Amazing Grace

As I write this, I'm preparing to leave for another funeral in about an hour. I'll be singing two songs at the funeral, one of which is "Amazing Grace". It is a song that I have been singing at funerals for family all too often of late.

My 36 year old cousin was killed in a snowmobile accident last Saturday morning, leaving behind a wife, a brother, sisters, and two parents who have just joined the club that none of us ever wanted to be a member of: Parents Who Bury Their Children. As members of that club, my wife and I can only offer what everyone offered us during our time: our love, our prayers, and our support.

One of the gifts that God gave to me was the ability to play music. I have put that gift aside for some time now because I could find no joy in playing. I realize now that just because God gives us a gift, it doesn't necessarily mean that the gift has to always bring joy to us. I dread standing up in front of all of those people this afternoon, but they are my family, so no matter what happens, they will continue to love me. Having that thought pop into my head just takes the worry away.

When I write songs, the lyrics always come first, or almost always. Since my job includes long hours behind the wheel of my car, I often write lyrics as I drive. That's what I did yesterday.

Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of death, I decided to be just a bit cavalier about the whole thing, thus the lyrics below to a song I've titled "That's All She Wrote". Not to make things too complicated, and with apologies to Carl Perkins and Chuck Berry, as you read the words, imagine a variation of "Blue Suede Shoes":

THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE

IT’S ONE – YOU’RE BORN, TWO – YOU DIE
WE ONLY COUNT TO THREE SO YOU CAN SAY BYE-BYE
THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE
THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE
YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU’LL PLAY YOUR FINAL NOTE
AND THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE

GOD SAID TO NOAH “BEST BUILD YOURSELF A BOAT”
NOAH SAID “GOD! WHAT IF THE BOAT DON’T FLOAT”
WELL THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE
THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE
BETTER BUILD IT WATERTIGHT AND YOU’D BETTER DO IT RIGHT
OR THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE

A KING IN HIS CASTLE, THE MAN ON THE STREET
BOTH TAKE NOTHIN’ WITH THEM WHEN IT’S TIME TO LEAVE
‘CAUSE THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE
THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE
YOU CAN SAVE IT IF YOU LIKE, BUT I’D RATHER DIE BROKE
‘CAUSE THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE

And that, my friends, is all she wrote for today - if you love someone - tell them!

Blessings!