Friday, August 1, 2008

Prayers in Unlikely Places

"Take a walk with you Sister in the rain
Let Her talk about the things you can't explain
To touch is to heal
To hurt is to steal
If you want to kiss the sky
You better learn how to kneel,"--
U2, Mysterious Ways.

I hate mornings. I should have been born an owl or something. But the past couple months of rising at 5:30 a.m.m monday through friday, to drive 55 miles to my newspaper internship does have its benefits. I've burned quite few songs and sermons on CD for the morning drives. All week I have been listening to a mix of U2 songs on the lonesome morning drive, playing one song in particular over and over again, entitled Yahweh. As I sang, I realized the lyrics comprise one of the most challenging and raw prayers I've ever heard and completely reflective of "where I am" at this point in my life. So, I thought I'd share:

Yahweh by U2

Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit

Take this shirt

Polyester white-trash, made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean

Take this soul

Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Take these arms
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist

Take this mouth

So quick to criticize
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn?

Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will

What no man can own,
What no man can take

Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break





And another fav. compilation, just because.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Tia....
I've never been a big U2 fan....I love them for you kinda like Bon Jovi....hahahaha!! But this was really cool!!! I LOVE this song!! Thanks for sharing!!

Tia Lynn said...

Ahh... I knew I could convert you to Bono-love. I'm telling you, even if you didn't like their old stuff, their last two albums are SO good, lots of songs like this one.

Unknown said...

believe it or not, the first time I saw this second compilation here, our pastor showed it to us. :)

No, not in Sunday service... but it was at church. :) He calls Bono one of HIS pastors. He was introducing us to the One campaign a while back.

Ashley Dumas said...

U2 has been on my favorites list since 7th grade : ) Thanks for sharing. I have gotten through many a difficult time listening to U2 : )

Ash

Carlos said...

Oi Ashley,

Voces ainda estao no Brasil?

Your absence has prompted me to explain my short absence from comenting, however Leigh and I became grandparents to a beautiful girl, Irene Hope (Nadziesda in Russian or Nair in Portuguese) and you can photos in my son's blog:

http://teamiwas.blogspot.com/

Tia, I love U2....maybe because my wife is Irish..:-)

Unknown said...

Nice to see you again Carlos!

Tia, this is not about u2 - I just wanted to share that this morning a woman brought us the sermon/lesson - she is 6 months pregnant, no less! :) Her wisdom was rich, her delivery gracious... she was a youth leader for 14 years and now serves on the "women's ministry team". I don't know what else to say about that except that it made me think of all the things you've been sharing with us.

Ashley Dumas said...

Oi Carlos!

Sim nos estamos aqui Ainda! Parabens!! Uma nieta!Eu adoro o nome Irene: ) Vou visitar o site delle agora! Eu espero que voces tem muitos momentos feliz com sua nieta nova! Lembra, proxima vez voces estao aqui no vamos fazer um churrasco: ) - Ash

Michelle - Can't wait to visit your church some day
: )

Carlos said...

Ashley,

Obrigado e foi um prazer ver seu "coment" (Sorry Tia :-)).

Ha uma possibilidade de eu viajar ao Brasil por uns dez dias em Agosto. Te enviarei um e-mail.

Tia, love your background tracks as I work in my hotel rom here in Coatza (short for Coatzacoalcos, Mexico)...

Paz a todos...