tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62225372012-02-16T03:52:40.059-05:00Because life and lyrics mean so much.Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.comBlogger1451100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-14540406448737165122012-02-14T22:06:00.002-05:002012-02-14T22:07:00.390-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!  It has been a very chocolatey day around here.  We started with chocolate-chip heart-shaped pancakes. This was a successful pancake experiment.  I used the standard BHG cookbook recipe.  Sometimes it does work (see prior post about experimenting with pancakes for backstory). At dinner we had brownies, and my husband gave me a big box of chocolate.  Unexpected!  

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-26308134428407394732012-02-13T13:14:00.001-05:002012-02-13T13:14:57.627-05:00

Sophomore year of high school, my English teacher had us put together poetry notebooks.  We were to collect examples of genre, meter, rhyme scheme, figurative language, etc.  One of the poems I chose was "Love is Like Sounds," by Donald Hall. Late snow fell this early morning of spring.At dawn I rose from bed, restless, and lookedOut of my window, to wonder if there the snowFell outside your

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-57616355141191971262012-02-10T09:31:00.000-05:002012-02-10T10:04:01.171-05:00

Kyrstin enjoys a PBS cartoon called "Martha Speaks."  The premise is so utterly simple, you wonder that it even got to TV.  Martha, a dog (who looks like a golden retriever) ate some alphabet soup one day, and instead of it going to her stomach, it went to her head, and she started talking.  And talking.  And talking!  She speaks mostly in monologues, and while she is very articulate on a variety

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-14147249917853644572012-02-09T12:44:00.000-05:002012-02-09T12:52:40.379-05:00

There are shows like America's Test Kitchen, where the chefs try stuff out and explain what works, and there is Elton Brown on TV explaining why these aminos and those carbohydrates result in this product.  But have you ever noticed how decidedly unscientific cooking can be?  Specifically, how no one ever reports on the failed experiments?  I'm no scientist - it is not my calling - but I know

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-86870920722275485222012-02-08T10:41:00.001-05:002012-02-08T10:41:48.076-05:00

Well, I admit it.  I am not cool.  I am also reminded constantly that it is no longer my generation's moment - the torch has passed.  Or so I think... I'm kind of confused as to what "generation" I belong to.  I have heard Generation Y described as those born 1978-1999.  If so, I am Gen Y's elder sister.  If it starts with 1980, I am the littlest X'er.  Both seem right to me.  I alternately feel

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-69154696067333775872012-02-06T13:17:00.000-05:002012-02-06T13:17:19.440-05:00

I am trying to be more intentional about teaching my kids, and was blessed by a referral to a resource for teaching one character trait per month that gives ideas but allows for a lot of flexibility.  I just started planning in earnest for this yesterday, and started implementing it today.  Already, I am amazed by how much I have learned. This month's trait is gentleness, and a very timely

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-69651395322572532452012-02-05T22:32:00.004-05:002012-02-05T22:33:55.889-05:00

I don't know why, but when I woke up with one of my kids at 2:00 this morning, this song came to mind.  After watching the video, I'm so glad it did. Watching the video, I remembered that my 2 AM thought was of the line, "waters never part until our feet get wet" (whoa-oa-oa). I know this song by heart because my junior high/high school youth choir sang through the Beyond Belief songbook.  It

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-91753081588827339522012-02-04T17:50:00.000-05:002012-02-04T17:50:48.363-05:00

I have the privilege of being a student in a weekly interdenominational Bible study of women in my area.  Right now we are working our way through 1 Corinthians, and coming across the passages where Paul chides the Corinthian believers for their party spirit.  "One of you says, 'I follow Paul'; another, 'I follow Apollos'; another, 'I follow Cephas'; still another, 'I follow Christ.' Is Christ

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-61414334674386907762012-02-03T14:22:00.000-05:002012-02-04T15:58:57.967-05:00

A friend gave me a copy of an article from Christianity Today about the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University.  Fisk was one of several institutions established by Arthur and Lewis Tappan's American Missionary Society to "educate, uplift, and elevate" freed slaves.  Such institutions were poorly funded, and the Jubilee Singers were a choir of black men and women who went on fundraising tours on

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-25752717592891973822012-02-02T10:07:00.000-05:002012-02-02T10:07:58.356-05:00

All the way my Savior leads me, Cheers each winding path I tread; Gives me grace for every trial, Feeds me with the living Bread. Though my weary steps may falter, And my soul athirst may be, Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see; - "All the way my savior leads me," lyric by Fanny Crosby The picture above was taken on the neighborhood path 3 months after

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-58185812047114489792012-01-31T10:41:00.002-05:002012-01-31T10:41:42.208-05:00

I posted about making these cookies the other day to satisfy my chocolate craving and calm my inner crazy mom.  I made half of the pan with nuts, and half without, because sometimes you feel like a nut, and sometimes you don't.  In the pic, the nuts are on the L.  You can see that Scott and I went a little more nuts than not. I would like to make the note that substituting almonds for walnuts

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-70482166825140121832012-01-30T11:33:00.002-05:002012-01-30T11:34:06.921-05:00

A friend offered me some secondhand clothes and I picked them today.  I appreciate this because a) it helps me extend my wardrobe, and b) I don't have to suffer any buyer's remorse. I was thinking this morning about the miracle of longsuffering; how over time, indirectly, some of the longsufferer wears off on the suffered.  Maybe this is because I am so hard-headed and proud that you can't

