A True Worship Melody

~~ Psalm 30:11-12 (GNT) ~~  You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance; You have taken away my sorrow and surrounded me with joy.  So I will not be silent; I will sing praise to you. Lord, you are my God; I will give you thanks forever.

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by Carley Cooper

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Here is a Worship Melody in the truest form.  I just had to share this with you today.  As I begin writing this, it’s about 4:00 pm EST on Saturday, June 23.  

I live alone and I woke up this morning with my Bipolar being in a bad place, with no one to turn to or comfort me.  I spent some time crying feeling like there was no hope for me.  This episode did have a trigger though, and there’s a long story behind that.  The nutshell version is that a really big dream that I had crashed last night when I found out someone important is moving out of the country.  It was someone that I had hoped to have a future with.  I’ve had several big trauma’s this year, and it’s only half over yet.  My emotional and mental strength had run out, and it hurt so bad that I was in physical pain as well. 

My morning prayer and devotional time refueled me enough that I spent my morning doing housework.  Sometimes nothing works for a downward spiral like good ol’ fashioned hard work.  It’s amazing how much you can find to clean, even in a small 500 sq. foot apartment, when you need to! 

Afterward, I spent the early part of the afternoon doing my power walking in Barrie’s Heritage Park.  Beeeeeeeautiful spot, by the way!  As I walked, I didn’t listen to my regular walking workout routine on my MP3 player.  I listened to worship music.  About half of my music collection on my MP3 player is by my friend, Chris Blakley.  He’s in town again this weekend to preach and perform.  I’m looking forward to it.  We never know for sure when he’s going to make it here, and it’s always a great time filled with the Holy Spirit when he is here.  Going and going sometimes, like the Energizer bunny, like I was today is another Bipolar symptom.  By the time I made it home, between pushing my body and the blessing of music, I was feeling better.  I was finally ready to collapse, so I wasn’t great, but good just the same.  I was glad that this energy surge was short lived.  Praise God for that!  Sometimes they can last for days, with little or no sleep.    

I sat down to my computer, checked email, Facebook messages, and did a small project.  Then this song came on my player.  It’s called I’ll Take Jesus by Jason Crabb.  It’s a tune that I listen to all the time.  Quite often when I hear it I get stuck on it.  What I mean is that I can’t help but play it over a few times before I let the player continue on to others.  I always feel the Holy Spirit so strong during this song.  Today was no exception.  I’ve had a few incidents when I can feel God with me so strong that it’s almost tangible.  It is such an incredible experience; and this afternoon was like that.  I found myself putting the settings to continuously repeat that song, and it played for at least a few hours.  Before I knew what hit me, I realized I was sitting in my living room alone with tears streaming down my face, singing along with this song, and my hands raised to Jesus because I was so filled with His love. 

I just saw this on a photo on my Facebook Newsfeed, “When life knocks me down, Jesus picks me up.”  No matter how dark things seem He always brings me to the Light.  Every time I hit rock bottom, He lifts me up.  He never misses an opportunity to send me encouragement when I need it.  God has a great plan for my future.  He spoke loudly to me today through this melody, and I couldn’t help but to worship Him because of it. 

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~~ Dear God ~~  I love You.  Thank You for always picking me up and loving me back.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

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Here’s the lyrics to I’ll Take Jesus.  Below is a video Jason Crabb performing it live on stage. 

I’ll Take Jesus

by Jason Crabb

Verse I

As they gambled for the robe He wore,

they chose a worldly trail.

Not thinking about eternity

as the soldiers drove the nails.

Will we learn from what they've done

or make the same mistake?

Me or the world My child,

Which one will you take?

Chorus

I'll take Jesus, I'll take Jesus.

I've tried those earthly pleasures and they failed.

When you see the gates of Heaven,

you hear the Master say;

Me or the world My child,

Which one will you take?

Verse II

As the pages of my life have turned,

and time has rolled away,

you see, the greatest things that I have done

they're not gonna matter on that day.

All my earthly treasures

that I have laid away,

Listen, they're gonna be to me just a memory

and this you'll hear me say,

Chorus

I'll take Jesus, I'll take Jesus.

I've tried those earthly pleasures and they failed.

When you see the gates of Heaven,

and you hear the Master say;

Me or the world my child,

Which one will you take?

