This week I got to perform a couple of my Christmas songs, with a good friend of mine, Jennifer Griffiths. Jenn is a wonderful singer/songwriter and friend, and just happens to be Ms. Utah Continental. If you get a stereotypical vision of what she must be like- she would probably surprise you. I have been so impressed with her “Love Yourself” platform, and redefining what beauty is… this year she set a goal to think of 365 reasons why she is beautiful– and none of them have anything to do with an outward beauty. Truly she is inspiring- and if anyone is in need of a little different perspective on beauty- lead them over to her website at: http://www.theloveyourselfdare.com/. She is truly an inspiring women!
At any rate, I picked my song, “If I’d Been There” to sing, as well as a new song that I was writing at the time based on “The Living Christ” document. I have been trying to learn the guitar for some time now (many of you know!) and I took the opportunity to set that as a goal, to try and accompany myself by then on the guitar!
The weekend before the performance, Jenn and I got together and ran through the songs that we were going to sing. I thought I’d be able to play both of them. I could play “If I’d Been There” alright, but “The Living Christ”, was pretty laughable! I was shaking so much, I couldn’t even hold the guitar! I decided that it just wouldn’t be the smartest thing to try and perform that way. So with only 2 days until our performance, I spent hours putting together a backtrack of recorded music that I could sing it to. It worked. Best of all, I played my other song alright still, and I really do feel like I can say, “I can play the guitar!” Cool, huh!
Another cool thing- the rest of the week- I finished up my “Joy to the World” arrangement. After our ward Christmas breakfast, my good friend Teri and I went into the chapel, and while Teri played the organ part, I played the piano part, and imagined how it would sound. Today our choir sang through the vocal arrangement for the first time– it is going to be so amazing! I’m so excited! There’s really no way to fully envision how it will sound until you have the whole congregation singing with the choir, the organ and the piano– wow! (And of course someday it will also be fully orchestrated!) I’ll try to post the arrangement soon.
Though I don’t have sheet music done for “The Living Christ” (or a recording) I wanted to at least share the words to my newest song, “The Living Christ”.
So profound an influence in this world he helped create
though sinless, he was baptized for our sake
He walked the roads of Palestine
helping blind men see
He taught the truths of eternity
He’s the redeemer of the world
He’s the king, and Lord of Lords
someday we’ll sing with Him
Our knees will bend to Him!
Chorus
For He is the Living Christ
He is the light that shows the way
He’s the Father’s Begotten Son
the only one who truly saves
His life did not begin in Bethlehem
or conclude on Calvary
He rose from the grave
and He is living still today
He appeared to many loved ones
and His sheep of other folds
and to Joseph Smith, in our time, as foretold
With His eyes described as fire,
His brightness brighter than the sun
He’s declared His Father’s will has been done
He’s the redeemer of the world
He’s the King and Lord of Lords
Someday we’ll sing with Him
Our knees will bend to Him!
Chorus
He healed the sick
He takes my pain
He is my life
He is unchanged!
Chorus
He is the Living Christ
and He still lives!