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-57439403599640747922012-01-28T15:08:00.002-05:002012-01-28T15:44:23.853-05:00

There are cookie bars baking in my oven.  Let me tell you the story of how they came to be. Last night, around 1:30, our little boy started fussing.  We tried rocking and holding him, to no avail.  We tried to let him cry it out, but he would not let up and we could not sleep.  We finally gave him some tylenol, held him for 20 minutes after that, and then let him go back to sleep.  We think it

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-9020908201217082842012-01-27T23:59:00.001-05:002012-01-27T23:59:56.608-05:00

I've been doing a little background research for an idea I had for writing a different kind of hymn; one that used the meter of the hymn in order to throw into relief an atheistic or agnostic message. I was thinking about Emily Dickinson, because I remember learning in my undergrad days that Dickinson often used hymn meter for her poetry. Case in point, "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" is

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-55848955159774211572012-01-24T13:33:00.000-05:002012-01-24T13:33:06.210-05:00

We are home today. It is overdetermined. We can't get out, and there aren't many places we really ought to be other than here. Surprisingly, it's been a good day; the kids have played nicely and even shown sign of some developmental progress (always encouraging with a toddler and preschooler). Kids are playing in back yard and seem to really like it. 64 or so out there this January day; got to

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-49256198246209388972012-01-23T09:08:00.000-05:002012-01-23T09:08:03.696-05:00

I woke up thinking this would be a long day, and hearing Caedmon's Call's "Walk With Me." Here is a goofy video of it: I always admire how well Danielle performs when pregnant. Long night w/sick toddler, appointments to make, IT issues to resolve on behalf of others... My thoughts were punctuated like my plodding steps in the pre-dawn house: One. Day. At. A. Time. I felt like I really just

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-52063993948284843972012-01-19T08:55:00.003-05:002012-01-19T08:55:50.219-05:00

In my reading and in my Bible study, a recent emphasis is on the resurrection of Christ. As it is not Easter and these two readings were completely unrelated, I believe the Lord is bringing this into focus for me. My daughter's scripture verse for the week from her children's program is 1 Thessalonians 4:14, "We believe that Jesus died and rose again." I also read this quote from Yancey in

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-72024151233500436652012-01-16T12:41:00.004-05:002012-01-16T12:41:57.507-05:00

Happiness is having the house to myself for a few hours. My husband is off today for MLK day and he took the kids out for awhile. He knew it would be fun for both kids and mommy. He just let me know the zoo is packed; free Mondays + holiday + beautiful January weather = a zoo at the zoo. So, it might not last long, but while it does, I'm enjoying that the only sounds in the house are the

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-85600098061936740922012-01-14T09:21:00.000-05:002012-01-14T09:22:02.132-05:00

This morning, I read an admonition in 1 Thessalonians to "be joyful always." Yay! Okay! Here goes! I also was reading in a Christian book about how sometimes bad things happen, and that God's will does not always proceed in a straight line. Indeed. I am wondering where my own zigzags are going to take me. All I know is He is with me, my sure foundation. Well, speaking of zigzags, I made

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-53746356469423751982012-01-11T16:35:00.000-05:002012-01-11T16:35:21.777-05:00

These are just Jet-Puffed peppermint marshmallows (which are oblong and flatter than regular marshmallows) with melted semisweet chips around them. I think milk chocolate would be a little better, but they are very easy and unusual candy to make, and have a Valentine's Day vibe (minus the Christmas plate).

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-32408145305450808132012-01-11T14:23:00.002-05:002012-01-11T14:25:03.692-05:00

I told the kids they had ten more minutes to play outside, and then it would be time for stories, naptime, etc. We got a dog yesterday with some late Christmas money. Here he is. I'd had my eye on him for awhile. I really expected that Stefan would take to him, but it is Kyrstin who wants to bring him into the kitchen for meals, and bounce around the house on Blue, for that is what she

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-78973653888827146002012-01-05T11:05:00.001-05:002012-01-05T11:07:38.904-05:00

Here is my prepared "English Breakfast" in front of the computer where I'm writing. My overnight plan didn't go exactly as I'd expected; the bread machine was so loud at 3:30 this morning that it woke me up, so I moved it into the guest bathroom where the sound would be least bothersome to the family. Just to ease your mind, this is a bathroom where the toilet and bathtub are behind a

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-80606121937621559792012-01-05T01:03:00.000-05:002012-01-05T01:03:37.002-05:00

I am feeling very British and pampered right now. I programmed both my breadmaker and coffeemaker for 6:30 tomorrow morning. The way I hope it works, the coffee will start brewing at 6:30, which is right when I will need to take the bread out of the machine to let it cool for 20 minutes before I slice it. I imagine myself enjoying some coffee while I wait on my bread. Doesn't that sound nice?

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-54557671099778978952012-01-03T08:37:00.001-05:002012-01-03T08:37:17.101-05:00

There need to be more post-Christmas songs to ease us out of the holiday season into normal life. The only one I know is "'Til the Season Comes 'Round Again," which I know and love from an Amy Grant album (I couldn't find a good, licensed recording of this song online). Our vacation was very blessed. It wasn't perfect, but it was time together to talk and play and, with relief, rediscover a

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-75682376138720849642011-12-28T20:23:00.000-05:002011-12-28T20:24:22.267-05:00

Happiness is... going on a long date with your husband, stretching from afternoon to evening. We saw the new Sherlock Holmes movie. I love spy movies for the same I liked this one: the application of human intelligence and prowess to its fullest potential. It's fictional, but fascinating. They're all preposterous in some way, of course, but still, even seeing imagined genius is satisfying.

