Even the Angels are Still Sleeping

I wake up early most days. Some days I wake up SUPER early. I enjoy the quiet stillness. Usually, our cat Rice rests in my lap as I sip my morning coffee sitting in utter darkness. “You’re his human,” Terri likes to say. “He adores you.”

Sitting in the darkness, the silence is deafening. It’s peaceful. I believe only the Lord and I are awake. Even the angels are still sleeping.

I wondered, “How can it be Thursday, September 12th already? Wasn’t it just Thursday, August 29th?” Terri’s sister died on August 30th. Somehow, time had turbulently churned on.

Looking back, the last couple of weeks have been a complete blur. Death and disease disrupted our daily routine. We rest in knowing that God is good and take comfort in the Lord’s faithfulness during what has proven to be a difficult time. Our faith forms the foundation for what has gotten us through the waves of storms that have marked our lives the last several weeks. It’s just been one thing after another.

Music is important to both of us and conversations about music naturally cropped up as we prepared to bury Terri’s sister, Sheri. Music is part of how we are healing today, in the aftermath of Sheri’s death.

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Listen to my playlist on Spotify.

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In remembering her sister, Terri confessed that she’s been listening to a lot of 70s music. I’ve had different old tunes humming in my head, like Al Stewart’s “Time Passages,” from 1978.

It was late in December, the sky turned to snow
All round the day was going down slow
Night like a river beginning to flow
I felt the beat of my mind go
Drifting into time passages
Years go falling in the fading light
Time passages
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight

Time Passages, Al Stewart (1978)

Naturally, this made me wonder about whatever happened to Al Stewart. Was he still alive? Is he still making music? Turns out the answer to both questions is YES.

As I delved into his life story, I learned that Al Stewart is a very creative artist who doesn’t flow in the mainstream.

“There’s a huge difference between content and style, and, if you work more towards content, why not make it content that is original.”

Al Stewart, telephone interview with Bob Reid and Blair Packham on NewsTalk 1010 AM Toronto

(June 2012)

Stewart is currently in the midst of planning a farewell tour in 2025 to celebrate his 80th birthday.

His song “Time Passages” is all about the power of memory, and the fact that memories sometimes appear out of nowhere and surprise you – either happily, or not [Rob Jones, The Delete Bin, February 2008].

Along the way, I’ve stumbled upon on an excellent music blog by Rob Jones, a blogger who has been populating the blogosphere with his content for eons. If you’re a music listener, I encourage you to checkout Rob’s blog, “The Delete Bin.”

About the Delete Bin

In the midst of all this, I still have an art exhibit hanging in one of our local rec centers. It’s a show that I’ve put a lot of work into, so I want people to see it. It’s important for me to share the content.

An online news blurb says this about it:

I’ve also begun creating new content and I plan to continue hammering out posts for my blog.

Excuse me, if this post seems like one huge ramble skirting from here to there. It’s not intended to be.

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

In moments like these, we can only look to the Lord to bring us peace. We know that God holds us steadfast in His grasp amid the mightiest storms.

Until next my post…

God is good. All the time. 

No matter what.

Know you are loved.

Praying for you. Praying for America.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

#JesusStrong