Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Let's Celebrate!
If you'll be in the L.A. area on Saturday, March 7th, we'd love for you to celebrate with us!
Join us at VCC's 12th-anniversary luncheon and hear my incredible story
of amazing grace, unfailing love, and undeniable
miracles.
Get your tickets today at http://valenciachristiancenter.org/tickets/
Love Always,
Shy
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Fruitful Inheritance
Recently, my family
suffered a huge loss. A loss that left
an undeniable hole in the very fabric of our family. My brother, Jim, was such a huge, loving
presence in my family. Everyone was
touched by his life in some way. His
heart was so full of love. His kindness
was so sincere. His encouragement was
certainly motivating. And his laugh was
contagiously joyous. As we grieved over
the loss of our beloved, I couldn’t help but remember the saying “What story do
you want to be told?” It was as if my
brother lived in such a way that would bring honor to God as his story would
later be told. It was as if he
consciously wrote a page each day that would ultimately weave together a story
that was indeed written by a pen in the hand of God.
In John 15:5, Jesus said,
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If
you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” It was obvious to those who knew Jim that he
was connected to the vine, because of the fruit he bore - love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
(Galatians 5:22-25). To have known Jim,
was to bear witness of the fruit of the spirit.
Although he has
physically left us, we can rejoice over the inheritance we are left with - a
legacy of a fruitful spirit inspired by a beautiful heart wrapped in dignity
and love. The story he told with his
life was a true reflection of Jesus’s commandment to love. With this in mind, we rejoice in knowing that
he is now forever connected to the vine.
And as we remember him, we are reminded to live a life with this
question in mind - “What story do you want to be told?”
James Thurman
Saunders, we celebrate you and give thanks for the fruitful inheritance you
have left us with. What a wonderful
inheritance it is.
Love Always,
Shy
http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/
Instagram: Love
Always, Shy (@lovealwaysshy) • Instagram photos and videos
Thursday, January 9, 2020
We won!
My son, Eman, was such a busy body of a little
boy. Before his arrival in my life, my days were pretty
predictable. My daughter was pretty easy in the sense that she was happy
doing whatever I was doing, yet she also knew how to quietly entertain herself as the only child.
Well, in 2001, all that changed. Eman
arrived and decided to shake things up. In spite of him having chronic
asthma, he was a rough, daredevil, little boy. From jumping off the
top bunk of the bed landing his chin on the dresser on the way down (ouch!) to
running with scissors and barely missing his eye when he fell with them.
We were in the emergency room on a regular basis. My life was never the
same.
One day, in his usual 5-year-old
"superhero" fashion, he snuck up on our dog and pulled his
tail. The dog was startled and turned around and snapped at him causing a long, bloody cut on Eman's cheek. Thank goodness he didn't need stitches (this would
have been the third time he'd had stitches on his face), but it was still a nasty
cut. Eman was quite upset and shocked by Elmo's response. So to
make him feel better, I decided to take him to dinner at a hibachi restaurant
that evening. What was I thinking exposing others at the table to his
face? There was a lady sitting at our table with her three small children
and I happened to notice her little girl snuggling up next to her
mother with a frightened look on her face while pointing and whispering,
"Look at his face." Her mother smiled politely and assured her
daughter that it was okay.
Seeing and hearing this, I decided to change
the atmosphere of the table. So I looked at the daughter with the most
convincing look on my face and said, "He got into a fight with a tiger, and
you should see what the tiger's face looks like." The little girl’s eyes widened as her siblings perked up to listen as I explained how my son had won a fight with a tiger and how the tiger was in much worse shape. And just like that,
Eman became the hero at the table and it was an honor for the other kids to be
sitting with such a victorious warrior.
That story pretty much sums up how I stepped
into the new year - scars, bumps, bruises, aches, and pains, but you should see
the scars of the enemy that I fought to get here! I learned that it's not
about the enemy you're fighting, but about the army that's fighting on your
side. Some battles are tough and some scars are evident, but thank God
for (1) fighting our battles, (2) extending His unfailing grace, and (3) offering us a chance to
begin again!
Thank you Jesus, we won! May your 2020 be filled with
many more victories. Happy New Year!
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways. Psalms 91
Love Always,
Shy
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Blessings Unaware
As
the year begins winding down, most of us start reconciling our goals set at
the beginning of the year with how things actually turned out. It’s a time to give thanks for the things
that exceeded our expectations while learning from the things that didn’t quite
pan out like we thought they would.
