Musical medication

"Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him." 1 Samuel 16:23

   I love music. It is powerful, soothing, & haunting- for me there is always an emotion attached to music. Whether it invokes joy or excitement, sorrow or pain- there is always a feeling attached to it. An old song can bring memories flooding back to me. I can travel back in time, to an exact location, remember a smell, exactly the way a person looked, how I felt- it's amazing to me the feelings that can flood back with music. 

   I grew up around music, great musicians who were mostly self taught. As a child almost everyone that was a large influence in my life sang or played an instrument. My dad led worship at church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, & Wednesday. Even though my mom didn't play any instruments or sing she played music in the house a lot- which I loved. My grandmother sings like an angel & would often sing with my great grandfather (her dad). My favorite song for her to sing to this day is "My Heart is Like a House"- no one will ever sing it even half as wonderful as her! My grandfather was a huge John Wayne fan & epitomized the hard working American- he could pick the guitar effortlessly & was one of the main reasons I wanted to start guitar lessons in 4th grade. My Aunt Rhonda can bellow out a tune that you swear was bred in the depths of her soul because you can feel it- like it rode out of her body on a bed of emotion. I always secretly tried to get her growl, & let's face it- at 10 it wasn't happening.

   I grew up in a Pennticostal church- where you sing your heart out- you may miss notes but the pureness & the soul behind it matter exponentially more than the notes you're singing. I love that culture of music. You play what you feel. Around junior high I learned to play by ear/ I loved the thought of not being bound to traditional sheet music! Mrs. Debbie was a family friend & musical mentor/ she believed in me! If I would've said I wanted to move to Nashville & try for a music career she would've been the first to buy the t-shirt! I'm greatful for her teaching & encouragement- she taught me that notes & scales are important but there's a whole world outside of that. For me, music is much more than composition, or keys, or scales, or chords...for me it's my 6th sense. An emotion. 

   My oldest son has recently started playing the guitar. He is so darn cute! He wrote the cutest song about pizza & summertime & it's just stinkin' adorable! He named it "the pizza song". It's no award winning piece but I will tell you, I could listen to it on replay for hours! I can't wait to see him grow in his love for music. There's nothing better than being swept away by a tune- I pray that I never forget the way my dad's strong voice boomed as he worshiped God, or how my grandmother's face lit up as she held her father's hand and walked onto stage to stand beside him and sing, or how my Papaw's strong fingers strummed the guitar as he mumbled an old country song while ashes fell around his feet and I sat cross legged at his side. I've been so blessed in my life and pray that I'm spreading life, love, & God through music that my children will hear for the rest of their lives and that each song that holds a memory for them will scream loudly the pictures from their past like it has mine.