Power in a Song

Music. The collection of sounds have inspired and influenced me since I was a little one. It has evoked emotions in me from the very beginning. Happiness. Joy. Love. Sadness. Fear. Danger.

My first memories of music revolve around church. Singing in the worship service. Singing at home. Quartet musicc. Mom played the piano and the accordion. Mom and Dad both sang. They would sing together, Dad singing the melody and Mom singing alto. I learned to sing from my parents. I learned to harmonize with them. I learned around the piano.

The Christmas season is Music! The season would be bland without music. Music is not the reason for Christmas. But the season would seem empty without carols and songs. Nat King Cole, Andy Williams, and many more voices are synonymous with the Christmas season.

As I grew older, I found new styles of music. Each sound, though vastly different, brought new emotions and nuances. Every new singer and musician opened up their soul and shared from their heart.

Some were quiet and frail. Others were bold and powerful. From the sweeping majesty of Aaron Copeland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” to the delicate voice of David Foster’s “Water Fountain”. Music moves the heart.

Music speaks for the heart, when the heart cannot express what it is feeling. Music is alive! There are some songs that breathe. When you sit, block out all other distractions and just listen, the music breathes. I mean it feels like the song is alive.

Now I know the song is not some creature that is living. But is it? There are some songs that I can “feel” a heartbeat.

“Okay, Dan. That sounds crazy! Have you lost your marbles?”

Maybe I have. Maybe I haven’t. All I know is that the song moves and breathes. There is an intimacy in the melody that draws you in. Draws you close. It communicates something profound at the heart level. All I know is this; music has moved in me like only One other.

Now that would make sense. God, the Creator of all life, the Creator of all things, He created music.

The heart. Not the organ pumping blood through our veins. But the center of our being, our soul, that heart; that is where this universal language is spoken. The “emotion” that is most addressed through music is love. That would make sense.

Love. Love and music go together like hand in glove. More energy has been spent in expressing love through music than probably any other form. And I am not just talking about romance. Though romance takes up most of that space. One of the songs that exudes a sensual, romantic mood is Andre Bocelli’s “Besame Mucho“. If you need something to put you in the right mood for a romantic date night, put that on your playlist.

Love of friendship, family, God, country, and… well, you can fill in those other blanks. Think about that one. One idea, universally addressed through music, around the world in every language. In music, the range and depth of love is shared from one person to another. And it affects us all.

Tonight I went to bed listening to music from Kevin Costner’s band, Modern West. As the album ended, Spotify continued the play list by randomly selecting songs from that similar musical style. Yes, I was listening to country music. I woke up around 11:30 p.m. or so and continued to listen to the songs. One after another, enjoying each song as it played. Most of the songs I did not know.

Then it hit me. A song I never heard before, by an artist I am not familiar with. In the past hour I have replayed that song at least a half a dozen times. Why? The song spoke to me. It reached out and touched my heart. It stirred emotions in me. Emotions I have not felt in quite a while.

There is no connection to anyone. It is simply me and the song. And it is glorious. It makes me feel alive!

This is not the first time I have encountered this wonderful epiphany. There are many songs that have this effect on me. “Bring Him Home” from Les Miserables, “The Prayer” by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion, and now this new treasure that I found tonight.

Open the ears and eyes of your heart. Slow down, focus on the beauty that is presented to you each and every day. We only live today one time. When it reaches midnight, today is over. We can never live in that moment again.

I could ramble on about music and the heart. But let me end by encouraging you to find music that speaks to you.

To start this journey, find this song. Sit back. Hit play and close your eyes. “Dare to Live” by Laura Pausini & Andre Bocelli!

And Dare to Live!

P.S. I just found a new favorite singer!

Coming Home

A few weeks ago, I finally made the plunge to find a church home. I stayed away from God for far too long. I tried a few years back, going to a local church. It lasted for about 6 months. I put the reasons on me, as for the failed attempt. Maybe it was not the right kind of church. Maybe it wasn’t the right theology or doctrine. Maybe it was the lack of support from my family, not wanting to start (or restart) a spiritual journey together. Regardless, I stopped going. And I did not try to find a good church to become an active and healthy member. I stopped. I. Me.

In the last year a close friend, someone that has become like a brother to me, told me about the church he and his wife attend. Though he has not joined as a “formal” member, they are regular, and he is active in the worship band. He talked about the pastor, the preaching, the doctrine, and theology. He told me about the guys that he gets together with, to talk about theology, beliefs, politics, and beer. (chuckles…)

After Mom passed in June, I told my boss that I could no longer work Sundays (especially first shift). I need to get back to church. This church may not be the one. But I need to search for the church that God wants me to be a participating member in. That journey may take a while. Sometimes it is about the personality AND the theology of the church.

Fast forward to now. For three Sundays I have attended Winchester Baptist Church. After the first Sunday, Tim, the pastor, invited me to join him for breakfast. We met at a local restaurant the following week with the pastoral intern, Bruno. We spent the morning talking about our backgrounds, the church, it’s doctrine and theology. We talked about why they worship in the manner they choose. It is intentional and Biblical.

As I join with the people in the worship service, I feel a sense of comfort. I didn’t say comfortableness. My spirit is comforted through the act of participation. The music draws me to God. It is not a shallow, emotional kind of love or comfort. There is a deeper expression of connecting with God. I am led to acknowledge what I believe about God. I am brought to conviction about my infinite short-comings to be worthy of God’s love. Yet there is a loving and peaceful resolution after acknowledging my failure to meet God on my own power.

In music, a song can create tension when there is dissonance. Webster Dictionary explains it as such: “a mingling of sounds that strike the ear harshly : a mingling of discordant sounds”. But when the dissonant chord is resolved, there is a great relief. It affects the listener with an emotional release, a relief of sorts.

This occurs when someone slams into the realization that they cannot be in a good relationship with God because of their own sin. But when you look to Jesus Christ…, when you realize that the cross and His crucifixion are real…, when you see that God raised Jesus from the dead…, conquering sin…

Great relief floods the soul! Comfort is given to that person.

When I worship with those in that church, I am comforted. The Holy Spirit brings a great relief to my soul. Though I know that I do not deserve any mercy or grace from God, I receive it with a thankful heart.

There is a familiarity with this group of Christians. It feels good. It feels healthy. I will be going back Sunday. God brought me here. And I will stay. It feels like I am home.

Old Friends…

Today I logged into FB to see who was doing what. I came across an old friend’s post celebrating his 41st wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary, Clyde and Julie! (they probably won’t see this) I clicked on his link to see some of his recent posts. One post referred to a mutual old friend from a church we attended together. I sent him a message and a friend request. What resulted was a brief, pleasant exchange. It reminded me of the richness of my past, the value of friendships, and the joy of connectedness.