Sometimes there are things that we had no idea God even did for us
because we were so oblivious to His hand in our lives at those particular
moments.
So
as I was having a reflective moment, I thought of something I’d experienced and
chuckled to myself. It was towards the
end of my third stay in the hospital when the nurse came in to change my linen and my
gown as usual. I’d been wearing a yellow
gown for the past several days, but this time when she changed my gown, she
changed me into a blue gown. The next
day when she came to change my gown again, I very innocently asked, “May I have
another yellow gown? I like the bright
yellow color better.” She replied, “Do
you feel like you’re going to fall when you stand up?” Confused, I replied, “No.” Then she said, “The yellow gown is for
patients who are at risk of falling. It
alerts the nurses to keep a special eye on you if you get out of the bed, and
someone will always walk with you, even though you have a walker.”
Wow! I had no idea the color of my gown signified
if I was at risk of falling or not. I
was also completely oblivious to the fact that God had strengthened me beyond “yellow gown status” to “blue gown status”.
He can be so subtle in walking with us, that we don’t even know when He
changed our status, we just look up one day and realize He did!
This
situation made me examine other areas of my life where God had strengthened my
walk. As I began to look closely, I saw
so many situations in my life where God has moved me from the “yellow gown” to
the ”blue gown” without me even recognizing the moment it happened. He saw the signs in various areas of my life
where I was at risk of falling and He patiently walked with me to keep me safe.
As we reflect on this year alone, consider the countless risks God has walked through with us, keeping us from falling. Consider the many blessings He has given
us while we were completely unaware of the shift along the way. The fact of the matter is, He never leaves
us. So as we come to a close of this year
and enter into a new one, walk with assurance that He is there to keep us in
all our ways.
He
is to able to keep you from stumbling. Jude 1:24(a)
Have
a blessed 2020!
Love
Always,
Thursday, November 14, 2019
My New Birthday!
This morning was not
like any other morning. As I opened my eyes, I was overwhelmed with
gratitude. Not the regular "thank you" gratitude, but the “speechless,
eyes full of tears” gratitude as I reflected on this time last year. This
time last year, I lay in a hospital bed, barely able to move or walk as the
nurses rolled me back and forth to change my clothes, and as I lay there,
I could feel life leaving my body. My son sat next to my bed not knowing
what was happening to his mom. In fact, a few days earlier, he'd sat
quietly on the foot of my bed at home and asked, "Mom, are you
dying?"
Thankfully, he'd driven
me to the emergency room on this particular evening. In that moment, I
didn't have the capacity to have fear or to think any "why me"
thoughts. I was only able to cling to my faith and trust that God was in
control. The only thing I remember was apologizing to the nurses over and
over for having to take care of me with no help from my own strength. They were loving, gracious angels.
Shortly after having a
CT scan, the doctor entered my room and stated very matter-of-factly that she'd
need to do a major surgery NOW. I could sense the urgency in the matter
as I was already in the process of receiving a blood transfusion. But
even at that moment, I asked if she could give me a moment to pray. She
paused and left the room for a few minutes. When she returned, I had
accepted God’s healing by way of this surgery but had one question to really understand the intensity behind her recommendation - "If
I were your sister, what would you tell me to do?" She replied,
"I would tell you to head to O.R. right now." I replied,
"Okay. Let's go." It was
in God’s hands.
Approximately, 6 hours
later I was grateful to awaken in ICU with breath in my body. Lots of tubes and
beeps were happening around me, but gratitude and grace filled the room larger
than anything else. After being in the hospital for a week, I was able to
go home the evening before Thanksgiving and today I am reminded of the first
evening home. It was surreal, like a dream. I remember as I was
sleeping on the sofa (I was unable to climb the stairs to my bedroom, so I
slept on the sofa for a couple of weeks.), I opened my eyes at 2:00 a.m. and
just looked around the room giving thanks to God that I was actually on the other
side of a miracle. I lay there, unable to get up, but feeling so safe in
His arms as He carried me through the days and weeks to come.
The next few weeks were
filled with family coming into town to take turns taking care of me, along with
home nurses and physical therapists. And, as you can imagine, the
gratitude on that Thanksgiving was immeasurable. I was surrounded by loving angels.
