Shaun Groves
A good many of us do-gooders can’t keep our minds from wandering through the world’s problems, can’t seem to stay fully present. Stopping to laugh or play or sit silently seems like a waste of time sometimes when I consider the never-ending list of things to get done, to fix, to fight and fight for.
There was a study in Denmark – I think it was – that found ruminators are much more likely to be mentally ill at some point in their life. Depression. Anxiety. Breakdown. A ruminator dwells on a thought, replaying it again and again, usually a negative thought: fear, worry, regret, a problem to be solved, an album to write and record and promote and release and…
Constant thought. No peace. And it piles up and eventually the mind crumbles under the weight, the emotions fray, the circuits break.
Ruminators are inventors, theologians, philosophers and writers. Sure. Sure. But they’ll also cut off their ear.
The cure? Notice.
That’s it, just notice – the pores on the back of my hand, the pitch of the car speeding past, the taste and texture of lunch, the song playing overhead, every syllable spoken to me. Notice. Every detail. Right here. Right now.
Noticing puts my mind on a leash and an odd thing happens when I’m still(ish) like that: I become grateful. The more I notice the more gifted I realize I am. The more alive. Awake. The day is rescued from the busy blur and becomes a more-vivid experience. Sometimes only slightly. But sometimes…
Could this be abundant life? Waking. Noticing. Thanking. Living.
Awake My Soul (first draft) from Shaun Groves on Vimeo.
Awake My Soul
Words & Music by Shaun Groves
(C)2010 Simplicity Street Music/ASCAPCathedral
Arches of reaching limbs
Crickets sing secret hymns
Over all of usFireflies
Tickle across our palms
Lit up like diamonds drawn
In the black aboveAwake my soul
And live this moment
Awake my soul
Give thanks and hold it
Dear now
God is here now
Be here nowWhen day ends
Brown eyes smile back at me
Wipes my kiss from her cheek
After last AmenAwake my soul
And live this moment
Awake my soul
Give thanks and hold it
Dear now
God is here now
Be here nowHush away all hurry
Wash me clean of worry
Come to quell and quiet me
In this moment given
Slow and fully live it
Drink up all the passing peaceAwake my soul
And live this moment
Awake my soul
Give thanks and hold it
Dear now
God is here now
Be here now
UPDATE: AWAKE MY SOUL has been recorded and released on the album THird World Symphony. Click the banner below to listen!
JessicaB says:
UGH! Why don’t they play YOU on the radio?!
Gah!
(That’s my version of a very sincere compliment)
Also, can I just say, … I miss your old hair. 🙂
HeatherEV says:
I love this one, too!!!
BTW – your hair is the same color (and kinda looks like) my favorite fur boots…I’ll let you think on that one for a while 😉
Shaun Groves says:
It’s a little long…the hair. The problem with a sister-in-law from Houston cutting my hair is that, um, I don’t live in Houston.
Michelle ~ Blogging from the Boonies says:
Aaaannnnnnd, Jessica nabs “firsts” again! (I am keeping score!)
I really, really, really relate to your first sentence here. I had to stop and re-read and ponder it for a moment.
Beautiful song and I am going to echo Mrs. Firsty McFirsterson ~ I wish our local station would play you! I will have to nag a bit more. Without ruminating on it.
I happen to like the hair, too. Even if it looks like fur boots (?), its pretty hip. I wouldn’t trade it for mermaid hair, though. 😉
JessicaB says:
I pretty much pick and choose at this point. 😉 And I couldn’t contain myself last night!
Jim Gallic says:
Sean,
Loved the post and new song. It is so thoughtful and deeply profound. I sponsored you on kickstarter. Can’t wait for new album
Katie says:
Beautiful!
Love it! Love it! Love it!
I also love the message of being more observant and actually paying attention to the world around you, big things and little things. You see so much more. As a writer, you’ve got so much more material, too!
Katie
Kristen_E says:
Incredibly beautiful song Shaun. I’m also with these other ladies that my local radio station needs to play more of you.
Also, if you need a trim, I’m over here in Springfield, MO working at a salon. I’d be happy to give you a complementary cut.
Ann Voskamp says:
Our 15 year old just walked by.
And said, “You look so happy, Mom.”
Yes: So. Happy.
Here now.
Awake.
The gift of now and God here now and God in this moment and me so happy.
Why is it that when you are so happy, it hurts — the most beautiful and deepest kind.
Please, God — give him more words, more notes.
