. She suddenly started to speak it out loud for them, as she had done for me so many times. When those powerful words were spoken out with her gentle and intense voice, everyone became silent and still. To me they looked the way adults looked when they prayed. A couple people had actually closed their eyes, as if they were soaking it in and it was feeding a hunger deep inside them.

I've come to understand how important the spoken word is. Not only do we remember things better if we speak them as well as read them, but it penetrates our hearts more and also effects those around us. But this can be a force for bad as well as good, depending on what you are reading/speaking.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."  Ephesians 4:29

That's why a few years ago I started to read portions of the Bible out loud too. Even if I'm the only one in the room. And they do reach me on a deeper level.

So do yourself, and perhaps others, a favour and whenever you see something quoted here in my blog, take the time to read it out loud. (Which I'm sure you have already done with the Bible quote written above.) In the "olden days" (before TV) families would gather around and someone would read out loud from a book. Or else they would all take turns reading.
Whether it's the Bible or "David Copperfield" or "Green Eggs and Ham", you will all be better for the time you've spent together. Because ultimately that's what all words are about. Sharing from one person to another. The purpose of having language in the first place is to bring us together. So let words do their job.

And, for your edification and encouragement, I present the Gettysburg Address for you to read ALOUD. I place it here to honor my mother, Lincoln, the people he talks about and ... you.

"Ahem.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.   But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."  ~ Abraham Lincoln

 November 19, 1863         

** NOTE: What is interesting and ironic is when Lincoln says, "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here," when that's exactly what has happened. I think it takes both: the sacrifice of life and the words to remind us what that life was sacrificed for.

 Just as in THE Book. The Bible. It is full of people who made sacrifices for faith and God and He made sure it was written down for us, so that we would remember and understand all these years later. And the words in the Bible are about the ultimate 'bringing together'. God and man reunited for forever.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."  John 1:14 

More MONTY the Cat

I've already taken the time to "Introduce" you to my new cat, MONTY, through a video. Now I will let you watch another one that allows you to discover the hidden  deaths   depths in him.

(NOTE: If you wish to see more of my home made videos - about Monty and a host of other topics - then follow the LINK below to  my YouTube Channel where I originally upload them all. LLR)

Laura-Lee RAHN YouTube Channel


* And always remember to leave a COMMENT. I love them so and you can do it anonymously. LLR

Remembrance Day: Keep Your Poppy On

November 11 is approaching again and I am starting to see those little poppies to commemorate Remembrance Day  all over the place.

HOWEVER, as long as I've been alive (which is almost 5 decades) the poppies haven't changed much. I specifically refer to that little pin on that back that is supposed to hold them on to your jacket. How many times I've dropped and lost my poppy because that pin popped out?

In fact, I actually wrote to the "poppy people" once (many years ago) and asked them for a different way of attaching them to our coats. I got no response, so I don't think they were very impressed.

But since "necessity is the mother of invention", I have devised my own solution. And although it is highly classified, on a "need to know" basis and a Military Secret,  I'm making an exception for those of you who come to my blog. So listen very carefully.

And watch the video below:
(I took the time to type out the transcript of my video so that it could be Closed Captioned. So please click on the CC to view it that way.)