Me or the world my child,

Which one will you take?

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Song lyrics to "I'll Take Jesus" are the property of their owners.  No copyrights are claimed by Carla Cooper or Worship Melodies. 

Happy 1st Birthday!

~~ Exodus 15:26 (NIV84) ~~  He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes... I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

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by Carley Cooper

Free Source Photo - No Copyrights Claimed

We’re having a birthday!  Worship Melodies is one year old.  To celebrate the occasion of our birthday today, I thought it would be fun to share with you, the story behind how Worship Melodies was born.  You see, it really wasn’t my idea in the first place to do this.  Here’s how it all happened...

One day last year in 2011, somewhere between mid to late April, I was sitting on my couch with my laptop in front of me; working on one of, at least, a dozen big projects that I have on my desktop at any given time.  That issue, of too much work at hand, is another whole blog by itself.  It stems from a problem that lies somewhere between insufficient time management skills and racing Bipolar mania-episode thoughts.  Anyway, as if someone flipped a switch, my mind suddenly went from my task at hand to “I have to start a blog site.”  Before I even realized the thought was there, I had spoken it out loud to myself.   The flipping the switch part, could be a Bipolar matter, but after I spoke those words I realized what I said.  Wow, I’m staring my own website.  Cool!  Sometimes, I think, the racing thoughts matter can be a good thing, because in the next few minutes I had come up with a basic website plan and purpose. 

First, the whole point would be so I can share my journey; the ups and downs of the lessons I’m learning on my way toward God. 

“However, if I’m going to do that”, I thought, “I absolutely have to make it so others can be helped and learn as well.  Otherwise, what’s the point?  I have to lead others to God by using my own life and talents.” 

I saw the whole concept immediately.  It would be a travel theme.  You know... my ‘journey’; like a travel log.  Then I spent the next several hours writing down the specific goals that I wanted to accomplish, and by knowing these goals I would have a title for my blog. 

“Ah ha!  That’s it”, I said.  “I absolutely love that title.  My new site will be called ‘Enlightened Expedition Diaries’.”  


I know what you’re thinking; “Huh?!”  Well, bare with me.  You’ll hear the music in a minute. 

Next I went to work on the design.  I spent the next two weeks, day and night, working on it.  I had the URL reserved, and the background shot was an old treasure map with a compass sitting on top.  The fonts were all picked out to match in designs that fit an old world, pirate-type theme.  After two weeks, I was almost done. 

“Just another day or so”, I thought “and I’ll be finished the design and ‘assembly’ work.”

Wrong! 

At that point in my website design work, one afternoon Blogger.com crashed.  People all over the internet; all over the planet, were freaking out and in a major panic looking to string someone up in a painful way.  In the end, the only way for the Blogspot team to get the site up and running again was to roll back to a past maintenance backup.  Everyone’s work for the previous week was gone.  Forever and ever, AMEN; gone!  There was a lot of very upset people in the world that day; and I was one of them. 

LESSON ONE learned in this journey: Backup as you go!  It’s not just a cute and fluffy theory.  It could actually be handy sometime.

I was back to a website that was only half finished.  “Grrrrrrr”. 

However, I got right back to work and spent the next week redoing everything I had just finished.  Then the day came.  The site is done.  I just need to write a few posts to start.  So, I went online to do some research to see what would be a good first post. 

Stop!  Wait a minute!  “It’s all wrong”, God said.  “It’s gotta be a music theme.”

Truthfully, my heart sank.  “What?  Are you serious?  Oh, but Lord, this is so awesome.  Look at it.  I got a great design and a super cool name, and a treasure map!”

“Music”, He said.

“I’m not a music person, not that I wouldn’t wanna be someday, but I don’t even know how to play any instruments.  The only thing I know about music is what I like to listen to”, I replied.


LESSON TWO: When God gives you an idea, or a command, stop and listen to Him about the details of how He wants it done!


But, there I was, back to designing it all again.  Granted, I was a little cranky about it at first, but the more I worked on it, the more it grew on me.  Some of the work, such as layout I was able to save and use, so I wasn't really back to square  one.  I just needed a new name, URL, background, fonts, email address, and other such things.  So I spent another afternoon coming up with a new name, based on the idea that we are to ‘sing’ God’s praises, even through the tuff stuff.  After another week, I was finished;  again! 

