new song > you lay me down

ahhh yes…dreams. Do you remember yours? According to those that study dreams, if we spend about 1/3 of our lives sleeping, and we live to be about 80 years old, that would mean we spend about 26 years sleeping. On an average night a person dreams between 4-6 separate dream sequences. The dreams can last between 5-30 minutes. So a person can spend about 6 years of their life dreaming. There is a ton of research on dreams, and, to be honest, there is a lot of bad information / psychology / opinion on dreams. Dreams are mysterious…why don’t we remember most of them? What do they mean? Color or black and white? Why is my dog running and snarling in its sleep? Anyway, I am not really interested in the “professional” studies in dreams, been there and done that and found much of it unedifying. I find a good nights rest and dreams a blessing. Dreams can have meaning and can be used by God, and there can be times where dreams don’t make any sense…but like anything mysterious there needs to be a dose of common sense and wisdom applied in order to remain healthy. It is a little like what CS Lewis said in his preface to screwtape letters regarding devils;

“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”
– C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

You can completely disregard dreams, or you can be obsessed in an unhealthy way – both would be a mistake (IMO). It seems as mysterious as dreams are, they are influenced by many different things – including spiritual entities. I’ve had re-occuring dreams of flight, mostly by using my arms and gliding on existing wind. One dream that I’ve had repeatedly is that I’m running toward a beach on a slightly elevated cliff, and as the cliff edge approaches I spread my arms and glide out over the water like a seagull. If I mismanage the angle or wind current I become troubled that I will fall. I have had these flight dreams in woods with wind funnels. I have also had horrific nightmares. Sometimes I’ve dreamt things that I have done, or decided to do in a dream, that in my waking moment I’d have never even considered. What does it mean? I am not sure. One thing is certain in my experience; being right with the Lord tends to bring good sleep and dreams. There is so much mystery in life. Dreams, visions, spiritual experiences, the psyche…it is easy to become lost in the forests of the mind, but I believe Christ would have us willing adventurers with Him in exploring life and submitting the messages and meanings to Him in order that we may serve Him better! So – this song “you lay me down” is essentially about that in between world of dreams and sleep. There is a lot of ambient space and use of “subtractive sound” to imply depth and allow breadth. The song itself has been done and sitting finished for weeks, but I wanted to do a video. The only camera I had was a cheap low resolution powershot this time around – and night time photography has a whole host of issues and limitations, so even though it all has a low fi visual feel, at least it’s done…I don’t know why I feel compelled to do visuals sometimes…anyway – for your listening pleasure you lay me down, mp3 followed by various movie formats for your devices, and, the lyrics below all of that.
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Quicktime file you lay me down
ipad file you lay me down

you lay me down

I walk alone in the light of the moon imagining
and sense you here with me feeling peace
the golden sunset passed away on the purple sea
a vision shared so deep so serene

ah you lay me down (x2)

I guess it’s something that I think and half to trust
but oh my very heart dear God should lie
spread to the light clean clear of mire, and of rust
and like a sponge drink deep sweet light divine

ah you lay me down (x2)

will some things one day turn to dreams?
will some dreams some day turn to fact?

I have had dreams of such delight just of grass
flowers and wind a peak marble white
they dwell in me like things that are half come to pass
true prophecies when I with you am right

ah you lay me down (x4)

ahh