Vive La Joye – Finding Joy in Life’s Trials

August 26, 2014 By Stanton Lanier 4 Comments

Click above to listen to Vive La Joye from the album A Thousand Years as you read, featuring one of Beethoven’s famous melodies (Vive La Joye means “joy forever” in old French). If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from iTunes or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available). There is also a YouTube video of me performing this song and sharing some of my story – Vive La Joye Music Video. What trial (small, medium or large) is stealing your joy? It was at least 98 degrees on my first day of sixth grade as a new Florida panhandle resident. The 100% humidity added bonus heat and sweat. Within the first hour of arriving at my new school something was amiss. I realized that I was the only student in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades who was wearing short pants! “You can’t wear shorts!” was yelled at me from finger-pointing students. Even teachers looked at me funny and shook their heads. The icing on the cake was being sent to the principal’s office. We had to call and ask my mom to bring me some long pants. She wasn’t home to answer the phone. I think she was at the Piggly Wiggly grocery store. It was a long day filled with embarrassment, ridicule, patience and endurance. Eventually I was able to forgive my parents for overlooking the fine print in the school handbook. It took a little longer for me to restore my self-esteem in public.

With each middle school “trial” during those years, pleasing people (what others thought of me) was subtly becoming overly important since that first day of 6th grade. Then came the big 8th grade spelling bee. I had always made good grades, so the pressure was on and I was a favorite to win the competition. Silence filled the room full of teachers and students after my first word was called out – “Execute.” With butterflies in my stomach, I nervously spelled E – X – I – C – U – T – E. “I’m sorry. That is incorrect,” was the gut wrenching response from my favorite English teacher. It was another “short pants” fiasco. Pleasing others, trying to be perfect, grew to become an idol for me in life. One day at a time God is doing a work to free me from this by His grace. Life’s trials come in different sizes, from short pants to relationship struggles to facing cancer to losing a loved one. God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and He promises to be with me (Psalm 23). Putting my trust and hope in Him helps me count life’s blessings and even find some joy. What step can you take toward joy in the midst of “short pant” moments or a bigger trials? “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” — Psalm 16:11

How I Composed My First Instrumental Song

August 21, 2014 By Stanton Lanier 2 Comments

Click above to listen to my first instrumental composition Grace and Truth from my first album Walk in the Light (2001). If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from iTunes or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available).

Does your view of others lean a little more toward grace or truth?

I began twelve years of piano lessons at age six in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and wrote my first song at age fourteen in Milton, Florida (after wanting to quit piano lessons at age twelve because of basketball). The photo below is from the eighth grade talent show, when I played Tony Orlando and Dawn’s “Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” (and went along with my mom’s idea to tape yellow ribbons all over my navy shirt and blue jeans!).

With musical influences ranging from Bach to Windham Hill, Beethoven to Billy Joel, and Charles Wesley to U2, God planted a new idea in my mind — use Bible verses He had spoken into my life to inspire instrumental melodies. I called this “Scripture inspired piano” and my heart was to bring peace to the soul and listen for God’s voice. After about twenty years of song writing (piano and lyrics) I composed my first instrumental melody called “Grace and Truth” in May 2000. Here is how it happened…

Grace and Truth is inspired by John 1:14 which says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” This is a great mystery, how Jesus was filled with grace and truth. For me, this is 100% times two = 200%, which is not humanly possible. But this is the wonder of the Gospel, the gift of forgiving grace combined with God’s truth and wisdom.

I started in the key of C (all white keys) and played a simple left hand chord pattern. Then I added a delicate right hand melody to represent grace. The “grace” melody is then answered by a chorus of “truth” represented with bigger chords in both hands. It was fun creating a musical blend of grace-forgiveness with truth-strength, and to discover I could compose instrumentals. I hope you enjoy listening and reflecting on this verse and idea.

Where can you start simple (like the key of C), and seek to apply a little more grace or truth in life?

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” — John 1:14

Are You Striving or Abiding?

August 19, 2014 By Stanton Lanier 3 Comments

Click above to listen to Abiding from my first album Walk in the Light (2001). If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from iTunes or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available).

Does your life feel more like you are striving or abiding?

I have a great friend who asked me years ago, “If you could only choose one word to describe living by faith, what would it be? I thought for a minute and said, “Obey.” He responded, “Abide.” Another great answer may come to mind for you. He and I still discuss all the life areas where we are striving and wanting to succeed – spiritual, family, work, relationships, health, etc.

There is that word — striving. It can be a good thing to strive. So how did a mental shift influence my story when I realized if striving is a viewpoint, then abiding is like a vista?

Striving involves hard work and faith. Resting involves hard work and faith too. When I shifted my focus from “Striving to Achieve” to “Abiding to Receive” my efforts and results took on a richer meaning. This is a delicate balance, but it helps me remember that God’s definition of success is different than mine, other people’s, and the world’s. Instead of striving in my own strength, by abiding in God’s strength my perspective shifts from depending on myself to depending on Him.

The results of hard work can be the same whether I “strive” or “abide,” but there is a healthy dynamic when I am grateful for receiving results versus celebrating achieving results. Striving is a great word and attribute, so if you still like this word, maybe you can add “striving to abide” to your mindset. I have found if striving is an attitude, then abiding takes life to a new altitude.

Where are you abiding instead of striving? What are you receiving instead of achieving?

The song Abiding was born out of John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” The opening melody symbolizes walking through life with a desire to abide in Christ. The chorus melody represents the good fruit, much fruit, that follows, which only He can produce in and through us.