TAKE HEART CD
EXPECTING MIRACLES
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
Midnight moon, let your soft light fall gently,
Gently upon all that has grown dim in our lives.
Midnight moon, pour yourself into places
Where we are weary,
Midnight moon, refresh our bodies
And our hearts.
Let us watch throughout the long night as ones,
As ones expecting miracles.
Morning sun, let your soft light fall gently,
Gently upon all that has grown dim in our lives.
Morning sun, pour yourself into places
Where we are weary,
Morning sun, refresh our bodies and our hearts.
Let us step into this new day as ones,
As ones expecting miracles.
May we live this day
With the presence of disciples of joy!
TO THE GIFT OF NOW
(Candace Butler & Velma Frye, Velma Frye)
To the gift of now...
I raise my breath to the joy of being awake.
I raise my eyes to the joy of being awake.
I raise my heart to the joy of being awake.
I raise my arms to the joy of being awake.
I raise my voice to the joy of being awake.
I raise my glass to the joy of being awake.
METTA SONG
(words: Traditional, music: Velma Frye)
May [I] be strong and healthy,
Peaceful and at ease.
May [I] be filled with loving kindness,
And be happy.
May [you] be strong and healthy,
Peaceful and at ease.
May [you] be filled with loving kindness,
And be happy.
May she... May he... May ____...
May we... May they... May all...
I BELIEVE
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
What do I believe?
What do I believe?
I believe we can say the words
That need to be said.
I believe we can be a voice for the voiceless.
I believe in a world of hurt we can be peace.
I believe we can keep hope, hope alive.
Oh, I believe! I believe!
I believe we can turn indifference into love.
I believe that we can uninvite bitterness.
~~~ Bye, bye!
I believe in the healing power of a song.
I believe in the wisdom of a child.
Oh, I believe! I believe!
We have just the right amount of holy anger
To make positive changes in an unjust world.
We have just the right amount of holy passion
To make positive changes in an unjust world.
And we hold these truths to be self-evident,
No matter how beautiful they are.
Oh, I believe! I believe!
TAKE HEART
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
Take heart. Take heart. Take heart. Take heart.
In this moment of illumination
Between the waxing and the waning,
In this moment of illumination
We pause to remember who we are:
Birth givers, peace keepers, joy bringers,
Light bearers, take heart.
Take heart. Take heart. Take heart. Take heart.
In this hour of opposites
Between the ebbing and the flowing,
In this hour of opposites
We pause to remember who we are:
Birth givers, peace keepers, joy bringers,
Light bearers, take heart.
Take heart. Take heart. Take heart. Take heart.
And we will see what we must see.
And we will shine into the dark places.
We will see what we must see.
And we will shine into the broken places.
And we will shine. We are the light of the world.
And we will shine. We are the light of the world.
And we will shine. (5x)
EVER FLOWING
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
O, ever-changing God,
Protect us from congealing,
Ever flowing, ever flowing,
Ever flowing, ever flowing.
Till we flow into a Sacred Stream,
Till we flow into that Eternal Drink which is You.
Then pour us back into the world
And let the flowing begin again,
And again, and again, and again.
RAVEL
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
2nd Movement, 1st page
AN IRISH BLESSING
(words: Traditional, music: Velma Frye)
May you have warm words on a cold evening,
A bright full moon
Shining on a dark and starless night,
And the road downhill all the way to your door,
All the way, all the way to your door.
OLD JAPANESE MELODIES
Kojo no Tsuki = Moon over the Ruined Castle
Jugoya Otsukisan = Full Moon
Sakura = Cherry Blossoms
Kuroda Bushi = Black Field
Kojo no Tsuki = Moon over the Ruined Castle
LEANING INTO DARKNESS
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
Draw me into the depths.
Take me down to the holy darkness
To Love’s roots.
I lean into that darkness,
The darkness that surrounds me,
This nurturing room for my restless spirit.
Let me borrow your eyes, Beloved.
Then I shall see in the dark,
Though for answers I do not look.
It is enough to wait,
To wait in the holy darkness,
This nurturing womb for Love’s yearning.
Listening to the sound of silence,
And leaning into the song of darkness,
I wait for You.
