Hello friends!! I am at Starbucks in Houston…and really wanted to write something good and proper on this second day of the year 2016. But I can’t think of what to say. Tragedy of tragedies. And so just to fill this space, will post the track list for my most recent mix CD(one I gave to Maryanne and Laura for Christmas! Oh, and to John too. And Julie). And we’ll see if it stands the test of time, but I am very pleased with it and think it may be my most favourite mix yet. Thus, I present:

the tragic fall and most surprising Redemption of anakin skywalker

1. Thus Always to Tyrants – The Oh Hellos
2. Pressing Flowers – The Civil Wars
3. Poison and Wine – The Civil Wars
4. Tip of My Tongue – The Civil Wars
5. Flume – Bon Iver
6. Master of None – Beach House
7. Danse Macabre – The Oh Hellos
8. Auburn and Ivory – Beach House
9. Re: Stacks – Bon Iver
10. Seven Swans – Sufjan Stevens
11. Paths – Seryn
12. I Was Wrong – The Oh Hellos
13. Hold On – Seryn
14. To The Desert – The Branches
15. Going Home – The Branches
16. Lay Me Down – The Oh Hellos
17. At the Table – Josh Garrels
18. The Sower’s Song – Andrew Peterson
19. Revelator – Josh Garrels
20. Trees – The Oh Hellos

And you may notice quite a bit of repetition..but I just couldn’t help it. This list very much reflects my new favourite artists and albums of 2015 – you’ll see Beach House, Bon Iver, Sufjan, Branches, Josh Garrels, Andrew Peterson, etc…and what I’m saying is my very favourite of this past year – The Oh Hellos(many many thanks to John for introducing me to them and persuading me to go to a most awesome concert of theirs in Austin!!! I am most grateful). This mix is also very much thematically arranged. My sisters and Caisson had much fun trying to figure out how this mix mapped to Anakin’s journey…and while that somewhat works, this mix is most of all designed to show the journey of a lonely broken person from darkness into light…from the great sickness of the soul(complete with pride and sorrow and supreme self love…) to the realisation that we cannot save ourselves and that we are totally broken and lost…and there is only One who can save. And that is the story and metaphor of this mix. Although it’s not perfect, I do love it and it also happily matches my current music tastes as well. What can I say?

And that was a bit longer than I even thought I could write today!! Now it’s already far too late in the afternoon and I am off to Trader Joe’s to do some food shopping(thinking sausage and mash tonight for dinner!) and then back to my place to enjoy a relaxing Saturday afternoon. Will most likely read some more of my George Whitefield bio…it’s so so good. I can now un-categorically state that it is my favourite ever biography(sorry Edwards!!) and I am very sad that I am already almost halfway through Volume 2. So good and so encouraging. Oh that I could be blessed by God in such manner as Whitefield! Oh that I could serve my God in so wholehearted a fashion and with such pure and passionate love! And I then muse upon my current state and realise how very blessed I am. I am known by God. I am loved by God. This I know and in this I rejoice. And now I pray – in this knowledge and joy may I live my life and walk day by day. May my heart’s song ever be raised up to my Lord and my God. Forever and always I sing,
Oh for a thousand tongues to sing – my great Redeemer’s praise!