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for who you are

All this thinking about social justice and the world and change and the like, both in respect to me and the world, brings me back to Jesus. So, here are a couple videos I just watched that remind me of who God is and also echo the cry of my heart to follow my Creator, Lord, and Savior.

"christmas lights" again

I love this song and actually the video too. I like it because it's honest, it reflects real life and the truth of the human condition, and it seems to also speak of hope, our need for redemption, the hope of redemption, longing for all things to be made right, and for the hope of something, someone greater than ourselves who can (and will) make all things right. Plus, well, the lyrics are pretty amazing, as is the music and, well, the video too. All around awesome-ness.

And I know you may be thinking, Christmas is over. BUT here in Madrid, it just ended this past weekend, so I'm just a day or two past. And my Christmas tree is still up. The decorations are slowly coming down, but since my roommate is out of town, I'm procrastinating doing it alone.


"Christmas Lights" - Coldplay

Christmas night, another fight
Tears we cried a flood
Got all kinds of poison in
Poison in my blood

I took my feet
To Oxford Street
Trying to right a wrong
Just walk away
Those windows say
But I can't believe she's gone

When you're still waiting for the snow to fall
Doesn't really feel like Christmas at all

Up above candles on air flicker
Oh they flicker and they float
But I'm up here holding on
To all those chandeliers of hope

Like some drunken Elvis singing
I go singing out of tune
Saying how I always loved you darling
And I always will

Oh when you're still waiting for the snow to fall
Doesn't really feel like Christmas at all

Still waiting for the snow to fall
It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all

Those Christmas lights
Light up the street
Down where the sea and city meet
May all your troubles soon be gone
Oh Christmas lights keep shining on

Those Christmas lights
Light up the street
Maybe they'll bring her back to me
Then all my troubles will be gone
Oh Christmas lights keep shining on

Oh Christmas lights
Light up the street
Light up the fireworks in me
May all your troubles soon be gone
Those Christmas lights keep shining on

Wait For It...

Okay, I love this song. And it's in my head right now. I'm taking a short detour from finishing up a few papers I need to write.

I appreciate the lyrics and the fact the commentary on our "instant" lives today of smartphones, e-mail, tweets, blogs,... and our becoming accustom with instant replies, things coming easy, and not waiting. Anyway, I could write more but should get back to what I was doing before this musical interlude.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not all against technology nor some of the things that simplify life. I, for instance, am LOVING my new iphone and the fact that I actually spend less time messing with e-mail and such, or at least less computer time on these things, because I can now check them on the bus, metro, walking, while I'm waiting, or whenever. I can reply back in the moment and be done with it. Technology is good if it's a tool and not a burden. But I DO also appreciate the old-fashion slowness of writing letters, camping, the outdoors, I love that in Spain I have to hang out my clothes to dry instead of having a dryer, that I walk and take public transportation instead of driving, that I make food from scratch (even if it takes longer), and that people take time to just be with people and to just enjoy life. I'm not trying to make a US - Spain comparison here, because there are plenty of good things about the US. I just am making the point that the art of "waiting," even the unwanted waiting of waiting in lines and waiting on people is something we'd do well not to lose. While I'm rambling, I must say, I am not by any means the most patient person. I like things to be efficient, quick, effortless,... But living here in Spain has taught me a lot more patience. It's taught me to not get so ruffled by unexpected interruptions in my day, or things that just take longer or take more hassle than expected. I've become much more easy-going, much more go with the flow. So, anyway, there are some of my random ramblings, which I know are still slightly under the influence of nyquil (see previous post). Enjoy the music. :-)

Lykke Li

Ok, so I just found a new musical artist that I love! Lykke Li is swedish and the music is AMAZING!!! Oh, and some of the lyrics are genius. I absolutely love the first video below, Dance Dance Dance! ¡Disfruta!!! Enjoy!

merry christmas!

Coldplay – Christmas Lights Lyrics

Christmas night, another fight
Tears we cried, a flood
Got of all kinds of poison in, poison in my blood
Took my feet to Oxford Street, trying to right a wrong
Just walk away those windows sing
But I can’t believe she’s gone
When you’re still waiting for the snow to fall
It doesn’t really feel like Christmas at all

A group of candles on me are flickering
Oh they flicker and they flow
And I am up here holding on to all those chandeliers of hope
And like some drunken in this city
I go singing out of tune
Singing how I’ve always loved you, darling
And I always will

Oh when you’re still waiting for the snow to fall
It doesn’t really feel like Christmas at all
Still waiting for the snow to fall
It doesn’t really feel like Christmas at all

