It’s summer, which means the kids are home all the time, and this week we’ve got a houseful of extended family visiting. I’m sneaking a minute in my room to write this blog post, so here’s a quick rundown of my song for week 24 of #songaweek2018.

The suggested theme was “joy,” and I already had in my head the first two lines of this song, which seemed a good start.

There’s a little bit of Mark Heard in here (“Dry Bones Dance”), which itself was partially inspired by Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of the dry bones. Also some Coco, a movie I liked a lot. A bit of my own experience and observations of other people’s lives – how beautiful when old flames keep glowing as old friends. And a summer morning drive through southern Minnesota.

Low-res video recorded in my parents’ basement, another moment snuck in between family activities:

I wish everyone
Could give up the fight
Throw our vendettas to the wind
And just dance tonight . . .

If only we all
Had x-ray sight
To see through each other’s calloused skin
the dry bones that lost the light
and take them dancing tonight
under a bright . . . blue moon

All our hearts on fire
Every face aglow
Shamelessly conspiring
Joy

A long time ago
I wished you were mine
But we found good lovers and we stayed good friends
And I still love the way you shine
We’re all dancing tonight . . .

All our hearts on fire
Every face aglow
Shamelessly conspiring
Joy

Go find you a road
Follow it round the bend
Feel the prairie flow around you
Let the dark descend
and keep dancing tonight . . .