Lyrics of Longing

I am an early riser, and my day usually begins between 4:00 – 5:00 a.m. There are times when I wish I could sleep later, but for reasons only my brain knows, this is the time I wake and feel ready to begin the day. I love the rituals I’ve eased into as an older woman. The first thing I do is go potty. (That would be a ritual the entire human race partakes in, I’m guessing.) Then I click up the heat to 70 degrees, slide the curtains open in my bedroom that look out over Lake Superior, which can be seen in all its vastness once the trees across the street have let go of their leaves. If it’s summertime, then of course I don’t have the heat on yet, but we have long winters in Northern Minnesota so most of the time it’s heat I’m wanting. I walk to the kitchen in my L.L. Bean chickadee slippers, and microwave a long flannel dealy-bob filled with what smells like oat grains, because my neck is always cold and it’s so comforting to get back into bed with that wrapped around me. I pour a cup of Stok cold brew coffee with a little heavy cream in it, and walk back to my bedroom in the dark. Sometimes I light a beeswax candle on a tall dresser. I gather my devotional things and put them on the bed beside me, climb in, and press the wondrous button on a remote that makes my electric bed sit up a bit. If I’m not rushed, I might be given the grace to spend 1-2 hours reading, praying, crying, blowing my nose, writing in my journal, setting the sails for my day and giving thanks for about ten thousand things.

Then I think about brushing my teeth, getting dressed, starting my day. Laundry, dinner planning, errands, foster paperwork, and all the usual things I take such pleasure in doing. Right around this time is when I turn on some music on my bedroom Bose speaker. I usually play one song on repeat, sometimes for a couple of hours as I begin my day. I know exactly what song I’m supposed to play to nourish my soul, renew my mind, give me hope and elevate my thoughts. I don’t mean it’s only one song, I just know which song needs to go deeply into my inner being in the season of life I’m in at that time. I might play it every day for a week. I might play it every day for a month. Then another song might be what is needed. I just play it as long as I know God is using it in my life. Music is so powerful.

These days, this is the song I’m playing over and over and over. I’m sure most of you are familiar with it and I’ve mentioned it before on my little blog here. But this version is the one going deep into my soul, mind, and heart these days. These words say what I wish I could have said myself. I don’t view it as a Christmas song at all even though the video below is on Bob Bennett’s Christmas album. So if you listen, just take it in like it’s any day of the year. I put the lyrics below (I’ve also written them in my journal and I read them like a prayer) so you can see how beautiful they are.

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree

The tree of life my soul hath seen,
Laden with fruit, and always green
The tree of life my soul hath seen,
Laden with fruit, and always green
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ the apple tree.

His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know, but ne’er can tell
His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know, but ne’er can tell
The glory which I now can see
In Jesus Christ the apple tree.

For happiness I long have sought,
And pleasures dearly I have bought
For happiness I long have sought,
And pleasures dearly I have bought
I missed of all; but now I see
‘Tis found in Christ the apple tree.

I’m weary with my former toil,
Here I will sit and rest awhile
I’m weary with my former toil,
Here I will sit and rest awhile
Under the shadow I will be
of Jesus Christ the apple tree.

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,
It keeps my dying faith alive;
This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,
It keeps my dying faith alive;
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ the apple tree.

(By Rev. Richard Hutchins)

Are there any songs you listen to on repeat? What do you think of this one?

God be with you all today,