Music

So I've been thinking a lot this week about the power and place of music in our lives. No, this isn't only about Michael Jackson's death (though you really can't watch TV without being reminded of the importance of music in the lives of so many people). It's also because my sermon this Sunday takes as its inspiration (loosely) a Civil War song entitled, The Vacant Chair.

Music tells a lot about a place and time. And the music that is dearest to us speaks about something very essential to who we are.

For example, I chose as one of the hymns for this Sunday a song from The Faith We Sing called The Summons. The words of this mean a lot to me personally about my call--both to ministry and discipleship. It also has an important place in the modern UM church.

Goodness knows I know the power of hymns for people...that's why people get so excited or upset when you do or don't play their favorite hymns. Christmas and Easter especially!

But we all have lots of other songs that still speak to us powerfully, or which mark a particular period in our lives. This whole line of thought got me nostalgic, so I thought I'd flip through my iTunes and remember a few of my favs...

-"The Call" by Anointed...a fav. when I first heard my call to ministry and pursued candidacy
-"I Have a Dream" by Bebe Winans: downloaded when I was taking a preaching class at Duke as an example of the musical tones of African American preaching
-"I Tried" by Bone Thugs N Harmony: What can I say? I was a fan of Crossroads...this takes me back to high school
-"So Much for Pretending" by Bryan White: my theme song for pretty much every crush I sad in college
-"One Day Closer to You" by Carolyn Dawn Johnson: the song that kept me going after all those crushes
-"Baby Got Book" by Dan Smith: still one of the funniest songs ever. Dan Randall showed some of us this video one evening in seminary. I've even had a group of camp kids play this in the weekly talent show :-)
-This is an album: "This is Who I Am" by Heather Headley: this is pretty much half of what I listened to my entire second year at Duke. No particular reason really. Just good music.
-"Where Are You Christmas" by Faith Hill: came out about the time my parents split up
-"Can't Give Up Now" by Mary Mary: since college, this has been one of those songs that really encourages me
-another album: "Home for Christmas" by NSync. The Semester I was in Greece, as December was coming, this was the only Christmas album I could find by a group I recognized. I listened to it a lot. And for reasons I have never been able to explain, it is my one tried and true cure to writer's block. Weird, I know.
-"I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden. I don't remember why, but we listened to a lot of Savage Garden when we were in Greece.

So that's some for now...what about you? What songs mark moments in your life?