(I wrote this yesterday but didn't have time to post it!)
My heart is full, my soul is soaring. Today I got a true gift from above. Tailor made for me and just a reminder that God loves me. Andrew Peterson did a free concert on campus (where I work) for the students and James and I went. It was so perfect for us because it was during the day, at my office, James’s big deadline was over and it was free. Any other time I hear about concerts they are on the weekends or evenings when I don’t want to impose on my parents to watch the boys more than they already have. So we have passed on several great concerts over the years.
So today I rushed over at 11:30 to get a good seat and wait for James who arrived just in time! I chose second row center because I didn’t want to sit too close. :-) I wondered if the room would be packed since it was free. It was a nice crowd but not too full so the front row remained mostly empty.
My friend and co-worker Jim was on the sound board and I talked with him for a while. He didn’t know about Andrew Peterson so I had the pleasure of bragging on just how good he is! Jim said that Andrew flew in on Southwest airlines with just a carryon that morning and they borrowed guitars for him to play! He would fly back home after the concert. I love that.
I don’t know exactly why, but I LOVE music. I always have. It does amazing things to me. A good song can change my mood, energize me and make my heart soar. A song I don’t like can make me crazy. (I shop better in stores with good music!) For me live music is just the very best. There is something about music performed live, surrounding me and seeping into my pores. And I particularly like Christian concerts because you get the best stories.
I absolutely love Andrew Peterson from the first note I heard when Tim and Marilyn introduced us to his music. His music style is so much like Rich Mullins and his lyrics are just amazing. The words he puts together and the way he does it is just magical. You can see the mountains in the ocean and feel the wind in the trees. It ministers to my heart in a way nothing else can.
I wish I could remember all my thoughts during that hour, all his stories and could share here how and why I laughed and held back tears. It’s just such an experience and I soaked it up to last me another life time until we can get out to a concert again.
This was my all time favorite kind of concert - one I wonder if most people ever experience. Laid back and casual, just Andrew Peterson on a small “stage” in jeans a t-shirt and dusty old boots that you know he loves. Just him and a guitar. What amazes me is how a song I have heard millions of time on CD, mixeds with other instruments and vocals can sound so sweet and and crisp and clean and just fill the room when it’s one voice and a guitar standing in front of me. The sound surrounds me and I feel my heart swell - I feel my soul pushing to soar out of my body but my ribs hold it back. Does anyone else feel that? The song almost takes on life and lyrics like his resound in the truth and love of God.
Early on he did one of my all time favorite songs that I loved when I first heard it but particularly love to listen to with Nathan in the car. It’s called the Chasing Song and has wonderful lyrics like:
‘Cause Job, he chased and answer
The wise men chased the Child
Jacob chased her 14 years and he
Captured Rachel’s smile
Moses chased the Promised Land
Joseph chased a dream
David, he chased God’s own heart
All I ever seem to chase is me
He started the second verse and stumbled a little on the words, started to stop, glanced around and down at me — I was enthusisatically nodding, “yes, yes that’s it, keep going!” and sang the rest of the song with him. He had been right on track and I knew it because I was singing along in my head. Well, when the song was done I got a smile and a nod from Andrew Peterson! Too fun.
After the concert was over I got to speak to him and get his signature on the kids cd that the boys enjoy. When I walked up he said “hey thanks for the assist on that song!” I told him it has been an all time favorite song for me since I first heard it, but now I drive home with my boys and that song is an opportunity to tell them Bible stories because Nathan is always asking me to tell him about the people. I also got to tell him James’s comment that hearing Andrew’s music makes us miss Rich Mullins less. And that is so true.
Thank you Andrew Peterson for spending a few hours with us, for sharing your stories and music and for just filling that room with the love, truth and grace of God.
If you don’t know Andrew Peterson’s music, get it! It is truly amazing, uplifting and just plain fun.
Check out his website for more info: http://andrew-peterson.com/
Go under promote and videos to see fun videos of him. I also just found this blog that has videos of him in concert! http://andrew-peterson.blogspot.com/
(photos to come I hope! I didn’t take my camera but a friend was sitting next to us and she said she would send me her photos. She snapped one of me with Andrew Peterson too! He was kind enough to stay for photos and signatures until they were dragging him away for his plane.)
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