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On the bookshelf by my parent's front door is a tome entitled The Wilsons of Ulster. I remember reading through it to see my father's heritage, and on one enthusiastic occasion writing in this book the endless genealogy of the guinea pigs my brother and I kept. Anyway, I composed this Irish jig for the Wilson family. I love my family and they are the greatest blessing God has given to me--especially the example and teaching of my Dad! May this tape encourage you to put a priority on building a godly family. "And you...shall rejoice in all the good things God has given to you and your household." Deut. 26:11
Lyrics, Music, and Performance by Ben & Nate Wilson as a "sweet 16" birthday present for our ballerina sister, Rachel
Pointe, pointe, pas de boure'e--Such a pretty little dancer on the big stage yesterday.
Though only family then would watch you, Our eyes were filled with joy.
And not just our eyes, but your Heavenly Father's too.
Little dancer, dance on through the night.
Life will turn to the left; it will turn to the right,
But there's a Father above, You're in His spotlight of love,
So keep your spot on His face & your center on His light.
Changement, pointe, releve'e--Such a beautiful dancer before us today!
It's been an uphill struggle all the way--Sixteen years; how far you've come!
Fixed on the One Who calls your dance, you'll never turn away.
We cannot see tomorrow's scenes--Perhaps you'll dance for kings; maybe for queens.
Perhaps a pas de deux and dancers of your own...God be with you
Your dance will only be more precious in His sight; You'll never dance alone.
One day, when the night of this life is gone, He'll say, "My little dancer, you've been faithful; Now come, share in My glory!" Then a hush will fall on the heavenly hall, and a song like never heard by mortal ear will rise. On a golden stage at the foot of the throne, you'll be dancing glorified; Perfect movements of praise, wreathed in the light of His face.
--Ben and I have been best of friends as brothers. One thing we've always loved to do is play music together. "Studio Blues" was put together on Christmas break while I was going to college on Lookout Mountain, GA, and he was in college at Upland, Indiana.
Well, I've come home from the Mountains, and I come to sing some blues,
I can feel the music flowing in the soles of my leather shoes
And ol' Ben, he's from the Prairie, where it freezes and it snows
He plays that bass so cool, you can feel it when it blows
Well we're jammin' here together, and I whipped out this here poem
And we're gonna keep it rockin' till the cows come home!
Now before we quit this session and leave you out in the cold
We're gonna keep on singing until the story's told
Of the God Who's up in heaven; Who's created all the earth
And sent His Son to save us and give us the second birth
Now if you hear the story, and you believe the good news,
Then sing it out to the world and tell them how to shake those blues!
--It was an adventure to learn the ways of another family when I married Paula! I learned a lot about the culture of the deep South through them. I also gained a brother: Kevin, who laid down the drums and guitar tracks for this piece. I don't know who composed this hymn--they'd probably roll over in their grave if they heard this version of it; Kevin was a drummer in an alternative rock band at the time! The words of the hymn also voice our concern for the salvation of our extended family.
Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power;
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour; are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you washed in the blood--In the soul-cleansing blood of the lamb?
Are your garments spotless; are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?
Are you walking daily by the Savior's side? Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified; are you washed in the blood of the lamb?
What makes my throat swell tight and my hands reach for tears?
What feelings flee indite? It is the passage of the years.
The cabin by the beach, the house of father and his father,
Golden time beyond my reach, the love of tree and water,
And not for these alone I yearn, but for children from before--
Brother is less brother; imagination is no more.
Time sings in a melody of seasons
And when the song has passed you by, it gives few reasons.
But God will guide the melody and His love is plain to see,
As I reflect on memory and on eternity.
I am adult; we are grown up; is play forever ended?
Mom and Dad no longer "ours" but "we" and youth rescinded.
No matter how much time has passed, the longing still is spoken,
Wakened when my pensive eyes glimpse some childhood token.
And still I wander backwards, groping for some youthful treasure,
But the past is passed and past, and that I cannot measure.
Is nostalgia unbecoming to a soldier of the cross?
Is it God or satan or myself that brings such pause into my thoughts?
I yearn backward, why not forward to an unencumbered bliss?
