Leelanau and Andrew Peterson

So, what do Leelanau and Andrew Peterson have in common? Nothing really, I just happened to hear some of his songs while we were driving home, which led to me looking them up on itunes and downloading an entire album, something I don't usually do!

First, Leelanau - we had a great weekend. I read Jodi Picoult's book Handle with Care (see previous post), relaxed in the sun, ate at Boone's, Freshwater Lodge, and had ice cream with the cows. Have you been to Moomer's? Good Morning America voted it as having the "best" ice cream, I just for some strange reason like going and eating my ice cream while watching the cows. Boone's, of course, is always good, and they have some affiliates in Grand Rapids and Muskegon. If you have eaten at any of these places, let me know how they were: The Omelette Shoppe, Bagel Beanery, Sundance Grill, Bear Lake Tavern, and Alleyway Bar and Grill. Ron and I are always up for a good meal! Freshwater Lodge is in Traverse City, there are lots of dead fish and other animals hanging up if you like that sort of thing :-).

Now, for Andrew Peterson. I heard his "All Things New" on the way home, and immediately looked it up in itunes. I listened to the little clip you get with each song and decided I needed them all. If you don't know Andrew Peterson, he's kind of folksy, guitary, mellow singer. I love so many of the words in the songs - in All Things New:

"Come broken and weary, come battered and bruised, my Jesus makes all things new.

In All You'll Ever Need:

"The blood of Jesus, it is like the widow’s oil: it’s enough to pay the price to set you free. It can fill up every jar and every heart that ever beat. When it’s all you have it’s all you’ll ever need."

From Love is a Good Thing

"Love is a good thing. It’ll follow you down to the ruin of your great divide, and open the wounds that you tried to hide. And there in the rubble of the heart that died you’ll find a good thing. Love is a good thing."

My favorite from the Album is The Good Confession: I Believe

"All I know is that I was blind but now I see that though I kick and scream, Love is leading me. And every step of the way his grace is making me; with every breath I breathe, he is saving me. And I believe. So when my body’s weak and the day is long, when I feel my faith is all but gone, I’ll remember when I sing this song that I believe. I believe he is the Christ, Son of the living God, my Lord, my Savior."

(Tonia, when I hear this song I just feel joy and think of your daughter dancing!)

I also discovered I liked his Lay Me Down from the Far Country Album:

I’ll open up my eyes on the skies I’ve never known
In the place where I belong
And I’ll realize His love is just another word for Home

I believe in the holy shores of uncreated light
I believe there is power in the blood
And all of the death that ever was,
If you set it next to life
I believe it would barely fill a cup
‘Cause I believe there’s power in the blood

When you lay me down to die
So long, boys, so long, girls
Lay me down and let me say goodbye to this world
You can lay me anywhere
But just remember this
When you lay me down to die
You lay me down to live

The words are even better with the music. The only song I ever knew from him before was some goofy song about cartoons. I think he may become a new favorite.