Those Christmas lights
Light up the streets
Down where the sea and city meet
May all your troubles soon be gone
Oh Christmas lights, keep shining on

Those Christmas lights
Light up the streets
Maybe they’ll bring her back to me
Then all my troubles will be gone
Oh Christmas lights, keep shining on

Oowwwhhhohooooowohohohoooo

Oh Christmas lights
Light up the streets
Light up the fireworks in me
May all your troubles soon be gone
Those Christmas lights keep shining on

We Used To Wait

Lyrics to "We Used to Wait" by Arcade Fire

I used to write,
I used to write letters I used to sign my name
I used to sleep at night
Before the flashing lights settled deep in my brain

But by the time we met
By the time we met the times had already changed

So I never wrote a letter
I never took my true heart I never wrote it down
So when the lights cut out
I was left standing in the wilderness downtown

Now our lives are changing fast
Now our lives are changing fast
Hope that something pure can last
Hope that something pure can last

It seems strange
How we used to wait for letters to arrive
But what's stranger still
Is how something so small can keep you alive

We used to wait
We used to waste hours just walking around
We used to wait
All those wasted lives in the wilderness downtown

oooo we used to wait
oooo we used to wait
oooo we used to wait
Sometimes it never came
(oooo we used to wait)
Sometimes it never came
(oooo we used to wait)
Still moving through the pain
(oooooo)

I'm gonna write a letter to my true love
I'm gonna sign my name
Like a patient on a table
I wanna walk again gonna move through the pain

Now our lives are changing fast
Now our lives are changing fast
Hope that something pure can last
Hope that something pure can last

oooo we used to wait
oooo we used to wait
oooo we used to wait
Sometimes it never came
(oooo we used to wait)
Sometimes it never came
(oooo we used to wait)
Still moving through the pain
(oooooo)

we used to wait (x3)

We used to wait for it
We used to wait for it
Now we're screaming sing the chorus again
We used to wait for it
We used to wait for it
Now we're screaming sing the chorus again

I used to wait for it
I used to wait for it
Hear my voice screaming sing the chorus again

Wait for it (x3)



Let me just say, that I love these guys!!! And their lyrics are pretty ingenious.

Some music from The Civil Wars, a great band that I just discovered. Reminds me a bit of Over the Rhine.



The Civil Wars - Dance Me to the End of Love




And you can download some of their music for free here on their myspace page. enjoy!

ok go - "end love" & "this too shall pass"

Ok. This is definitely a little silly. But I love it and it makes me laugh or at least smile, so here you go. Some Ok Go. You've gotta love their videos.

melancholy songs

beirut - "nantes"


feist - "the park"


over the rhine - "ohio"


over the rhine - "i want you to be my love"


feist - "lonely, lonely"

la fete - beirut

okay... i just learned how to get the embedded codes for youtube videos. i know. slow. :-) and i DID just post this the other day, but it wasn't as accessible to you. and I need to watch it again today. it makes me happy. so, here you go, "forks and knives," or "la fete," which means the party in french, :-) by beirut, who are AMAZING!

bright as yellow

"Bright As Yellow" - Innocence Mission

And you live your life with your arms stretched out.
Eye to eye when speaking.
Enter rooms with great joy shouts,
happy to be meeting.

And bright,
bright,
bright as yellow,
warm as yellow.

And I do not want to be a rose.
I do not wish to be pale pink,
but flower scarlet, flower gold.
And have no thorns to distance me,

but be bright,
bright,
bright as yellow,
warm as yellow.

Even if I'm shouting, even if I'm shouting here
inside.
Even if I'm shouting, do you see that I'm wanting,
that I want to be so
bright,
bright,
bright as yellow,
warm as yellow.

beirut

Ok. Beirut is quickly becoming one of my favorite bands and they have the greatest videos too. Here are just a couple in the order of my preference of them. Enjoy!
video 1 - "knives and forks (la fete)"
video 2 - "nantes"
video 3 - "nantes" in paris

feist

I've been loving listening to Feist tonight and thought I'd post some youtube videos I found. What I love is the honest emotion sometimes mixed with a whimsical happiness of sorts. If that makes any sense. Anyway, here's some of her music. Enjoy!
video 1 - the park
video 2 - lonely, lonely
video 3 - 1234

the cult of sincerity

Some friends, or more accurately friends of friends recently made a film, posted it on youtube (by the way, it's a full length film), and are now giving about half of their earnings to Fount of Mercy, an NGO (non-profit) working in Uganda. It's a good film. So, check it out if you have time. Oh, and by the way, to help them out and to "donate" to Fount of Mercy via them, you can do so for nearly for free. So go check out the film and do what they say.