The outcome is an album that represents the multiple facets of Cindy’s life as a wife, mother, and storyteller. “One of the greatest things in my life is being a mother to my two girls, Olivia and Savannah. I love seeing the world through their eyes; they teach me so much everyday and, of course, they inspire me.
Song Snapshots
‘Lay Me Down’
‘Lay Me Down’ starts off the record. “I wrote this song with my good friend and soul man Phil Madiera.” The music was inspired by the music from ‘O Brother Where Art Thou’ and came to her while gardening. “I was at our home in Canada, digging in the dirt and had my shovel out trying to break through this huge rock. I started singing this lyric based on a Psalm, Oh lay me down in your green pastures.”
‘The Sun Shines Through’
“This song like many was inspired by a few people in my life… all true stories of how we are sometimes handed a hard road and we wonder how we’ll make it through. It is so good to know that God will not leave us or forsake us, but bring about to completion the good work which He has started in us”.
Morgan has intentionally released few details about this record, preferring to keep it under wraps until just before the release date. In keeping with this path she has also decided to brave the digital frontier, releasing ‘Beautiful Bird’ exclusively in digital format through her website (cindymorganmusic.com) and iTunes, as well as, other hand picked online outlets. “The wonderful thing about doing a record like this is that you throw the rule book out the window… it really sets the creative spirit free to let each song, and the record as a whole, be what it is without boundaries that often squash the creative process.”
This record is a mix of all the musical styles Morgan has been a fan of. “It is a mix of Pop, Appalachia, Country, and Symphonic. I can’t choose the cello over the doboro so I wanted to make a record where they could live together. I am also a great admirer and pursuer of the art of writing a great country song and many of the lyrics are from that approach.” Morgan, who is a dynamic vocalist and pianist, has added to her musical quiver, the lap dulcimer. “I have written on the piano for so many years, it was great writing on different instruments. This really brings about different melodies and character of songwriting… I play the dulcimer and a little guitar.”
A songwriter's songwriter, Morgan has garnered eighteen number one hits that include ‘Listen’, ‘Praise the King’, ‘Take my life’, and ‘I Know You’; as well as Point of Grace’s recent hit ‘How You Live’. Morgan has garnered several Dove Awards and Billboard Music Video Award nominations. Her songs have been recorded by luminaries such as Michael W. Smith, Point Of Grace, Avalon, Rachael Lampa, Brit Nicole, Mandisa, The Martins, Michael English, BeBe
Winans, Sandi Patty, Jaci Velasquez, Mark Schultz, John Tesh, and Natalie Grant.
“A few years ago, I decided it was time for a rest from the road and take more seriously my desire to become a better songwriter. I decided of all places, to do this in Los Angeles. Along with my husband and our then one year old daughter, we headed to our little apartment in Burbank, California.” In Burbank, Morgan worked as a full-time songwriter in the Christian, pop, and country genres, crafting hits including Christy "It was so great to be around people who were not necessarily Christians because I recognized that their search goes on earnestly, and I felt so blessed that I knew what I believed and that I felt truth in that
belief."
Eventually, the family returned to Nashville and bought a house where they still make their home six months of the year. In this jambalaya of settings, Morgan engaged in a journey toward new self-discovery. She stretched as a wife and mother, and matured as a woman and musician. First and foremost, she drank deeply from a spiritual well and grew stronger in her faith. “Everyday is a new journey for me...I think we just keep on struggling and walking toward the path that God has set before us. I am so thankful to be here and to have a wonderful husband and two healthy children. I am so happy that I know Jesus and that He knows me and hears the prayers of my heart. I pray that whatever gifts he has given me, that I make the most of these gifts…never letting anything stand in the way of making manifest the wonderful goodness of God and the good news of what He has done for us.”
Picture Me in Paradise
Cindy Morgan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking at the stars dancing up above me
Sometimes I feel it calling to me
Heaven's infinite dream, it's such a sobering thing
In all the universe You would chose to love me
I feel the arms that carry me through
Feel my heart close to you
To know how much I need you
To know how much I want to see You there
It's my destination and it's my inspiration
Just beyond this place and time
Looking at forever, the pieces come together
When I picture me in Paradise
When I picture me in Paradise
Oh, c'est la vie
Some would like to say life is all for nothing
Living on the surface at best, never seeing the rest
Came like a vision to me, somewhere from the blue
What a revelation?
Catching just a glimpse of Your grace
Set the pieces in place
Took some time to know how much you love me
To know how much I need you
To know how much I want to see You there
It's my destination and it's my inspiration
Just beyond this place and time
Looking at forever, the pieces come together
When I picture me in Paradise
When I picture me in Paradise
When we set our hearts and minds on things above
Then His Spirit leads us on and on and on and on
It's my destination and it's my inspiration
Just beyond this place and time
Looking at forever, the pieces come together
When I picture me in Paradise
When I picture me in Paradise
The song "Picture Me in Paradise" by Cindy Morgan is a reflective and hopeful piece that speaks on the beauty and grace of heaven. The first verse begins with the singer looking up at the moon and stars, feeling a calling towards heaven. Despite being a small and insignificant part of the universe, the singer finds comfort in knowing that they are loved by God and feels his presence carrying them through life. The second verse speaks on how the singer had to take time to truly understand and appreciate God's love for them, but now they are hopeful and excited to someday reach paradise. They see heaven as their destination and inspiration, beyond this earthly existence. The song ends with an encouragement to focus on heavenly things and let the Spirit lead us on.
The lyricism of "Picture Me in Paradise" encourages listeners to remember that heaven is not only a destination, but also a source of inspiration and a reminder of God's never-ending love. The moon and stars become a symbol of the vastness of the universe as well as God's love and care for individuals. The repetition of the phrase "picture me in paradise" reinforces the hope and longing for an eternal home beyond this earthly life. Furthermore, the mentioned perception of glimpsing God's grace as a revelation and catching just a glimpse of His grace as an experience serves as validation for the singer to confirm God's love for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Moon over me
The moon is shining on me
Looking at the stars dancing up above me
I am looking at stars that appear to be dancing above me
Sometimes I feel it calling to me
Sometimes I feel like heaven is calling out to me
Heaven's infinite dream, it's such a sobering thing
The thought of heaven being an infinite dream is a humbling and serious idea
In all the universe You would chose to love me
Out of all the things in the universe, God chose to love me
I feel the arms that carry me through
I feel God's support carrying me through life
Feel my heart close to you
I feel emotionally close to God
Took some time to know how much you love me
It took some time for me to fully grasp how much God loves me
To know how much I need you
It took some time for me to fully realize how much I need God
To know how much I want to see You there
It took some time for me to realize how much I want to be with God in heaven
It's my destination and it's my inspiration
Heaven is my end goal and my inspiration in life
Just beyond this place and time
Heaven is beyond this physical world and beyond time
Looking at forever, the pieces come together
When I think of eternity, everything starts to make sense
When I picture me in Paradise
When I imagine myself in heaven
Oh, c'est la vie
Oh, that's life
Some would like to say life is all for nothing
Some people believe that life has no meaning
Living on the surface at best, never seeing the rest
Those people are living superficially and not experiencing the fullness of life
Came like a vision to me, somewhere from the blue
The idea of heaven came to me like a vision from nowhere
What a revelation?
It was a profound and enlightening realization
Catching just a glimpse of Your grace
Experiencing even a small amount of God's grace
Set the pieces in place
Helped me understand how everything fits together in life
When we set our hearts and minds on things above
When we focus on heavenly things
Then His Spirit leads us on and on and on and on
God's Spirit guides us continuously
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: GRANT CUNNINGHAM, MARK HAMMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind