Karaoke Tuesday: "I'm Not Who I Was"

It's interesting... I had an entire post about this song ready in my head based on what I thought this song was about (what I had gotten from it, at least!). Then I read the lyrics - and saw a video from the artist on his intentions, and I realized that we were on different paths...!

But isn't that the great thing about music? That it can inspire different feelings in different people?!

Today's song is "I'm Not Who I Was" by Brandon Heath. I took from it the changes that occur inside you when you start to really "feel" Christian (or for those people who felt a sudden transformation: who are "born again.") The person that I am now is so much different from the person people knew in elementary school, or high school, or even college.

I smile to myself because a feed to this blog shows up on my Facebook page, and I figure that people who haven't seen me in a while will be rolling their eyes and saying, "When did Maggie get all religious?" or "Was Maggie always some religious weirdo?!" They know the girl who could cuss like a sailor and who was known to say (regarding the midnight Christmas Eve service), "It's the same old story... WHY can't they liven it up with a laser light show or something?!?!"

*sigh*

It is funny though, how transformed you feel inside when you finally find your Faith... And those changes in your heart and mind inevitably lead to changes on the outside as well. Some things are slower to change than others... I still have to work on my potty mouth sometimes. I'm still impatient. Judgemental. Prideful. But I feel like a different person than I was then... and it's not just the increase in grey hairs! :)

Now apparently Brandon Heath was leaning in a different direction when he wrote this song:


He was looking back at people from his past - people who may have wronged him in some way and against whom he still held a grudge. I can identify with that too! :)
I think I've mentioned before that I was a "kick-me" kid in elementary school. A year behind everyone age/maturity-wise, a year ahead academic-wise... not a good combination for surviving the social game of high school! It's easy, when you've been a target, to hold onto hostility and anger towards those who made you feel inferior... small... unloved. Lord knows that I've got some residual hostility, but allowing yourself to forgive others is a blessing from God. Brandon Heath mentions that his favorite line of the song is this:

Well the thing I find most amazing In "amazing grace" ... Is the chance to give it out

Is there someone in your life who needs your grace? Or do you need to extend a little grace inward and forgive yourself for something? Take the opportunity to be "Christ-like" and to give it out. Because if you have felt the transformation of your Faith, then you are like a new person, and this new person can forgive.

Song: I'm Not Who I Was
Artist: Brandon Heath (http://brandonheath.net/)
Album: Don't Get Comfortable
LYRICS
Listen to this song and other by Brandon Heath here: http://brandonheath.net/music.php