MONDAY QUOTES: LYRICS FROM SONGS BY THE BEATLES

 

When Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr played their first gig together in Liverpool in 1962, they never could have guessed their legacy would be imprinted in the brains of millions of people. The Beatles have had an immeasurable impact on music, thanks to their catchy melodies and universally relatable lyrics. Their songs have influenced countless pop singers, rock bands, and experimental artists, and they continue to be covered and sampled by musicians to this day.

 

Although many of the early Beatles songs were incredibly simple, the writing duo of Lennon and McCartney hit on all-encompassing truths about love and life. Their later albums, which increasingly included the songwriting of George and Ringo, added a fresh perspective to the beloved band’s repertoire.

 

When the Beatles moved into concept albums with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967, their songs took on a psychedelic tone, but they didn’t lose any of the heart and vulnerability that attracted so many fans to their music. In fact, their ability to incorporate more experimental music styles gave them the space to explore more complex lyrical themes, and these later albums have a depth that makes them even more moving.

 

These 26 Beatles lyrics are a small sample of the emotional wisdom the musical icons brought to every album and performance throughout their legendary career.

I found that love was more
Than just holding hands
– “If I Fell,” A Hard Day’s Night, 1964

 

I don't care too much for money, money can't buy me love
– “Can’t Buy Me Love,” A Hard Day’s Night, 1964

 

Tomorrow may rain so I'll follow the sun
– “I’ll Follow the Sun,” Beatles for Sale, 1964

 

When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
– “Help!,” Help!, 1965

 

Life is very short and there's no time
For fussing and fighting, my friend
– “We Can Work It Out,” Rubber Soul, 1965

 

There are places I'll remember
All my life though some have changed.
Some forever not for better.
Some have gone and some remain.
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall.
Some are dead and some are living.
In my life, I've loved them all
– “In My Life,” Rubber Soul, 1965

 

All the lonely people, where do they all come from?
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?
– “Eleanor Rigby,” Revolver, 1966

 

Keeping an eye on the world going by my window
Taking my time
– “I’m Only Sleeping,” Revolver, 1966

 

I get by with a little help from my friends
– “With a Little Help From My Friends,” Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967

 

I've got to admit it's getting better,
A little better all the time
– “Getting Better,” Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967

 

And the time will come when you see we're all one
And life flows on within you and without you
– “Within You Without You," Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967

 

There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
– “All You Need Is Love,” Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

 

Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy
All you need is love
– “All You Need Is Love,” Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

 

Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It's getting hard to be someone, but it all works out
– “Strawberry Fields Forever,” Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

 

I don't know why nobody told you
How to unfold your love
– “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” The Beatles (The White Album), 1968

All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
– “Blackbird,” The Beatles (The White Album), 1968

 

The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful, and so are you
– “Dear Prudence,” The Beatles (The White Album), 1968

 

Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better.
– “Hey Jude,” Hey Jude, 1968

 

Well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder
– “Hey Jude,” Hey Jude, 1968

 

Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right
– “Here Comes the Sun,” Abbey Road, 1969

 

And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make
– “The End,” Abbey Road, 1969

One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
– “Come Together,” Abbey Road, 1969

You and I have memories
Longer than the road that stretches out ahead
– “Two of Us,” Let It Be, 1970

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me
Shine on 'til tomorrow, let it be.
– “Let It Be,” Let It Be, 1970

Limitless undying love which shines around me like a
Million suns, it calls me on and on,
Across the universe
– “Across the Universe,” Let It Be, 1970

The long and winding road that leads to your door
Will never disappear
– “The Long and Winding Road,” Let It Be, 1970

 

 

SOURCE:  INSPIRING QUOTES

Seeing Through Heaven’s Eyes

I periodically need to remind myself of the value that God places on other human beings, even when I don’t know the other person or when he or she is very different from me. But to be honest, that’s not natural for me to do.

 

Every once in a while, though, I get a reminder, like reading about an incident that occurred in North Carolina in 1995. Ten year-old Lawrence Shields was picking through a bucket of debris in a gemstone mine when a rock piqued his interest. “I just liked the shape of it,” he said.

