For Always

For Always

For Always…All my life I dreamed of someone special who’d come along and make my dreams come true.

When I least expected love, it came my way, the moment I caught a glimpse of you!

For Always, I will give you my heart. Cherish every moment in your arms. As long as we’re together, I can face another day. I’ll love you (I will love you), For Always!

Hand in hand we’ll spend our lives together, we’ve pledged our love for all eternity. My soul is soaring, there is joy just in my heart. For I’m in love with you. (I’m in love with you!) And you’re in love with me (in love with me!)!

For Always, I will give you my heart. Cherish every moment in your arms. As long as we’re together, I can face another day. I’ll love you (Yes, I’ll love you), For Always!

For Always, I will give you my heart. Cherish every moment in your arms. As long as we’re together, I can face another day. I’ll love you (Yes, I’ll love you), For Always! For Always! For Always!

Jim and Melissa Brady

James and I have been married for over 12 years. Melissa Brady has been my friend since we were girls of only 11 years old and I met Jim and his family in Texas when I was in 1^st grade! Who would have known that these MANY years later their CD of love songs would mean so much to us? So many of the songs were as if they were written with us in mind and Jim and Melissa had never even met my husband when they made this CD and wrote these songs.

But that is just the way our Great God and Heavenly Father works. His Word can speak to a parent who has lost a baby or a wife who is a new widow or a single person who desires a husband or wife. He speaks to all of our needs and he can use a willing vessel to write songs that touch people’s hearts all around the world for his purpose. Songs that have a special meaning to each person or couple depending on where they are in they’re life.

 Are James and I perfect? NO Do we have a perfect marriage and never disagree or “fight”? NO Do we adore each other more than the day we got married over 12 years ago? You better believe it!! We gross out our kids all the time and especially embarrass our 16yr old (another blessing with a long story for later) son by hugging and “smooching”. But our kids have no doubt even on tough days when I’m hurting and snippy or Dad has worked 12 or 14 hrs, that we still love each other and that will be FOR ALWAYS!!

They know if Dad and Mom are in the same room they will be touching, my head on his shoulder, holding hands, sitting on his lap, his head in my lap, one of us rubbing the other’s feet, him brushing my hair, hugging or kissing or just sitting talking and laughing. We will be TOGETHER.

Twelve years, three kids, two cancers, 13 surgeries, and LOTS of grey hairs and he still holds my hand every time we ride in the car, no matter who is there. He holds my hand when we walk together, puts his arm  around me in church and gives me his arm when we walk in church and pulls the car to the front door while our sons help me in the car after church! I am loved and cared for like I am a fragile treasure! I AM LOVED FOR ALWAYS!!!

You'll Accomp'ny Me

A gypsey wind is blowin warm tonight
the sky is starlit and the time is right
and still your tellin me you have to go
before you leave there's somethin you should know

yeah
something you should know babe

I've seen you smilin in the summer sun
I've seen your long hair flyin when you run
i've made my mind up that its meant to be
someday lady you'll accomp'ny me

someday lady you'll acomp'ny me
out where rivers meet the soundin sea
your high above me now your wild and free
oh but someday lady you'll accomp'ny me
someday lady you'll accomp'ny me yeah

ohh

Some people say that love's a losin game
you start with fire but you lose the flame.
the ashes smolder but the warmths soon gone
you end cold and loneley own your own

Ill take my chances babe i'll risk it all
i'll win your love or i'll take the fall
ive made my mind up girl its meant to be,
someday lady you'll accomp'ny me

someday lady you'll acomp'ny me
it's written down somewhere its got to be
your high above flyin wild and free
oh but someday lady you'll accomp'ny me
someday lady you'll accomp'ny me yeah

someday lady you'll acomp'ny me
out where rivers meet the soundin sea
i feel it in my soul its meat to be
oh someday lady you'll accomp'ny me
someday lady you'll accomp'ny me yeah

you will acompany me
ohh
yeah

i know you will a-comp'ny me yeah
ahh
somday lady
ohh
somday lady
your gonna comp'ny me
your gonna walk with me and talk with me
yeah
ohh gonna comp'ny me
gonna comp'ny me yeah
someday 

Bob Seger  

Not a song you would expect to be on my list. I have only dated two men in my life and since I ended up married to both of them even songs from when i was dating the first time made a huge impression on me.

Some of them hurt too much for one reason or another to listen to now but they are still a part of me.

This one is one of Charlie's songs for me when we were dating. He would play it and tell me that when we got married he would take me to Ninilchik. Where he and his family lived and and we would go fishing together (the one thing he truley loved).

But one time he was playing in the parking lot at the bowling alley with a group from church and said something about it being meant for me and my brother Dewayne got mad and wanted to beat him up! I thought it was silly for Dewayne to get so mad but so proud that someone felt that way about me!

Wish I had looked down the road 12 years instead of just hearing a romantic song...

One Day At A Time

Anna Belle Barlow ~ My Maternal Grandmother (Mamaw)

I always remember her singing in a high quavery soprano. She seemed to always be singing or humming a hymn while she worked or walked or quilted. The only time she was quiet was when she was reading a book or dozed off while reading.

The song I remember the most vividly was her "morning song". Her brother owned a little country store/ gas station down the road around the corner from Papaw and Mamaw's farm. And IF you were lucky enough to wake up REALLY early, before anyone else, she would let you walk with her to her brother's store to get whatever she needed for the day. (Butter, loaf of bread,...) and as you walked along with the sun rising and dew glistening on the fields all around and the blacktop still dark black and cool from the night, she would start humming a few bars and then she would sing a word or two kind of quiet till we got past the house so she wouldn't wake anyone up and then she would start singing with all of her heart to God and His nature!

My heart sang along with her! A few times I joined in a bit. But mostly I loved to just hear her beautiful voice lifted in praise to her Savior in the early morning as we walked along hand in hand......

ONE DAY AT A TIME, SWEET JESUS I'm only human, I'm just a woman. Help me believe in what I could be And all that I am. Show me the stairway, I have to climb. Lord for my sake, teach me to take One day at a time. Chorus: One day at a time sweet Jesus That's all I'm asking from you. Just give me the strength To do everyday what I have to do. Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus And tomorrow may never be mine. Lord help me today, show me the way One day at a time. Do you remember, when you walked among men? Well Jesus you know if you're looking below It's worse now, than then. Cheating and stealing, violence and crime So for my sake, teach me to take One day at a time. (Chorus)

(Marijohn Wilkins / Kris Kristofferson)

In the Garden

1. I come to the garden alone,
   While the dew is still on the roses,
   And the voice I hear falling on my ear
   The Son of God discloses.
   
   • Refrain:
     And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
     And He tells me I am His own;
     And the joy we share as we tarry there,
     None other has ever known.
2. He speaks, and the sound of His voice
   Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
   And the melody that He gave to me
   Within my heart is ringing.
3. I’d stay in the garden with Him,
   Though the night around me be falling,
   But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
   His voice to me is calling.
4. Charles A. Miles, 1913

This is James' favorite song. I was surprised when I found that out, for some reason. He's a big, burly Alaskan. Raised on a fishing boat. Commercial fishing since he was 9 yrs old. the middle of 5 boys and one younger sister, his Mother had died when he was 16 and the rest of his time at home was with a heartbroken tough old Cajun father who was gone weeks at a time working.

   Not really a garden kind of guy you would think. But he has a tender heart of gold and he knows that God is where he finds his quiet and strength and isn't afraid to admit that to the world.