For the past 15 years or so, Delirious, a British group, has been impacting the musical landscape with some of the most powerful songs (secular or Christian) anywhere. I heard once that the original 3 of the 5 guys were married to 3 sisters and that the bass player is the sisters’ baby brother. So they are family, then, which explains a lot!
Our own family became huge-devoted fans while Tara was a senior in high school when some one gave us Delirious? Live and in the Can. They changed everything about Christian music and influenced my kids, who were all teen-agers at the time and deciding for themselves how to follow Jesus, deeply. This group has been the Rhoades family soundtrack for these last exciting 12 or so years as my children grew into passionate pursuers of the Presence.
Their songs have become classics.
“I Could Sing of Your Love Forever” and “Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble” are unquestionably songs that define our spiritual times. Their call to social justice because of loving Christ, not to garner His love, has broadened the church’s reach, made Christians more aware of a need to get out into world and make a change. There is “Majesty (Here I Stand),” and “My Soul Sings,” which have taken us to places of deeper worship. When Martin quoted the words of the 1834 lyrics of “The Solid Rock” through a megaphone at their final appearance in Colorado a couple of weeks ago, I was struck by the power of the classic hymn as well as how musically sophisticated and cool Delirious has been. It was almost a rap, but with that English accent. They definitely experimented and we are the richer for it.
Stormie took lots of pictures of the bass player. She even has a shirt (her very own design) that says “I wanna be just like Jon Thatcher.”
Their song, “Obsession,” (“…and my heart burns for You…”) expressed the haunting question that kept one of my daughters returning to God when the enemy of her soul tried to dissuade her. Another daughter encouraged me through some of the darkest times with the lyric from “Every Little Thing”:
When it’s all falling down on you
You’re crying out but you’re breaking in two
When it’s all crashing down on you
When there’s nothing you can do
There is someone who can carry you
Every little thing’s gonna be alright
Every little thing’s gonna be alright
And when some one broken has come to me for a word to soothe, I have often put my arms around them and sang those words softly in their ear, because I do know Who can carry them, “…every little thing’s gonna be alright…” It is a promise we can take to the bank.
There is “Rain Down,” “What a Friend I’ve Found,” and the classic, “Oh, Lead Me.” The Monkey-esque (in the best possible Davy Jones way) song from the Mission Bell album makes you want to run right out and “paint this town red with the blood of Jesus.” And I don’t know if there is a song about the indisputable power of God that I love more than “My Glorious.” He is all in all and “greater than the air I breathe, this world we’ll leave. And He will save the day and all will say ‘my Glorious…'”
The Delirious? Challenge:
But the song that seems to wrap up their message in a nutshell, the one they’ve been singing for ages and sang again just the other night, is “History Maker.” And Martin Smith and the band challenged everyone there to understand that they can shake this nation and impact this world. And my kids were there, hearing it and accepting it and I am so blessed to watch them becoming History Makers in their worlds. We have always told our kids to live in a way that could bring them an epitaph like David’s: “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep…” That is the whole goal, to fulfill God’s purpose in our times, for our times. That is the message of “History Maker.”
Is it true today that when people pray
Cloudless skies will break, Kings and Queens will shake
Yes it’s true and I believe it,
I’m living for you
Is it true today, that when people pray
We’ll see dead men rise and the blind set free
Yes, it’s true and I believe it
I’m living for you
I’m gonna be a History Maker in this land
I’m gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind
I’m gonna stand, I’m gonna run
Into your arms, into your arms again
Well, it’s true today that when people stand
With the fire of God and the truth in hand
We’ll see miracles, we’ll see angels sing
We’ll see broken hearts making history
Yes it’s true and I believe it
I’m living for you
I’m gonna be a History Maker in this land
I’m gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind
I’m gonna stand, I’m gonna run
Into your arms…
Thanks, Delirious?
I have loved Delirious? for years now and will be listening to and loving their music for a long time to come. They are just so cool! I am blessed because my kids use their stuff (some one once told me that nobody can cover a Delirious? song as well as my son Rocky, and oh, how I agree) and they will be releasing their final album on November 9 (“History Makers Greatest Hits“). Thank-you, Delirious, for what you’ve given, what you have stirred up, the integrity in which you have walked and for unleashing History Makers around the world. Your song will go on!
From a thankful mama…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Buy Rocky the Greatest Hits 2-CD/DVD set as a late bithday gift.
Last year I said October is Orange. And it still is. My church turned orange last fall, too. I do love my house-of-worship-advertising sweatshirt with the bum logo (thank-you, sweet Katie!).
This October is craaaaaazy-busy-fun and occasion-filled!
Like, we have three family birthdays in October (mine, Hunter’s and still-to-come: Jovan’s!). I turned 50 (shhh…there is no need to think about this, nor mention it aloud) with dinner at Cinzzetti’s~
Pictured: Me and my baby, Stormie; Patrice is telling me right at this very second that she is pregnant with their 3rd child! Me, Pearl and Marilyn. I screamed immediately following…
DP nearly ate Cinzzetti’s out of mussels; me and the 5 grandbebes who were well-contained in our private room.