 

When he knocked off the dirt and grit that were clinging to it, and as he rubbed it on his shirt to polish it up, he saw that this was much more than just a rock. It turned out to be a sapphire. And not just any sapphire — a 1,061-carat sapphire!

 

Here’s the point: when we look at other people, we tend to focus on the outside, which is soiled by sin. We see the rebellion or failure, the bizarre lifestyle or proud attitude, and we often overlook the real value that’s on the inside — where each one of us is a gem of incalculable worth, created in the image of almighty God.

 

We, as individuals, are so valued and loved that God was willing to pay the infinite price of his Son’s death to clean away our sin and restore us to himself.

 

So when you look at someone whose life has been thoroughly corrupted by sin, can you say to yourself, “Their life situation may be awful, but the image of God within them is awesome!” Can you look at the people you may have devalued because they’re different from you or poorer than you or less educated than you, and imagine the ultimate value that God attaches to them despite their circumstances?

 

It’s like one of my favorite songs, “In Heaven’s Eyes,” in which Phil McHugh pictured people as they appear to God and found no worthless losers and no hopeless causes. When we see people from God’s perspective, all of a sudden we have a new inspiration to treat them with the same dignity, respect, and honor that we desire for ourselves.

 

Does that sound naive? Maybe so. But apart from that divinely altered perception, I don’t have a chance of being obedient to Christ’s command that I love others as myself. It’s simply not going to happen.

 

That’s one reason why a motto of the church where I became a Christian is that people matter to God. All people. It’s a reminder to all of us that we need to see each other as having untold value in the eyes of Jesus.

 

This week's essay is drawn from "God's Outrageous Claims: Thirteen Discoveries that can Transform Your Life" by Lee Strobel.

FRIDAY FUNNIES: DON'T WASTE A SOUTHERN ACCENT

 

A Day of History: The California Gold Rush

 

On January 24^th in 1848, gold is discovered in the Sacramento Valley. It was the beginning of the California Gold Rush!

 

The first person to find gold wasn’t out to get rich. James W. Marshall was a carpenter who had been working with a local ranch owner to build a sawmill. When Marshall showed up at work on the morning of January 24, he saw something glittering in a water channel that he’d been creating under the mill wheel. It looked like gold.

Gold mining in California (Currier & Ives)

What a way to start your day?!

 

Marshall tested the gold and found it “could be beaten into a different shape but not broken.” He rushed to tell some of the other men. At first, no one seemed to realize what they’d stumbled on. The gold was surely a fluke? The men went back to work on the mill. They would look for more gold, but only on “odd spells and Sundays.”

It was a full four days before Marshall finally traveled to tell the ranch owner, John Sutter, about his discovery. By then, he was beginning to get excited. He and Sutter tried to keep the discovery secret, but it was too late.

Gold fever was on—and it heated up even more when President James Polk mentioned the matter in his Annual Message to Congress. “The abundance of gold in that territory are of such an extraordinary character as would scarcely command belief were they not corroborated by the authentic reports of officers in the public service,” he told the nation.

 

Gold seekers flooded into California territory! The mass movement of people was unprecedented. In just one year, the population of California mushroomed from 14,000 people to 100,000. By 1852, that number had more than doubled to 250,000.

 

One San Francisco newspaper lamented “the sordid cry of Gold! Gold! Gold! while the field is left half-planted, the house half-built, and everything neglected but the manufacture of picks and shovels.”

 

That same paper soon closed its doors. It had lost too many of its employees to the Gold Rush.

 

One unexpected problem confronted gold seekers in those days: It wasn’t easy to get to California. Traveling overland was difficult and risky. Some people opted to travel by boat, but this required travel all the way around the tip of South America because the Panama Canal wasn’t built yet. Fortunately, a transcontinental railroad was soon built across the Isthmus of Panama, and some people were able to get to California that way.

 

In the meantime, the scene in California wasn’t great: Morals were loose. Gambling, drinking, and violence were rampant. Moreover, despite the furor over the opportunity, most people didn’t get rich simply because they’d traveled to California.

