Bucket List

My daughter Alyssa and I are about to mark off one more thing on our Bucket List of things to do in our lifetime...we are going to sing a song together in church in a few weeks.  A friend has agreed to play guitar as we sing the following song.  

Now, Alyssa, she has  great voice and although she will be nervous a bit, she is saying she will be "fine with it".  I, on the other hand, haven't sang in front of people since I believe...mmmm...sophomore year of high school when I tried out and made the choir when I sang "The Rose" by Bette Middler (with no accompaniment, none the less).  Ever since my guitar-playing friend came back from a worship team practice and announced to me, "Well, you and Alyssa are scheduled to sing on Palm Sunday".....the fear has set in.  Needless to say, I almost crossed "Sing a song in church with my daughter" off of my Bucket List without actually ever accomplishing it!  Seriously, I was tempted!  Afterall, who ever sees my Bucket List?  Who would know any thing different years from now when I have passed away and my great-great grandchild finds my notebook and says, "Look......great-great grandma Quale sang a song with her daughter in church."   Thinking about Alyssa, I remembered that this is on her Bucket List as well.  We did not know until recently that we share this Bucket List entry (along with get a professional manicure....but that is side tracking) and how would I be able to convince her to mark it off without actually doing it as well.  She reminded me that if I just mark it off, I would be "defeating the purpose."

See, I am one of those people who has no problem talking in front of large groups of people while only singing loudly in the shower.  I would never take a shower in front of a large group of people, and I have been known to talk to myself while in the shower.....well, you get the idea!  While I know that this is something that He has for me to do, I am a bit nervous...just the same.  Then today, the REASON for being so nervous hit me like a ton of bricks.  For what I can recall as the first time in my life, I am self-conscious about what others will think of my singing voice...what they will think of me.  As soon as I recognized this feeling of "what will they think, what will they say?", I immediately surrendered those thoughts to the Lord!  What better way for the enemy to thwart the plans that He has laid out for me at this time than to stop me before I ever even open my mouth!?  

See how that comes full circle?  Isn't that the enemy's plan in all his schemes......to "defeat the purpose"?  He comes to kill, wound, harm, destroy and devour those of us who claim Jesus as Lord.  To cause us to doubt that the Lord is bigger than all of these schemes?  

Here are the words to the song that Alyssa and I will sing.....with Jesus as our focus and strength.  The words are powerful but the One who the words are about is indescribable!  This song is all about Him and we are prayerfully going to honor that fact when we share this song that He has placed on our hearts to share.

Beautiful Scandalous Night

Go on up to the mountain of mercy,
To the crimson perpetual tide.
Kneel down on the shore,
Be thirsty no more,
Go under and be purified.

Follow Christ to the Holy Mountain,
Sinner, sorry and wrecked by the fall,
Cleanse your heart and your soul.
In the fountain that flows,
For you and for me and for all

[Chorus]
At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree,
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me,
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white,
On that beautiful scandalous night.

On the hillside you will be delivered,
At the foot of the cross, justified.
And your spirit restored,
By the river that pours,
From our blessed Saviour's side

[Chorus]
At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree,
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me,
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white,
On that beautiful scandalous night.

Bridge,
You carry the sin of mankind on your back,
And the sky went black.
Go on up to the mountain of mercy,
Go the crimson perpetual tide.
Kneel down on the shore,
Be thirsty no more,
Go under and be purified.

[Chorus]
At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree,
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me,
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white,
On that beautiful scandalous night.

[Chorus]
At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree,
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me,
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white,
On that beautiful scandalous night.

On that beautiful scandalous night,
Beautiful scandalous,
Miraculous night...