This song has changed my life...at least in recent weeks:

Mercy by Reva Williams

The rain stitches grief to the dogwoods
As I stitch myself to the world
And if somebody's laughing, I want to hear
'Cause I'm a very sad girl
I have put in for promotion
You have signed up for a war
I ask for your prayers and
You ask for my songs
You always talk about Jesus
I always talk about me
Still, there is nothing between us
That's the way it should be

Let this gather us, watching through the windows
Faces pressed tight against the drapes that our mothers made
Let this gather us, watching through the windows
Let this bring us mercy

I have a sibling for each hand
They each have hearts for me
My arms are outstretched,
They are not near me
If there is an ocean between us
Or a continent or more
And our letters get lost and
The phone is disconnected

Let this gather us...

There are many storms but no fear
There are many saints
They live right here
They stand tall in the silences
Their eyes like wells
Their voices like bells

Let this gather us...

I know your arm like a mantle
You know my mouth like your bed
I am protected
You are asleep
And we are both well-fed

New York Trip Top Ten:

1. seeing "Starry Night" in person
2. The Glass Menagerie. Front Row. Christian Slater pointing at me and saying the line, "eyes like wood-smoke in autumn" (okay, so it wasn't about me)
3. New York cheesecake
4. lunch with Sara at Rupert's Hello Deli
5. the Jewish men rallying in Times Square at 12:30am (apparently the Messiah has come in the form of an old Jewish rabbi wearing a black hat)
6. "ticket for bus?"
7. riding the Staten Island Ferry at sunset
8. Starbucks on every corner
9. Tiffany's! (unfortunately there was no breakfast involved, sigh...)
10. Sara and I looking like true New Yorkers ;)

So that was last week. I'm not sure how it compares with last semester...