 

“Many, very many, that come here meet with bad success & thousands will leave their bones here,” one gold-seeker would say. “Others will lose their health, contract diseases that they will carry to their graves with them. Some will have to beg their way home, & probably one half that come here will never make enough to carry them back.”

 

Fortunately, the California Gold Rush wasn’t characterized only by immorality, gambling, drinking, and fighting. Many of those who traveled to California also exhibited patience, perseverance, and determination in their efforts to succeed.

 

Perhaps the philosopher Josiah Royce said it best: The California Gold Rush, he wrote, exhibited “both the true nobility and the true weakness of our national character.”

Hmm. I wonder if we could say the same thing about a few other events in our history. What do you think?

Primary Sources:

• A letter from a gold miner (Placerville, California; March, 1850) (reprinted HERE)
• California Department of Parks and Recreation: Gold Rush OverviewDistant Horizon: Documents from the Nineteenth-Century American West (Gary Noy, ed. 1999)
• H. W. Brands, The Age of Gold: The California Gold Rush and the New American Dream (2002)
• J. S. Holliday, Rush for Riches: Gold Fever and the Making of California (1999)
• James K. Polk, Fourth Annual Message (Dec. 5, 1848)
• Josiah Royce, California, from the conquest in 1846 to the second vigilance committee in San Francisco: A study of American character (1886)
• Karen Clay and Randall Jones, Migrating to Riches? Evidence from the California Gold Rush (Journal of Economic History; December 2008) (reprinted HERE)

 

 

History posts are copyright © 2013-2021 by Tara Ross.

 

Now that you have a relationship with Christ, this is what your life should look like

 In his next letter, which he wrote to the church in Corinth, Paul took the gospel that they had received beforehand and applied it, making it a very useful letter for us to study today. The letter is built on this foundational idea: Now that you have a relationship with Christ, this is what your life should look like — NOT a new set of rules or a new law to oppress the people but a call to holy living born out of a marriage with Christ and an outflowing of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST CHANGES US.

Jesus Christ died on a cross so that we can be forgiven of our sins and freed from our sinful nature. This is THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS that Paul preached and the message we believe. Our faith in Christ and the forgiveness of our sins brings us into a relationship with Him that forever changes our lives. We now belong to Christ; we have been united with Him.

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. – 1 Cor. 1:30

So, since I belong to Christ and am united with Him, and you belong to Christ and are united with Him, it is not too much for God to ask us to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose (1 Cor. 1:10). How do we do this? We rely on the power of the Holy Spirit (2:4).

THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ENABLES US TO LIVE IN UNITY.

The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. – 1 Cor. 1:18

United in Christ, we know with confidence that He was crucified and raised to life and that He now reigns in our hearts, but the world around us does not understand our faith. They call it a “crutch” and see it as a weakness or craziness. But we know the message of the cross is the definition of the power of God!

So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it is nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength… God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose the things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. – 1 Corinthians 1:23-25,27

THE POWER OF GOD LIVES INSIDE OF US.

So why do we feel inadequate? Why do we pull back and wait for someone else to do the work of God? We buy into the criticisms of the enemy and the world. We think of ourselves as incapable of doing anything great for God. Yet it is not about how simple we are but about how committed we are. It is not about how strong a vessel we are for God to fill, but about how strong He is and how capable He is to do something great even in and through us!

My message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. — 1 Cor. 2:4-5

PRAYER:  Father God, thank you for THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS — the message that frees us from our bondage to sin and gives us new life in You, Lord. Please shut out all of the discouragement of the world around us and of the enemy so that we can hear only you today, cheering us on and calling us to do great things. Remind us that we only need to rely on the power of the Spirit and not on our own wisdom or abilities. Remind us that you have equipped us with every spiritual gift we need and graciously poured out your Spirit on us. As we are united in you, help us to be united with each other, living in harmony – being of one mind, united in thought and purpose. Amen.

