AGAIN
There's a little "diddy" of a song I made up one day when I was holding my granddaughter; Noelle, Noelle, Noelle on Nonna's knee. Noelle, Noelle, no better place to be, Yay!
Now, I'm not expecting a Grammy (although that would be appropriate since a "grammy" wrote it); it was just a sweet little secret we shared while I bounced her on my knee.
On Christmas day this year, we were trying to capture those elusive family photos when Noelle was getting a little bored with the process. I was standing my photog daughter trying to get Noelle to smile when the song came to mind. So, I sang it in a silly way, and it must've resonated with her. The moment I finished singing, she said, "Again."
She stood there looking at me with her perfectly precious face, and what else could I do?
I sang it again. And again, she said, "again." I would've stood there singing until I lost my voice just because she asked. Fortunately, only a few times did the trick.
What do you wish would happen if you just had to utter the word, "again?"
It would be easy for me to answer with wishing to see Michael again. It's been 16 months since he died, and I still miss him every day. However, if I saw him again at this point (like a Demi Moore/Patrick Swayze scene from "Ghost"), I would just have to say good-bye to him again. And that's something I don't want to repeat.
Next, I think about incredible trips I have taken- vacations and mission trips filled with incredible experiences and incredible people. Yes, please. I have friends all over the world, Colombia, Jericho, Guatemala, and Kenya; I would love to sit down with again and have a few more life and faith conversations.
However, at this stage of my life, I am looking into my loving, heavenly Father's eyes and asking for one thing, "again." Fingerprints.
I have felt God with me for as long as I can remember; however, there are seasons when there was an unexpected, unexplained "intimate involvement." I say intimate because if any CSI investigator had shined his blue light in my direction, all he would see was God's fingerprints over every aspect of my life.
When I was battling breast cancer 19 years ago, God made Himself known to me in ways I had never experienced. He made sure I knew in strange and wonderful ways that He was all over it.
And He's done the same on mission trips when I felt God working through me, during my grief, and when I'm writing. Always when I'm writing. Fingerprints.
For the longest time after Michael's death, I couldn't write. I tried but if you look back at my blog posts, there was a definite STOP after the first of the year. I was in a battle with my thoughts and paper. All I could think of was that no one wants to hear from the widowed writer! How depressing!
I think in God's kindness, He was just giving me time to heal… to rest… to just be held.
Lately, my whispers to experience God's fingerprints again, have been met with His tender echo, "write again."
Our "agains" are aligned, and HE stands ready and able to meet my every again!
What again are you asking of God? What again is God asking of you?
What intimate involvement with your Heavenly Father awaits?
Below are a few of the lyrics from a great song to soak in. I look forward to our conversations and hearing about your “again.”
Do It Again by Elevation Worship
I know the night won't last
Your Word will come to pass
My heart will sing Your praise again
Jesus, You're still enough
Keep me within Your love
My heart will sing Your praise again
Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I'm still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You never failed me yet
I've seen You move, come move the mountains
And I believe, I'll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe, I'll see You do it again
Songwriters: George Veikoso / Michael Stevenson / Nicholas Matthew Balding / Christopher Maurice Brown / Mark Kragen / Marc Randolph Griffin / Pia Mia Perez / Jerry Afemata
Do It Again lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave