Back to Nancy's Homepage

---

 
JOY AND SORROW

Readings from the book "The Prophet"..by: Kahil Gibran 1883-1931

Then a woman said, Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.
And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your
laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your
tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being,
the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very
cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit,
the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your
heart and you shall find it is only that which
has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your
heart, and you shall see that in truth you are
weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow,"
and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits alone
with you at your board, remember that the
other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between
your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at stand-still
and balanced.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh
his gold and his silver, needs must your joy
or your sorrow rise or fall.

 
I WILL

I will walk through each day of my life with joy
I will drink the bitter and the sweet wine given me
I will not thirst, but be quenched
I will not hunger, but be fed

I will trust more
I will praise more
I will be thankful more
I will be prayerful more

I will sing of God's loving kindness which holds me
I will also seek after greater love
I will catch this moment and put it in my heart
I will never lose any more love again

I will seek His face early
I will be filled totally
I will not be cast down
I will be carried and lifted up into His heavens

I will feel His strength fortify me
I will walk through each valley dark
I will see His light guiding my path
I will sense the warmth of His Spirit

I will rest and not be weary
I will run the race and not be tired
I will count each blessing
I will treasure every friend near and dear

I will lay me down in His comforting arms
I will be found and not lost
I will not lean on my own understanding
I will one day look into His eyes

I will think on these things
I will always reach for others
I will find His will in my life
I will let His light and love shine through me

I will rejoice in His rich rewards
I will lose all painful sorrows
I will forgive and be forgiven
I will be glad and rejoice in this day that is a gift.

By: Nancy G Brundrett

 
SHINE ON

Shine on, be bright like the sunrise.
Shine on, be full like the noon day
Shine on, go find the moonlight in your eyes
Shine on, cast your soul's light into the starry night
Shine on, into the new day
Shine on...
Shine on...

By: Nancy G

 
LUNAR ECLIPSE GRACED THE NIGHT SKY LAST NIGHT

It's morning now. I thought I would express what I saw in the night sky last night. I live on a ranch so I get a "real" look at the sky and the stars when ever I want. I walked out into my huge yard about 10:55 pm central time passing underneath the tall oak trees I have, but they blocked my view. Into an opening, I strolled with my camera. I looked up to see the eclipse unfolding as moody clouds passed on by. The color was an amber one. For quiet awhile there was a blackout and in this dark space I felt haunted, yet a peace came upon me. It reminded how big and powerful God is to command the sky, clouds and the stars. "How Great Thou Art" came to mind. The sky is unstoppable, with it's freedom to do what it likes under the watchful eye of the Creator. The whole earth spins around with so many wonderful and powerful things happening at once. The moon, stars, the oceans, the clouds, the weather and all the
rivers flowing to the sea are there for me to observe and be blessed by. This eclipse reminded me how I really am in God's Hands....

 
SIMPLE GIFTS
by: Rod McKuen
www.mckuen.com
great site for daily flight plans...

When the going's hard
the giving's easy...
don't hold back,
give way

 
VOICE, INSTRUMENTS AND SOUND

I am sunburned but happy. I played at an outdoor music festival yesterday. I baked in the 96 degrees sun from 10am til 11pm. The day started out cloudy, then the sun's power chased all the clouds away. There were many musical artists from everywhere singing and playing instruments...guitars, drums, tamborines, violins, mandolins, keyboards, harmonicas, chimes, bells..and conga drums too. I closed my eyes and thought of how God created everything. He created my ears to hear and my voice to sing. He has some take up intruments and play and play well.....Why....why?

Am I being a vessel of love & praise through my music?

PSALM 150 (NIV)

Praise the Lord.
Praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding trumpet,
praise him with the harp and the lyre,
praise him with tamborines
and in dancing,
praise him with the strings
and flute,
praise him with the clash of
cymbals.
praise him with the resounding
cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord

When I am performing or just sitting in my music room playing my heart music, I always remember "why" I have a voice to sing and
pretty good hands on the guitar. These things are instruments of praise and deliverers of love's sweet sounds of the heart.
My voice is a sound of praise too. If you notice my songs are "heartmusic" songs or "soulmusic" songs. My songs are written in the spirit of love. My sound is delivered in the spirit of heart and the soul. I hope you feel what I feel when I sing and play guitar to my songs. I can feel God's spirit pouring into me and out of me with each note.

Blessings,

Nancy G

 
TO THOSE THAT ARE "GIVEN" ...MUCH IS REQUIRED

I read that and to me I see I am so blessed and "given", so much is required of me in the "giving" back.

Today I will be playing at a Music Festival. I will share my "heart music" and that makes me shine.

I want everyone who reads my journal to know I believe the spirit of God gives me my songs and poems.

These things are a "given"..a gift. I want to "give" something back to God today in my songs.

I want people to know that God is in me and pouring through me. I pray folks will be touched

and feel His presence in their lives. He brings peace and hope and comfort. I am forever

grateful.

Blessings,

Nancy

 
SINGING A NEW SONG

PSALMS 33:1-7 (niv)

"Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. By the word of the Lord were the heavens
made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars. He puts the deep into storehouses."

Those are the words of King David of old....

A new song is what I had. When I first turned my life around and was reborn, I was given this song. I haven't gone to my studio to
record it yet. I feel I will very soon because this one is the first "new song"...I was given.. March 4th, 1972

DO YOU KNOW?

By: Nancy G written in 1972

Do you know?
His breathe is our life
His silence is our death
He came with a light to truth
He left that light to shine in your darkness night
Do you know?
Has the story been told of this man of old?

He told us of a song that sleeps in everyone
It must awake..must awake
Not so easy to find your tune
But when you do.....sing it
Do you know?
Has this story been told of this man of old?

Come to the mountain, to the mountain with me
Open up your eyes and there He'll be
For He lives and He's free
And you know
Do you know
Has the story been told
And you know
Do you know
Of this man of old?

That was many years and tears ago. Yes life can be hard sometimes

(quote from another "new song"...)

Give It All
by: Nancy G

This life can bring you some pain
Sometimes your heart aches and your standing in the rain
But if you give it all to the Lord
He'll take it
Give it all to the Lord
Your going to make it
When you give it all
Give it all to the Lord
Cast your burdens far away
He'll send an angel your way
If you give it all to the Lord
Give it all

 
GIVE IT ALL
By: Nancy G

NO MATTER HOW BIG OR EVEN HOW SMALL
IF YOU'RE SWALLOWED BY A RIVER OR FROM A MOUNTAIN YOU FALL
THIS LIFE HERE ON EARTH WILL BRING YOU SOME PAIN
SOMETIMES YOUR HEART ACHES AND YOUR'E STANDING IN THE RAIN
...WHY DON'T YOU
GIVE IT ALL TO THE LORD
HE'LL TAKE IT
IF YOU GIVE IT ALL
GIVE IT ALL TO THE LORD
YOU'RE GONNA MAKE IT
WHEN YOU GIVE IT ALL
TO THE LORD

WHEN YOUR NIGHT COMES ALL TOO SOON
THERE YOU ARE AGAIN HIDING IN YOUR ROOM
YOU'RE STILL CARRYING THE COLOR BLUE
THERE'S THIS HUNGER DEEP INSIDE OF YOU
...WHY DON'T YOU
GIVE IT ALL TO THE LORD
CAST YOUR BURDENS FAR AWAY
IF YOU GIVE IT ALL
GIVE IT ALL TO THE LORD
HE'LL SEND AN ANGEL YOUR WAY
WHEN YOU GIVE IT ALL
TO THE LORD

WHEN YOUR SOUL FEELS SO EMPTY, YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP
REACH UP YOUR HAND, NOW DRINK FROM HIS CUP
LIFTING YOUR SOUL, UNTIL IT KISSES THE SKY
INTO HIS PEACE AND COMFORT YOU WILL FLY
..WHY DON'T YOU
GIVE IT ALL TO THE LORD
HE'LL TAKE IT, YOUR HEART HE WON'T BREAK IT
IF YOU GIVE IT ALL
GIVE IT ALL TO THE LORD
CAST YOUR BURDENS AWAY, AN ANGEL IS COMING YOUR WAY
WHEN YOU GIVE IT ALL
TO THE LORD

GIVE IT ALL
TO THE LORD
GIVE IT ALL
TO THE LORD

 
ANGELS

Here are some thoughts from people about angels....

A close friend of mine saw an angel the other day...just in time to save them and point them in the right direction and give them hope.

Patty Griffin, songwriter says

May you dream, you are dreaming
in a warm soft bed
May the voices inside you
that fill you with dread
Sound like thousands of ANGELS instead
Tonight where you might be laying your head

Exodus 23:20 (NASB) says:

"Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guide you on your way"

Billy Graham says:

"Individual guardian, guiding angels attend at least some of our ways and hover protectively over our lives."

Douglas Pagels says:

May you always have an angel by your side
Watching out for you in all the things you do
Reminding you to keep believing in brighter days
Finding ways for your wishes and dreams to come true
Giving you hope that is as certain as the sun
Giving you the strength of serenity as your guide
May you always have love and comfort and courage
And may joy always have an angel by your side
Encoraging your dreams
Inspiring your happiness
Holding your hand and helping you through it all
In all of our days, our lives are always changing
Tears come along as well as smiles
Along the roads you travel
May the the miles be a thousand times more lovely than lonely
May they give you gifts that never, ever end
Someone wonderful to love and a dear friend in whom you can confide
May you have rainbows after every storm
May you have hopes to keep your warm
And may you alway have an angel by your side

Archbishop Desmond Tutu says:

Angels, like parables and fine poetry
speak in many layers of meaning and mystery,
trying to express the inexpressible.
If we ignore them
Our lives are the poorer.

Megan McKenna says:

In many traditions angels are involved with language: with creation stories, the workings of the universe, in music, poetry and prayer,
in the repositories of meaning, memories, and hope.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow says:

Write in the climate of heaven, in the language spoken by angels.

Tobias Palmer says:

The very presence of an angel is a communication. Even when an angel crosses our path in silence, God has said to us,
"I am here. I am present in your life"

Johannes Meister Eckhart says:

The soul at it's highest is found like God, but an angel gives a closer idea of Him. That is all an angel is: an idea of God.

Joan Wester Anderson says:

When you are lonely or frightened, talk to your guardian angel. You can do it out loud, or inside your head. Your angel can hear
you whenever you ask.

Harriet Beecher Stowe says:

Sweet souls around us watch us still, press nearer to our sides; into our thoughts, into our prayers, with gentle helpings glide.

Helen Keller says:

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.

Ralph Waldo Emerson says:

All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.

John 20:29 (KJV) says:

Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

William Shakespeare says:

...ministers of grace....

Hebrews 13:2 (NKJV) says:

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

Albert Enstein says:

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the miraculous

Jewish proverb says:

Every blade of grass has an angel bending over it saying.."Grow, grow!"

Hosea 12:4 says:

He struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his "favor"

Acts 12:15 (NIV) says:
"You're out of your mind" they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be an angel."

Nancy G. says:
May you find your angel and feel the heavenly presence always near by.
For your guardian angel is God's messenger to be there for you and deliver God's miracle in your life.
I know for a fact that angels where sent to save my life many times over. Death's door has knocked many times,
but the angels helped me open the door with their keys, only to be greeted by the Lord instead of death...
Praise God for his everstretched hand and mercy and grace that abounds in my life.
How great is this love that Jesus has for us?...We will never know in this physical life time...
Receive the miracle in your life delivered by your guardian angel and become
ONE MORE NOTABLE MIRACLE...

Blessings,

Nancy G

 
WHAT IS A NOTABLE MIRACLE?

Inspired by the words of my pastor in a sermon, I have felt led to write a song about a "Notable Miracle". A miracle of God that
unfolds and is seen by non-believers. I want my life to reflect the notable miracle God is molding in me to shine through me and
my songs. Like in the Bible, the crippled man who was healed by Jesus. He sat by the pools all his life as a beggar with the whole world observing him in his broken state. One day Jesus walked by and healed him. The non-believers marvelled saying
"This is a notable miracle of God". Oh I long to be a notable miracle shining bright for those around me to see and marvel at God's
love and favor that is here for all to receive . Love is the beginning of every miracle. God is totally motivated by love. I know my God loves me and most of all He "favors" me.

I will write about the importance of "favor" later in my journal...(thanks David D.) :-)

"When you love you should not say, God is in my heart, but rather I am in the heart of God".....quote from the book the "Prophet"

NOTABLE MIRACLE
BY: NANCY G

Here you come to me walking on the water
And you fill me up with your love
If it wasn't for your light
I'd be swallowed by my night
And all my soul can say is
All is well
I'm your miracle notable
Filled with unspeakable joy

It's my desire for you to take me higher
Up above the trees, flying in the sky
Piercing through the clouds
Touching every sunrise
And all my soul can say is
All is well
I'm your miracle notable
Filled with unspeakable joy

You ascended into the heavens
Promising the victory over death and the grave
Even though I wasn't there and didn't see
You came and filled my heart with the fullness of your grace
And all my soul can say is
All is well
I'm your miracle notable
Filled with unspeakable joy

Unspeakable joy
Unspeakable joy
Your favor raining down on my soul
I'm your miracle notable

 
May 5th's reading - devotional from the Book

"Streams In The Desert"

DON'T LET THE SONG GO OUT OF YOUR LIFE

Don't let the song go out of your life
Though it chance sometimes to flow
In a minor strain; it will blend again
With the major tone you know

What though shadows rise to obscure life's skies,
And hide for a time the sun,
The sooner they'll lift and reveal the rift,
If you let the melody run.

Don't let the song go out of your life;
Though the voice may have lost it's thrill,
Though the tremulous note may die in your throat,
Let it sing in your spirit well.

Don't let the song go out of your life;
Let it ring in the soul while here;
And when you go hence, 'twill follow you thence,
And live on in another sphere.

Oh that we would reason about less about our troubles, and sing and praise more!
There are thousands of things that we wear as shackles which we might use as instruments
with music in them, if we only knew how. We can sing our cares away easier than we can
reasons them away. Oh that we might sing morning and evening, and let song touch song
all the way through........

Above: Author unknown

Writing Heart Music is my way of "Not" letting my song go out of my life.
Sometimes it is a struggle within and outward to sing
Life can be cruel and painful and empty
But I come back to the Mt. ledge and watch God's glory unfold
in the sky colors in a sunrise or sunset and mediate
I can walk away with a new song in my life.
Heart Music is the song of this heart as it sojourns
down the path of life and love.
From sorrow to joy
From hunger and thirst to fullness
From no sound then to sound
From turmoil to peace
From morality to immorality
From disappoints to blesses
From being alone to standing in a crowd
I have learned to sing my way through
Some times in joy
Some times in tears
But I sing my way through
Singing the melody of the soul
Which soothes the heart

Blessing today and everyday,

Nancy G

 
LESSONS TAUGHT BY GOD

I believe the lessons in life, as I travel down this road, are best taught by God. Especially if you make an A+ on your examination.
Today's lesson was on pain.

"OUT OF THE PRESS OF PAIN
COMETH THE SOUL'S BEST WINE
AND THE EYES THAT HAVE SHED NO RAIN
CAN SHED NO SHINE"

Author unknown..You know that person..."unknown" sure does write a lot of great poems!

To my "few" readers..you know I like to post thoughts. I always want to give you something I think would help you because it helped me. Sharing... It helps to be listening to good music too. Today's menu is Jackson Browne's "record" "Looking East"

I started off the day with a leap in my step because I was going to Austin. I would get to share some of my songs at a Music Festival.
I drove 130 miles alone on a cloudy day. I ended up missings links with the other people I was meeting who had the directions to the festival.. I drove over 50 miles down country roads in Austin looking for the "Sweet..(something) Farms" where it was being held. I was endlessly driving, listening to Bebo Norman...(he's great) looking for the festival. After searching in tears, I just decide to go home. It was painful, so painful to miss the chance to play and share. As I headed home, I started rekindling my joy. Today, home is where the heart is "Where the trees stand still" .

When I was young and visiting Europe, I carried a book with me. It was called "The Prophet" by: Kahlil Gibran. In it, I kept a journal of
my adventures. I wrote about seeing castles, mountains, the oceans, youth hostels and the French Rivera. I read the last line or two in my journal of over 30 years old that had been hidden for years and this is what it said.
"Today is a "rainy" day. Praise God for this rainy day."
After reading this I thought to myself, I write about the rain in my songs and in my poetry. Rain is good and so is pain.

Writing from "The Prophet" as he speaks about pain.

"And a woman spoke, saying, Tell us of Pain.
And he said: Your pain is the breaking of the shell
that encloses your understanding.
Even as the stone of the fruit must break,
that it's heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain.
And could you keep your heart in wonder
at the daily miracles of your life,
your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy;
And you would accept the seasons of your heart,
even as you have always accepted
the seasons that pass over your fields.
And you would watch with serenity
through the winters of your grief.
Much of your pain is self-chosen.
It is the bitter potion by which
the physician within you heals your sick self.
Therefore trust the physician,
and drink his remedy in silence and tranquility:
For his hand, though heavy and hard,
is guided by the tender hand of the Unseen,
And the cup he brings, though it burn your
lips, has been fashioned of the clay
which the Potter has moistened
with His own sacred tears".

Just wanted to share my heart beat with you today.. and pour it out.