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-40260655516417730352011-12-27T16:12:00.000-05:002011-12-27T16:17:26.580-05:00

I am now the proud owner of a bread machine. I shall make bread with it. Oh, the bread! I will probably be sharing pictures. I only specifically asked for three things for Christmas, and really didn't think I'd get the third. I did get 2/3. The other thing I got was a nice pair of jeans. I may need to exchange them, but they are indeed nice jeans, so I officially got what I wanted. I was

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-44372738004588681382011-12-26T19:54:00.001-05:002011-12-26T19:54:51.710-05:00

So we've been on the road this weekend, got home and had to figure out what to do for dinner before we put kids to bed, go to Wal-Mart, and finish prep for our Christmas tomorrow. We're kind of tired and the house is a mess. It's not going to be perfect. This weekend I caught a few minutes of a kids' Christmas cartoon, the theme of which, in the end, was that "It's not perfect, but it's

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-655672260609583292011-12-23T19:51:00.000-05:002011-12-23T19:51:08.795-05:00

 This may be a better version of the picture in the previous post.

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-2094804306406283152011-12-23T10:14:00.000-05:002011-12-23T10:14:25.316-05:00

 We saw Santa last night. The kids were so happy. I got to see that glimpse of wonder I've heard tell of, when Kyrstin figured out that Santa was right there. Stefan did well, too. I brought him up to Santa, and he turned to look at the big guy and smiled. And we thought we'd have to hold him during the shoot. This picture will always make me smile. Speaking of things that make you smile,

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-84439963311538155062011-12-21T17:19:00.000-05:002011-12-21T17:19:45.679-05:00

Okay, today, happiness is wearing Christmas tree earrings my MIL gave me. Check 'em out. I was reading Hebrews 13 today as part of my group Bible study, and have been reminded by the first three verses about the love we are to show both to fellow believers and to strangers. What a wonderful time of year to be reminded of this. What a wonderful love provides us the freedom to love, to do

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-11971035950847507902011-12-20T00:44:00.001-05:002011-12-20T00:50:57.859-05:00

I have a passion for Christmas music, new and old, and especially for new music that I think is good enough that it will have staying power and become "old" someday. I've heard a few new things this year that I think will have staying power. I think the Getty's "How Suddenly A Baby Cries" will hold on, but take awhile to become popular. I also like knowing the story behind a song. It's the

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-78304481735369973402011-12-16T09:10:00.001-05:002011-12-16T09:24:55.009-05:00

I was thinking this morning about lyrics that I might post as a Facebook status, and my mind drifted to "What Child Is This?" Originally, I was going to post the chorus from the third verse, but decided to check myself for accuracy, and looked up the lyrics online. I was amazed to see how one song contains so many varied themes of Christmas. The narrative with its characters and tangibility -

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-31249550257427788932011-11-27T22:44:00.001-05:002011-11-27T22:49:57.308-05:00

Tonight our associate pastor preached a very profound, but at the same time, practical, message, based on John 10:10. Profound in the sense of what the enemy it out to do, practical in the sense of what I can do. Pray. Read the Bible. Be intentional. I was thinking of my daughter the whole time. I have grave concerns about her happiness and spiritual influences. I felt so burdened by

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-38510188914403869152011-11-26T09:22:00.001-05:002011-11-26T09:26:55.287-05:00

Today's prayer: "Dear Lord, help me to open my heart and savor all of your goodness this season." I am feeling the crunch, especially right now, of all the things I need to do, and on top of that, my own touchiness and stinginess. I don't want that. I don't want to be constricted by bitterness or business. Lord, help! Things I think I need to do: laundry, clean house, go to crafts store for

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-85368179568041308242011-11-25T09:35:00.001-05:002011-11-25T10:01:38.211-05:00

Christmas can't be very far away. Just a month. I know it is Black Friday but I am not out there yet. I have to make it to Target this afternoon, but just for the pharmacy. So, maybe I'll get in on the excitement. It would just be for fun; we're not after any big ticket items. Well, as for our Thanksgiving day, we realized yesterday that we had some other friends that were alone. Why

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-72538148105833791522011-11-23T16:56:00.001-05:002011-11-23T17:08:06.237-05:00

My house smells like teriyaki chicken, chocolate chip cookies, yeast rolls, and rice. I mean, if you've ever been susceptible to the warm fuzzies, I think this would do it for you. We are preparing a Thanksgiving feast (the terikyaki is for tonight - Thanksgiving Eve). We will have turkey, green bean casserole, stuffing, cranberry sauce (good stuff), yeast rolls, and cake. It will be more

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-57059438867365340662011-11-23T09:18:00.001-05:002011-11-23T09:20:47.492-05:00

Woke up early with Stefan this morning, and read a little bit of Milton. Poem about waiting on God. It reminded me of how I feel sometimes limited because of the talent I have but cannot use because I must take care of kids. I have read the poem many times before but never thought of it that way. Resonating in my mind as I went back to sleep were the words, "wait," and "write." Of course

