Cheryl wrote this song for her sister after their dad's death. It recalls how much fun they had when they were young, and how they have been blessed throughout their lives. There is a reference to "long Monopoly", a game they used to play. Once when Cheryl was performing at the Upper Merion "Concert Under the Stars" venue (where people arrive early with frisbies, food, etc), she talked about how they used to play the same game for hours. She then mentioned seeing a family bringing a Monopoly game with them, and wondered how long they thought the show was going to be. That was a joke :^)

When they were kids, the family used to sing a lot while driving in the car. Their dad knew a few popular songs, but knew lots of hymns, so that was what they usually would sing. One of these hymns was "I Love to Tell the Story", which Cheryl refers to several times in the song. In fact, she sings the chorus of this hymn at the end of the song. Here is a live version on YouTube.

When she first started to perform this song, a number of listeners were concerned that Cheryl had "gotten religion" and was now proselytizing. At the end of the song, she would ask the audience how many people recognized that the end of the song was the chorus of the hymn. Apparently, not too many people knew. These days, Cheryl warns them ahead of time, and assures them that the original fears were unfounded.

  • Blessed
  • Words And Music By
  • Cheryl Wheeler
  • (except for chorus of the hymn I Love to Tell the Story)
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  • Dancing in our rooms, you knew all the moves
  • Thinkin of Mom in saddle shoes, it was amazing
  • Laughing family, long Monopoly
  • Sunday night TV, Adam and Hop Sing
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  • We were as blessed as blessed can be
  • You and Mom and Dad and me
  • Singin’ in 4 part harmony
  • “I Love To Tell The Story”
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  • Me and my guitar, softball in the yard
  • Breezeway playin’ cards with half of the neighborhood
  • Their crazy bridge club nights, Sunday back road drives
  • Running for our lives down into Rhode’s woods
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  • And it seemed like something just this side of heaven
  • Comin’ from the AM radio
  • And it felt like it would just go on forever
  • Singin “Long Time Man” and “Pretty Peggy-o”
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  • Now we’re old and gray, mem’ries fade away
  • These are here to stay, that is our blessing
  • “I love to tell the story
  • ‘Twill be my theme in glory
  • To tell the old, old story
  • Of Jesus and his love”
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  • (P) August 23, 2004
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  • Penrod And Higgins Music / Amachrist Music
  • ACF Music Group
  • International Copyright Reserved
  •