Tuesday Tunes: Celebrating Mothers Playlist

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.  She never existed before.  The woman existed, but the mother, never.  A mother is something absolutely new.  ~Rajneesh

In honor of Mother's Day I put together this custom playlist of songs written about my journey of motherhood -- joy, pain, growth, wonder, exhaustion, delight, sorrow, empathy, loss,  humility....

Download "Celebrating Mothers" iTunes Playlist here

Here's the run down of the playlist and a little bit of background on each song...

1-Make Enough of Me

Written at a time when the needs and demands of family and life felt crushing. This song is a prayer born out of my inadequacy and desperate need for  strength beyond my own.

2-Angels

Dedicated to my own mother, Linda, and written after my parents divorce, I hoped to convey my gratitude for her loving care during my childhood, and let her know that all of the little things she did for me and her other 8 children mattered.

3-Healing

Written when my oldest children were still in elementary school as I came to the realization that while I could soothe and calm all of their worries and hurts, the time would soon come where they would need a "healing beyond me".

4-Open Apology

Before my children became teens I wrote this song of apology for all the mistake I've made, and will continue to make. I wanted to apologize before they realized my humanness and to reassure them that I am well aware of my shortcomings as a mother.

5-The Child in Me

When my oldest son was a toddler, it found myself reliving certain emotions and experiences of my own childhood. At the same time, I was in grad school studying about child development, psychology, therapy and realized that the best tool to get in touch with my "inner child" was asleep in my arms.

6-Home

"You are my resting place. You are my saving grace. You are the arms where I belong." We all want and need a home.

7-One Child

There's a huge space between our 2nd & 3rd children -- 9 years.  We were ready for another baby and the anticipation and celebrating was so wonderful. Then my thoughts turned to another mother -- Mary. What kind of anticipation did she have waiting to hold the Son of God?

8-Hope Enough For Two

Part of family life is leaning on each other and loaning our own strength to help our loved ones get through painful times. "I've got hope enough for two. Let me offer faith to you. I know there's a God in the heavens. And I know that he'll see you through. And He's got, he's got hope and faith in you."

9-Michelle

The sudden death of my friend Tracy's little sister, Michelle, inspired this song. I wrote it before I had my own children, but coming from a close family of many siblings I tried to imagine the difficult road ahead in dealing with the loss of a young sister.

10-Sometimes He Calms The Storm

It's the daily parenting experiences teach me more about the nature of God and his relationship with his children --like when a little one is scared at night and needs comfort. I am starting to see that in every small interaction with my children I am the parent AND the child.