Ta... da!  “This is awesome", I thought.  "God was right.” 

LESSON THREE:  Don’t argue with God.  You won’t win.  God is always right.  Huh, funny thing... it seems that I remember learning that lesson once before. 

Well, I knew then when I finished my design, that this endeavour would be a success.  I don’t necessarily know in what form that success will come, but I know that God told me to do this.  He even picked out the theme.  I pray always, that He would use me to write messages that will touch other’s hearts.  God is leading me in this at every step. 

So, I decided on the topics for my first few articles.  I had read that one should always begin a blog site with, at least, a few posts.  The first one I called, conveniently enough, ‘The First Post.’  

I know, some would say, “for a creative person you’re not very creative.”  But, I liked it. 

Then, I came up with the next couple post ideas and I wrote all the articles.  The next step was to ask Pastor Henry to proof read everything before publishing them; to make sure my writing was good, and my theology was biblically sound.

LESSON FOUR:  Pastor Henry is a cool dude... that is, for an old guy... and especially when he likes my work!  That’s why I've since started baking him a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies every once in a while.  My Grandma used to tell me “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”  Granted, she was talking about finding a husband, but I figured I could apply the theory to any situation involving keeping a man happy.  Hmmm, that reminds me.  He might be due for another batch. 

The last step was to publish everything and announce it to the world... well, at least to everyone I know anyway.  Which I did in a mass email, and by telling all my friends on Facebook and Spark People. 

LESSON FIVE:  the blessings never stop when you listen to God.  So on that note, it already is a success. 

My writing has grown and improved through this venture.  My self-confidence is improving.  I am growing closer to God.  And, I am told all the time, by you, my loyal readers, how much I touch your lives with my work.  This is my own little ministry that takes place here in this little corner of the world wide web; and all I really long for is to let others know my heart, in hopes that you will be drawn closer to God just like I am.  Therefore, you too can know His wonderful love and grace through the miracle of His Son, Jesus Christ.  You tell me how much I bless you.  Thank you so much for that from the bottom of my heart and soul.  However, I feel that it is me who is blessed the most, by God through you.  I love each and every one of you.  It’s a very Happy 1^st Birthday!     

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~~ Dear God ~~  Thank You for the journey.  Thank You for the struggles because, without them, I would not have lessons to write about.  Thank you for the awesome site concept, and for my online friends and readers who support me with each and every post.  Thank you for bringing me into this ministry.  I look forward to seeing where it will lead.  I love You, Lord.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

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~~~~ Birthday Gift Give-Away! ~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GIVE-AWAY CLOSED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See comment section below for winner announcement

Worshipers... to celebrate Worship Melodies 1^st Birthday, I'm giving away a Birthday Gift!  Please leave a comment about the blog in the comment section below, and you would win a Chris Blakley prize package!  The package contains his last 3 CD’s; plus, a copy of his new book, Words of Thought......or not. 

Chris Blakley, based out of Clearwater, Florida (with connections to Barrie, Ontario), is a musician, singer and songwriter that preaches the gospel.  His music will thrill and inspire your heart.  He is an inspiration and encouragement to people of all ages.  His soul stirring songs draw people to Jesus.  His style of music varies from rock, contemporary and southern gospel.  

CD’s titles include:

• Chris Blakley
• Redemption
• 4Given – including the song ‘I May Be Down’ from the video below. 

PLUS, if you are the winner and would like the CD’s and the book all autographed personally to you, I will personally ask him to do that before I ship the CD’s and book to you.  Note, however, it will be 3 – 4 weeks before I will see him again in order to ask him to do that. So shipping time will be 4 - 6 weeks before you receive them.  ~Carley

DEADLINE: Friday, June 1^st, 2012 at 12:00 Noon (EST)  

A winner will be drawn from the names listed in the comment section below, here on this post titled 'Happy 1st Birthday' on the Worship Melodies website.  The name of the winner will be posted in the comment section here on this post 'Happy 1st Birthday' after 12:00 Noon and before  12:00 Midnight on Friday, June 1st, 2012.  So please come back to see if you’re the winner, and email me your contact details.  If the winner doesn't contact me by the following Friday on June 8th, 2012 at 12:00 Noon (EST), a new winner will be chosen.  (See the Contact page for Worship Melodies contact information).  

