Influence

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It has been a long while since I have posted anything here. I have been busy completing three years toward my B.A. in English and my senior year is underway. My current class (Creative Writing) has finally given me the space to take off the tight harness of academic writing rules, and it feels SO GOOD!! After reading my first assignment, Mom and Daddy gave it their thumbs up and suggested I make it a blog post, so here it is. It is my story and their story. It's a little longer than my usual posts, but as with everything I have ever posted here, I pray it encourages you to run "up the sunbeam to the sun" (C. S. Lewis). "Follow my example,  as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV I sat above them on the stairs. Looking down through the window-like openings in the partition between the living room and the stairway, I listened to the basketball players, football players, baseball players, wrestlers, track athletes, both the lettermen

My Life in Song Titles

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Melody rises and falls like a mountain road. Harmony weaves above and below. A sequence of notes, nothing more. Nothing more? SO MUCH MORE! On that sequence of notes ride whole worlds of truth and insight! I am transported! One moment driving, doing dishes, walking, fretting--but when the melody starts, heaven enters my oh-so-ordinary moment, reminding me of wisdom I cannot live without.
On vinyl with crackles and scratches to mark the wear and tear of countless plays, the old songs stay with me.
In digital form, clean and clear, the old and new can accompany me wherever I am.
There is something supernatural that God built into music--He designed it to lend a certain something special to the words wrapped within its notes. I am so often amazed at the things God did in creation that He didn't have to do. What would the world be like without the sound of music? Where would my faith be without music, without song? I would love to know how much of what I know, what I REALLY know, is because of songs I have committed to memory. Some of my earliest recollections are centered on music, like my first duet in a tiny church in Iowa, sitting on my daddy's lap, singing I Would Be True. Songs I learned as a little girl are still easy to remember, truth included. Music through my life has been a catalyst for growth in my relationship with God. Music has the capacity to move truth from my head to my heart to my feet on the ground. It can take me back to other times and places where I was strong in my faith. It can launch me into higher levels of knowing and following Him. Music can lift me to the mountaintop when I'm living in the valley, and it can remind me to care for those in the valley when I'm standing on the pinnacle of joy. It can fill in the blanks between head knowledge and heart knowing. Because of music, I see His creation and exclaim, "How Great Thou Art!" Because of music, I KNOW that I KNOW that I KNOW Jesus Loves Me This I Know. Because of music, when Jesus asked for my heart, I knew how to Say "I Do." Because of music, I learned to trust in His Amazing Grace. Because of music, my heart knows that He's Everything To Me. Because of music, I see my need to pray, "I Need Thee Every Hour" and "I Surrender All" Because of music, I can describe my realization that God is Indescribable! Because of music, I long to see the world with My Father's Eyes. Because of music, I have pondered, O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus. Because of music, I have a passion to Pass It On. Because of music, I can share with a heart-sick friend that Jesus is the Hope of the Broken-Hearted. Because of music, although the powers of darkness are rising, I am confident that Darkness is Falling! Because of music, I have Blessed Assurance of my glorious future with Jesus in heaven. Because of music, this too-hard world fades when the song reminds, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus." Because of music, I understand about letting my life become a Lifesong. I could mark my entire faith life in song titles, each one a touchstone of remembrance of the moment that song and its nugget of truth became part of me.
"My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul." Psalm 108:1 NIV
Because of music, I can encourage you to join me and Sing Your Praise to the Lord.
holy experience Tell me your life in song titles--which songs are your touchstones?

Comments

  1. Jennifer @ GDWJNovember 4, 2009 at 7:42 PM

    Your sweet melody sings triumphantly here. Your lifesong sings to the King! Beautiful ...

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 5, 2009 at 8:40 AM

    So true, and how is it that a song can put words to my life that can so quickly transform me...

    ReplyDelete

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