Sweat of brow is lost in youth and glory, forward shall I look to this.
What makes my throat swell tight and my hands reach for tears?
What feelings flee indite? It is the passage of the years.
--We turn from family to the marriage relationship. This was my first song composed for Paula while we were dating.
How do I say that I love you, when the words get cheap from what others do--
I have never known a love as sweet as you give.
And when I say that I love you, It's a commitment that is kept by two,
To serve each other for as long as we shall live.
We love because He first loved us, Our love is perfected as we trust
That His abiding Spirit bears the fruit of love.
No matter what I do or say, I know you'll stand beside me all the way;
It's a wonder that you still love me at all!
I'm amazed how you love me so. Through your encouragement, I've learned to grow,
As you help me up every time I fall.
I love to hold you tight and say, "I love you in every way."
When I look into your big blue eyes, I know it's true!
You are beautiful outside the skin, And Christ made you wonderful within.
I thank God for you and say again, "I love you!"
--Written the Summer before I got engaged, my brother, Ben, and I were home from college, lamenting that we were so far away from our girlfriends, so I got Ben to sing the lead vocal and back me up on guitar during the bridge. Notice how perfectly this also fits the context of the Church waiting for Jesus' return.
Sitting here, guitar in my hand, and I don't know what to do.
My love, you're a thousand miles away, and I can't come home to you.
I'm thinking back on a sunny day when you and I were here;
There's nothing that I miss more than the one that I hold dear.
There's a lonely feeling in my soul 'cause we're so far apart.
Sometimes the feeling's just too much to bear.
But I have a hope that's living deep within my heart
Of the day we'll be together and the joy that we'll share.
Nothing steals the loneliness like your letters that I've read;
Nothing matters quite so much as the things that you have said.
I look back on good times--how we loved as best of friends.
Makes me long to see you and hold you in my arms again.
I love the way you've walked with me all along the way.
You held my hand and gave me strength through each passing day.
When you're a thousand miles away, it's like a part of me is gone;
I guess that's how it has to be, and I guess I'll carry on, 'cause
--I Composed this song and then played it at my wedding to Paula. When I started singing the "La, La, La's" at the end, she thought I had forgotten the words! Dad officiated the ceremony; Paula's oldest sister sang a solo, and my sister Rachel performed interpretive ballet to a recording of my family performing Wayne Watson's song, "Somewhere in the World".
Love of my life, I've known you some time now,
Since we fell in love. (I still don't know how.)
The hand that guided us together, is the One Who formed and made us;
We seal our love so none can sever; we praise the One Who made us one.
The sweetness of loving you is in Christ's abiding love--
This mystery that makes one out of two.
It fills me with a holy joy that nothing can undo--
The love of Christ displayed through me and you.
I pledge my life to you, my love; I make my vow to you this day:
As long as there is God above, I'll care for you and always love.
I place this ring upon your finger as a sign of my true love,
And of this song, I'll be the singer: a circle has no end.
--Paula & I studied the Song of Solomon during our honeymoon in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and wrote our own version using themes from the original. The third line in the first verse describes the day on which Paula and I were married: It was February, but it was so warm that the tulips were blooming! And it was EXTREMELY windy!
How beautiful are the mountains; How awesome is the sea;
How great is the love of the Father In sending my love to me.
Flowers are lovely in winter, And mighty the wind in the tree.
Surpassing these things is the beauty When my love comes to me.
Yo soy la rosa de Saron--A lily of the valley.
My beloved is mine and I am His; My love has chosen me!
Your love is sweeter than honey And soft as the wind in the lee.
"Come away darling, my beautiful one," My love calls gently to me.
My love is a queen among women! I love her as anyone can see.
I prize her beyond riches and wealth and fame; My beloved is precious to me.
Your face is a beauty to behold; Well hath the Maker fashioned thee!
I give unto you all my love and devotion, And you overflow with love to me.
I rejoice to be called by your name, my love; Your beloved, gladly I'll be!
To have and to hold for the rest of my life--Forever my beloved and me.
Steadfastly remains our love, And herein lies the key:
Jesus has saved us by His precious blood, and Jesus is Lord over me.