So today, as I awoke,
the regular gratitude was superseded by gratitude that can't even be
described. I have named November 14th as my new birthday and every day
Thanksgiving. Yes, I was born on February 3rd, but on November 14, 2018,
God rewrote my ending and gave me a new beginning. It was hard to imagine
the girl laying in the hospital being able to live the life I'm gifted with
today, but I can hear the voice of the Lord saying, "Daughter, your faith
has healed you." (Mark 5:34)
As a result of my past,
I now see and hear everything so differently in my new life. I take
everything that Jesus did personally. His body was broken just for
me. His blood was shed just for me. His amazing grace was extended directly
to me. His unfailing love was given just for me. I am grateful for
all that He's done for me. Today, I celebrate life...more abundantly!
Love Always,
Shy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Runaway Spirit
I
used to have a dog with a “runaway spirit”.
In fact, he came into my life because he’d run away from someone
else. I found him roaming the streets
one day, and after posting signs about a lost dog, I took him to the vet to be
scanned to see if he had an electronic chip which would identify him and his
owner. No such luck, so we adopted him
into our family and named him Elmo; however, no matter how much love he was
receiving from our family, he took the opportunity to run whenever the gate
opened.
After
having him for a couple of years, I decided to relocate from Los Angeles to
Atlanta. And what do you think happened
the week of the move? You guessed it,
Elmo ran away. I was devastated! I left his kennel and travel papers with my
sister and prayed that Elmo would be found by the time my sister was scheduled
to visit me in Atlanta. Sure enough,
about a week after we’d moved, I got a call.
“Hi! This is Emily’s mom. We have Elmo, again.” Emily was a high school girl in the
neighborhood who Elmo had followed home during previous runaways, so they were
familiar with my little runaway baby. Oh, how
I rejoiced at knowing Elmo had been found.
My sister went and got him and brought him to Atlanta with her. Hallelujah!
Knowing
I had a runner on my hands (and I loved him too much to see him get lost again), I scheduled to have an invisible fence
installed. If you’re not familiar with
an invisible fence, it’s an electrical wire installed under-ground around the
perimeter of the yard. The dog wears a
collar that beeps when he gets too close to the wire alerting him to back-up,
otherwise, he’ll experience a shock. The
dog eventually learns the boundaries and stays within the invisible fence.
Well,
what do you think happened the day the guy came to install the fence? You guessed it again. Elmo ran away! Both the children and I, along with the fence
guy, ran through the neighborhood chasing Elmo.
Completely out of breath, we finally caught him. After getting back to the house, I will never
forget the fence installer’s words as he trained Elmo on how the fence worked -
“I see that Elmo has a runaway spirit, so I’m going to need to let him
experience a shock so he understands the boundaries. You might want to look away.” Oh, how my heart ached as he took Elmo to the
edge of the yard and I heard him howl at the feeling of the shock. After that experience, Elmo stayed on the
porch for several days uncertain about what was out in that evil yard waiting
for him. Eventually, he learned the system
and began to run and play and enjoyed life within the safe boundaries set for
him. And to my great joy, he never left
the yard again.
Elmo
and I have so much in common. He was
brought into my life to teach me what safe boundaries look like. I’ve learned that God has a shield of
protection around me; however, when I run away on my own will, He sometimes
allows me to experience a shock to teach me boundaries. Ouch!
It doesn’t always feel good, but like the fence installer, I can hear the
Lord saying, “This might hurt a bit, but I’m going to have to allow this shock to
keep you safe in My will.” For some of
us (and by “us” I mean “me”), it takes a lot of running away before we
understand that God’s boundaries are set in place for our lives because He
loves us too much to allow us to get lost.
It’s not always easy when you have a “runaway spirit”, but I am constantly
reminded that the safe boundaries He’s set for me is just a reflection of His great
love for me.
“Trust
in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5
Love
Always,
Shy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
It is what it is...
I have a friend who often says to
me, “It is what it is” when I question different situations. I get so
annoyed at that response and find myself shooting back, “Well, what is
it?” I just never really understood that phrase in relation to any given
situation. It has never offered me any clarity at all. I seem to
walk away just as unclear as I was before questioning things. I’m the
type of person that wants clear and concise answers. Don’t dance around
an issue. Don’t give me the gray version. Be clear on what it is.
But today was different. I was
reading John’s account of the crucifixion when I had an “AHA” moment of clarity.
