My theme song from sleeping in a van
Listening to David Crowder song "How great" and memories have flooded my mind.
You see this seems to be my theme song... I know, not many people have there own theme song, but I just must be special, because this one is mine. Maybe David didn't intend it to be my theme song but I guess that's the price you have to pay as an incredible artist with incredible lyrics, people like me claim your songs as their own. yup that's what I'm doing.
I see is as a growing problem really, theme song claiming that is, especially in the age of i-Pods. Let me get off this tangent and explain to you why this is my song and the memories that go with it.
When Abby, my 3 year old, was diagnosed with Leukemia and I was in the hospital with her I found that this was the song that gave me more comfort that I can even express in words. I remember lots of great times where I just felt held by God while I listen to this song. One of them was the night after we checked her in to Pres./St. Luke’s. Abby and my wife were sleeping in the room but there wasn't enough bed space for all three of us. I had a fever too, turned out to be the Flu, so I decided that I was going to go down in the parking garage and sleep in the van.... I know, crazy... but no "down by the river in a van jokes please", this is a serious memory... well mostly. Anyway, after my wonderful nights sleep in between the seats of our 94 Nissan Quest I woke up somewhat refreshed and turned on the van to defrost my glasses and warm up a bit. I turned on my i-Pod, thanks again Rob, and selected my "Crowder Rocks" play list. The first song that came on in this random list was Crowder’s acoustic version of "How great"... I know, you didn't know that Crowder has an acoustic album... well, he doesn't, but to make a long story short, I have the illuminate CD as an acoustic version... ya, let's just pretend that he wrote it to me so that I could have it as my theme song. Now, back to the story. So I'm hanging out with Crowder in the van and his lyrics just strike me to the core.
I'm so bored of little gods
While standing on the edge of
something large
While standing here, so close to You
We could be consumed
What a glorious day
I give up, I lay down
Rest my face upon this ground
Lift my eyes to Your sky
Rid my heart of all I hide
So sweet this surrender
CHORUS:
How great Your love for us
How great our love for You
That grace could cover us
How great Your love
How marvelous, how brilliantly
Luminous, You shine on me
And who can fail to give You awe
To fear You, God, so sovereign and strong
What a glorious day
What a wonderful day, today
What a glorious day
What a wonderful day, today
Glorious day
Especially the line that says:
"I give up, I lay down, Rest my face upon this ground.
Lift my eyes to Your sky, Rid my heart of all I hide.
...So sweet this surrender"
After that night I found a little place to stay that was better than the van and was connected to the hospital by a long, and I mean long hallway, must have been 300 feet, seriously. I would put the i-Pod on, go down the elevator to the hallway and while listening to "how great", I would slowly walk down the hall, a yellow doctor mask over my face to keep others from getting the flu, and with each step I'd gain the courage to go back to the bedside of my daughter who had just been diagnosed with cancer.
So that's the mantra of my life now, my theme song. I give up, weary, broken and all. Hanging on by a varying thickness of thread daily. All I really have to do though is lift my eyes to the sky and let go, ridding my heart of all the crap that so easily entangles me and yes the surrender is so sweet.
Why do I remember this today, two months later? Because it is still where I am. Though I don't have to wear a mask any more, the Flu is gone and my house has no room for a 300 foot hallway, I still feel like it would do me good to get up every morning, don my i-Pod and remember just how great God is and how sweet a surrender it really would be if I just, once again, fell into the arms of the God who made me.
You see this seems to be my theme song... I know, not many people have there own theme song, but I just must be special, because this one is mine. Maybe David didn't intend it to be my theme song but I guess that's the price you have to pay as an incredible artist with incredible lyrics, people like me claim your songs as their own. yup that's what I'm doing.
I see is as a growing problem really, theme song claiming that is, especially in the age of i-Pods. Let me get off this tangent and explain to you why this is my song and the memories that go with it.
When Abby, my 3 year old, was diagnosed with Leukemia and I was in the hospital with her I found that this was the song that gave me more comfort that I can even express in words. I remember lots of great times where I just felt held by God while I listen to this song. One of them was the night after we checked her in to Pres./St. Luke’s. Abby and my wife were sleeping in the room but there wasn't enough bed space for all three of us. I had a fever too, turned out to be the Flu, so I decided that I was going to go down in the parking garage and sleep in the van.... I know, crazy... but no "down by the river in a van jokes please", this is a serious memory... well mostly. Anyway, after my wonderful nights sleep in between the seats of our 94 Nissan Quest I woke up somewhat refreshed and turned on the van to defrost my glasses and warm up a bit. I turned on my i-Pod, thanks again Rob, and selected my "Crowder Rocks" play list. The first song that came on in this random list was Crowder’s acoustic version of "How great"... I know, you didn't know that Crowder has an acoustic album... well, he doesn't, but to make a long story short, I have the illuminate CD as an acoustic version... ya, let's just pretend that he wrote it to me so that I could have it as my theme song. Now, back to the story. So I'm hanging out with Crowder in the van and his lyrics just strike me to the core.
I'm so bored of little gods
While standing on the edge of
something large
While standing here, so close to You
We could be consumed
What a glorious day
I give up, I lay down
Rest my face upon this ground
Lift my eyes to Your sky
Rid my heart of all I hide
So sweet this surrender
CHORUS:
How great Your love for us
How great our love for You
That grace could cover us
How great Your love
How marvelous, how brilliantly
Luminous, You shine on me
And who can fail to give You awe
To fear You, God, so sovereign and strong
What a glorious day
What a wonderful day, today
What a glorious day
What a wonderful day, today
Glorious day
Especially the line that says:
"I give up, I lay down, Rest my face upon this ground.
Lift my eyes to Your sky, Rid my heart of all I hide.
...So sweet this surrender"
After that night I found a little place to stay that was better than the van and was connected to the hospital by a long, and I mean long hallway, must have been 300 feet, seriously. I would put the i-Pod on, go down the elevator to the hallway and while listening to "how great", I would slowly walk down the hall, a yellow doctor mask over my face to keep others from getting the flu, and with each step I'd gain the courage to go back to the bedside of my daughter who had just been diagnosed with cancer.
So that's the mantra of my life now, my theme song. I give up, weary, broken and all. Hanging on by a varying thickness of thread daily. All I really have to do though is lift my eyes to the sky and let go, ridding my heart of all the crap that so easily entangles me and yes the surrender is so sweet.
Why do I remember this today, two months later? Because it is still where I am. Though I don't have to wear a mask any more, the Flu is gone and my house has no room for a 300 foot hallway, I still feel like it would do me good to get up every morning, don my i-Pod and remember just how great God is and how sweet a surrender it really would be if I just, once again, fell into the arms of the God who made me.
posted by Mark Schreiber @ 2:28 PM
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