City on a Hill: Sing Alleluia

Happy Sunday, all. This past week has been only slightly eventful. Monday was my last physical therapy session. I'm slightly relieved it's over, only because I received the bill a couple of days following and am regretting the decision in some ways. Even so, nothing can compare to the improvement I've felt over recent weeks to my physical body.

Friday found me hosting some of the young people from our church at our home for a night of games and gaiety. "Young people." That sounds so pretentious. I really don't know what to call them without sounding old. "Kids" is definitely worse. Am I truly making my way towards decrepitude? This thought is most disheartening. Still, it warms my heart to fellowship with those that don't seem to find my life boring and mundane. Seriously, I had one of the students from church tell me my life was boring. I can't begin to explain how pissed off I was. I can't help that this town has sucked the life out of me. But, as always, I digress.

Yesterday was a somewhat pleasant surprise for my husband and I. He had taken the day off to attend the wedding of a former co-worker and lovingly dragged me along to attend. The ceremony, lasting a total of three minutes (no kidding), found us with ample time to ourselves, so we ventured out for a late lunch and some necessary shopping (on his part, though he did encourage me to get something for myself). Other than tummy upsets right before bed, it was definitely a cherished moment within our marriage.

Anyways, on to our main event -- the multi-artist project known as City on a Hill. This was a series of albums that started around my pre-teen years that my parents liked. My parents were odd when it came to music during my formative years. They listened to a lot of older Christian artists and cast a wary eye on anything that sounded like it didn't some out of the 1980's. The only exception to this standard was when it pertained to worship music, which is mainly what the City on a Hill series focused on. After listening to them again, I realized that the theme was taken from one of the old hymns that we all grew up on and reinvented by various artists in rather creative ways.

The "Sing Alleluia" aspect comes from the old hymn, "All Creatures of Our God and King," one hymn I've never had any particular deep intrinsic connection. While I harbor such an indifference towards the hymn itself, I have to admit that this has to be my favorite of the series. The lyrics of the songs written for this edition ring truer to me than any of the other, if not for the rather painfully admitted revelation that I find in them to hope still in the salvation and love of my Savior. To be honest, since I've been married and moved back to a town where I thought I would find strength, rest and comfort, the end result has been anything but. I daily find it fatiguing to remind myself whose I am. My spiritual life couldn't be any further from glamorous and exemplary. As I write this, I'm wrestling within myself to even believe that God -- that Christ himself -- exist, though I know from past experience that the existence of this loving deity to be a fact. Being broken enough times in close sequential order can do that to a person, even one so at one time passionately in love with her Savior as I once was. But it is that memory of my great God that I cling to still, knowing that hope still abounds, even if but a slight flicker.

Even now, as the album plays, I'm trying to find one sample of the songs that showcase the Ebenezer stone of my heart that I look back to in order to restore my faith in that I once clinged to with fervor and wild abandon. As relieving tears trickle down, I can't choose just one. This album is just that good. I encourage those of you that are having a time -- whatever that may be -- find a way to listen to this album and remember that warm hand around your shoulders that reminds you that it holds the power over all creation...and more importantly, over the dire situation you find yourself currently in the middle.

We must not lose hope.

Eternal God, unchanging
Mysterious and unknown
Your boundless love unfailing
In grace and mercy shown
Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight
Around your glorious throne
Their voices raised both day and night
In praise to you alone

Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God
Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!

Lord, we are weak and frail,
Helpless in the storm
Surround us with your angels
Hold us in your arms
Our cold and ruthless enemy
His pleasure is our harm
Rise up, oh Lord, and he will flee
Before our Sovereign God

Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!
Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!

Let every creature in the sea
And every flying bird
Let all the mountains, all the fields
And valleys of the earth
Let all the moons and all the stars
Throughout the universe
Sing praises to the Living God
Who rules them by His word

Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God
Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!