I am a little late at bringing you the new CD from Nichole Nordeman. I heard about it a couple of weeks ago when we were urged to help give photos to the song titled Slow Down. I listened to the song, and have several times now, and it always chokes me up. It’s a song to our growing children, and their stages of life, begging them to stop for just a moment and slow down. I like the lines – “I pointed to the sky, and now you want to fly – I am your biggest fan.”

Having older teens has been a crazy emotional struggle. Knowing that I’ve set them up to fly – but wanting to hold them back. Knowing they need to walk through things while I watch, and not knowing when to stomp my foot down and stop them – or when the lovingly walk through something. Sigh. I did pull photos for the video – I’m sharing them here with this post.

There are six full songs on the CD. Each one is Powerful. Intimate. Personal.

It is strange – listening to them, a few of my favorite teen girls come to mind, how soothing and confirming the message of these songs would be to them. Yet, as I am making this transition from kid mom, to teen mom, to college kid mom, and beyond, – the songs are very much pointed at me.

The lyrics – are .   so . personal. (Sorry if I leave out a word or two, these are just notes from my journal as I listened.) “You are not your ashes, you are a flam,e do not ask the shadows, the light of the world knows your name.” I can hear the hearts of many of the young girls making life choices – that they regret. Silly enough – it helped me to quit feeling bad for the last 8 months of not taking care of myself. Encouraged me to quit apologizing to myself and others.

It’s not just silly girl feel good lyrics – she draws in the Word. Scriptures – writing in the words of those from the new testament, even from the old, Folks who walked with the Prophets, the Spirit of the LORD, and Christ himself. She weaves how they may have felt, and it sounds so much like what I’ve heard myself and others say today. “You’ve been loving me since time began, You’ve been behind my every second chance.” “You take all kinds of nothin’, and turn it right into something – You take my every doubt and make something out of me.”  I didn’t get the line – but the idea of feeding a Hungry Heart.  – sigh. If folks who walked with Christ felt this way – how amazing it is to have songs to touch us – based on God’s word?

As I mentioned above, I really enjoyed the song Slow Down. I pointed to the Sky – and now you want to Fly – ya. It’s hard. Being a mom. Seeing how little time there is left. Thankful for every minute that they are near. Knowing their plans do not include sitting in the basement all day playing video games while I bring them cheese sandwiches til they are 40.  ha. An idea that repulsed me when they were tiny babes, sounds almost good. . . almost.

I hope my boys know – that I am their biggest fan. It’s been a conversation in our home the last two weeks. I had flipped to the being a policeman task master mom. Instead of the stop – listen – feel – hear – really hear – don’t defend – don’t correct – give time – quiet – and then cheer. Working on flipping back, it’s a choice – an easy one to make.

This fellah? Here’s his photo from his first day of college last year, he starts his second year in a couple of weeks:

It was youth group, then prom, then poof – college. sigh.

I have four more years left with my youngest. We start 9th grade – without any kids in the house. Just Jon. Nate will be going to two different schools and working to pay for the gas and insurance. If last year was an indication – if I get 30 minutes a week with him, it will be a miracle.

You want your heart touched? You want to hear words poured out with music that speak your heart? You need to listen to the Unmaking.

“Stones laid down, all I’ve made is torn down – all of you is all that’s left”. This little Pebblekeeper, who has built up Petra School – is glad it was on The Rock. I’m excited to see what He creates out of me – for my next phase.

About the new album The Unmaking:

“Before things in our lives can be resurrected and given new life, certain things must die.  Before beauty blooms in spring, roots must do the hard work under the hard frozen soil of winter.  Before you renovate and re-build, you tear down the parts of the structure that are weak or damaged or dangerous.  Before we make, we must unmake.”  Nichole Nordeman 

About Nichole Nordeman:

Nichole Nordeman is a recording artist and songwriter for Sparrow/EMI CMG, with numerous number-one and top ten singles to her credit and cumulative CD sales of over one million.  A two-time Gospel Music Association winner for Female Vocalist of the Year, she has won a total of nine Dove Awards, including the best-selling album, Music Inspired by The Story.  Her best-known songs include “Holy”, “Legacy”, “Brave”, “This Mystery”, “Why”, and “What If”.  She lives with her family in Tulsa, OK.  

ALBUM RELEASE DATE:  AUGUST 28TH

::::::::::::::::::::::

S O C I A L • C O R N E R

These two? The one on top is over 6 foot – and 18, he drove over to spend the weekend with us – good times. I can’t say enough  – how this photo felt like yesterday.