Statements from the Heart
Over the years, I have been blessed with with a handful of songs. At least a few of which people other than me have said they like. I guess I'd have to say I wrote them, but it is actually a little more surreal than that. Most of the time they just come out of me. Melody, verse, everything. I have been to some song writing seminars (at CMS and KingdomBound, among others) and the lessons sound like this: don't be disappointed with a good verse without a chorus; don't refuse to edit songs; keep all the fragments around, they might fit together someday; etc.
This advice has come from the top of the heap in Christian song writing circles, such as Paul Baloche. It turns out this is really very hard for me. When I get the whole song at one time as a unified chunk, it doesn't feel right to break it up. On the less frequent occasion that I do sit down and work hard to put lyrics together for a specific thought or message, I can do some erasing. More often, since I see these as gifts from God, I have this irrational need to leave them untouched. If they aren't suitable for recording, or even sharing with others, then so be it. I always learn something from every one of my songs.
It sounds strange, but there are several that have been around for years and no one, not even wifey, has heard them but me and God. It's not that I don't want to share, it's more like they are just personal statements that me and God share. Sometimes after months these surface into public view, sometimes they never do.
That's all for today. Shalom.
