Sara Groves

I absolutely love Sara Groves. I first started listening to her in college after Gregg Motte mentioned her new album during on of his Breakaway talks. And I've been hooked ever since. She writes her own honest, raw lyrics. And she has a great mellow musical sound. I saw her in concert a few years back, just her and her piano. Absolutely amazing.

She has a new album "Fireflies and Songs", which has been in my car's CD player for a few months now. Good stuff. Check out this review or some songs and videos on ilike.com

One of my favorites songs on the album is the title track Fireflies and Songs. It speaks to some basic things I've been learning in my own friendships and relationships these days. Love isn't about expectations or checklists. It's about loving the people God puts into your life, for who they are and who He made them to be. With a relational attitude, those things you'll remember forever, those little moments, well, they just happen.

In Sara's words:

It feels like a good representation of what is on the album as a whole. The album is very reflective. The song is reflective and reminiscing. It's also about looking for love in all the wrong places or holding each other hostage with all the expectations of what love should be. Really, love is not something you can tame or nail down.

My experience is that my expectations can be very poisonous to my family. I feel like God is just continually stripping those expectations and telling me, “Those are not my expectations. That is your own set of rules for people in your life.” I have seen an incredible season of tenderness and growth as I have backed off of some of those demands. I've let my husband grow and be who he is going to be and love me the way he is going to love me. That is where, all of a sudden, there is music and fireflies everywhere. This is the marriage I have been dreaming of and had hoped for, but because I am not demanding it of him or anyone, then they are able to give it as a freely given gift.

Fireflies and Songs

Thirty years ago I was a little girl
Riding in the back seat of the car.
A woman sang 'You don't bring me flowers anymore.'
I felt the sadness in my little heart.

We're looking for the music
In the music box,
Tearing it to pieces,
Trying to find a song.

I was drawn to you in ways I can't explain.
I fought like crazy but I couldn't stay away.
Piled on expectations and lots of blame,
like we couldn't do it any other way.

We're looking for a firefly
Moving through the night,
Staring at that one place
Swear it never lights.

We're looking for the music
In the music box,
Tearing it to pieces,
Trying to find a song.

Were you surprised our hearts were not like ticking clocks?
The faces and hands easy to read.
We both wished 'if only in the land of Oz.'
And longed for things we'd never really need.

Now we're standing in the kitchen,
All pretense is gone.
You kiss me on the shoulder.
Fireflies and songs.