The New Year's prayer

The prayer I will be praying tonight at midnight:
Lord, bless my new year and fill it with Your presence.
Teach me to let go of my temporary pleasures that pull me away from You.
Fill me with You, Lord, and make me desire being with You only.
Quench my thirst of being something more than Your daughter, for whenever I yearn to this fading world's glory, I turn my sights away from Your everlasting love and sacrifice.
Remind me everyday that I am Yours, that my soul, body and mind belong to You.
Surround me with Your love, so when everyone abandons me and I feel alone, I would remember having You, so my hunger would be satisfied.
Kill my desire for attention.
Set my eyes to my eternal Home. Make it my ultimate goal to be with You forever.
Let my love for You, Lord, beat my fear of You as my motive to please You and to do Your will.


Bless my family, friends, neighbors and the entire world.
Let Your unfathomable peace and glory prevail.
Mend the hearts that have been broken.
Heal the torn and wounded, both spiritually and physically.
Bring hope to the hopeless, and give insight to those who need it.
Lead nations to Your righteousness, and direct the rulers' hearts to Your desire.
Give company to the lonely, and let the hearts that have suffered rejoice with Your love.
Unveil the truth to those who seek it from You. Invalidate all earthly wisdom that contradicts Yours.

"Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil."

By the name of Jesus Christ. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, forever and ever. Amen.

Worn...

So, I wake up again, scrubbing my eyes and wishing the day to be over already...

I wrote this sentence in an earlier post describing how I had been feeling most of the time lately. What I didn't know is that there's this song that echoes exactly what I felt like. I've written it in bold font in the lyrics below, listen to the song by clicking on the play button :)
Here it is,
Worn by tenth avenue north:

Lyrics:
I’m tired I’m worn
My heart is heavy
From the work it takes
To keep on breathing
I’ve made mistakes
I’ve let my hope fail
My soul feels crushed
By the weight of this world

And I know that You can give me rest
So I cry out with all that I have left

Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart
That’s frail and torn
I wanna know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that’s dead inside can be reborn
Cause I’m worn

I know I need to lift my eyes up
But I'm too weak
Life just won’t let up
And I know that you can give me rest
So I cry out with all that I have left

Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart
That’s frail and torn
I wanna know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that’s dead inside can be reborn
Cause I’m worn

My prayers are wearing thin
And I’m worn
Even before the day begins
I’m worn
I’ve lost my will to fight
I’m worn
So, heaven come and flood my eyes

Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart
That’s frail and torn
I wanna know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that’s dead inside can be reborn
Cause all that’s dead inside will be reborn

Though I’m worn
Yeah I’m worn

Only difference is that Mike Donehey phrased it beautifully, with a great melody and a great singing ability, not much difference from what you're getting here ;)
However, I'll continue blurting out what I feel in need to say. It's therapeutic. And to whomever is reading this, you should do that too!
Yeah...

EDIT (March 15th, 2013): This song holds so much more meaning and beauty than I posted on here almost 3 months ago. I guess I didn't listen beyond my own words when it came to it. It's now I pray that "All that's dead inside can be reborn." Because there's alot that's dead inside...
I will not delete this, I just wanted to add what I thought of my post for now.
Peace to you :)

Merry Christmas!

Alright, it's not really Christmas Eve for me. My Coptic Orthodox Christian Christmas is actually on Jan. 7th. So, I will just be nice and go along with this.
Christmas, what a wonderful season it is. It marks the whole winter with its characteristic symbols. You just can't help but picture winter with all the pretty lights, red and green, Christmas tree theme going on. At least I can't. But I've come to realize my expectations are getting lower by the day. I no longer get so excited for the holidays as I did when I was a little kid. The pure joy I got from rain, frosty weather and family gatherings is no more. I'm not saying I am depressed or unhappy or whatever, I'm not. It's just that days take away the excitement I used to experience as a kid with the holidays approaching. They were such a big deal for me, and now I'm completely indifferent.
However, as I fail to be so very "festive" I try to focus on what matters to me most this season, God. Last year my prayer was to stop being so materialistic and to think of what truly matters which is Jesus' birth . I can say it came through. My thoughts cling to Him more than anything now. Even the silly Mayan 2012 prophecy brought me closer to Him, and for this I am grateful.

Music I am listening to now:
Here's the first, a song by "tenth avenue north". I see it as a prayer to stop clinging to "All The Pretty Things" and put our lives in God's hands. It's perfect when all that's on our minds is gifts and food and clothes and such. It always lifts my sight to the sky, to heaven where I belong :)

All The Pretty Things by tenth avenue north:

Lyrics:
We are, we are, we're caught in the in between
Of who we already are and who we are yet to be
And we're looking for love but finding we're still in need
It's only what we have lost will we be allowed to keep

And we're waiting but our eyes are wandering
To all this earth holds dear

Look at all the pretty things
That steal my heart away
I can feel I'm fading
'Cause Lord I love so many things
That keep me from Your face
Come and save me

We run we run to finally be set free
But we're fighting for what we've already received

So we're waiting but our eyes are wandering
To all this earth holds dear

Look at all the pretty things
That steal my heart away
I can feel I'm fading
'Cause Lord I love so many things
That keep me from Your face
Come and save me

We are we are caught in the in between
But we're fighting for what we already have received
We are we are caught in the in between
But we're fighting for what we already have received

Look at all the pretty things
That steal my heart away
I can feel I'm fading
'Cause Lord I love so many things
That keep me from Your face
Come and save me 

Yup, pretty powerful song, It's not gifts that are important this time of the year, it's JESUS' birth!