John
19:19-22
19
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF
NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20
Many of the Jews read the sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was
near the city, and the sign was written in Arabic, Latin and Greek.
21
The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of
the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be the king of the Jews.”
22
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
In that moment, I could hear Pilate
saying to the priests, “It is what it is.” BOOM! And just like that, I became crystal clear on
the old saying that used to confuse me while at the same time was reminded of
one fact – Jesus is King!
That reminder jump-started my faith
on the spot. No more struggling with if,
when and how God would show up on my behalf.
No more worrying about how He will reign over my life and all the issues
surrounding me. Instead, the next time the enemy tried to poke holes in
my faith and get me to doubt God’s promises for my life, I simply said out
loud, “It is what it is.”
Friends, even when we don’t
understand, let’s hold tight to our faith. And in those moments when fear
and doubt try to creep in, let’s simply hang a sign over our faith that says
“It is what it is.” Jesus is King!
Love Always,
Shy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
What’s next?
As I sat sipping my
coffee, it seemed unreal that 15 years had passed since I’d moved to Atlanta when
my children were little. Over the years, Atlanta has been a great place
to raise them for so many reasons. As I think back, I can still remember
when my son got on the school bus for the first time and waved goodbye as my
daughter headed off for middle school. I never imagined the day would come when my son
would graduate high school and wave goodbye again. When people would tell
me to cherish the time of their childhood because it goes so fast, I never
realized just how fast it actually goes.
Fast forward fifteen years from the day I first got them settled into their new bedrooms to the day I’m actually packing up their rooms. Wow! I’m actually an empty nester. No more planning meals for a family. I eat whatever I have a taste for each day. Not more running my kids around to lessons and events. I plan according to my own calendar. No more little league, junior choir, Halloween costumes, parent/teacher conferences, middle of the night blanket checks or event the sound of the front door opening followed by a hug and the one-word answer to “how was your day?” - “fine”.
Now I sit quietly in my morning prayer time with Jesus and simply ask, “What’s next?” I want the big boom answer followed by an unexpected phone call or email that would make everything clear. But instead, I hear the still, small voice saying, “Trust me.” I chuckle to myself because I’d already known God wouldn’t give me the entire agenda. That’s just never been how we roll. He’d simply put a desire in my heart for the first step followed by grace and favor to reveal each step afterward. More than anything, He wants me to trust Him with each step. After all, if we knew the entire story, wouldn’t we find a way to manipulate it? Wouldn’t we try to tell God how to best orchestrate the details? Sure, He gave me a vision, yet He only told me to write it down so an angel may run with it. (Habakkuk 2:2)
So when folks ask me, “What’s
next?” I simply tell them that I’m waiting for instructions for my next
move. Sure, I have a vision and I’m
putting faith into action each day, but most importantly, I have trust in the
One who holds the plan. I trust
Him to guide me in moving forward with each step, so that is what I'll do -
trusts Him with “what’s next”. If you have found yourself in this same place in a particular area of your life, simply ask God what to do next. He may not reveal the entire plan, but trust Him with the next step.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the
Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you,
plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Love Always,
Shy
http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Growing
As an adult, I am reminded of that childhood situation as I reflect on various areas of my life. Perhaps you can relate. Have you ever found yourself unable to reconcile why some relationships, jobs or activities that used to fit have now become too uncomfortable to be in? Or perhaps you found yourself trying to stretch something to make it fit your life when in reality you'd simply outgrown it?
I was reminded of a quote by Nelson Mandela when I had an “AHA” moment - "There's nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered." It dawned on me that perhaps I had grown out of some things that used to fit not because they had changed, but because I had changed.
In 1 Corinthians 13:11, Paul says "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me." It’s clear that Paul understood the concept of growing beyond what used to fit.
As God grows us in various areas of our lives and moves us into new stages and phases of our purpose, we become uncomfortable in the old "garments". Many times the discomfort is a way to get us to move to the next level of what God has for us. Acknowledge the discomfort as a catalyst to let go of the past and embrace the new. Trust God's plan as He tailors new garments fit for the places He is taking you.
God will perfect that which concerns me. Psalms 138:8
Love Always,
Shy
http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
The Road Has Been Paid For
I just love my GPS system in my car. I simply cannot imagine
using an actual paper map like we used back in the day. There is
something so comforting in knowing that all I have to do is put in a
destination and the GPS system will get me there with no thinking of my own.