It feels good in my soul today and I can report
"All Is Well With My Soul"
Lesson learned...A+ grade. It was graded on a curve..lol

 
JOURNEY TOWARDS LOVE

BY: NANCY G

WE ALL START OUT WITH A CRAWL
UNTIL WE GROW TOWARDS THE SKY SO TALL
IT IS THE MORNING SUNRISE OF OUR
JOURNEY TOWARDS LOVE

ALONG THE WAY WE TAKE LOVE'S HAND
LIFE IS THE HOURGLASS, WE ARE THE SAND
IT IS THE NOON TIME OF OUR
JOURNEY TOWARDS LOVE

COVERED BY THE SUN AND THE RAIN
WE PAUSE AND REFLECT FROM WHERE WE CAME
IT IS THE AFTERNOON OF OUR
JOURNEY TOWARDS LOVE

WITHIN EACH OF US IS A CRY, A HUNGER & THIRST FOR MORE
SO WE STAND BENEATH LOVE'S FOUNTAIN AND LET IT POUR
IT IS THE SUNSET OF OUR
JOURNEY TOWARDS LOVE

SOMETIMES WE WALK UNDER STARS, ALONE AND LOST
WITH OUR EMPTY POCKETS WE FIND LOVE'S TRUE COST
IT IS THE NIGHT OF OUR
JOURNEY TOWARDS LOVE

OH LOVE, COME AND COMFORT US FOR IT IS HARD TO REALLY SEE
ON THIS PATH, THIS ROAD OR AIMLESSY DRIFTING AT SEA
IT IS THE ENDLESS QUEST WE TRAVEL IN OUR
JOURNEY TOWARDS LOVE

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COVER ME

BY: BEBO NORMAN

COVER ME, COVER UP MY TEARS, COVER UP THIS MAN WHO'S COVERED UP IN FEAR
I NEED A PEACE OF MIND, I NEED A PIECE OF YOU
TO COVER ALL THAT'S GONE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S NEW
YOU UNVEIL ME WITH YOUR MERCY, I WANT TO BREATHE YOU IN
YOU UNFOLD ME, THEN YOU HOLD ME
COVER UP MY HEART
COVER UP MY SOUL
COVER UP THIS WORLD AND EVERYTHING I KNOW
YOU COVER UP THE SKY, YOU COVER UP THE SEA
COVER UP THE MOUNTAINS AND EVERY PART OF ME
EVERY SINGLE BREATH I BREATHE...COVER ME

I AM STILL ALIVE, COVERED UP IN YEARS
COVERED UP IN LINES AS INNOCENCE APPEARS
SO GIVE ME A PEACE OF MIND, GIVE ME A PIECE OF YOU
TO COVER ALL THAT'S OLD WITH EVERTHING THAT'S NEW
YOU UNVEIL ME WITH YOUR MERCY, I WANT TO BREATHE YOU IN
YOU UNFOLD ME, THEN YOU HOLD ME
YOU UNVEIL ME WITH YOUR MERCY, I WANT TO BREATHE YOU IN
YOU UNFOLD ME THEN YOU HOLD ME
I WANT TO SHED THIS SKIN
YOU UNVEIL ME WITH YOUR MERCY
YOU UNFOLD ME, THEN YOU HOLD ME
YOU UNBREAK ME, WOULD YOU TAKE ME HOME

(if you like Bebo's words...you should treat yourself and pick up one of his cds. These words are to a song from his
"Big Blue Sky" cd. He is awesome..Heart Music for sure)

A GOOD READ IS:

NEW TESTAMENT
I JOHN 4:7-8

"DEAR FRIENDS, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER, FOR LOVE COMES FROM GOD.
EVERYONE WHO LOVES HAS BEEN BORN OF GOD AND KNOWS GOD.
WHOEVER DOES NOT KNOW LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD,
BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE."

 
"Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls, by day the Lord directs His love
At night His song is with me. A prayer to the God of my life"
(Psalms 42:7-8)

I AM FREE
by: Nancy G.

As I look around me
We are all here longing to be free
Then I look at you
Through your eyes for all that's true
So many searching
To find their meaning
In this time and place
But only by faith
Can we find this new life
Leads us to a Savior's face

Gonna make you cry
As you start to fly
His gentle melody
Makes me sing
I am free

Cause I'm swept away
By this brand new day
His light helps me to see
As I look around
All the joy I've found
His spirit inside of me

Gonna make me cry
As I start to fly
His gentle melody
Makes me sing
I am free

Does your soul light up?
When He fills your cup?
Do you reach for more in the sky?
As I look around
All the joy I've found
His spirit inside of me

You know your gonna cry
As you start to fly
His gentle melody
Makes me sing
I am free
I am free
I am free...

"By day the Lord direct his love"
"At night His song is with me"

* you can listen to this song "I Am Free" if you go to "music"...on my site.

It is so assuring to know I have a God that works 24 hours a day. Because I am always in need of Him.

My prayer to you is that you feel free.

Now back down to earth so to speak. I played at the Executive Surf Club in Corpus Christi last night. It sure does feel good to pour
my songs out to a crowd...sharing... the sounds of my heart. If you ask my close friends they will say..

"Nancy's heart beats loudly these days"...

HEART MUSIC