In the Blue – Music Story

John played the harmonica. He found backing tracks of songs he loved and played along.¹ But there was one song that he couldn’t find a backing track for. So he asked me to play it on my piano and record it for him. He would use the recording as a backing track. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the sheet music anywhere. I had to tell John that I didn’t have the ability to play the song by ear.

But!

I did find a chord progression for the song. I took the chord progression to my piano, wove a melody around it, and penned lyrics that reflected John’s love of fishing. I sent John a recording of the song.

A few years later I realized the melody and refrain from John’s song would be perfect for a song I was writing based on Philippians 4:6-7. I posted “Surprised by Peace” in my blog in the middle of COVID.”²

John died this December. The family contributed photos for a memorial slideshow.³ You can hear John playing the harmonica throughout the photo montage. The last few pictures are accompanied by John playing his harmonica to the recording of this song that I composed for him.

From the album “Paper Book Colors – Nature Sings” this video is scrolling playback of a song I wrote for my brother, John.

Kathy

Click here to read Philippians 4:6-7.

Print (PDF) sheet music is available for In the Blue.

Click here for PDF.

¹ John on the harmonica with a backing track: DON'T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING
² #songsofmyheart: Surprised by Peace – Music Story
³ The slideshow can be seen here: Obituary for John C. Stillman

Laughing Water – Music Story

What does water sound like when it cascades down a hill, tumbling over rocks, falling, splashing into pools? Do you hear a heehaw, chuckle, guffaw, titter, snigger, howl, hoot, chortle? Is there mirth, joy, glee?

Laughing water – Minnehaha. How would you notate that?

From the album “Paper Book Colors – Nature Sings” this video is scrolling playback of a flute solo overlaid with audio, photos, and video of laughing water from my backyard.

Kathy

Print (PDF) sheet music for flute is available for Laughing Water. You will need to supply the sound of water.

Click here for PDF.

Tempted – Music Story

The Spirit of God led Jesus, the Son of God, to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, to be tempted just like us.

Challenge #1

God “rained down bread from heaven” [i] to feed the children of Israel when they were hungry in the wilderness. Jesus was hungry in the wilderness.

Shouldn’t God’s Son make bread from stones?
Shouldn’t the Creator feed us when we are hungry?

Challenge #2

Psalm 91 promises that no evil would befall the one who made God his dwelling place. The angels “will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”[ii] Satan brought Jesus to the highest point of the temple and told him to throw himself down.

Wouldn’t people believe Jesus was God’s Son if God kept him safe?
If he wants us to believe in him, shouldn’t the Creator kept us safe?

Challenge #3

The children of Israel had a choice: “If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”[iii] If Jesus didn’t like God’s way, he could choose Satan’s.

If Jesus bowed down and worshiped Satan, Satan would give him all the kingdoms of the world.
If the Creator doesn’t fulfill our desires, we’ll go elsewhere.

According to Jesus, these three challenges are not valid reasons for rejecting the Creator and refusing to serve and worship him. Jesus can sympathize with our weaknesses, he “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”[iv]

From the album “Redemption” this video is scrolling playback of a song based on Matthew 4:1-11.

Kathy

Click here to read the temptation of Jesus.

Print (PDF) sheet music is available for Tempted.

Click here for PDF.

[i] Exodus 16:3-4 Exodus 16 | NIV Bible | YouVersion
[ii] Psalms 91 | NIV Bible | YouVersion
[iii] Joshua 24:15 Joshua 24 | NIV Bible | YouVersion
[iv] Hebrews 4:15 Hebrews 4 | NIV Bible | YouVersion

I Cry to God for Mercy - Music Story

David was a man after God’s own heart.

1 Samuel records three times when David refused to use his circumstances for personal gain.

God had rejected Saul as king and appointed David in his stead. In a jealous rage Saul sought David’s life. He and his troops chased after David. David and his men hid in the recesses of a cave. When Saul entered the cave alone, David’s men encouraged him to take vengeance on Saul. David refused. Instead, he chose to wait for God to rescue him.

Psalms 142:1-2, 5-6
A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.

I cry aloud to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
before him I tell my trouble.

I cry to you, Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.
Listen to my cry,
for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me”[i]

David was a man after God’s own heart. David and Jesus each refused to become king by disobeying The Ten Commandments:[ii] David refused to murder Saul, Jesus refused to worship Satan.[iii] Both chose to wait for God to rescue them.

Continuing the story of “Redemption,” this short Psalm (based on David’s circumstances in 1 Samuel 24 – 26) is scrolling playback of the song.

Kathy

Click here to read 1 Samuel 24 – 26.

Print (PDF) sheet music is available for I Cry to God for Mercy.

Click here for PDF.

---

[i] Psalms 142 | NIV Bible | YouVersion
[ii] Exodus 20 | NIV Bible | YouVersion
[iii] The Temptation of Jesus

Mary & Martha – Music Story

Women flourish where they have the power to publicly and freely sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him. That power comes from their country’s legal system. It’s a nation’s laws (not an individual’s spirituality or vague sense of kindness to women) that protect women from violence and discrimination.

Laurie Stewart, JD, looks at four major religious worldviews and compares their impact on laws regarding the treatment of women. She asks, “Who or what holds the greatest hope for women?”(1)

1.       Islam: Women and the Laws of Saudi Arabia

2.       Hinduism: Women and the Laws of India

3.       Atheism: Women and the Laws of China

4.       Christianity: Women and the Laws of the United States

Professor Stewart concludes that Christianity is good for women!

Women flourish where they have the legal right to publicly and freely sit at Jesus’ feet and learn from him. The original documents detailing Jesus’ life and teachings make it clear why Christianity revolutionized the treatment of women.(2)

From the album “Faces” this video is scrolling playback of the song based on Luke 10:38-42.

Kathy

Scroll down here to read Luke 10:38-42.

Print (PDF) sheet music is available for Mary & Martha.

Click here for PDF.

(1) Click here for Stewart, JD, Laurie, “On the Record of Women’s Rights”

(2) See: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Shine! – Music Story

A praise chorus.

Original lyrics of this song are based on key phrases from Philippians 2:14-16. The melody hints at the children’s song, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”¹

From the album “A ChorusBook” this video is music overlaid on slides.

Kathy

Click here to read Philippians 2:14-16.

Digital (MusicXML) and/or print (PDF) sheet music is available for Shine!

Click here for MusicXML.
(MusicXML™ is the standard open format for sharing digital sheet music. Check the help files in your music notation app for directions on importing MusicXML files.)

Click here for PDF.

¹ https://www.godtube.com/popular-hymns/this-little-light-of-mine/

Joy! – Music Story

Joy! a praise chorus. Original lyrics of this joyful chorus are set to the tune “I’ve Got the Joy.”  This lively chorus about Jesus’ love will get your hands clapping and feet dancing.

From the album “A ChorusBook,” this video is scrolling playback of a song based on Philippians 4:4.

Kathy

Click here to read Philippians 4,

Print (PDF) and/or digital (MusicXML) sheet music is available for Joy!.

Click here for PDF.

Click here for MusicXML.
(MusicXML™ is the standard open format for sharing digital sheet music. Check the help files in your music notation app for directions on importing MusicXML files.)