I just listen and follow instructions. “Turn here” is simply enough.
The other day as I was driving along on the freeway, the GPS
system said “prepare to stop at the toll ahead,” but there was no toll ahead. I
do recall there used to be one a few years ago, but it has since been
taken out. Knowing this, I was just going to ignore it, but then I
noticed the confused look on my son’s face and said, “This road has been paid
for. There’s no toll.” I went on to explain to him that the toll
was initially put in place to recoup the cost of building the road and since it
has now been paid for, they have removed the toll booth so there is no cost for
us to drive on this road.
As I drove further down the road, I couldn’t help but think of
many other “roads” that have been paved for me that have been paid for.
So when the enemy taunts me and tells me I’m going to have to pay for the road
I’ve taken, I remind him that through the grace of God it’s already been paid
for.
The road to peace, if we make the correct turns. (John 14:27)
The road to joy, if we avoid the ditches. (Romans 15:13)
The road to purpose, if we don’t get distracted.
(Proverbs 19:21)
The road to God’s plan, if we listen for instructions.
(Jeremiah 29:11)
Let’s face it, life happens to the best of us. A sudden
twist in the road that we didn’t see coming, or perhaps we saw it coming, but
thought we’d be able to navigate it on our own. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the
way, and the truth and the life.” If we listen to His voice and trust His plan, we don’t need to know every turn in advance. He knows what’s ahead and where we should turn. He created us with a destination in mind, has a plan to get us there and has already paid in full the price
of the road we will travel. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and listen to your spiritual GPS (God’s Plan System). He is THE WAY!
Love Always,
Shy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Covered
As we stood graveside at my grandfather’s funeral, the rain went
from a light drizzle to a heavy drizzle. While saying our final goodbyes
to “Big Papa”, which is what we affectionately called him, I realized that
neither I nor my mother had an umbrella. When noticing me putting my hands over
my head (as if that would help) my mother pulled a scarf from her purse and
said, “Here baby. Use this.” I was so grateful as I tied the scarf
over my hair. What a sacrifice to give me her only scarf as she also
stood in the rain.
Fast forward 30 years... I still have that very same scarf.
It’s a bit faded and even has a tear in it, yet I still use it to cover my hair
quite often. It has become a constant reminder of kindness, generosity and love. I am also reminded that much like my mom’s
scarf still covers me, so does God’s love. It has no ending and is
unfailing.
In life, we can’t always predict the weather. Yet I’m
comforted by the reminder that He sees me in the midst of my storms. Sure, I
love the sunny days of life, but when I’m standing out in the rain, uncovered,
and getting drenched by life’s circumstances He lovingly says, “Here baby.
Use this.” as He gently covers me in His love.
Psalm 46:1-2a “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to
help in times of trouble. So we will not fear.”
No matter what storm you may be facing today, know that He hears
you, He sees you and He knows exactly what you need. He’s always there
ready to cover you with his unfailing love. Listen to His voice as He
whispers, “Here baby. Use this.” Have no fear. He has you covered!
Love Always,
Shy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Love Requirements
We’ve all been in
situations where our emotions have grabbed the wheel and driven us completely
into a ditch. Or maybe you’re not as bad as I am so perhaps you simply chose to
ignore a situation that warranted a response. Perhaps tradition, routine, habit
or other priorities simply trumped the appropriate response to an issue.
Well, there I was
dealing with an issue that I would have chosen to ignore for my own peace sake
when I remembered a simple question a minister challenged the audience to ask
themselves before responding to any situation. The question was simply “What does
love require of me?”
If you're a follower of
Jesus, it's a very easy question to ask. I must admit that although I
haven't always gotten it right, the pause and the question have certainly made
the appropriate response obvious. I've found that love loosens our grip
to be right, to win or to control. It helps us to grab hold of Jesus's
words in Matthew 22:37-39 - “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as
yourself.”
Love makes the right
decision obvious, provides appropriate answers to tough questions and throws regret right out the
window.
I’d like to challenge
you, whether it be a situation with your family, a friend, a neighbor or even a
stranger, pause and ask yourself the question “What does love require of me?”
before responding. I guarantee the appropriate response will become
obvious and not only will your human relationships change, but so will your
relationship with Christ. I have a feeling that that’s the very question Jesus
asked before dying for you and for me. After all, love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13 - 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not
boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not
self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does
not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.