--As we make the transition to children, I think of how God sees their unformed substance, knitting them together in the womb, and I compare that to a jeweler shaping a beautiful gem. The swishing sound in the background is a recording I made of the heartbeat of my second son, Beni, a few months before he was born, and the voices at the end are a "conversation" between my first son, Josh, and my third son, Amos, the very hour Amos was born.
--The first phrase is speaking of the spectacular sunsets viewed from our former home on Lookout Mtn., GA (Sand Mtn. is the next range West).
Let the sun fall over Sand Mountain; Let the night call all men to peace.
In my home find a child sweetly sleeping; Let me from my labours to cease.
Jesus, Jesus, give your peace to me; Jesus, oh Jesus, I will rest in Thee.
--When Paula and I first heard this term, we laughed, but it's no joke; this is the technical name of a newborn reflex! Bass by Andy Baker; Sax by Charles Wallace
Ever wake up in a cold, cold sweat, suddenly gripped by fear?
Bobbing my head from side to side, wondering if Momma is near.
I been waking all night with this pain in my belly,
And, come to think of it, my diaper's getting smelly!
Crank up those vocal chords--gotta have Momma, that's all!
Get those feet in motion and do the Neonate Crawl...
What I really need is a little sweet comfort to satisfy my soul.
A little bit of Momma's milk--yeah, that's my goal!
The pacifier's great, but nothing can compare ,
To being in my Momma's arms in the nursing chair!
Ain't it great that Momma comes 'most every time I call?
But I can't help but move my legs and do the Neonate Crawl...
From my vantage point, I think that Papa's over ten feet tall!
When he picks me up in his strong arms, I know that I won't fall.
I don't care if it bothers Daddy when I kick him in my sleep;
If I can't get to where I want to be, I think that I'll just weep!
When I get frustrated with my back against the wall,
I kick my feet like crazy and do the Neonate Crawl...
Shall we hunt outdoors for wild animals--Meander about with a cap gun?
Or shall we snuggle on the couch now, And read what our latest hero has done?
We could tumble and wrestle on the floor--Oh now you'll never get away!
Hey, you remember that takedown! Sometimes I wish we could play all day.
I remember the time you blew your diaper out at CBC,
When I caught you white-handed in the sugar jar,
I remember playing with Ladybugs in the office-bedroom we shared,
And all the rides we took together in the car.
You sing lullabies to your brother; You blow me kisses when I'm blue;
You love to do laundry for mother; You snuggle close when discipline is through.
You listen closely as I read God's word; You sing the old hymns true;
You’ll make a mighty warrior for our Lord, & I'm mighty glad He blessed me w/ you
Where are you going, soldier? I would like to know.
Are the dragons in the bedroom why you're decked with sword, gun & bow?
I'm glad you're learning how to fight, with more than dragons on the revel--
You learn Scripture and pray with might, in the war against the flesh & the devil.
I remember when you played your tape so much I made you wear earphones
When you took your first picture of me saying, "Put that camera down!"
I remember when you bravely grabbed your stick back from the squirrel,
And when we almost launched into orbit on the snowmobile!
--Bass by Andy Baker, Drums by Mike Tallant, Electric Piano by Julie-An Jordan
Papa rises early morning, spends some time with God alone,
Write a love note to his wife, and heads out for the workday drone.
God has blessed him with sweet children; Mama prays with them at dawn,
Teaches them with patience and maintains a happy home.
Blessed is the family that has found its way home,
Whose moorings are rooted in God's Word alone.
They don't care about the world's reward;
The family that loves the Lord
Papa comes home, the children cheer, Mama kisses him at the door.
Submission is her discipline and true love her reward.
The rod comforts the children as do kind words and affection.
The family loves to be together of their own election.
The family gathers 'round the organ at the end of day,
To worship God and read His Word and finally to pray...
NOTES: My wedding photo above was taken by Steve Lawton. My son, Josh, and I converted the songs from the original 1995 tape to digital form and cleaned them up a bit for this 2004 release. Unless otherwise indicated, I composed, performed, and recorded all that you hear. If you like it, check the website below for info on my other albums!
Family Album © 1995, 2004 www.NateWilsonFamily.Net
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