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-88877091466361519872011-11-22T08:24:00.000-05:002011-11-22T08:24:19.008-05:00

 

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-26181008523512793962011-11-22T08:19:00.001-05:002011-11-22T08:27:32.715-05:00

I think I'll start a "happiness" is category, where I just post some of my favorite things. Yesterday I was cruising the Internet looking for the perfect dessert to make for Thanksgiving. I really enjoyed it at first, but after about thirty minutes, I felt a bit queasy. I have an aversion to words like "moist" and "morsel," and a lot of the food pictures were the equivalent. I think I'm

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-19091705643967821412011-11-21T16:56:00.000-05:002011-11-21T16:56:07.656-05:00

I will open my hands, will open my heart I am nodding my head an emphatic "yes" to all that You have for me. - Sara Groves, "Open My Hands," from the 2011 album, Invisible Empires I was reading on PW's blog today that if you're going to blog, you should do is as often as possible, as much as possible, even if it's just a paragraph. Thanksgiving is on Thursday, and prompts me to write a possibly

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-7172935114425539522011-07-06T08:12:00.000-04:002011-07-06T08:12:51.200-04:00

I was thinking this morning about wisdom. "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding," Solomon instructs his son (Proverbs 4:7). The importance of value and wisdom is clearly seen in this verse and throughout the Bible book of Proverbs. The benefits are listed as well: she will be a garland to grace your neck, etc. In James 1 believers are told

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-71439936974466341102011-05-18T15:47:00.000-04:002011-05-18T15:47:06.280-04:00

Milton begins Paradise Lost with an invocation, asking the heavenly muse to sing, through him, to describe the fall of mankind, and "justify the ways of God to men." And chiefly thou O Spirit, that doest prefer Before all temples the upright heart and pure, Instruct me, for thou know'st; thou from the first Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread Dove-like sat'st brooding on the vast

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-45362356473314981882011-05-06T12:24:00.001-04:002011-05-07T08:56:33.586-04:00

My daughter and I were enjoying spring weather in the back yard yesterday, and I noticed a bird anxiously guarding a perimeter around this birdhouse on our porch. I think she is nesting. It reminded me of a song I'd written after a similar encounter three years ago, when I was pregnant with my daughter. I was in awe of the sensations I was feeling, combined with what I was reading about her

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-55605342417455287842011-04-26T21:38:00.001-04:002011-04-26T21:43:00.497-04:00

Our songwriting group is going to discuss an article by Bob Kauflin, which is actually a chapter from a book, which is, in turn, sort of "proceedings" from a conference. The title of the chaper is: "Words of Wonder: What Happens When We Sing?" and the book is The Power of Words and the Wonder of God, eds. Justin Taylor and John Piper. Kauflin immediately makes his claim about the importance

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-2799589991617545572011-04-24T18:29:00.000-04:002011-04-24T18:29:27.905-04:00

It has been a good day of thinking about the cross. My husband and I were listening to the Sovereign Grace Pandora channel today, and noticing how many songs we really love seem appropriate for Easter. That, I suppose, is because Easter celebrates one of the central elements of Christianity. Among a few we really like: "To the Cross," Paul Baloche "Wonderful Maker," Chris Tomlin "Hosanna,"

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-1825022472407565032011-04-22T16:31:00.011-04:002011-04-24T18:09:43.802-04:00

It is Good Friday. We had tuna casserole for dinner. Some denominations participate in a tradition to fast from red meat on Fridays during Lent, so I think there will be a lot of other people having fish tonight, as well. I do believe in the benefit of nutritional fasting, but I have been thinking about fasting in another way for the past week or so. I've been studying Isaiah 58, in which God

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-89035178324663691182011-04-18T11:50:00.000-04:002011-04-18T11:50:58.241-04:00

This past week, my little one turned one year old. He is doing well, and lately has become a bit more snuggly, which I love, although he mostly addles up to me for a quick squeeze and then wiggles away. Life definitely gets easier when a child turns one. I remember this same phenomenon with my daughter, Kyrstin, who is just 16 months older than Stefan. It was like magic. Today we all played

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-87546252245794714072011-04-06T09:39:00.001-04:002011-04-06T11:43:34.090-04:00

I just downloaded the Hidden in My Heart scripture lullabies album, which sounds pretty good, although I've not listened in full. A cursory Internet search revealed there are a lot of options for parents who want music they can enjoy with their kids. If music can get to the heart of an adult, help us memorize, meditate, reflect, and praise the Lord, why not make that avenue available for

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-20014355398844828512011-01-05T15:41:00.001-05:002011-01-05T15:41:48.473-05:00

I don't mind flying but I become a crazy person in airports. It's the waiting, and especially the delays. My son and I made it home from our holiday trip just fine, and now it is January 5, Wednesday. It is not the holidays anymore. The plans I thought I had in place to give me a fresh start when I got home have not settled the way I expected them to. Will this delay drive me crazy, too? It

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-91735069568523871392010-12-19T22:47:00.002-05:002010-12-19T22:55:04.369-05:00

this is the Christ, our God and Lord who in all need shall aid afford he will himself our savior be and from our sins will set us free - "This is the Christ" As I prepared our Christmas newsletter this year I realized that putting it online was going to give us more flexibility. I hope you enjoy this format! The quotes are from Sandra McCracken’s album In Feast or Fallow, and they