What echoes this sentiment is another song by a quite surprising artist, Taylor Swift. She wrote a song called "Christmas Must Be Something More" which I really like as it captures the whole idea. Here it is.

Christmas Must Be Something More by Taylor Swift:

Lyrics:
What if ribbons and bows didn't mean a thing
Would the song still survive without 5 golden rings
Would you still wanna kiss without mistletoe
What would happen if God never let it snow
What would happen if Christmas Carols told a lie
Tell me what you would find

You'd say that today holds something special
Something holy and not superficial
So here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives
It's something we all try to ignore
And put a wreath up on your door
So here's something you should know that is for sure
Christmas must be something more

What if angels did not pay attention to
All the things that we wish they would always do
What if happiness came in a cardboard box
Then I'd think there was something we all forgot
What would happen if presents all went away
Tell me what would you find

You'd say that today holds something special
Something holy and not superficial
So here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives
It's something we all try to ignore
And put a wreath up on your door
So here's something you should know that is for sure
Christmas must be something more

We get so caught up in all of it
Business and relationships
100 mile an hour lives
And it's this time of year
And everybody's here
It seems the last thing on your mind

Is that today holds something special
Something holy and not superficial
So here's to Jesus Christ  who saved our lives
It's something we all try to ignore
And put a wreath up on your door
So here's something you should know that is for sure
Christmas must be something (x2)
Christmas must be something more
There's gotta be more








I promise to try to be more Christmas-y the next time I'm posting. 
Merry Christmas! :)

Tenth Avenue North

Time for yet another music themed post. This time it's a better known band, Tenth Avenue North.
The band was referred to me by a new friend who is also a musician, before that I had listened to some of their songs but in a more scattered way. So I got their albums and started listening carefully. I gotta admit, it's lyrics that catch my ear at first. Music is also important but I just can't listen to something when I don't agree with what it's saying, even if it's set to the best musical piece ever known to the human kind. So, I went on to dig deep into the lyrics, because I gotta be honest at first all of the music sounded the same to me (embarrassing I know). The hooks are just the catchiest. And from a band of Christian faith, the lyrics are incredible!
Here I picked one song from each album they released, these are not necessarily my favorites since most of their material is great to me except for some occasional flops on each album. These are just the ones I feel are the right combo of music, lyrics and vocal performance.

1. By Your Side - from Over And Underneath (their debut album):

Lyrics:
Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away..

Why are you looking.. for love
Why are you still searching... as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

chorus-
cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

Chorus
cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here in my side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you


(Chorus 2x)

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go
love, love

cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you


Here in my side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you calling
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here in my side
My hands are holding you

2. Healing Begins - from The Light Meets The Dark: 
(this was a tough pick because their sophomore is my favorite release, but this song is amazing and the melody is really addictive. Oh, and the name of the album comes from its lyrics)

Lyrics:
So you thought you had to keep this up
All the work that you do
So we think that you're good
And you can't believe it's not enough
All the walls you built up
Are just glass on the outside

So let 'em fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now

This is where the healing begins oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Afraid to let your secrets out
Everything that you hide
Can come crashing through the door now
But too scared to face all your fear
So you hide but you find
That the shame won't disappear

So let it fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now
We're here now oh

This is where the healing begins oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Sparks will fly as grace collides
With the dark inside of us
So please don't fight
This coming light
Let this blood come cover us
His blood can cover us

This is where the healing begins oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

3. Don't Stop The Madness - from The Struggle: 
(chosen primarily for lyrical reasons, I don't savor the ongoing "choir" theme this album has. Still a pretty good song)


Lyrics:
There's a beggar down inside of me
Standing on the corner of the street
And my shame is my only company
Can use some cash, but can't admit my need
For what you've got and what I could receive
I need you love to come and break the silence

Don't stop the madness
Don't stop the chaos
Don't stop the pain surrounding me
Don't be afraid, Lord, to break my heart
Just bring me down to my knees, yeah

All I hear is what they're selling me
That God is love, he isn't suffering
And what you need's a little faith and prosperity
But, oh my God, I know there's more than this
If you promise pain it can't be meaningless
So make me poor if that's the price for freedom

Don't stop the madness
Don't stop the chaos
Don't stop the pain surrounding me
Don't be afraid, Lord, to break my heart
If it brings me down to my knees, yeah

In a marriage lost
And the cry in the dark
Don't stop with your love
And the mother's tear
For the child that starves
Don't stop with your love
When we're breaking down
We're falling apart
Don't stop with your love
And with new eyes to see
This is your mercy
Don't stop with your love

Don't stop the madness
Don't stop the chaos
Don't stop the pain inside of me
Do whatever it takes to give me your heart
And bring me down to my knees, Lord

 That's it for now, I guess I shall return with a holiday themed post right before Christmas. It's really close though :)