Chris Blakley Prize Package

Click this website title link to see Chris's website:

Chris Blakley Ministries Website

Click this website title link to see the Blakley family website, and to hear more clips of Chris's music.  If you're in the Barrie, Ontario area and would like to see Chris preach and perform, he is in town once per month.  Message me and I'll send you the deets:

Note: that Pastor Garnet Blakley, from Barrie, Ontario, passed away in January 2012 from cancer.  He was an incredible evangelist and a man who led many to Jesus.  He won't be forgotten.

The Blakley Family Singers Website

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~~~~ Photo Opp ~~~~

June 24, 2012 - Carley with Chris Blakley 
(Right after He autographed the CD's for winner, Ravyna)

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Shattered Treasures

~~ Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV84) ~~  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

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by Carley Cooper

Photo by Carley.  All copyrights reserved.

I used to own a tall glass curio cabinet.  It was about six feet high, two and a half feet wide, and one and a half feet deep.  It attacked me one day! 

The basic frame was wood but the doors and sides were glass, and the back of the cabinet was a large mirror.  Inside were five or six glass shelves.  I had this thing filled to its limits with all sorts of treasures.  I mean, it was packed!  Every piece in it was made of some sort of glass, ceramic, porcelain or crystal.  There was everything from wine glasses, to ornaments; and some special things that I had collected or had been given as gifts over my lifetime. 

No one told me there was a weight limit on a glass shelf.  Someone should have posted a warning sign.  I opened the door one day to put something inside on the top shelf, and the shelf collapsed.  Then, so did the next one underneath and the one under that one all the way to the bottom.  In the matter of seconds, the glass shelving and all the items inside showered out of the cabinet onto me, and down the floor in pieces around me. 

I screamed and my boyfriend, Paul, came wobbling over to see what the noise was.  He was a disabled guy so he couldn’t move fast.  He looked me standing there in my bare feet, shorts and a tank top surrounded by a huge pile of broken glass.  Thankfully I didn’t get any cuts, but it was only by the grace of God that I didn’t.  Paul had warned me at least a thousand times that if I didn’t start wearing shoes he was going to staple them to my feet.  Footwear on a regular basis was an issue for me, but I wished this day that I would have listened to him.  I just looked at him in the midst of my dilemma and started to cry.

“Don’t move a muscle” he said.  

He went to get some clean up supplies and I waited for him to rescue me from my predicament.   When it was all cleaned up I managed to salvage a few items; but most were completely useless because they shattered.  I ended up with a big box of broken glass to throw in the garbage.  So many of my special things were tossed into the trash dumpster outside our apartment building, and I was so disappointed.  What good are they if they’re broken?

Have you ever felt like one of those broken treasures that was tossed out because it was broken?   I have.  I feel it all the time.  How many things in your life have broken you?  My shattered pieces come from  a lot of abuse, divorce, Bipolar Disorder, addictions, loneliness, self hatred, a number of childhood traumas, social phobia, a lot of illness (especially as a child), the pain of being childless (not by choice) in a world built for parents; and so much more.  Before I knew the concept of having a relationship with Christ, I led a very worldly and sinful life.  Paul and I didn’t work out as a couple; but we are still good friends.  Despite our issues, I have always been thankful that he never rejected me because of my brokenness.  For the same reason I felt I had no right to reject him because of his disability.  Who am I to say what is broken or what is acceptable? 

There are many others who have judged me or rejected me because of things I’ve said or done; because of my brokenness.  The pain is overwhelming.  Truthfully, I am still learning how to deal with it.  People no longer want to be a friend; they stop loving me, they decide that they just want to wash their hands of me because I’m just not worth the trouble or that I come with too much history, or I am just too broken.  Well, I’m human.  That means I am broken.  Unless you were born yesterday, each and every one of us has a history which includes pain and suffering.  Not one of us has avoided hitting the floor to become shattered.  God made us to have relationship with each other; and it is necessary for a full productive, healthy life and spirit.  However, I can’t depend on others to rescue me every time I get in the midst of a chaos.  Though, I can’t help but wonder why it seems, sometimes, that I have a special talent for getting into so many mess’s.  Anyway, letting go of the need for the approval of others is one of the hardest lessons I am learning; but then, they are all hard lessons, or they wouldn’t be worth learning. 