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-91471888441755318232010-11-03T08:46:00.002-04:002010-11-03T08:58:33.535-04:00

No song today, just thoughts...Was leafing through this month's World Vision magazine, which featured a story on cihldren's artwork and its ability to restore imagination and provide a means of hope. I believe that is wondrously true - being able to imagine beauty is freeing.You know what, I can't help bringing up a song here - two songs: 1) Sara Groves' "Why It Matters," which is about

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-41140376025263241842010-10-26T22:29:00.006-04:002010-10-26T23:17:21.604-04:00

I was recently introduced to JJ Heller's Painted Red album, which led me to quickly snatch up When I'm With You, released earlier this month. The title track is a love song, but not the kind I'm used to. I immediately thought, as I listened to it, "This is how I feel about my kids." And indeed, it is a love song from JJ and her husband to their daughter, Lucy. JJ sings about how when she sees

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-44958203135797929562010-10-13T14:40:00.003-04:002010-10-13T15:01:57.555-04:00

We had an earthquake this morning. In Oklahoma! Everything was still, then the house shook for few seconds, then was gone. My house doesn't seem to have any damage; the only thing I can tell was affected at all is a metal plaque hung in my baby's room that is now slightly askew.Not coincidentally, I'm sure, I was listening to selections from Crystal Lewis's Beauty for Ashes album, and started

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-15657298823903954832010-09-29T21:07:00.003-04:002010-09-29T21:18:26.461-04:00

Our family has been going through a very rough time lately due to a major health issue our baby suffers from. This morning I felt the Lord draw me to Laury Story's album for encouragement. The song that ministered to me most was, "Bless the Lord." Here's the video.There's also a song on there called "Something Beautiful," or something like that. It just asks the Lord to make something

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-4062560960428359032010-08-31T11:29:00.002-04:002010-08-31T11:33:24.830-04:00

I can't remember if I've written about Seeds Family Worship before, but I think I have.In any case, their music bears repeat mention.This morning I was doing a devotional about how my thoughts are like a "soundtrack" constantly playing in my mind, and, consequentially, the importance of my thoughts being focused on God's thoughts. The devotional didn't specify actual music, but obviously music

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-1423456223302647942010-08-28T22:20:00.002-04:002010-08-28T22:50:58.971-04:00

Driving around town today, I heard this Lifehouse song. It's thematically similar to "Hanging By a Moment," in that it talks about holding on to God for dear life. Unlike HBAM, "Broken" talks about hanging on to a last shred of faith, through pain, through brokenness. It's ambiguous whether the pain is circumstantial, such as a death in the family, or internal/spiritual, such as a prodigal

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-88660166446790626192010-08-19T15:00:00.003-04:002010-08-19T15:31:53.168-04:00

My husband and I celebrated our ten-year wedding anniversary yesterday. For our wedding, we gave away compilation CD's that we compiled with jackets Scott designed. The first few tracks were about going the distance together, trusting the providence of a gracious and faithful God. Included in this group were Andrew Peterson's "All the Way Home," and Big Tent Revival's "Two Sets of Joneses."

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-30653403433437257762010-07-14T14:15:00.003-04:002010-07-14T14:31:33.802-04:00

My son is three months old today. We are all sleeping through the night, and slowly overcoming our physical weariness. My daughter is over nineteen months, and she loves her little brother very much. She literally smothers him with affection. At times I have to chide her to be gentle with her little brother. I have, ironically, caught myself yelling, "Be gentle!" from across the room.I have

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-62732232635112654342010-06-23T14:58:00.003-04:002010-06-23T15:13:09.187-04:00

My son is not quite sleeping through the night yet. I am weary. In the morning I have to decide whether I will have a quiet time, including prayer and Bible study, or go back to sleep. I've found that half an hour of prayer and Bible study is worth much more than half an hour of sleep. The past two mornings he has slept a six-hour stretch, and woken up completely ready to go, so my day has

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-46346842230806257712010-06-18T15:55:00.004-04:002010-06-18T16:21:43.128-04:00

Everything eighties is new again. A bunch of the old hair bands are on reunion tours.This post comes in response to the news of the CCM version, a Classic Petra tour , beginning this October in the states. My husband, who will be celebrating his first Father's Day as a father of two on Sunday, likes to make fun of Petra. He didn't get into Christian music until he was in high school, and then

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-77945245675027757132010-05-11T11:56:00.002-04:002010-05-11T12:15:13.062-04:00

Sunday was Mother's Day; my first as the mother of two. I feel overwhelmingly blessed to have my husband and kids. I am the lucky one. Thank you, Jesus.There are so many ways I feel blessed. And yet... there are often times when I feel dissatisfied. I know I shouldn't. This isn't exclusive to my past two years of motherhood. At each point in my life I have struggled. I ought to struggle

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-39238062421624186142010-04-15T10:08:00.002-04:002010-04-15T10:15:55.413-04:00

My son was born 18 hours ago. He sleeps in the hospital bassinet a few feet away as I steal these moments to write a note, flagging to the world a momentous day in the life of our family. There is so much I'd like to say, and more that I'd like to journal. For now, there just isn't time. Maybe someday there will be time. I can't remember whether it was Wordsworth or Coleridge who said that

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-1725475592041746922010-04-05T11:27:00.003-04:002010-04-05T11:58:41.550-04:00

