Tag Archives: Andrew Peterson

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Music that moves my soul…

The other day I wrote about the care taking of our souls. Part of that is simply paying attention, part is making room in our routines for silence and for meditation…for listening. There is another part, as well, though, and for me this has always been an important element.

Music.

I wish I could say that I was a great songwriter or that I played an instrument well, but I do not. I have, however, always been moved by music, and now as I am well into my 40’s I find that to be all the more true.

There are songs that can move me to tears within just a few chords, and songs that can make me want to dance. Songs that bring joy and songs that bring a release to the emotions that sometimes I keep at bay.  There is something rather remarkable about music, and there is something about those who create.

I firmly believe that we are created by a Creator who among other things is marked by an amazing imagination. Imagination that created all that we see…the colors and the plants and the animals and the birds and the fish and the….countless things. Imagination that created belly laughs in babies and tears that release not only cleansing liquid but cleansing emotions.
We have a Creator. And we are marked by His image. Part of that mark is imagination and creativity and…music.

Music that moves our emotions and gives us all a vehicle for worship. Music that can make a two year old light up and dance, and music that can bring us to our knees in wonder with a burning desire to express that wonder to something beyond us…to the One who created it all.

There is so much I could say on this, but for now it was simply this. In the midst of the season of Lent when things are more stark and when we contemplate the sacrifice made by Jesus…when we face with Him toward Jerusalem and we recognize how broken our world is and how sinful and broken we ourselves are…we look forward to that moment on Easter Sunday when we cry out and rejoice that He Is Risen! Part of that rejoicing will be enabled by music.

Part of my caretaking of my soul is enabled by music.  And so I am very thankful for those who are diligent in their gifting to bring us chords and words and melodies that move our souls. That’s what I wanted to say the other day, but it would have been a bit too long!!

Just for kicks, here are a few artists moving me at the moment…

Andrew Peterson, because, well, he combines story telling with music in a way that captures even my kiddos imaginations. There is the range of playfulness in his songs, to the understanding of what it is to feel the Silence of God. His Behold the Lamb of God tour is a staple for bringing us into focus for the Advent season.

Charlie Peacock. Another story-teller, and one who gets me moving. Somehow Charlie’s music is always connected to events in my life and when I hear a song from him I can place where I heard it first and what was happening in my life. There is great joy in much of Charlie’s music, but it is paired with understanding of the struggles of life. Check out his new music, like Let The Dog Back in the House

Over the Rhine, because, well how can you not be moved by Karin’s vocals?!

Sam Moran. Okay, this one takes a little more explanation. Most of you who have kids probably know who Sam is…he is, or, er, was, the Yellow Wiggle. Yep. The Wiggles. We watched them some with the boys, mostly with our Sammy which was about when Sam Moran took over that position (long story…google it on your own). Well, Miss Maddie has been completely taken by the Wiggles. She lights up with joy at certain songs, and yes I firmly believe the music moves her. Sam put out a solo album a few years back and I thought I’d listen to it just for fun because I enjoy his voice. The album has become one of those that are marked in your playlist because of the timing of their discovery…this album has brought not only a bit of laughter in the light hearted songs, but also a soothing backdrop in some of the moments of thinking about Mom’s decline. I don’t know if he’ll ever put anything grown up out again, but I’m thankful for this project…and Maddie is thankful he sings kids songs.

Classical music is always part of the mixture for me and I am slowly introducing the boys to various composers as we work through our home school day.

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Bedtime Stories as a Discipline

I am reading a bit of a horror story at the moment.  The real horror is that it is not fiction. A Train In Winter tells the story of a group of women from France who were resisters and who ultimately arrive in Auschwitz. They had hidden Jews, had helped others escape, had printed newspapers that urged resistance. They had taken a bold stand, and they pay a horrendous price.

There are moments of humor, moments of grace and moments of terror.

I just finished reading a different story to the boys at night. That story is about three children and their mother and their grandfather. They face terrors of their own, including a reptilian army of bad guys called Fangs of Dang who are under the rule of Gnag the Nameless. There are moments of escape, moments of terror, moments of captivity and fear and lots of humor.  But this story is not true and so we are able to hear it and not be as afraid.

I think and feel strongly that it is important to expose the kids to stories. Lots of stories. Sometimes they will be better written than other times, but each story we have read has expanded their imagination and their thinking. Most have led to discussions about God and about hope and faith.

There will be a time when they will realize that there are real terrors and there are those who are deeply evil. There will be a time when they will know that there are horror stories that are not fiction.

They will have a foundation, though. The best stories have suspense and have a mixture of fear and hope…they capture our attention and show us that there are choices to be made and there is courage to be grasped.  The story we’ve just finished up was the third in the Wingfeather Saga, written by Andrew Peterson. So far this series has been the favorite of the boys, and we eagerly anticipate the last book in the series coming out this Fall. Andrew is a Christian and he weaves deeper truths throughout the story…hints of a greater story.

And that is where I’m headed. I want my kids to have an expanded imagination that gives them groundwork for imagining the impossible. Three children fleeing from an army of lizard-men…facing crazy, imagination filled obstacles. Their eyes light up as we read and they never want me to stop because they are engaged deeply.

One of the things that I love about my faith is that it is based so richly in story. We are called to imagine the impossible…God becoming man and saving us.  Better than that: God creating everything out of nothing. Everything. Grass that is not only amazing shades of grey, but fragrant. The colors of the rainbow and the sunrise and the sunset and the mountains. Ostriches and pufferfish.

God has laced our lives with imagination that created reality. We serve a Creator.

And so when the horrors come, and they will…there is story to hear and to give understanding. Story of Falls and of sin and of brokenness. Stories still of redemption and of hope and of salvation.

Stories.
They require us to be patient and hear how they will play out. As we are three books into this series the boys have had to learn that not everything will be explained in the first pages of a book. Wait and see what answer might unfold.

Reading to them and teaching them to listen well and pay attention is not just a bedtime routine. It is a discipline that is foundation…listen well and pay attention is the key to making it through this life.

Listen well and pay attention. Part of the mark of our Maker is in our stories and in our imaginations. Pay attention. Don’t rush to the last page because you’ll miss too much…be patient and listen to the Story.