Listening to…Part 3

This last weekend, a girl from the cancer caregiver support group that I belong to, Herald Cancer Care, and whom I do not not came all the way from the Bay Area to visit me.  She arrived Saturday, sang to me for an hour and then returned to the Bay Area, 6 hours each trip.  It is so touching.  And among all her songs, this one was our favorite: Listen Quietly.  It’s basically a refrain of John 10:2-5.  She sang it in Cantonese but it is also available in Mandarin. Here  is the erhu, Chinese instrumental version.

Posted September 5, 2014

Tenth Avenue North – The Struggle

Posted June 22, 2014:

Ever since I came back from Bethel Redding and introduced their music to my middle son, my house is constantly full of the live performances of the fantastic bands over there.  What you see on the video where they performed in the sanctuary is exactly just that, with perfect acoustic and roving cameras from both sides scanning the whole place, taping the real atmosphere generated from both old and young worshippers.  Bethel Music  write many of their songs and they’re superb.  Here’s one I like: You Make Me Brave

In the meantime, I have found a Lifehouse church that is only 5 mins by car from me, filled with young adults and play incredibly good live music in a club like setting.  I’m literally sitting 3 feet from the amplifiers and a master guitarist, his band and an often ballistic drummer. And on a Sunday night, it’s just the perfect outing with a solid message.  Last week they were playing Jesus Culture’s My Soul Longs For You and the intro blows me away.    The church emphasizes that it’s time we bring the music to the people and stop isolating ourselves.  I totally agree.  Chuch does not need to be traditional.  The song goes on and on and you close your eyes and just worship.

Posted May 11, 2014:

Royal Taylor – Remain

Posted April 17, 2014:

Sanctus Real – Pray

Posted April 9, 2014:

Jeremy Riddle – Sweetly Broken

Posted March 17, 2014:

Mercy Me – Move

Posted March 9, 2014:

My middle one came to the church with me today and sang his heart out. I feel so blessed to have him next to me and hear him sing.  And I could tell he enjoys this song especially. Watch the footage on the clip.  It’s so appropriate.  Brenton Brown – God My Rock

Posted February 28, 2014:

Josh Wilson – I Refuse

Plumb – Don’t Deserve You

Posted February 14, 2014:

Finally, after a long time, I heard a good song from K-love.  Josh Wilson – Before the Morning

Posted January 29, 2014:

Sometimes, Imagine Dragons’ songs sounds almost Christian.  But in any case, this UK artist, Mark Fowler, plays the covers really well in piano and it’s very soothing to draw and study with.

Posted January 18, 2014:

Neither is this Christian but it’s calming. Pablo Arellano – 1 hours of beautiful healing relaxing guitar and piano music.

 At his channel, he has many other compositions.  Ever since I started Tai Chi, I notice the peace of just some quiet music.  This cello piece is really pretty too.

Posted January 9, 2014:

So this one is not a Christian song but it’s calming.  Last night in our tai chi class, the last half hour was devoted to the full set of 104 movements of Wu Style and we got to practise to this instrumental piece: Peter Kater – Water

Posted January 8, 2014:

Happy New Year, everyone!  Looking forward to an exciting new year ahead for myself and I wish the same for all of you.  It’s been a long time since I found a great catchy song but here it is, Francesca Battistelli – Write Your Story.  I’m hoping to be able to fill this thread repeatedly with good songs as I go along so check back often.

Ever since I have been able to speak in tongue, the Holy Spirit has endowed me with new songs from time to time, and I tell you, the latest one the Spirit gave me has all the purest sounds, slow and calming and all in lower sharps and higher octave sharps and flats (pentatonic scale).  There was none of the natural notes.  It astounds me by the time I transcribed it on the computer.   I could sing much higher when I am in the Spirit than when I’m at church singing along with Western songs whereby I often go off key at the high notes.  It’s supernatural altogether.  And at times, some songs I’m endowed with sounds like African village folk songs, some Jewish folk sounding ones. Sometimes, they sound like Chinese mountain folk songs. If I replace all of the oms and ahs and yos and yees in them with some Chinese sounding pronunciation, it almost sounds like I’m singing about the Holy One, His Grace and His sun-filled earth.