Though my post is a day late, this song does not come up short.Best sung by a choir, "See, What a Morning" is a "resurrection hymn" by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, who are rapidly becoming my favorite writers these days.It is actually kind of a dreary morning today where I live, but it was beautiful on Easter Sunday, which was yesterday. Yet, the weather is not the point. Easter Sunday as a

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-2738756782915085162010-03-02T18:49:00.003-05:002010-03-02T18:56:06.787-05:00

The words "desperate for" came to mind, and I thought about Lifehouse as I was driving my van toward a routine Dr. appt. I am overwhelmed lately with spiritual stimuli - both blessing and trial - and the Lord has admonished me that if I do not stand firm in my faith, I will not stand at all. A friend today gave me the simple reminder that I needed to remain in His word and in prayer. I feel

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-74186961999936026272010-02-05T12:45:00.002-05:002010-02-05T12:54:03.102-05:00

Hello! Sunny day here where I am, after days and days of grey and snow! Soon we are going to have snow again; meantime, spirits are lifted and all feels blessed.I've been doing some reading for a workshop I'm leading on the role of music in worship. Reading broadly has brought me face to face with the truth that my life is meant to be about worship, and worship is not about me. It's almost

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-15727393111750851752009-12-24T22:38:00.002-05:002009-12-24T22:51:44.745-05:00

Christmas, the celebration of the incarnation of God in man. Unexpectedly, the Christmas occasion sermon at my church this ytear was taken from Philippians 2, rather than one of the gospel accounts of Christ's birth. It brought a fresh understanding to me of what God With Us really means. Our pastor reminded us that the most proper attitude at Christmastime is humility, considering the

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-4353099717173970932009-09-03T10:12:00.003-04:002009-09-03T11:12:34.387-04:00

I feel ambivalent about my birthday this year in a lot of ways. One the one hand, I like parties, cake, and I admit, presents. On the other hand, I am getting older. I have to maturely accept that my birthday will not be as cool for me as it was when I was a kid. It's nice to have a reason to celebrate, but I kind of want to deny I'm getting older. So I kind of want it to be a big deal, and

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-2389132325535849602009-08-17T15:54:00.003-04:002009-08-17T23:45:40.066-04:00

Tomorrow marks the date when, nine years ago, my husband and I embarked on life together as a couple. It so happens that I was going to write about Third Day's song "Revelation," which is a plea for a specific, timely direction from the Lord. There are times when you just need that. There have been times in our marriage when we've said, in effect,Tell me should I stay hereOr do I need to

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-16745866612986046442009-08-03T14:54:00.005-04:002009-08-03T15:27:43.715-04:00

Ah, naptime. I call it "mommy time." A few hours when things are quiet and I can work on projects, or think.Time has been telescoping in my mind lately. Every little moment seems huge, and yet I can all too easily look ahead twenty years and realize the world is going to be a much different place then. My little one turns eight months old today. I've said it before, but people who say time

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-42840764362751225942009-07-24T12:00:00.005-04:002009-07-24T12:33:45.188-04:00

Silent for a season. I've been finishing a semester of school, packing, moving, and traveling. And in the middle of it, I've felt kind of uninspired.But, the other night I saw a sneak preview for Julie and Julia, a movie based on Julia Child's life story and the experience of a woman who blogged her way through Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I really enjoyed the movie. It wasn't

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-54627148282531249952009-04-07T10:25:00.002-04:002009-04-07T10:58:54.710-04:00

I've been reading a lot of feminist writing lately for school, in part because there is not much from any other perspective dealing with problems women face today. I'd like to offer another perspective, though: problems women face today, including chauvinism, are real, but their solutions are spiritual, not political. I hear a lot of talk about power relations. Isn't it obvious that the

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-34774947062946032832009-02-06T19:56:00.003-05:002009-02-06T20:22:52.312-05:00

I started reading the book of Job the other day because, like him, I feel caught in the middle of circumstances I don't understand. I wondered what I would take away from this book which is at times very dark. I have found one bright spot that dispels this darkness. Chapter 1 verse 21 says, "And he said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-88729502353754404852009-01-20T07:36:00.005-05:002009-01-20T07:56:29.480-05:00

I've been thinking about a Charlie Hall song that is really a scripture song, entitled "You Have Done Great Things." Its Psalm 126 set to music, which makes memorization a cinch. The Psalm is about how God had set His people free before, and now His people want Him to do it again.When they were set free the first time, they felt as though they were in a dream state (v. 1). It must have seemed

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-46593281967566423492008-12-30T22:18:00.004-05:002008-12-31T15:13:05.487-05:00

I put this song on a CD I made for my daughter. Her name means "annointed," and the verses I chose to bless her with with were Psalm 23:5-6, on which this song is based. Little did I know how much this song, and she, would be a source of overflowing blessing to me.Here's how it works. I have more to do when taking care of my newborn daughter than I thought I could possibly handle. Minute by

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-26560579978399677972008-12-27T23:02:00.002-05:002008-12-27T23:17:23.077-05:00

It's a bit late, but here is a post about a Christmas song."Welcome to Our World" wasn't originally on a Christmas album, but it is Chris Rice's best contribution to the Christmas repertoire. I remember making up a creative dramatic movement to this song that involved sign language and acting and having a group perform it at a Christmas party for our campus ministry. The words are sheer poetry

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-83568175176926627612008-12-02T07:11:00.002-05:002008-12-02T07:22:11.132-05:00