SOURCE:  www.mymorningcoffee.org

O TASTE AND SEEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD.....

O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusts in Him                                                 - Psalm 34:8

Delicious food is something everyone can agree upon. There are so many variations of  flavors and textures.

It's been said that the one thing that separates every culture from each other is not the type of food each one identifies with but the seasoning that makes it special and most enjoyable.

The same can be said when it comes to knowing you can trust in the goodness of God. Take for example your favorite meal of choice.

There is a unique experience that takes place within each of us during this time of feasting that brings a sense of enjoyment and joy that never fades. Many times we strive to improve on these flavors with great success, while other times it does not turn out as hoped.

But the key is we never give up until we are satisfied. Then we want to share it with our family and friends so they can experience the same kind of joy for themselves.

When David wrote this part of the Psalms he was so impressed by the joy and confidence he had discovered from placing his trust in God's promises.

How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!                                           Psalm 119:30

His outlook on life completely changed and he desired to share this good news with anyone who would listen.

We too can have this joy and confidence for ourselves today, but it only comes from placing our trust in his son Jesus Christ for our salvation.

And it shall come to pass That  whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’             - Acts 2:21

Do not miss out on this opportunity to taste for yourself the goodness of God and experience the joy only he can bring in the midst of any circumstance!

 

 

SOURCE:  Kevin McGivern

 

MONDAY QUOTE: That which does not kill us makes us stronger.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche was a German classical scholar and philosopher who first wrote these words in his book of aphorisms, “Twilight of the Idols,” in 1888. Over the last century, this quote has been repeated and paraphrased countless times by an immeasurable number of people. With this observation, Nietzsche suggests we should view suffering as an opportunity to form fortitude. Every challenge that we face and survive is a learning experience that strengthens our character and our courage.

SUNDAY THOUGHTS: DO WE NEED TO EARN OUR SALVATION?

 

Today’s Reading: Galatians 1 & 2

 

Is it true that we are saved by the work accomplished by Jesus when He died on the cross, or is there something more we need to do to earn our salvation? This was a question in the churches spread across the Roman province of Galatia and it is a question we often hear in the church today. Paul addresses this question that keeps coming up — this insecurity that I must somehow earn the salvation provided for me when Jesus died on the cross.

 

We hear in this letter to the Galatians the same message we hear over and over again in Paul’s writings — we are SAVED BY GRACE through faith in Jesus Christ and not by works; yet works are to be a result of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This trips us up if we are not careful because it is easy to slip into a “works mentality”. We begin to see our salvation as a result of our works, that we are earning our eternal life, that we are good enough for God’s favor. But God’s plan is that works are a result of our growing relationship with Him — that He is able to accomplish His will and further His Kingdom through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

 

Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.                                                                          – Galatians 2:16

 

WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AND NOT BY WORKS.

 

No amount of good deeds can earn us heaven, no degree of self-righteousness can make us good enough. There is only one way we are made right with God and that is by faith in Jesus.

 

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.                                                 – Galatians 2:20-21

 

This is not a new message. We have heard this over and over again, yet we still find ourselves falling into a “works mentality”. Why is that? Paul asks the same question of the Galatians.

 

WHY DO WE TRY TO BE PERFECT BY OUR OWN HUMAN EFFORT?

 

Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses?…After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?                                                                  – Galatians 3:2b,3

 

So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” – Galatians 3:11

 

Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. – Galatians 3:24-26

 

Oh how I like that analogy! When we are united with Christ in baptism, we have put Christ on — just like putting on new clothes. It is not about us “putting on” or pretending to be something we are not. It is not about creating our own new wardrobe of righteousness we produce of our own strength. There is nothing beautiful about that. It is about wearing Christ and letting His presence bring about a change in our lives; allowing His Spirit to come in and begin producing His fruit through us.

