I never know what song will speak to my listeners at any given time.  Sometimes a song that I consider to be very simple can turn out to be an audience favorite.  Such has been the case with “A New Morning”.   Whenever I play it in concert, someone usually comments about it.  Even a person battling cancer was recently moved to tears in my living room as I played it for them.   That’s when I knew I needed to release it!  This recording is straight from my own living room!

​This glorious cover photo was taken by a friend of mine who lives in South West Virginia.  She has always been an early riser and has seen hundreds of beautiful sunrises.  (I count on her to tell me about them!) She captured this sunrise and it has not been touched up at all!    She posted it with a link to these most appropriate lyrics by Chris Tomlin “I see You in the sunrise every morning…It’s like a picture that You’ve painted for me…Love letters in the sky”  

As strange as it might sound, this was a fun date we will always remember!  Now, before you start thinking my husband is weird, let me say he would be the last person on the planet to EVER suggest visiting the cemetery to celebrate my birthday!  THIS WAS MY IDEA!  So maybe I’m the creepy one! Let me explain...

​Next, per instructions, we explored the cemetery, reading the markers and talking about the things that stood out to us.  It was very humbling to see so many WWII veterans, some of whose spouses are still living.  Of course it was sad to see the markers of children who had died way too young.  We watched an Asian family putting incense on their family members’ graves. ​

Another suggestion from the date book was to talk about what we might want our own epitaphs to say.  This is where we had a lot of laughs.  I’ve certainly never laughed out loud in a cemetery before because the only time I have ever visited one is for a burial.   It is a different experience to visit when you are not so emotionally raw.  I must say, it helped take away the mystery and yucky feeling I’ve always had about cemeteries.  I almost didn’t want to leave because I was enjoying walking and being outside on such a beautiful day and soaking in the fresh air.  But then, Robby broke my lingering mood when he gave his answer to the last date question, “Was the date eerie or comforting?”  He said all he could think about the whole time was the hundreds of dead skeletons just lying in their caskets!  Ok well... let’s just say he was a really good sport! 

​In all seriousness, I just turned 61 and it’s very strange to be at the age where more and more close friends and relatives are beginning to have major health issues, so it does make me think about how I want to finish the race.  Every day is a gift from God and I want to live fully engaged while at the same time keeping an eternal perspective, for I know this earth is not my final home.  

I will leave you with Molly Skagg's beautiful new version of Johnny Cash's song "Ain't No Grave"