9/11/23 [This is now set to private]
LISTEN to the re-created song HERE:

This Loving Stream (First Dance)

http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/13657780 for a NWC version

Julia Tice went to the Providence Civic Center for a Charismatic Conference with her friend Jimmy Laughlin (now Father Laughlin). She had gone through a lot of hard things in her life and she was beginning to turn to her faith in a deep way along with several young friends like Jimmy at St. Theresa’s. Father Hogan had led the youth there in prayer, plays and all sorts of great activities. While in Providence, the main program was a show about a “Prodigal Daughter”, by this group called Living Waters. She was blown away and inspired by the presentation and felt utterly compelled to meet them and thank them in person. She asked where they were from and found out: Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Holliston! Our Lady under that name was instrumental in her conversion experience! What a coincidence! How to meet them? One of their next shows was in South Boston at St. Augustine’s where Fr. Hogan was now living. Another coincidence! She would go and thank them there.

She saw the show and felt a STRONG impulse to join as a liturgical dancer. She talked to Kathy Bourque in the bathroom about it and Kathy also felt this very strongly. Julia joined the group and began practicing with them in Holliston. After some deep prayer one time, she looked at Mark Lajoie and knew they were meant to be together….But he was utterly clueless for months on end!

I could end the story here and say the rest is history. [My side of the trajectory is mentioned in the blog entry about We’re Gonna Stay .] There are plenty of other humorous and edifying stories and miracles to share. Suffice it to say, I finally wised up and I opened up to her and we discovered a deep soul connection. I was very leery about marrying because I was in no position to do it. But when Julia left for a long trip to go to her sister Liane’s wedding in California, I realized we were meant to be together. I proposed in the chapel at St. Anne’s where we had prayed together.

The next year on June 1, 1986 it happened – we were married at St. Anne’s. It is one of the most beautiful days I have ever experienced. My cousin Michelle Roussel sang the Bridal entrance, “Climb Every Mountain”. My Living Waters friends formed the music group including Mike, John, Dave and Denise and they sang “Glory” in the beginning and I sang “Perfect Gift-Song” after Communion. At the reception, for the first dance, they played a tape of my song “This Loving Stream (I Love You)” while the Mark Freel Band played over it. We left to a trumpet version of “Over the Rainbow”.

It is this first dance song I would like to present to you. Like “We’re Gonna Stay”, I had already written it, in anticipation of someone I knew was coming into my life. Julia helped me adjust the lyrics a bit to fit the fact that the Good God had answered our prayers by bringing us together now and making a fresh start. The words are about a very deep kind of connection; we were going to need it in the coming years!

I almost never do finger-picking and that shows my limits because you really should be good at that to be considered a good guitarist; I’ve been a heavily plectrum-dependant player. But this one included some simple finger-picking which makes me happy.

And so, without further adieu, here is “This Loving Stream”.