Songs

"Ain't it funny how a melody can bring back a memory, take you to another place in time?" Well those aren't my words. They are actually from the song "State of Mind" by Clint Black. If you have been around me enough you have probably heard me say "That reminds me of a country song." I know some people don't care for country music, but part of what I love about it is how it is so often about life. Well Clint Black's song along with a few others have been on my mind lately. Some have taken me to a different place in time, but most have struck a chord in other ways. So here are some that have been on my mind lately.

Our song was "Living and Living Well" by George Strait. I think the reason we liked it is self-explanitory Here are a few lines from the song.

Had a nice little life
A little boat, a little beach
A little routine I liked
A blue ocean view
Free to go with the flow
Anywhere that I wanted to
But the moment you set foot on my shore
That's when I knew.

There's a difference in living and living well
You can't have it all all by yourself
Something's always missing 'til you share it with someone else
There's a difference in living and living well.

The next song is "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers. Over the last few months when I was feeling down I would think about the lines below. I would substitute cryin' for countin' to remind me there was no need to cry right now.

"If you're gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right"

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away and know when to run
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealing's done

When Kristin started telling people that her cancer had spread to her lungs and her liver I remember hearing her say on the phone something like, "Don't worry about me. Dying is easy. I want to help you." I recently heard the Patty Loveless song "How Can I Help You to Say Goodbye?" These lines really reminded me of her phone conversations.

 And she said, "How can I help you
To say goodbye, it's okay to hurt and it's okay to cry
Come let me hold you and I will try
How can I help you to say goodbye"

A few months before Kristin passed I heard Dolly Parton's song "I Will Always Love You" on the radio. These words definitely brought tears to my eyes.

If I should stay
Well, I would only be in your way
And so I'll go, and yet I know
That I'll think of you each step of my way
And I will always love you
I will always love you

And I hope life, will treat you kind
And I hope that you have all
That you ever dreamed of
Oh, I do wish you joy
And I wish you happiness
But above all this
I wish you love
I love you, I will always love

I will always, always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you

Around the same time that I heard Dolly's song I heard a song by Dan Seals entitled "If I Had Only One Friend Left." I know this blog is getting long, but I had to include all the words to this song because they are so meaningful.

I always thought you were the best
I guess I always will
I always thought that we were blessed
And I feel that way still
Sometimes we took the hard road
But we always saw it through

If I had only one friend left
I'd want it to be you

Sometimes the world was on our side
Sometimes it wasn't fair
Sometimes it gave a helping hand
Sometimes we didn't care

'Cause when we were together
It made the dream come true

If I had only one friend left
I'd want it to be you

Someone who understands me
And knows me inside out
And helps keep me together
And believes without a doubt,
That I could move a mountain
Someone to tell it to

If I had only one friend left
I'd want it to be you

'Cause when we were together
It made the dream come true

If I had only one friend left
I'd want it to be you

Someone who understands me
And knows me inside out
And helps keep me together
And believes without a doubt,
That I could move a mountain
Someone to tell it to

If I had only one friend left
I'd want it to be you....

This next song has been on my mind at different times over the last four years. One reason is it has the word cancer in it. It talks about being there when her time got small. Which really hit home the last few weeks of Kristin's life. When I read the lyrics today I remembered it includes "holdin' her hand, when the Good Lord called her up". I am so thankful that I was able to hold her hand through that very moment.

He said "Spent five years in the bottle,
When the cancer took her from me.
But I've been sober three years now,
'cause the one thing stronger than the whiskey

Was the sight of her holdin' my baby girl.
The way she adored that string of pearls,
I gave her the day that our youngest boy, Earl,
Married his high school love."
"An' it's a new tee-shirt saying: 'I'm a Grandpa'.
Bein' right there as our time got small,
An' holdin' her hand, when the Good Lord called her up,
Yeah, man, that's the good stuff."

Shortly after Kristin's passing Parker and I drove up to Wisconsin to visit some family. "I'll Wait For You" by Joe Nichols came on the radio. It would not have surprised me too much if Kristin had wrote a note similar to the lines from the song below. I am glad she didn't because I want her in heaven with God and other loved ones.

The doctor said, she's in a better place
She said to give this you this note just in case

And it said, I'll wait for you at Heaven's gate
Oh, I don't care how long it takes
And I'll tell Saint Pete I can't come in
Without my love and my best friend
Oh, this ain't nothin' new
Sweetheart, I'll wait for you
P.S. I love you, too
Sweetheart, I'll wait for you

Ronnie Milsap's song "I Wouldn't Have Missed It For the World" has come to mind over the last couple of months. I'm so thankful for the time Kristin and I had.

I wouldn't have missed it for the world
Wouldn't have missed lovin' you girl
You've made my whole life worth while
With your smile
I wouldn't trade one memory
'Cause you mean too much to me
Even though I lost you girl
I wouldn't have missed it for the world

When Parker and I were driving up to Wisconsin for Christmas Lonestar's "Not a Day Goes By" song came on the radio. Well I had to dry my eyes after hearing this one too. Here are a few lines from the song.

If you asked me how I'm doing
I'd say just fine
But the truth is, baby
If you could read my mind

Not a day goes by
That I don't think of you
After all this time
You're still with me it's true

Somehow you remain
Locked so deep inside
Baby, baby, oh, baby
Not a day goes by

I often wish we had just a little more time. Which makes me think of the song "One More Day With You" by Diamond Rio. Here are a few lines if you aren't familiar with the song.

One more day, one more time
One more sunset, maybe I'd be satisfied
But then again, I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you, 

one more day

First thing I'd do is pray for time to crawl
I'd unplug the telephone and keep the TV off
I'd hold you every second, say a million I love you's
That's what I'd do with one more day with you

As we have been finding our new normal Billy Dean's song "Only Here For A Little While" has been in my head fairly often. It brings me more happy thoughts. It makes me feel good. Here are some of the words.

I'm gonna hold who needs holdin'
Mend what needs mendin'
Walk what needs walkin'
Though it means an extra mile

Pray what needs prayin'
Say what needs sayin'
'Cause we're only here
For a little while

I know Parker has songs that are special to him too. Don't worry I haven't corrupted him enough for them to be country songs yet. Some of the songs that are special to him are "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", Silent Night", "Jesus Loves Me" and "Here I Am Lord". In church this weekend after we sung "Here I Am Lord" he said "I love that song." When I sing it he is always telling me to stop. So I didn't think he liked it. Apparently it is just my singing that he doesn't like :)

Last night was the first time that I felt truly happy for Kristin. I know she is in heaven and there is no place better for her to be. I know there are things she is missing here, but the only reason to be sad over that is because we miss her. We are missing her, but she is in Heaven. So this leads me to one more song from church which is "I Believe I Do Believe Truly I Believe It". Parker and I were singing this tonight. So I guess I do finally truly believe.

Try this link to hear the song.
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIHEasBU6SMAfsr7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBzc2M2MjdyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMTE-?p=i+believe+i+do+believe+truly+i+believe+it&vid=eb3f82609e8e1d633c24e2f223ed2a22&l=1%3A17&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608049738981376596%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D4mqyEqY1gq0&tit=Truly+I+Believe+It&c=0&sigr=11bli8c9n&sigt=10ina7vfc&sigi=11rekveut&age[0]=1313078400&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av%2Cm%3Asa&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla&tt=b