I have sweet friends (almost every single one of whom is younger than me, I noticed), and a lovely family. Thank-you, everybody for celebrating my life even if I could have gone without noticing the new decade. I am blessed.
Hunter and the wheels-in-motion cake and fun-on-wheels party for himself and 25 of his closest friends:
Hunter turned “The Garage” into a speedway. There were trikes and bikes and skateboards and more. Kids zoomed one way and then the next. It was crazy loud and speedy. Hunter got the chocolate fudge cake he wanted in the shape of a “5” and when, the other day, he reminded he really, really, really wanted some lightening bolts, too, in honor of his current favorite movie, Bolt, I whipped up a strawberry cake at the last second to cut out and ice some lightening bolt shapes for flanking the main cake.
But, oh my goodness, it is what I did with the cut-off-cake crumbs that needs to be mentioned. Into a bowl: leftover chocolate-fudge cake, the rest of the fudge filling, a block of cream cheese, a can of cherry pie filling. Mixed well. Cookie-scooped onto baking sheets and thrown into the freezer until they were just firm enough to coat with melted white chocolate. Chocolate-Cherry Cake Bites, o yeah! To. die. for. Yum. Seriously!
Poor Magoo ended up very, very sick at his own party. He conked out, but the fun held up.
There was a Worship and the Word Movement PSTeam (prayer-support team) potluck at the MadCap Theater (a great improv place-you should totally go!)
Last night there was a Seek and Soak with TOM EWING (a man DP called a general in worship ministry). Here is the kick-off song featuring Tom, Sing to the King
In the video, left to right: Rocky Rhoades on guitar, Tom Ewing, Tristan on drums, Stormie on bass, DP on lead guitar (and leading the whole Seek and Soak), Lewis Brown (a.k.a. Proxy), and Lewis Brown, Sr. on sax. It was an amazing night. Musical worship, the Word of God, 3+ hours of encounter-worship, about 100 people entering the Presence, even Baptists! :) Smile, Emily! That was for you!
Let’s see…what else?
Jovan and Rocky will find out if it is a boy or a girl at their next appointment. Goody!
There is the celebration of Amy Jo’s baby-to-be this Thursday night.
And Saturday night I get to go see the final Delirious concert in Colorado ever as they are on their farewell tour. This band changed everything in the 90s and they are still such a class act, men of integrity who love Jesus and are soooo talented. They changed the sound of worship and people around the world go deeper worship via the songs of the Lord they introduced. Got to see them at Ichthus and now here. I love them and how they have influenced my own children to become History Makers.
Also ~ Dave will play the lead in the Platte Valley Player’s community theaters’ presentation of “Suspenders,” a musical comedy, as part of the grand opening celebration of Brighton’s newly restored/renovated armory as a community arts center/theater in Brighton’s “downtown.” He’ll be performing in it over the next few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. I’ll be attending the very first performance on Monday the 19th (an event for which I bought a dress!!). I am somewhat divided in my joy about the fact that Dave is also painting the backdrop for the show and there are 6 giant 8′ x 4′ canvases in my living room at this time.
Family Time!
I will be going to spend a week with my mama et papa in Springfield, MO, where they wrongfully and stubbornly retired a year and a half ago and now wish to leave to be closer to any of us that they know (do you know of anyone house-hunting in Springfield?? Help!). They will spoil me rotten and my brother Joe is meeting me there, too. We will visit Branson, about a half hour from them, for the express purpose of giving my mother her dream-come-true in visiting the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans Museum before it closes its’ doors for good this December.
I am already working on church Christmas decor. In October!
Upon my return, I will enjoy the grandbebes playing dress-up for the church’s annual Harvest Fest and then, as they have all requested (informing me that it is a tradition, one I must have started unknowingly), all will gather at our home for broccoli-cheese soup (because I make incredible zuppa).
Life. It can wear you out!
Dave is sick and they are checking him for H1N1 tomorrow morning, though they have already started him on antibiotics. What in the world?? Who has time for this?
Just trying to keep up…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Loosen up some time in November and December. Right.
The question is: can God fix what I have messed up? Can He redeem what I have squandered? Will He?
Sanctify
Here I am in that old place again
Down on my face again
Crying out I want you to hear my plea
Come down and rescue me
How long will it take
How long will I have to wait?
And all I want is all you have
Come to me, rescue me,
Fall on me with your love
And all you want is all I have
Come to me, rescue me,
fall on me with your love
Sanctify I want to be set apart
Right to the very heart
Prophesy to the four winds
And breathe life to this very place
How long will it take?
How long will I have to wait?
And all I want is all you have
Come to me rescue me,
Fall on me with your love
And all you want is all I have
Come to me rescue me,
Fall on me with your love
Lifted up I’ve climbed with the strength I have
Right to this mountain top
Looking out the cloud’s getting bigger now
It’s time to get ready now