Love Always,
Shy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
The Last Act of Love
I can still hear my father's voice singing
"Three Little Fishies" to me and my sister, Joy, while he played the
piano. We'd stand there and giggle as he sang it because it was such a
fun and happy song. At the end, we'd put our hands over our mouths with wide
eyes as kids do when they think they’ve heard a bad word. In case you’re not
familiar with this cute little song, the lyrics went as follows.
Down in the meadow in a
little bitty pool
Swam three little fishies
And a mama fishie too
"Swim," said the mama fishie,
"Swim if you can."
And they swam and they swam all
over the dam
Boop boop diten datem whatem choo
Boop boop diten datem whatem choo
Boop boop diten datem whatem choo
And they swam and they swam
right over the dam
After being away from Los Angeles for several
years, I returned home and asked my dad to play that song for me. He needed
help getting to the piano, but once seated, gave it his best effort. He plucked
at the keys and sang the words and smiled widely at me when he was done. I
could see how proud he was of himself as I collected yet another golden memory
in my heart.
I've heard it said, "Grief is the last act
of love we have to give to those we loved. Where there is deep grief, there was
great love.” I would have to agree. My love for my dad
was and is deep, as is the grief. Deep from the memories of his silly
jokes to hearing him call home from a trip when I was in middle school and say "I'll be home Friday, so don't make any
plans, because you have a date with me." I'd smile each time and say
"okay" while looking forward to something special.
Although I grieve the loss of an earthly father,
I'm so happy he is free and with Jesus now. I'm sure he's playing the
piano and worshiping with a joyful heart. I smile at the thought of him
singing "Three Little Fishies" to all the kids up there, but
something tells me he's probably singing the words that he loved to hear my
mother sing:
When we all get together
what a day of rejoicing that will be
When we all see Jesus
we will sing and shout the victory
Rejoice, Deddy! You are free! My
grief is but a symbol of my love, but even in the midst of my grief, I rejoice
with you. See you later!
In loving memory of John E. Sheriff - Feb. 20,
1931 - July 7, 2019.
Love Always,
Shy
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Yet?
"In 1971, when I lived in London, I was working with a friend, Alan Power, on a film about people living rough in the area around Elephant and Castle and Waterloo Station. In the course of being filmed, some people broke into drunken song – sometimes bits of opera, sometimes sentimental ballads – and one, who in fact did not drink, sang a religious song "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet". This was not ultimately used in the film and I was given all the unused sections of tape, including this one.
When I played it at home, I found that his singing was in tune with my piano, and I improvised a simple accompaniment. I noticed, too, that the first section of the song – 13 bars in length – formed an effective loop which repeated in a slightly unpredictable way. I took the tape loop to Leicester (University), where I was working in the Fine Art Department, and copied the loop onto a continuous reel of tape, thinking about perhaps adding an orchestrated accompaniment to this. The door of the recording room opened on to one of the large painting studios and I left the tape copying, with the door open, while I went to have a cup of coffee. When I came back I found the normally lively room unnaturally subdued. People were moving about much more slowly than usual and a few were sitting alone, quietly weeping.
I was puzzled until I realized that the tape was still playing and that they had been overcome by the old man's singing. This convinced me of the emotional power of the music and of the possibilities offered by adding a simple, though gradually evolving, orchestral accompaniment that respected the homeless man's nobility and simple faith. Although he died before he could hear what I had done with his singing, the piece remains as an eloquent, but understated testimony to his spirit and optimism."
The homeless man simply sings over and over:
Jesus blood never failed me yet
this one thing I know
for he loves me so
Jesus blood never failed me yet
I was so moved by this story that I found the song on YouTube and began to listen to it being performed with an orchestra and halfway through, I was brought to tears by the certainty and peace in the singer's voice, in spite of his circumstances. The emphasis he put on the word "yet" was as if he was answering my question of why the word was even used. My heart was so transformed by a singing homeless man over 48 years ago that instead of hearing "Jesus blood never failed me yet" I begin to hear "YET, Jesus blood never failed me." I went from hearing doubt to hearing faithfulness. From hearing uncertainty to hearing "in spite of."
So today, no matter what things look like, I can say with unwavering confidence, "YET, Jesus blood never failed me."
Love Always,
Shy
To listen to the composition, visit https://youtu.be/TfT3njX2FLU
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