Waiting with purpose for who I will become,
Waiting without agenda
For things I can not change,
I become one with the One I love,
For I have seen too many stars,
Too many stars
To let the darkness overwhelm me.
I keep vigil with my heart’s eternal questions,
and with my deep longings.
I keep vigil with those places in my being
where the light has grown dim.
I keep vigil with those whose hearts are tired,
and with those whose hope is lost.
I keep vigil for those who sleep,
and for those who cannot rest.
I keep vigil for those with fearful hearts,
and for those whose hearts are angry.
I keep vigil for those whose courage is waning,
and for those whose strength is growing.
I keep vigil for those who suffer,
and for those who keep vigil.
I keep vigil. I keep vigil.
I keep vigil. I keep vigil,
For I have seen too many stars,
Too many stars
To let the darkness overwhelm me.
NIGHT VISION
(Candace Butler, Velma Frye)
Some things can only be seen clearly in the dark.
THE LANTERN
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
May the lantern of my life move gently this night
Into all the places where light is needed.
SEVEN SACRED PAUSES CD
Singing Mindfully Dawn Through Dark
THE ANGEL OF NIGHT
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
The angel of night lights a candle in my soul.
The angel of night lights a candle in my soul.
And summoned from sleep
I am drawn to the One,
To the One who waits for me.
For deep listening, deep waiting,
Deep watching now.
The angel of night lights a candle in my soul.
The angel of night lights a candle in my soul.
For deep listening, deep waiting,
Deep watching now
With the One who waits for me.
SACRED DARKNESS
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
In this sacred darkness I sit in silence.
Open in this moment, I trust in the darkness.
Waiting in trust, growing in trust,
Waiting and trusting the sacred darkness.
I surrender. I surrender. I surrender.
KEEPING VIGIL WITH THE MYSTERY
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
My heart can see into the darkness.
And my prayer travels deep,
Where the Eternal One waits.
With love I listen, keeping vigil with the Mystery,
With the One who waits for me.
I am with the One who waits for me.
O LIVING BREATH OF GOD
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
O living breath of God, awaken us this day.
O living breath of God, awaken us this day.
Open the windows of our souls.
Open the walls of our minds.
Open the doors of our hearts.
Awaken us to hope. Awaken us to joy.
Awaken us to the coming of the light.
BEING AWAKE!
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
Set the clock of your heart.
Set the clock of your heart.
Breathe in the dawn.
Breathe in the dawn.
Raise high the chalice of your life.
Taste the joy, the joy of being awake!
It’s the best medicine of all.
Being awake! Being awake!
Set the clock of your heart. - - - -Awake!
Breathe, - - - - - - - - - - - - -being awake!
Taste the joy, - - the joy of being awake!
Being awake! - - - - - - - - -Being awake!
MORNING LIGHT
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
Rising from the night, we reach for morning rays.
We bathe ourselves in shining light,
And clothe ourselves with day.
Morning light help us find
Peace of mind this day.
Morning light help us find
Peace of mind this day.
Holding cradled hands, we lift our empty bowls.
The light of dawn fills to the brim
Our hungry, weary souls.
Morning light help us find
Peace of mind this day.
Morning light help us find
Peace of mind this day.
BLESSINGS OF THE MORNING
(Velma Frye)
Blessings. Blessings.
Blessings as the day unfolds,
Blessings of the morning,
Pausing in the fullness of the moment,
Our grateful hearts
Sing a morning song on this holy ground.
Sing a morning song to precious life all around.
Blessings. Blessings.
Blessings of the rising sun,
Blessings of the morning,
Pausing in the fullness of the moment,
Our grateful hearts
Sing a morning song on this holy ground.
Sing a morning song to precious life all around.
Blessings. Blessings. Blessings of the morning.
WHAT IS
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
I stand before what is
With an open heart.
And with an open heart I dwell in possibility.
And now I stand before what is
With an open heart.
(---with thanks to Emily Dickinson
for “I dwell in possibility.”)
SPIRIT OF THE MORNING
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
Spirit of the morning,
Breathe into my temple.
Spirit of the morning,
Breathe into my temple.
Refresh my mind. Renew my heart.
Spirit of the morning, O, spirit of the morning.
Spirit of the morning,
Bless this work I have begun.
Spirit of the morning,
Bless this work I have begun.
