For a whole lot of years now Carrie Newcomer’s music has been one of the touchstones in my life. On a frequent and regular basis her songs speak to my heart and for my heart. I come back to them again and again because they remind me what is true (at least for me) that I often seem to forget. In different moments it will be different songs, but touch me they consistently do. Thus it was that I was listening to a long play list of her tunes on a drive the other day and lyrics kept popping out and grabbing my attention. Here’s a sampling (just in case they touch you as well).

Learning to Sit with Not Knowing
(Click to see the YouTube video)

Learning to sit with not knowing
When I don’t see where it’s going
I’ll cool my heels and start slowing
I’m learning to sit with not knowing

 

I’m learning to live with what’s next
What if and my best guess
Be kinder when it’s a process
I’m learning to live with what’s next

 

Three Feet or So
(Click to see the YouTube video)

When I’m weary, lost, or sad
Overwhelmed or just fed up
I say grace for what I have
And most the time that is enough

 

We are body, skin and bones
We’re all the loss we’ve ever known
What is gone is always near
We’re all the love that brought us here

 

[Chorus]

And the things that have saved us
Are still here to save us
It’s not out there somewhere
It’s right here, it’s right here

 

Bare to the Bone
(Click to see the YouTube video)

Here I am without a message
Here I stand with empty hands
Just a spirit tired of wandering like a stranger in this land
Walking wide-eyed through this world
Is the only way I’ve known
Wrapped in hope and good intention and
Bare to the bone

 

When I rise, I rise in glory
If I do, I do by grace
Time will wash away our footprints
And we’ll leave without a trace
Between here and now and forever
Is such precious little time
What we do in love and kindness
Is all we ever leave behind