Music Monday - Old Church Choir

I’ve mentioned before that I really enjoy music as a way to worship and build my relationship with God. So, I thought I’d start doing Music Mondays. Each Monday I’ll be feature a worship song and talk about why/what I find compelling in it or lessons that it has taught me. When at all possible I’ll link the song.

I had originally planned to share a different song than I’m going to today. I was trying to be proactive and plan ahead. I should have known better. Since reading the beginning of James last week I cannot get the song below out of my head - “Old Church Choir” by Zach Williams. I’m taking that as a sign that it should be the song of the week. Take a few minutes and give it a listen.

I have a hard time not dancing and singing along when that song comes on. It just naturally puts me in a good mood and puts a smile on my face. This was actually my song of the year when my word of the year was joy . I had had a rough go the year before and I had let my joy be stolen on a number of levels. I had felt like a giant rain cloud was following me around, just like Eeyore.

I learned a lot that year; the difference between joy and happiness, how both big and small things can bring great joy, and what true joy is.

I got an Old Church Choir singing in my soul
I got a sweet salvation and it's beautiful
I've got a heart overflowing 'cause I've been restored
There ain't nothing gonna steal my joy
No, there ain't nothing gonna steal my joy

~”Old Church Choir” Zach Williams

The chorus of the song spoke volumes to me that year. That no matter my earthly circumstances or surroundings, no matter how hard or sad something was, or how disappointed I felt in a situation none of those things could take the true joy that was in my life. Nothing could take the joy from me in knowing that I am known by my creator, that He loves me enough to redeem and restore me. That is true joy.

Friends, I hope this song puts a smile on your face and helps you to remember no matter how things look, nothing can steal the true joy you have in Jesus.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann

James

Each Friday of January I am going to be taking a look at the book of James. It is a book I have read several times, yet each time I read through it something new stands out. If you’ve never read this book I highly recommend you go give it a read. It might only be five chapters long, but it is packed full of wisdom.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  James 1:2

That line, “When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” sure packs a punch. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t naturally look at the trouble I’m facing as an opportunity. Let alone an opportunity for joy! Looking at trouble like that is a shift. It makes us look at the hard situations we’re in through a different lens. How will my troubles look when I view it that way instead? Will they be easier to face? Will I be encouraged the next time one presents itself? How do I train my brain to view it that way?

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1: 3 - 4

When I faced troubles in the past I always felt like my faith was harder to maintain during that time, but I never thought of it as a testing. That those troubles were actually testing my faith to see where I stood. Or that by facing those troubles my endurance would strengthen and my faith grow stronger. I guess I would like to believe that my faith could grow strong without the troubles. However, if there isn’t any troubles to face, would faith really be needed? Would we be able to understand the importance of trusting that God is in control and not us?

I realize I’m posing a lot of questions and not really giving you any answers. But I think sometimes there are not answers to give right away. Sometimes you have to live through it first.

We all face troubles - some big, some small, but each plays a part in our faith journey. Each one gives us the choice to either stand firm in our beliefs or a convenient excuse to walk away from them. It’s hard friends. No one wants to face hard times, but when I think about looking at them this way; that it’s a chance to see joy, a chance to grow my endurance and faith, that eventually I will be perfect and complete, well - it makes me slightly more hopeful about whatever troubles lay ahead. That maybe I don’t need to be so fearful of the troubles when they arrive. Instead, I should embrace them.

May you find joy in your troubles and a renewed endurance on the other side.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann

Traditions

Today I spent the day with my sister - and for a little while with one of uncles and my dad too. But really I was with my sister. It’s one day a year I can count on us being together. The day before family Christmas that we host. It’s the day we spend in the kitchen working on recipes that Grandma used to make. The cooking takes most of the day to make this one particular dish - Babalki.

This is a traditional Slovak Christmas Eve dish. Grandma would only make it this one time of year. If I had to pick a single dish that tasted like Christmas to me, it would be babalki.

For those of you who have not had the pleasure to eat babalki allow me to explain what it is. This dish is made of homemade dough balls, fried sauerkraut, and Kelbosi. I promise it tastes amazing!

As we spent the day making the dough and preparing the other dishes, we chatted and reminisced about Grandma. We recalled how she went from the one making it, to supervising, to watching a movie in the other room and only entering the kitchen if we called in a panic. We talked about how she would kneed the dough by hand and how we decided a mixer would be a good choice this year.

It’s nice to talk about the past in a way that isn’t sad. It’s nice, really nice to laugh, talk, and cook the day away. There is a part of me that wishes this happened more than once a year. Yet, I know part of what makes it so special is that it only happens once a year.

Tomorrow I’ll spend the day with my extended family. There will clearly be food, lots of conversations, and hopefully no drama. There will be some family that I haven’t talked to since last year and you can be sure the kids - yes that’s still me and my cousins, will likely play some games.

I think my Grandma would be happy to know we all get together. I like to think that she would be kinda proud of my sister and I carrying on the babalki tradition. I’m glad that we spent the time with her when we were young because when we make the food, it’s like she’s still with us in the kitchen.

I hope that this Christmas you have at least one tradition that lets you remember the past with a smile on your face.

To Everything There Is A Season…

Kiley Ann

An Unexpected Gift

Did you ever have one of those days when you think, “I’m glad I have it all planned out today? I just need to make it to quitting time and then I can get all the things done I need to.”? Everything is going good and then BAM! something unexpected comes up. Now everything is up in the air.

That happened to me today. An unexpected snow squall completely changed my plans and I learned a valuable lesson. Had I not been working on seeing Christmas like a child and looking towards Jesus like I have been these past 17 days, I would have completely fallen into the, 'complaining- but wearing a fake smile’ mentality today. I would have been tempted to commiserate with coworkers and be more Grinch like.

Instead, today I made the best of it. I laughed, I played, and I made some awesome memories. A lot of life really is how you look at it. Living a life of faith definitely colors my view. Today I got to experience childlike joy, it’s been a long time since that has happened. I cannot recommend it enough.

I hope that you are able to take the next interruption you face and view it as an unexpected gift. I pray that you take some time this season to laugh, play, and find the beauty in it all.

To Everything There Is A Season …

Kiley Ann