Wednesday Words
December 27, 2023
Love is All Around
Jesse Kinne

This season we've continually asked the question: "How does a weary world rejoice?"  We may find solace and encouragement in knowing that we aren't alone.  Dave Matthews reflects on the simple fact of our lives entwined, stronger for each other, in the 2018 song "When I'm Weary".  The love that we find all around, is a miracle for its perseverance even in the darkest times, as he contemplates in his earlier "Christmas Song", which I listen to every year.  The brevity of "When I'm Weary", and the simple refrain 'love love love' of "Christmas Song", elegantly express the fundamental truth of love's enduring revelation in the shadow of weariness.

-----
-----

"When I'm Weary"
Dave Matthews Band, Come Tomorrow, 2018
Listen on YouTube
-----
When I'm weary
When I'm tired
You remind me
To keep on trying

There'll be dark, dark days
More are coming
Just as sure as this
Sweet earth beneath my feet

It don't matter
Come tomorrow
Together we must face
What lies ahead

When you're weary
When you're tired
Please remember
To keep on going
-----
-----

"Christmas Song"
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Live at Luther College, 1996
Listen on YouTube
-----
She was his girl, he was her boyfriend;
She'd be his wife, make him as her husband.
A surprise on the way, any day, any day
One healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy
The wise men came, three made their way
To shower him with love
While he lay in the hay
Shower him with love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around 

Not very much of his childhood was known
Kept his mother Mary worried
Always out on his own
He met another Mary who for a reasonable fee
Less than reputable as known to be 
His heart was full of love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around

When Jesus Christ was nailed to the his tree
Said "oh, Daddy-o I can see how it all soon will be
I came to shed a little light on this darkening scene
Instead I fear I spilled the blood of my children all around" 
The blood of my children all around
The blood of my children's all around

So I'm told, so the story goes
The people he knew were
Less than golden hearted
Gamblers and robbers
Drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers
Like you and me, like you and me

Rumors insisted he soon would be
For his deviations
Taken into custody by the authorities
Less informed than he.
Drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers
Searching for love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around 

Preparations were made
For his celebration day
He said "eat this bread and think of it as me
Drink this wine and dream it will be
The blood of our children all around"
The blood of our children's all around
The blood of our children all around

Father up above
Why in all this hatred
Do you fill me up with love love love?
Love love love
Love love was all around

Father up above
Why in all this hatred
Do you fill me up with love?
Fill me, love love love
Love love love
All you need is love love love
You can't buy me love love love
Love love
And the the blood of our children's all around
-----
-----