Give me courage! Give me strength!
Spirit of the morning, O, spirit of the morning.
BE THE PEACE
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
In this the hour of the noon-day sun,
We raise our hands to the peaceful one.
And now is the hour to pray for peace,
For kindness, compassion now to increase.
So let us be the change we wish to see.
Let us bow to each other and say
That we will be the peace for which we long.
This is our promise. This is our song.
Before we share the noon-day meal,
Our deepest hungers let us feel.
May all be fed. May all be well.
May all of God’s children in the garden dwell.
So let us be the change we wish to see.
Let us bow to each other and say
That we will be the peace for which we long.
This is our promise. This is our song.
Now is the hour for peace to flower. (4x)
May all be fed - - - - - - - - - - for peace to flower.
May all be well - - - - - - - - - -for peace to flower.
May all of God’s children - - -for peace to flower,
In the garden dwell - - - - - - - for peace to flower.
Now is the hour! (4x)
THE TRUTH
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
I will believe the truth about myself,
No matter how beautiful it is!
DONA NOBIS PACEM
(anonymous)
LET GO AND MOVE
(Candace Butler, Velma Frye)
With all that has been, take lessons,
Take lessons and be grateful.
Let go! Let go! Let go! Let go and move!
Move on! Move on!
PUT EVERYTHING IN ORDER
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
Put everything in order as day begins to fade.
Put everything in order as day begins to fade.
All things are passing,
Moment by moment, breath by breath.
All things are passing,
Moment by moment, birth to death.
Take off that cloak of fear.
The Divine help you seek is here.
And you know you are dying to live.
You know you are dying to live.
So put everything in order as day begins to fade.
Put everything in order as day begins to fade.
I LOOK INTO MY HEART
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
I look into my heart for the wisdom, the wisdom,
I look into my heart for the wisdom
To live this day well.
I look into my heart for the wisdom, the wisdom,
I look into my heart for the wisdom
To end this day well.
VESPERS COLORS
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
A thousand colors is your face,
Embracing us with waves of grace.
And as the day-star now departs,
Your glance of light fills all our hearts.
Your glance of light fills all our hearts.
The evening eye shines down on earth,
A prayer for our continued birth.
We lift our hearts in tender praise,
And give you thanks for all our days.
And give you thanks for all our days.
LIGHT THE LAMPS
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
Light is fading from the sun.
Light of day is almost done.
Spirit of the Holy One,
Clothe us now in twilight,
As we light the lamps of evening.
Earth is turning from the sun
Light and darkness become one.
Spirit of the Holy One,
Clothe us now in twilight,
As we light the lamps of evening.
The curtain of day is falling away,
And the curtain of night is rising.
In the falling and in the rising
Comes the star of wonder, shining.
Sweet the hour of sweet grace,
As we stand in mystic space
Spirit of the Holy One,
Clothe us now in twilight,
As we light the lamps of evening.
DAY IS DONE
(Traditional, new words: Velma Frye)
Day is done. Gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky.
All is well. Safely rest,
You and I. You and I.
Thanks and praise for our days,
For our nights ‘neath the moon, ‘neath of stars.
As we go, this our prayer:
Peace to all, near and far.
O BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
The arms of darkness hold us,
Revealing now how dear we are,
O, beautiful darkness, O, comforting darkness.
Enfold us and hold us.
Inform us, transform us.
O, beautiful darkness, O, comforting darkness.
Surround us, all around us,
And hold our light, like sky to star.
O, beautiful darkness, O, comforting darkness.
BE STILL
(Macrina Wiederkehr, Velma Frye)
Be still. Be still. Be still. Be still.
Go deep into the silence of the night.
And robe yourself in darkness.
See with the heart into the dark of the night.
So silent the night.
So dark the night.
Be still. Be still. (3x)
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT
(Traditional Welsh)
Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee,
All through the night.
Guardian angels Love will send thee,
All through the night.
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping,
I, my constant vigil keeping,
All through the night.
While the moon, her watch is keeping,
All through the night.
While the weary world is sleeping,
All through the night.
O’er thy spirit gently stealing,
Visions of delight revealing,
Breathes a pure and holy feeling,
All through the night.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For lyrics of songs on other CDs, contact Velma: velmafrye@gmail.com