Holding and thanking and letting go…
Ann
Troy says:
Beautiful. Thank you. I needed this.
Kelli says:
I echo Ann’s prayer. That prayer has been on my heart for you this week. There is so much power in the written word when paired with melody. How quickly God speaks to our weary souls through the melodies that flow through our hearts.
You are gifted. I’m so very glad that God has laid upon you this task of recording and sharing new words and melodies with the rest of us. And I’m glad you are awake enough to put Him in song. This was a great blessing to me tonight as I’m feeling a bit discouraged. Thanks for sharing.
Ron says:
I can so totally relate to your post. I hate it. but I can.
Sharon O says:
This is a beautiful song…thanks for sharing it.
Lisa Cooke says:
this is my new favorite song…
Andre Harris says:
Awesome…thanks for sharing with us this challenge…battle cry…reminder…and hope all in one.
laura@lifeoverseas says:
I loved reading this post tonight. Enjoyed the encouragement to quiet my mind and enter the moment. I so often get so overwhelmed– so. overwhelmed.
And you gave a deeply good reminder to engage in the moment, zooming in, instead of always looking at life through a lens zoomed-out.
Thank you for that.
katie says:
great song, spectacular hair…i agree…
I’ve been reading THE HIDING PLACE by Corrie Ten Boom again lately and was thinking that it is so important to see the exact place God has placed you for this second–to notice it and think about it…
and, then, I would say, add on to that the conscious vivid thought that for this second God’s will for your life is this thing you are noticing…
and to see it as your good and precious gift from your heavenly Father and your only safety…
Kathy says:
Ruminating, huh? I call it ‘awfulizing’ and it’s awful. Thanks for the reminder to live in the moment to stop awfulizing about the next.
Love the song, can’t wait to have a whole album!
Jason says:
Beautiful song and a great reminder.
Jenn says:
Oh I am such a ruminator. I never thought about it that way, but you are so right. I think when we hear “take captive every thought,” we think only of bad or lustful or excessively worrying thoughts. But you really spoke truth today about dwelling on other things.
I really needed to hear your words today, both written and sung.
The song is beautiful!
seekingpastor says:
Notice—my wife, my kids, God’s wonders. Good advice.
dubdynomite says:
There is a word for what you described. It’s called mindfulness, and it’s actually considered a form of meditation.
I’m one of the worlds worst ruminators. It seems to come naturally to me. Thanks for the reminder to try to live in the present moment more, and focus less on what has been, what could be, and what is not in my control.
Justin Davis says:
Love it Shaun! Can’t wait to hear the whole record. (Heck, I’m still playing and singing Welcome Home.) 🙂
Shaun Groves says:
You know I’ve released two studio projects and a live disc since then right? I mean, that was three haircuts ago! ; )
Rhonda says:
This is why I keep coming back here.
Anointed.
Can’t wait for the whole album!
Rhonda says:
Had to post again to share with you. I was sitting here watching this video and listenening to the song for the dozenth or so time and my 3 year old came and started singing along. I asked her if she liked the song and she said, “Yes, and he has really nice hair.”
Thought you might appreciate that.
Shaun Groves says:
Well, as long as three year-olds like it…I’m happy ; )
Princess Leia says:
One thing that I love about your music is the unexpectedness of it, musically. So much stuff nowadays is completely predictable, chord progression-wise and often melodically. That chord on “soul” in the chorus is both my favorite of the song and would be the bane of my existence were I to ever attempt to sing it. 1/2 step doesn’t seem like much, but it can make all the difference in the world, can’t it?
Carry on….
Oh…and my mom has some clippers. She lives in south Nashville. ;p
Sassiekiwi says:
Hmmm
Really like the thoughts and the song. It made me think of the whole being and doing thing. My friend Kathy says “we are not human doings, we are human beings”. I really think learning to be is where it is at. If we are not careful the frenzy of doing crowds that out. Last night I was walking on the beach in the dying sunset just caught up in the wonder of being. I have learnt this lesson again and again … and today was a reminder yet again to get off the crazy wheel and take time to be. Thanks Sean. Looking forward to hearing where this one goes!
Barbara says:
Ruminating is perfectly fine. So long as it is the Word on which I ruminate. (which, you know, doesn’t happen nearly as much as the other kind, to my shame).
Oh, that I would be such a ruminator, where I devour and chew on and drink in His answer to my every question.
Thanks for this reminder: to live the now, and to seek the Truth.
keith says:
I think I’m a ruminator albeit a lazy one, which is worse.
Excellent song.