I woke up this morning with Amy Grant's "Christmas to Remember" song in my head. It's all about the comfort and joy of the Christmas season, like twinkling lights, the smell of evergreens, Nat King Cole, fireplaces, snow and time with loved ones. That is all good stuff, and you know what? I'm glad someone wrote a song about it. Because we need people to remind us how to be happy, and we need

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-55770459038322776322008-11-04T09:44:00.002-05:002008-11-04T09:57:13.821-05:00

Up early this morning because it's Election Day and wanted to vote early, I have a little time to write.I've been thinking about this Relient K song a lot lately, and just wanted to comment on the sheer cleverness of these lyrics:And I’ve been housing all this doubt and insecurity And I’ve been locked inside that house All the while You hold the keyAnd I’ve been dying to get out And that might be

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-19723846191885009292008-09-28T18:55:00.002-04:002008-09-28T19:10:00.629-04:00

This song recorded by Phillips, Craig and Dean preaches the gospel to me, focusing on God's sovereignty. Some people argue that if anyone has power over you you are not free, and probably oppressed. That is true in the human realm where there are various little-k kings vying for power at the expense of others. On the other hand, beyond the theatre of human egos, there is God Himself, who does

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-3696014381616178912008-09-09T11:55:00.003-04:002008-09-09T12:19:43.514-04:00

I think that in heaven we'll hear many different types of songs with instrumental, acappella, and angel voices. We may even hear voices we're not used to hearing when "all the earth" sings His praises. I try to imagine flowers, bears, rocks and trees joining in our melodic worship and it is beyond my understanding but not beyond belief.I think this because I believe Ephesians 5:19 teaches that

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-78067284774725830302008-07-01T09:37:00.003-04:002008-07-01T09:46:03.720-04:00

In the spirit of Independence Day, I decided to post about patriotic songs.We sang "God Bless America" at church on Sunday, and I could hardly do it because I was so choked up. America is the land that I love, and I do pray that God would "stand beside her and guide her through the night" she is currently facing. I often wonder if there is hope. Even if there isn't, I still love America.We

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-24536767064196780302008-06-25T16:36:00.002-04:002008-06-25T17:04:34.527-04:00

I am so impressed by new ideas, or new words for old ideas, that sometimes I'm a little prejudiced against good songs that sound like something I've heard before. Sometimes those seemingly mundane songs bear a powerful witness that turns out to be exactly what I needed to hear, and I am grateful that I can change my mind.Such is the case with Storyside B:'s "Be Still." It bears witness to the

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-8508127393134017352008-05-29T13:31:00.002-04:002008-05-29T13:46:46.257-04:00

This is what you might call a devotional hymn, in that it is not exult in the majesty of God or weighty doctrine. Yet it carries a message that Christians need to hear in order to live in awe of the majesty of God and to apply doctrine to their lives.Day by day, and with each passing momentStrength I find to meet my trials here;Trusting in my Father's wise bestowmentI've no cause for worry or

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-34835711041869840282008-05-20T08:56:00.002-04:002008-05-20T09:02:51.860-04:00

Was thinking about this song this morning, looked up the lyrics and found someone else blogging about this song, too. That's awesome; God works all things together for good, even national distribution of music.We've been singing "O Great God" at church and it's gotten into my heart. Timmy's got the full lyrics at the link above; one verse in particular I wanted to note.I was blinded by my sinHad

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-26486696228715601422008-05-01T09:07:00.004-04:002008-05-01T09:20:19.224-04:00

"You can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave."I thought of this line from the Eagles' "Hotel California" in a discussion about church membership. It can be very hard to leave a church by un-joining, but a lot of people check out.I think "Hotel California" is a nightmare version of a shallow, perverse, sensate culture. There is plenty of room, and you can live it up, but still,

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-36553044234349147682008-03-17T14:40:00.002-04:002008-03-17T14:47:02.719-04:00

I am so glad He is sovereign over my yesterdays. My God is the God of my yesterdays - all the way He has led me to follow Him, all of the mistakes I've made, all the triumphant moments - and He is the God of my tomorrows. This Matt Redman song declares that we praise the God of our yesterdays, our todays, and our tomorrows.This is particularly poignant to me as I meditate on the words of Psalm

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-79044873926590421642008-01-02T11:38:00.001-05:002008-01-02T11:45:05.448-05:00

It's the beginning of the New Year. A fresh start brings hope. Ultimately, hope in the Lord does not disappoint, but sometimes looking around at the world can be discouraging.That's why I like this song by Nicole Nordeman, which puts things in perspective. It just says, in various ways, that the things the heart longs for will be fulfilled, someday.Someday all that's crazyAll that's

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-56975067573692857422007-10-06T20:58:00.000-04:002007-10-06T21:38:44.626-04:00

Jars of Clay is an important band to me, but their lyrics are kind of hard to figure out, in fact, sometimes they only make sense years later, and then I'm impressed; it's like there was this final insight I had to get that turned the key to unlock the song.I guess it's been that way with the title track to JOC's 1997 album today. I've known it very well for close to ten years, but it just

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-8862963196043803392007-09-25T13:09:00.000-04:002007-09-25T13:36:12.474-04:00

