Renewed via Song

This weekend held two very wonderful events for us. We saw two artists perform, one named Stan the Man and one named Mason Jennings. Both men hold a very special place in my heart. Let’s start with Stan.

We met Stan last year at the annual Pilgrim Place Festival.

He provides some of the entertainment for the kids and we instantly fell in love. The Pilgrim Place is a section of Claremont where missionaries retire. They are an interesting and diverse group of individual and I have always been intrigued by the organization. Anyway, when we took the boys last year they were too young to truly appreciate Stan, but he provided Tim and I with some great laughs. He was having a bit of trouble with recalling the proper lyrics, but it was all in good fun. This year we saw him again. I have to say, it seems like Stan was losing a bit more of his grasp on the silly little songs we all sing. He can still play a mean guitar but the lyrics to the monkey song went something like this…
"3 Little monkeys swinging in the tree, along came Mr. Alligator, can’t catch me, along came Mr Crocodile quiet as can be. Snap.’
What I loved is every kid and parent there sang along with his version without a qualm or correction.

So, I requested our favorite from last year and earned myself a dirty look (I think Stan is not so into the request thing’ but he obliged and played/sang the song “Don’t put your finger up your nose”.
Here are the full lyrics and a link to a video because I love this song. It shall be a mainstay go to in this house, especially with two little boys. And Stan, well, he sang it without a missed word or note. We love Stan.


Don’t put your finger up your nose, cause your nose knows that’s not where it goes.
You can sniffle, you can sneeze, but I am asking you please,
Don’t put your finger up your nose.

Don’t stick your finger in your ear cause your ear will find it hard to hear,
You can pull it, you can tug it, but please do not plug it,
Don’t stick your finger in your ear.

Don’t stick your finger in you eye, now that it not something you should try,
You an blink it but I do not think it
Would be good to put your finger in your eye.

Don’t put your finger down your throat cause I think that would make you choke,
Then up would come your dinner and you’ll start to look much thinner,
So don’t put your finger down your throat.

Then last night we saw Mason Jennings. It was and always is transformative to listen to this man, especially in person. His music creates a space in me, sacred and reverent to the power of the sung word, the poetry of his music makes me feel wonderful. He seems to blend qualities of some of the best folk singers out there (read Dylan) with his own special feel for God and love and beauty and awe. Give this a view if you have a moment, it is his newest song, inspired by his recent travels around the world to view firsthand what we have done to some of the most pristine places. We all stood rapt and frozen when he played this live but I think the little video conveys almost as much.

When I first had the boys, I found song lyrics ran through my head more than thoughts. I could not hold cohesive thoughts together for long, but I am a champ at letting songs run in the brain on loop, especially when not doing well. There was one song that I literally ‘heard’ in there for months.

It was Mason’s song “Be Here Now”.
The lyrics sounded so different then, the line “Sun comes up and we start again’ made me cringe and cry thinking of the fact that every feeding/changing/picking up/putting down would be repeated again and again, seemingly for eternity (in my mind back then). There were times I wanted to scream when the familiar lyrics would start their cycle through my head.

Last night he closed with the same song and I was dancing and laughing and hugging Tim as I sang along. Because now that song means something so different. Back then it was a demand, that I stay present and acknowledge how much I loved those boys even as I felt unable to function. Last night it was a prayer of rejoice and thanks that I have the privilege of waking to another day filled with their presence. Even though I knew there would be more night waking and teething. That Mace would not sleep through, that I would be really tired today, well, I could not wait for the sun so as to take those boys a play and romp.


I hope you have some time and try to give the songs a listen at some point, they are all so awesome.

And for all you lovelies that left comments with such nice things to say….you made this woman’s Monday morning shine almost as bright as her boys do. Thanks so much, friends. You make me feel loved and lovely.

And just so I remember always...

Be here now, the only place to be
Or just sit there dreaming of how life would be
If we were somewhere better
Somewhere far away from all our worries,
Well, here we are.

You are the love of my life

Be here now, no other place to be
All the doubts that linger, just set them free
And let good things happen,
Let the future come into each moment
Like a rising son

You are the love of my life

Sun comes up and we start again
Sun comes up and we start again
Sun comes up and we start again

Its all new today, all we have to say is
Be here now.