Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Bright Sadness

I never do this. Breakdown an album and insist anyone who reads this go out directly and get it; but I digress. I'm doing that just now.

Charlie Hall's new album The Bright Sadness, is absolutely incredible. Musically, lyrically, creatively, it's all glorious. Light on fluff and heavy with real life sums up this album.

It's real. It's not just bouncy music that talks about how life is just marvelous. No, it addresses pain--but how we have hope in the midst of it all. How God's love is what keeps us grounded and is our rock.

The album starts out with

Chainbreaker- This is one of the songs that we sung at passion and it's the one song that when I got home I immediately tried to find, only to discover that it hadn't come out yet. I love this song. It's about how Jesus freed us just as we are, he renovated our hearts, and changed our lives. I love it when it comes to this part
You are free//You are free//Yeah the Son has set you free//Drop your chains sons and daughters//Come and run in liberty

New Year- Where hope can hold the hand of sorrow//we can walk into tomorrow//where peace is found in troubled days//and the joy of Jesus carries pain// Wow. He talks of looking forward to a new year--but not in the sense of everything getting easier; but in the sense that God is going to be there and that is the hope we cling to, and the new opportunity we have to look to Jesus.

Walk the World- Another passion song. It talks about how we are going to be a light to the world and talking about how Christ is the bread and wine and the feast of our life; probably one of my favorite parts of this song--Broken but singing//Our hearts keep shining.

My Brightness- I love all the songs--but this one is....incredible. It just is really pertinent to me or at least it seemed that way to me. It's about always running to God for life no matter what happens, about how God's love is the rock that I stand on when life spins out of control. How God knows where we're going and he knows where we've been. The lyrics are honest and raw, he talks of how our emotions fluctuate and our feelings change, we wrestle with God and then feel guilty for it because we do love him--but then he goes into the chorus of how God's love is our rock again --Yesterday I felt so angry, and today so insecure//and I hated that I wrestle with the God that I adore//Your presence always heals me, so I want to drink it in//You know where we're going God and You know where I've been//

Scenes- About no matter what he's looking out reminds him God.-- //as I lay me down to sleep//as I walk on city streets//as I laugh with friends and feast//it lifts my mind to You// The part song that stuck out to me was; //I have such a short memory so You keep reminding me of You.// How incredibly loving of God. =)

Thrill- I like this song.

The Second Alive- Talks about letting go and taking a walk in burning heart of God. When we let go we truly come alive. I come alive every time I let it go. I love this song.

Hookers and Robbers- Ok, so how many Christian songs have you seen with a title like this? Another one of my favorites. It starts out with Charlie more talking than singing. He talks about coming to Christ just as we are. I could seriously just post the whole song right now because I love the whole freaking thing--but I can't find the lyrics up anywhere yet. //who could except all your pounding and screaming// your raging//your freaking//your cussing and beating//all while He holds you and always forgiving//this is the story of love and living//wipe off your tears and laugh just a little//come break this bread celebrate this forgiver//j

Bloom again- "The beauty of the ash of love, when you emerge, you are more beautiful." Nothing else need be said.

You are God- Another passion song. = amazing. Life flows from God.

Knit My Heart- Ok this is my song. This has been my prayer of my life for the past couple years. //knit my heart to you//I'll dream what you dream//and see what you see//knit my heart to you//move the stone//make my heart yours alone//

Mystery- I love the piano...I really can't say anything else other than the lyrics of this song.

sweet Jesus Christ my sanity
sweet Jesus Christ my clarity
bread of heaven, broken for me
cup of salvation held up to drink
Jesus, mystery

Christ has died and
Christ has risen
Christ will come again
-----------------------------------------------------
Yes-- love this CD.

This captures my heart right now;

I thought Bright Sadness sounded suspiciously like the battle cry of the optimist. The donning of rose colored glasses calling out in the night for all to see the bright side of despair. More of a personality flaw than a birthright. Not something I could really get behind as being something tangible. I was wrong, of course. Bright Sadness is not the act of dusting heartache with sugar and glazing bitterness and resentment with a toothy smile. It is having little to do with wistful optimism and everything to do with hope in the light of the truth.
Hope that promises will be kept, that a refuge will hold, that the sun will return, that seasons will change despite the weighty darkness and all evidence to the contrary.

Hope at the center of despair.

The footprints left, when we look back at the most tempestuous season of life, are purposeful, organized, significance in the chaos--evidence that we were remembered in our darkest and most vulnerable days.

-Emily

I don't now what's going on in your life right now--I don't know if it's going merrily along or if you're really struggling right now with something. I'm not going to sugar coat anything, life isn't easy, and I know that sounds silly coming from an eighteen year old. I know that I haven't really seen or known deep piercing pain. But in what I have walked through, I know that there is a rock in the center of me; and that's the fact that I have a God who loves me more than I can imagine.

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