 

Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder this morning that my old self has been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. I commit this morning to live in this earthly body by trusting in your Son, the One who loves me and gave himself for me. I never want to treat your grace as meaningless. For if simply obeying a set of rules or living a good life could make me right with you, then there would have been no need for Christ to die. Lord, forgive me for all the times I have forgotten this. I give you this day and I give you my heart. Amen.

 www.mymorningcoffee.org    Photo by Sarah Dorweiler on Unsplash

RICK'S RECIPES: CLASSIC CARMEL CORN = GREAT FOR SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

 

Ingredients

• Mazola Pure® Cooking Spray
• 4 quarts popped popcorn
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
• ½ cup butter OR margarine
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract

 

Directions

• Step 1

Spray large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Add popcorn and place in preheated 250 degrees F oven while preparing caramel.

• Step 2

Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.

• Step 3

Boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla; mix well.

• Step 4

Pour syrup over warm popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.

• Step 5

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

• Step 6

Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:  395 calories; protein 16.7g; carbohydrates 52.4g; fat 21g; cholesterol 30.5mg; sodium 567.3mg.

 

FRIDAY FUNNIES: HOW ARE YOU DOING ON YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

 

THE MYSTERY OF THE USS SCORPION - 1968

 

On May 23^rd in 1968, a nuclear submarine in the United States Navy is missing in action—except no one seemed to realize it.

 

Instead, family and friends of USS Scorpion’s crew would cheerfully gather at a dock in Norfolk, Virginia, on May 27. They were thrilled and excited to welcome their fathers, husbands, and brothers back home.

 

Except the homecoming didn’t happen. The submarine never showed up.

 

Scorpion had then been in service for nearly a decade. She was supposed to get a complete overhaul in 1967, but she ended up getting only emergency repairs. The United States was dealing with both the Cold War and Vietnam at the time. The Navy simply couldn’t afford to be without one of its nuclear submarines.

 

Some have wondered if the failure to complete this maintenance ended up being Scorpion’s undoing. Just a few years earlier, the Navy had lost another nuclear submarine, USS Thresher. In the wake of that loss, all submarines were supposed to be getting certain types of repairs and maintenance, known as SUBSAFE. 

 

Scorpion never received all of its SUBSAFE work.

 

Indeed, one of Scorpion’s crew asked for a transfer off the submarine at about this time. “I didn’t know it was going to sink,” he later told a reporter. “But I was absolutely uptight after having been on there and seeing the things I had seen. I was just unable to deal with going to sea again on the Scorpion.”

 

The crew, he said, had taken to calling the submarine “USS Scrap Iron” because so much of her equipment had become so worn down over time.

 

Scorpion departed from Norfolk in February 1968. She completed her tour in the Mediterranean Sea, then began a return trip to Norfolk in mid-May. Two men left the ship just as she was about to leave on this final journey: One had a family emergency and another had a health issue.

 

They were the only two men to survive what came next.

 

Scorpion’s trip home was temporarily sidetracked: She was supposed to conduct surveillance on some Russian vessels in the area. Scorpion’s last radio contact with an American base was on May 21. Much of what happened after that is shrouded in mystery.

 

Some people claim that Scorpion was torpedoed by one of the Russian vessels.  Did the American government cover it up, hoping to avert a new World War? Others believe that Scorpion had already finished its surveillance and was headed home. They are sure that a “hot-run” torpedo detonated inside one of Scorpion’s torpedo tubes. Still others hold that a malfunctioning battery exploded or caused a fire.

 

Whatever the cause, parents, wives, and children found themselves waiting on a Norfolk pier for a submarine that would never come. The 99 men aboard that submarine were already in a watery grave at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

 

One of these men never met his 2-month-old baby girl. She was waiting on the pier wearing a pink-checkered dress with simple embroidery across it: “My heart belongs to daddy.” Another woman was waiting for her boyfriend. He’d recently bought her an engagement ring, but he wouldn’t live long enough to give it to her.

 

The families were eventually told to return home, although they weren’t given much of an explanation for the absence of the submarine. Later, they heard what had happened to their loved ones via the evening news: The submarine was officially missing.

 

Several months later, Scorpion would be found at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, broken into pieces. 

 

Her final moments remain a mystery.

 

 

History posts are copyright © 2013-2021 by Tara Ross.