Introducing... One Way

Finally...

after months of agonizing...

prayerfully considering...

wanting to choose just the right name for our little band...

it has been settled.

We have a name.

It may or may not be just the right name...

but it is the one we finally decided on.

Drum roll please...

Ladies and Gentleman...Without further adieu, I give you...

One Way



I wanted to share a picture from last night's Christmas Praise Night at Harvest. But, sadly I forgot my camera. I am hoping someone else took pictures because I did see some flashes. If so, I'll share it here. Even better, if someone recorded a portion of our little performance, that would be great. We really need to get a camcorder (or whatever they call those fancy digital thingys they have now!). The above picture is from our performance this summer at the Corn City Festival.

So...about last night. It was amazing. I love listening to Christmas songs, singing Christmas songs, listening to my husband as he sings Christmas songs. It was a beautiful time of worship as the choir sang, soloists sang, children played piano, guitar, and other instruments. It was just good and lovely and all about the celebrating the glorious fact that Jesus came for us.

This morning, I awakened with thoughts about last night, as I often do. I don't like that I'm a replayer of events, but I am. I replay things, and wonder if I should've said this or that. This is something God's working on in me...urging me to give it over to Him, and not worry about my own "performance". This morning, I'm not really wallowing in regret or anything. Mostly, I'm just thinking with a smile how awesome and full of grace God is. And, I'm kind of wishing I would have shared that last night.

We did three songs last night: God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, O Come All Ye Faithful, and O Holy Night. For God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, we used the folksy-rock sounding version of the Sarah McLaughlin (and a band whose name I'd rather not mention, because their name sounds less than holy and pure... =), with our own twist of course. And the last two Tim played the electric guitar with an upbeat rock tempo. When Tim changed guitars in between songs, I was supposed to fill the space by talking a little.

Well, I forgot to bring the poem and scripture that I was going to share in that little time-filler. So, I was left instead to try and fill the space, with the stuff rolling around in my scattered brain. Even though I'm quite a talker...I drew a blank. So... I just kind of stood there talking about how I couldn't really think of much to say, so I'd just ramble on about nothing for a minute!

This morning when I woke up, I was thinking about that...thinking about the amazing things God has done in our lives. And, I thought of what I should've said in those couple minutes of rambling. And...since I have a blog, I thought I'd share it here.

What I should've said:

We have been having way too much fun playing together the past several months! It has been such a blessing. And...can I just say this? The four of us standing here together...this is a picture of grace. We've known each other since we were kids...and we were ornery kids. We loved music and have played/sang since we were kids. (Tim and Dave even played together in the "famous", Stage Fright and BAB!). Back then, we played and sang for our own glory...but today we play and sing for His glory. Each one of us has a story of sin and redemption, of brokenness and restoration. Not every part of every story has to be told...and that's how it should be. What matters in this one, is that it ends with redeeming grace. Or maybe that's just the beginning of the story.

We named our little group One Way, because there is only one way toward redemption, only one way for salvation...and that path is through Jesus Christ. One of our favorite verses is John 14:6: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me." Jesus made a way for us...and I'm so grateful that He came to save us on that holy night.

Then, we would've closed with O Holy Night...wouldn't that have been just right? Maybe, but it didn't happen that way. Instead, I stood there while crickets chirped as Tim tuned his guitar. That's O.K., though. Because, as I said...it's not about my glory...not about me doing it just right, or saying it just right. It's about His glory...and man is it just a humbling, unspeakable gift to be allowed to be used by the Lord at all. The truth is, if I would've said all of that, I would've probably collapsed into a puddle, because the grace covering us just means more than I can even say. The places we have walked to get to this place of standing beside each other, lifting our voices in worship to our God...thinking of it melts me. Maybe, I didn't need to say it. Maybe, just the picture was enough. And, hopefully...whenever anyone sees that picture...and hears those voices...they just see Him and hear Him. Because, really each of our stories are His story. We are His.

He is the writing our stories, and He isn't finished yet. I can't wait to read the next chapter!




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The Walking With You Christmas giveaway winners will be announced within the next couple days or so. There's still time to enter. Just comment on this post. You will also be able to continue to link posts until Christmas, even after the giveaway is over. I have been so blessed to read the ways you remember your loved ones at Christmas. Thank you to those of you who shared your hearts so beautifully. It is truly a privilege to walk with each of you.