Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
I began this blog, The Soapbox, three years ago in February 2007 in Nashville, Tennessee. Since that time I have seen some 92,949 visitors and 147,092 page views from all over the world. To my surprise, people took note of my writings about everyday life.
I believe the time has come to close this chapter of my life and say goodbye in spite of my readership who has been so kind to me when there was only a very vague blueprint of a church family over the last few years. I know that God is preparing my heart for some new things and I am willing to be willing to lay down all the Isaacs of my life, though not without much wrestling and grief.
I do not know if I will ever open this door again, but for now it is the only path I must take as I release from my hand another something that God placed within my care. My Granny always says that "A lady always knows when it's time to leave" and that time has come for me.
I will covet your prayers as I spend some quiet time in the heart of worship. To those who have journeyed with me I am forever grateful for having such wonderful companions. The valleys have been vast, but the mountaintops of these last three years have been some of the greatest heights I have ever known. I have never stopped clinging to the Rock of my life, Jesus Christ, Who is my Faithful and True Redeemer. When my singing was hushed and my listening ears were attentive, my Father allowed me to dance while in waiting, with an anticipation of the lifestory the author of the universe writes on my behalf according to His good will and pleasure.
May the Lord richly bless you and make His face to shine upon you until we meet again. May He hold you in the hollow of His hand. Mizpah.
Next time I see Wendy, she'll have two new Haitian children that speak only Creole French. Tonight, her husband David is flying home with Marie-Ange and Jameson.
Jekyll & Hyde is a Broadway musical based on the novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. The show opened on Broadway on April 28, 1997. The show ran for 1,543 regular performances, closing on January 7, 2001 starring David Hasselhoff (though not initially) and is the longest-running show in the history of the Plymouth Theatre.
Despite the long run, the musical lost money in the end: more than $1.5 million, and lacked stellar reviews.
During a visit to New York in the late 90's, it was my privilege to meet Linda Eder backstage at Jekyll and Hyde the Musical. The original "Lucy", Linda was gracious enough to grant me a visit after delivering an award-winning performance that left the audience with thunderous applause, gasps, and tears at her character's untimely death. She is an amazing actress and powerful vocalist who has the ability to make you feel her every emotion.
Below is her interpretation of A New Life composed by Leslie Bricusse and Frank Wildhorn sung by the character of Lucy just following a telegram delivery from Jekyll. "My Dear Ms. Lucy, I regret more than I can ever express that my private misfortunes prevent me from ever seeing you again. I have found in you a tender and loving companion. I hope you will accept the enclosed as a small repayment for the lesson you have taught me. Leave this place, I beg you, and begin again secure in the knowledge that I shall never forget you. Henry Jekyll."
Unfortunately, the song A New Life would be Lucy's swansong, as she does not heed Jekyll's warning with expediency and moments later meets her death at the hands of his alter ego Edward Hyde. Her senseless death might have been avoided had it not been for Lucy's strong desire for love, acceptance, and identity in what she found to be good, but ultimately led to her own demise.
I believe the truth of the lesson that Lucy taught Jekyll lies in the lyrics to the J & H song Facade. Lucy was the first person Henry had ever known who did not live behind the pedigreed mask this world tries to portray as normal.
In addition, Act one opens with Jekyll saying "In each of us there are two natures. If this primitive duality of man: good and evil, could be housed in separate identities, life would be relieved of all that is unbearable. It is the curse of mankind that these polar twins should be constantly struggling." For the first time, Jekyll was confronted with goodness that was not a part of the upper crust society longed for by most when he encountered Lucy's authenticity. She was real to him, though even if it were not for his lab experiments gone bad, his high society social mores would have ultimately prevented him from associating with the Lucys of this world. His philosophy above was a foreshadowing that was challenged when through Lucy he recognized that goodness can be redeemed from the darker shadows of this world, but that his silver spoon lifestyle did not salvage him from his own inner decay.
As Lucy sings about her new life, she longs for a new heart and something to convince her to renew hope; she longs for "half a chance in life to find a new part, just a simple role that I can play" that she would rather play the part of anybody than to continue to go through life not knowing who she is inside.
There is a great Israel Houghton song I Know Who I Am that speaks to identity in Jesus Christ, the only one who will never abandon us, instead He is the lifter of our heads. I think there are alot of Lucys in this world who need to hear the message of this song, though we as artists LOVE the good tragedy of this Jekyll and Hyde story!
For more wallowing in this good tragedy (if there is even such a thing....oh wait - I think I called this weeks ago when I wrote of the Beautiful Disaster, yes) click here to view Act 2, Scene 5 (Lucy's death) played by Coleen Sexton and David Hasselhoff as Edward Hyde. Note that the scene following Ms. Sexton's delivery of A New Life may be disturbing. Drama begins at 3:50 to skip past song.
While in Baton Rouge, my husband runs into two spiritual giants and influences on our lives as he attends a conference. To read more about my wonderful friend, Barbara "Sunnye" Jones, click here. She has impacted my life for the better. Sunnye used to be a featured singer at the Louisiana Baptist Convention and many other places years ago. I was tickled by the printed programs I saw in the archives once, because the wives did not bear first names. She was known simply as "Mrs. Bullard Jones".
Her poem, Becoming is one I have committed to memory, yet never is far from either my Brown Bible, my piano bench, and my heart. I wrote a song in 2002 using these words, and after having it arranged, I dedicated the song to Mrs. Reba Allen and it was my joy to present her with the written score. The song "I Feel God Changing Me" was sung at Mrs. Reba's funeral by Dana Lux.
Over the last several weeks, I was reminded of this song and we began to play it and record a rough version of it. It has really ministered to me and I have thought of how Sunnye's kingdom work lives on through her writings to this day.
