When the Mercy River girls and I were choosing songs for our latest album, we were all sold on one Primary song. "I Know My Heavenly Father Loves Me" just HAD to be on it. It's our favorite Primary song, and it's so beautiful on it's own-imagine it with an amazing arrangement! Whitney took the liberty to start the arrangement, (which was beautiful enough to bring Soni and I to tears), and in our heads we had this huge orchestral track behind it-I believe we used the words "flowy" several times while describing our idea to our producer. He submitted it to an arranger and about a week later we got it back. And we didn't like it. It was NOTHING like we expected; there was nothing "flowy" about it. We were brought to tears, but this time for a different reason. This was not what we pictured! This was not what we had planned for this song! Our producer reassured us that it was great, and regardless of our opinion, it was going on the album.
This last couple weeks we've given the album to our family and close friends to get their opinion. And guess what song falls in people's Top 5 list-you guessed it. "I Know My Heavenly Father Loves Me." One friend told me she sat and cried through the whole thing. It helped her during a rough moment, and she was so glad it was on the album. The sad thing is, my first response was, "Really?? Did you listen to it really close??" But then I thought, did I listen to it really close? Have I ever listened to it without my "Mercy River Goggles" on, and just let the message speak to me as it does for those hearing it for the first time? I must confess, I hadn't done that.
There's a life lesson in here. There have been times, and will continue to be times, in my life when things aren't going the way I planned. The end result of a project or challenge may be different than I expected. But I think different is OK. It's not bad, it's just...different. And maybe that different path I end on has something else in store for me. Maybe there are people in that new path that need me. Maybe there are lessons that are more important for me to learn. And when I find myself on that new path, I need to stop mourning what I've lost, and shift my focus-change my perception. How can I see the path for what it is, if I can't let go of my opinion? Just because things don't go my way, doesn't mean it's going the wrong way. At some point I need to not only hand my will over to the Lord, but LET IT GO. He can't do anything with my life if I won't let go.
I listened to that song, concentrating on changing my perspective. I listened to the song again and again, letting go of my regrets of "what might have been", and trying to see it as others might. And I must say, I love the song. It's different, but I think it's the way it should be.
XOXO
P.S. How many of you are singing "What Might Have Been" right now? Suckas!
P.P.S. I'm NOT trying to sell this CD-promise! It's just an analogy, peeps. :) Loves.