Advertisers can make us think anything is good by associating it with something else that is good: i.e., a certain brand of lemonade seems "good" because in the commercial it is associated with spacious wraparound porches, rocking chairs, sunsets, cool breezes, and family togetherness. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, a deodorant is "good" because in the commercial it is associated with

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-64358094055729772122007-08-22T19:52:00.000-04:002007-08-22T20:00:42.979-04:00

It comes down to Chris Rice, Switchfoot, and Sara Groves. They write most of the songs that make me feel like writing about them.Like Chris Rice's - "Love Has the Final Move." It's about a chess game and eschatology, and even though a fifth-grader could get it, every adult can be rationally comforted by it.Or Switchfoot's "Awakening." I don't quite know what this song is about, but it's like

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-9948518519454631242007-06-14T14:59:00.000-04:002007-06-14T15:23:44.287-04:00

Unintentionally, I began writing an album review in my journal this morning, because the songs on Sara Groves' album Add to the Beauty are so closely knit thematically. The title cut says "this is grace, an invitation to be beautiful... and I want to add to the beauty." All of the songs are about beautiful things that can't be explained other than through grace. It's a truly inspiring album,

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-46617263443770278292007-06-05T12:06:00.000-04:002007-06-05T12:28:13.950-04:00

Sometimes a good writer has the power to inspire their readers' expression. Writers like that are worth attention and worth keeping in circulation. I've written about Sara Groves before, and maybe I've even written about this song before. Looking through the leaves of All Right Here's CD insert I see big blocks of text that I know Sara worked hard to write. Songwriting is an intense process.

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-19675664461680290722007-05-17T09:04:00.000-04:002007-05-17T09:14:43.214-04:00

This morning I do not have a particular song that goes with this scripture. Perhaps if someone knows of one they will let me know.I have been thinking about working together in unity, and read Psalm 133 last night. It's full of imagery that makes me wonder."How good and pleasant it iswhen brothers live together in unity.It is like precious oil poured on the head,running down on Aaron's beard,

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-67954636385463451722007-05-15T08:30:00.000-04:002007-05-15T08:51:12.756-04:00

This post commemorates my first read of The Magician's Nephew, the sixth book in the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I would recommend it to anyone! It is my favorite of all of them so far (The Silver Chair comes in second). C.S. Lewis said that a good children's book will have something to say to the child that will still matter to him fifty years later. Perhaps what matters most is the

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-91624520012307049772007-05-03T17:09:00.000-04:002007-05-03T17:14:54.089-04:00

Listening to the self-titled Watermark album from 1998. I guess that was the year my husband and I started dating. Two years later we were married, and one year after that, we moved far away, because we felt like we should. There was a spiritual impulse to go, and a hope that we'd find something.Now reflecting on the past six years of being here, I feel the same way again: like we are finding

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-25272807841564132552007-05-01T07:24:00.000-04:002007-05-01T07:30:41.117-04:00

I saw a video at church on Sunday called "light." The whole thing was symbolic, and felt very noir because it was filmed in black and white with heavey shadow and the dialogue was general. Yet there were characters who seemed to have real-life relationships: a husband and wife, and the husband's friend. The wife announced that when she first heard the story, she didn't understand it, but then,

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-87444661338305665362007-04-29T23:01:00.000-04:002007-04-29T23:10:39.188-04:00

I've posted about "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" before, but I'm coming back to it; it's one of my favorite hymns. I'm doing what it says: "ponder[ing] anew / What the Almighty can do,/ If with His love He befriend" me. I am pondering anew that the fact that can befriend me with His love means He is able to deal with my shortcomings. I suppose I often fail to believe Him, fail to be

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-72565944333134439982007-04-24T22:49:00.000-04:002007-04-24T22:52:54.558-04:00

I've had this newish praise song called "Everlasting God" that we sang at church in my head:You are the everlasting GodYou do not faint, you won't grow wearyYou're the defender of the weakYou comfort those in needYou lift us up on wings like eagles.I looked up the Bible verses it's based on, and it inspired me (Isaiah 40:28-31). They say that God does not grow faint or weary, and that those who

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-35471453137351454132007-04-20T09:02:00.000-04:002007-04-20T09:15:41.081-04:00

I watched the Hallmark TV movie Love Came Softly last night and it made me feel good. It's based on a book by Janette Oke which I read when I was younger - junior high/high school, I think. It's about settlers in the pioneer West, seemingly mid-nineteenth century. If you'd like to see a heartwarming film and you like pioneer stories, check it out from Blockbuster, like I did.The best part

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-8180928665819752632007-04-18T08:04:00.000-04:002007-04-18T08:13:56.308-04:00

Monday was "oh, what a beautiful day" in Norman. It was also the day of the V-tech massacre. The violence was almost unthinkable.Yesterday I couldn't wait for it to be a beautiful day. It turned out to be one of those days that brings in May flowers. In the middle of my first class we were warned that the whole school was on lockdown, which we knew had something to do with Monday's

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6222537.post-31898692166583144342007-04-17T06:37:00.000-04:002007-04-17T06:44:17.391-04:00

Morning has not yet broken, but as I sit with my coffee mug in front of my workroom window, I am absolutely sure it will, and I will thank the Lord for it. I woke up with this song in my mind - I absolutely love it, it is one of my favorite hymns. I think I was just anticipating how God would be good, but as I sang the words, I knew that they were not quite true, because, well, I sang them very

Kim Martinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08848950646125760161noreply@blogger.com0