When I decided to start blogging, I had to decide for myself what kind of blog I was going to "produce", and of course, for those of you who know me, I blog according to my personality--quiet, non-confrontational, positive... UNTIL today.
I'm cleaning house today, getting ready for a bunch of middle/high schoolers to come to our house tomorrow night for a Christmas get-together. So, I'm thinking, "We don't have ANY Christmas music, I should get online and buy a few songs from itunes and burn a CD to play to set a festive mood." So, I end up subscribing to Yahoo's Launchcast for a free seven day trial. Not my first time using yahoomusic--i really love them, but the commercials were annoying and certainly not conducive to "festivity." I sit down to listen to a few songs and to read about the artists singing them. I have my preference set on "Christian Holiday" and I'm still amazed at the songs that young believers out there produce on a daily basis. It sets my heart on fire and makes me want to sit down and compose a song of my own--if only I could.
A song comes on launchcast while I'm loading the dishwasher and it showcased a drummer. The song, of course, was Little Drummer Boy sung by Jars of Clay. I've heard LDB a million times, but never like this. The drummer was drumming like he was on a drumline, a first-place championship on the line and it strikes me that THIS is exactly what the little drummer boy would have put out there for our Lord and Savior--his best performance, not some subdued two-four beat that barely calls for music at all, let alone a drum.
I grew up in a great believing family with a dad and mom that sacrificed ALOT to send me to THE Christian school in town. It was their conviction, and I truly am thankful EVERYDAY for the opportunities this afforded me. But, I have to say, that it was a legalistic school--it exuded legalism from the windows. We were taught that the water Jesus turned to wine was more like Koolaid and that when David and the Israelites danced before the Lord, it was mostly clapping and cheering. We were taught obedience out of fear and never shown any grace, mercy or forgiveness for our humanity. I don't know about you, but this insults not only me but is a slap in the face to the inspired Word of God. The Bible says what it means. "Dance" means dance and "Wine" means wine. Being in this school my whole life, and many of my friends the same, we didn't realize that there was anything a little off, until about our Senior year. We started questionning and thinking for ourselves and I think we barely made it through the year without being expelled and have since pretty much been blackballed and branded as the "Rebellious Class of '88". Most of us went on into the world and quit going to church, we'd been jaded. Some of us found our way back; most have not. It's a common story of believers from that decade. Yet, in God's ultimate wisdom, he's turned that into a current great generation of believers who are stepping up and they're bold and they're phenomenally talented. They know what they believe and they put it out there. The Church as a whole, across all denominations, is waking up from a long slumber, and I say, it's about time. America, and the world, needs us to be awake.
Why this story, you ask? Just some background on me and to encourage everyone out there that on Christmas day, wake up and turn on some music, dance to our Savior like there is no tomorrow. I'm so sure that when the angels sing, they sing and they dance and they stomp their feet and they wiggle their hips--yeah, they wiggle their hips. Did you ever notice that when babies first start dancing, they wiggle their hips and they stomp their feet and they exude pure, innocent joy on their faces; their eyes sparkle? It's the joy of the Lord. Catch some joy this Holiday season. When the pressure of cleaning and purchasing and decorating and baking get you down and you start to hate the Christmas season, put on some rockin' Christmas music and celebrate Christ right down to the core of your being. How could we not be passionate about our Savior born on this day, a gift to us, so undeserving. Don't be subdued by religion. Catch The Passion this Christmas. Dance like he saved your life. Merry Christmas!
Disclaimer: I have to say that my parents are not, and never have been legalistic, lest anyone infers this from my blog.
I'm cleaning house today, getting ready for a bunch of middle/high schoolers to come to our house tomorrow night for a Christmas get-together. So, I'm thinking, "We don't have ANY Christmas music, I should get online and buy a few songs from itunes and burn a CD to play to set a festive mood." So, I end up subscribing to Yahoo's Launchcast for a free seven day trial. Not my first time using yahoomusic--i really love them, but the commercials were annoying and certainly not conducive to "festivity." I sit down to listen to a few songs and to read about the artists singing them. I have my preference set on "Christian Holiday" and I'm still amazed at the songs that young believers out there produce on a daily basis. It sets my heart on fire and makes me want to sit down and compose a song of my own--if only I could.
A song comes on launchcast while I'm loading the dishwasher and it showcased a drummer. The song, of course, was Little Drummer Boy sung by Jars of Clay. I've heard LDB a million times, but never like this. The drummer was drumming like he was on a drumline, a first-place championship on the line and it strikes me that THIS is exactly what the little drummer boy would have put out there for our Lord and Savior--his best performance, not some subdued two-four beat that barely calls for music at all, let alone a drum.
I grew up in a great believing family with a dad and mom that sacrificed ALOT to send me to THE Christian school in town. It was their conviction, and I truly am thankful EVERYDAY for the opportunities this afforded me. But, I have to say, that it was a legalistic school--it exuded legalism from the windows. We were taught that the water Jesus turned to wine was more like Koolaid and that when David and the Israelites danced before the Lord, it was mostly clapping and cheering. We were taught obedience out of fear and never shown any grace, mercy or forgiveness for our humanity. I don't know about you, but this insults not only me but is a slap in the face to the inspired Word of God. The Bible says what it means. "Dance" means dance and "Wine" means wine. Being in this school my whole life, and many of my friends the same, we didn't realize that there was anything a little off, until about our Senior year. We started questionning and thinking for ourselves and I think we barely made it through the year without being expelled and have since pretty much been blackballed and branded as the "Rebellious Class of '88". Most of us went on into the world and quit going to church, we'd been jaded. Some of us found our way back; most have not. It's a common story of believers from that decade. Yet, in God's ultimate wisdom, he's turned that into a current great generation of believers who are stepping up and they're bold and they're phenomenally talented. They know what they believe and they put it out there. The Church as a whole, across all denominations, is waking up from a long slumber, and I say, it's about time. America, and the world, needs us to be awake.
Why this story, you ask? Just some background on me and to encourage everyone out there that on Christmas day, wake up and turn on some music, dance to our Savior like there is no tomorrow. I'm so sure that when the angels sing, they sing and they dance and they stomp their feet and they wiggle their hips--yeah, they wiggle their hips. Did you ever notice that when babies first start dancing, they wiggle their hips and they stomp their feet and they exude pure, innocent joy on their faces; their eyes sparkle? It's the joy of the Lord. Catch some joy this Holiday season. When the pressure of cleaning and purchasing and decorating and baking get you down and you start to hate the Christmas season, put on some rockin' Christmas music and celebrate Christ right down to the core of your being. How could we not be passionate about our Savior born on this day, a gift to us, so undeserving. Don't be subdued by religion. Catch The Passion this Christmas. Dance like he saved your life. Merry Christmas!
Disclaimer: I have to say that my parents are not, and never have been legalistic, lest anyone infers this from my blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment