Lynette Bishop Snell

Peace…I’ll Give You Peace April 1, 2007

If you haven’t figured out by now, music plays an integral part of my life. History plays itself out in my mind via music. Memories swirl around a tune, reminding of where I was, what I was doing, what my life was like when a song was popular. I feel the stories in music. I visualize my own experiences through the music of others. I praise God through music. It’s how I worship best.

So it came as no real shock to me tonight when a song and a couple of verses came into my addled brain. It’s a song Sandi Patty released shortly before the first Gulf War, way back in the early 1990s. I have always loved it and it strikes me now, in the midst of my burdens and my worries.

The verses:

John 14:27

PEACE I leave with you; my PEACE I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

The song:

“I’ll Give You Peace” –from the album Another Time…Another Place

Sometimes, when you’re in the valleys
All of your burdens, you carry alone
Oh but I know, I know when you need me, call me I be there
Longing to prove how much I care

Peace, I’ll give you peace
When the wind blows on
Peace, whenever you call me,
I’ll give you peace
When the wind blows on

Heartaches, whenever your heart aches
I want to be there to help see you through
When you’re weary, you know you can find all the strength that you need
Find your rest and your hope in me

Peace, I’ll give you peace
When the wind blows on
Peace, whenever you call me,
I’ll give you peace
When the wind blows on

No matter how long the night may last
I’ll keep you safe ’til the storm has passed
I’ll give you peace, sweet peace
When the wind blows on
Peace, whenever you call me,
I’ll give you peace
When the wind blows on

I’ll give you peace when the wind starts blowing
Peace, I’ll give you peace
I’ll give you peace when the wind starts blowing
I’ll give you peace when the wind starts blowing
Peace, I’ll give you peace

Peace I give you, Peace I give you,
Peace.

Rainy Days and Mondays…

I love Karen Carpenter. Laugh if you must, but there it is. I love her soulful voice and the fact that she is often imitated but never, in my opinion, has anyone managed to duplicate her unique, truly one of a kind voice.

I’m having a serious teeth-clenching moment and have escaped to the great outdoors…banning everyone from following me…and fired up itunes. What should the first song be but good ole Karen singing “Rainy Days and Mondays.” I just had to laugh and immediately decided to blog.

I survived the weekend trip to Cleveland for Tracy’s surgical biopsy. We met my in-laws Cleveland on Thursday, and on Saturday we loaded up, and I do mean loaded up, in my car and headed home. We got home last night…in perfect time to watch the Gators soundly trounce UCLA. It was a perfect ending to the long, stressful, long, stressful…did I say long and stressful?…two days.

Today I looked forward to rest, relaxation, taking care of my husband and some relief to the stress that has been slowly eating away at me for weeks now. Instead, I find I am screaming at the children, mumbling under my breath at my in-laws and ready to yank Tracy’s stitches out myself, which would be a marvelous feat considering he has no stitches…only surgical glue keeping his incision together.

I had hoped for some relief, but all I am getting is more stress. I don’t know why I expected anything different. My body is still reacting to the stress of the unknown and I need to relax. I need it to all go away. I need someone to say, “Hey, your emotions are valid and you have a TON on your shoulders right now.” It’s just hard to be strong for everyone all at the same time.

So I’m singing to Karen, gritting my teeth and cringing at the sound of the kids’ voices.

At least the sun is shining and it’s a beautiful day.

The stress will go, in time, I know. I just need to complain and whine and remind people that I, too, am suffering from this series of unfortunate events in our family life. I just want to shout, “Me! Me! Me! It’s all about me!” Sigh. Until the next squabble with the kids and the next call from Tracy for something and my in-laws get home from the store with something odd for dinner all remind me that it’s not, in fact, about me.

“Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”

So does life.