Others may judge me harshly at times, but my own personal battle is that I judge myself even harder.  When I am down and broken I blame myself, and beat myself up the most.  I am hardest on myself always.  Why is that?  I’m not sure I know the answer really, but I think many of us are like that.  I do know that it’s about learning to forgive.  I can and have forgiven other people for many bad things.... everything from betrayal by a loved one to forgiving my abusers.  But, forgiving myself seems to be a much harder task to accomplish.  I have learned, though, that I never stop striving to get closer to Jesus.  I want to be like Him so much.  I have found a strength and determination inside myself that I never would have known was there if I hadn’t found Jesus.  Then, again, without Jesus in my life, it wasn’t there.  Pushing myself beyond my limits and the willpower to never quit has become a blessing more times than I can count.  It is overwhelmingly exhausting; but I have found that it is necessary, and a challenge that makes me feel very good once I’ve reached the goal. 

The most important thing that I have to remember though is the point that Jesus is carrying me.  I am not alone.  It is His approval that I need, not that of others.  He has great plans for my future.  If I have a dream, it’s because He put it there.  If I can’t let it go, it’s because He is constantly reminding me not to; and He does keep reminding me.  The pattern is there.  The stubborn and impatient part of me is sometimes fearful that it may not happen (those would be some fruits of the Spirit that are still works in progress in my life).  That’s when the enemy tells me lies such as it is all my fault, that I’ve messed up way too many times, that I have crossed that ‘line of no return’.  I should have known better, I tell myself.  I am stronger than that.  There is no excuse for not pushing harder, no matter how hard I already pressed forward.  There is no reason why I have to be broken.  If I wasn’t so broken, I wouldn’t be in this mess; maybe someone would love me.  But, Jesus does not reject me no matter how broken I am, and even when everyone else does.  He knows my history; even before it happened, yet He loves me anyway.  No matter how much I cry, or how many temper tantrums I throw, or how many pieces I am broken into; He loves me anyway.  As a matter of fact He dries my tears, He lets me be crabby and comforts me; and He tells me that I am a treasure and has already forgiven me!  His comfort is that even though I am broken it doesn’t matter.  I am still useful because He can fix it!   

How many people have rejected or judged you for something?  Have you hit rock bottom?  It’s a very cold and lonely place, isn’t it?!  Was there anyone to save you?  Reach up to take Jesus’ hand.  He loves you the same way.  He knows what you’re going through.  He is there to save and fix you always.  This video below is a song written and performed by my friend Chris Blakley.  It is called I May Be Down.  It has helped get me a very rough patch lately.  Listen to the lyrics.  It will tell you all that you need to know.  You can’t give up.  Don’t let anyone or anything keep you down.  Hold on to Jesus and that relentless drive inside to keep pushing forward.  For me, sometimes that means I have to sit and listen to this song over and over for half the afternoon before the message sinks in; but I don’t ever quit!

Hey friends, do me a favor if you would be so kind... Go to Chris's YouTube page, click 'Like', leave him a positive message and tell him Carley sent you!

(If you’re in the Barrie, Ontario area and would like to see Chris sing or preach; he will be in town once per month on a Sunday evening.  Email me and I’ll give you the deets to come out and join in the worship time.  Or, if you would like to get in contact with Chris for CD's, email me and I will put you in contact with him.  For my contact info see my Contact page).

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~~ Dear God ~~  Thank You for never giving up on me.  I am never permanently broken, never defeated, never rejected with You.  Thank You, Jesus; for the strength, courage, hope, drive, determination, passion to never give up.  And thank You for the hope.  Please, do not ever let me lose it.  ~I pray in Jesus name, AMEN.

Oh, and one more thing, Lord... on a more personal note, thank You for Chris and all that he does for us here in Barrie.  Please continue to provide him with the resources he needs to come to see us every month.  Thank You for his talent, his incredible energy, his love for Jesus, his gift for preaching and this awesome song You gave him.  Please let it be as much of a blessing to many others as it has been to me.  ~I pray in Jesus name, AMEN.

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