Tag Archives: music

Currently: On My Playlist

Posted on by under Everyday, faith

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10,000 Reasons~Matt Redman

Give Me Words to Speak~Aaron Shust

Can’t Get Over You~Anthem Lights

All I Am~Phil Wickham

Better Than a Hallelujah~Amy Grant

One Thing Remains~Kristian Stanfill

All Around Me~Flywheel

It’s Your Life~Francesca Battistelli

Beautiful Things~Gungor

Lay Me Down~Chris Tomlin

Forever Reign~Hillsong Live

Cornerstone~Hillsong Live

Stronger~Hillsong Live

Love Came Down~Jeremy Riddle

White Flag~Chris Tomlin

Lord, I Need You~Matt Maher

Always~Kristian Stanfill

This is Not the End~Gungor

All of these songs are not only on my iPhone playlist, but I burned them onto a CD as well for our car.  Some of the songs we are currently singing during worship at our church, some are songs I sang at our previous church in New Mexico, and some are songs that people who know my love of good worship music shared with me.  I tend to make a new CD every couple of weeks.  I always ask the girls what songs they would like carried over & if there are any new songs they’d like to add.  Hailey loves to share new songs with us that she has learned at youth group, which I love!

We primarily listen to Christian music.  Why?  Well, the simple answer is I believe that what we put into our minds is what we get out.  I prefer to listen to music that is uplifting, positive, & sets my mind & spirit where it needs to be.  I strive to be a fully devoted follower of Christ.  I don’t want to go to church on Sundays and then be bombarded by worldy garbage the other 6 days of the week.

I also have 2 daughters who have amazing memories!  I don’t want them listening to songs about sex, power, and materialism.  Our kids are impressionable.  I love driving around town listening to them singing words like:

“Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me!”

instead of words like:

“I’m bringing sexy back!” or “If you like it, then you should have put a ring on it!”

I’m not judging if that is the type of music you listen to, as that is obviously not my place.  I just wanted to share why we have decided to remove music that we once listened to & to primarily listen to Christian music. If the song is not a song that I want my children to hear, I don’t need to be listening to it either.   We are called to pour into the lives of our children, to teach them truth.  I want to show my children how to live, not just tell them. Personally, for me, it comes down to:  Is what I am doing bringing me closer to God or pushing me further from Him?

There are two scriptures that remind me what it is I need to focus on & that I am not of this world.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.  Philippians 4:8

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Collosians 3:2

Please know that I am not trying to stir up debate on whether or not we, as Christians, should or should not listen to secular music. Each and every one of you is entitled to your own opinion on this matter.  This is a personal decision that I came to after seeking God’s will for me on this matter.

I’d love to hear any of your favorite worship songs!

Make it a great week!

JuJu

I Seriously Can’t Make This Stuff Up!

Posted on by under Everyday

Oh my goodness!  My girls make me laugh!  Today after school, Skylar came down the hill waving a paper with a list of songs on it.  She does this all the time as she LOVES to make a CD of her favorite songs and often times she will make her “play list” during 7th period at school.  It is pretty funny to see her collection of songs. The same CD can have praise & worship music, songs from Rent or Mamma Mia, and Josh Groban.  She has quite an eclectic taste in music.

So today as we were driving to pick Chris up from work (he had a tire issue) the following conversation took place:

Skylar:  Mom, I made my list today & I need dad to buy 3 songs from iTunes.

Me:  Ok, what songs are they?

Skylar:  Teenage Dream, California Girls (Katy Perry version), & Evacuate the Dance Floor.

Me:  Sky, we aren’t going to buy California Girls because it is just not appropriate to listen to.

Skylar:  It isn’t?

Hailey:  No it isn’t!  In one part of the song they say “sex on the beach”.  That isn’t appropriate, although I’m sure you don’t even know what it means!

Me:  (stunned & a bit confused) Wow Hailey!  Do YOU know what that means?

Hailey:  Why yes, yes I do!

Me:  Well what does it mean?

Hailey:  Seriously mom?  I am NOT going to talk about that in front of Skylar!

Are you kidding me?  I seriously can’t make this stuff up!  I’m thinking that I need to sit down and have a talk with Hailey sooner rather than later!

Hope you are having lots of laughs this week!

Make it great!

JuJu

Sing Your Song

Posted on by under Everyday

This morning I visited Skylar’s choir class at the middle school.  She has been having some difficulties and the choir teacher asked if I might come sit in on a class.  The choir teacher is an absolutely lovely woman who I believe truly cares about Skylar and her success at school.  I was happy to go and observe Skylar and help determine where she is struggling so that I know how to best help both the teacher & Skylar.  One of the issues is that many of the kids in the choir do not understand Skylar.  They are not aware of her autism and all that it encompasses (impulsivity issues, stimming, & lack of filter).  Because of this, several of the students give her a really hard time.  The teacher & counselor have been wonderful in not tolerating this behavior, but I’m trying to teach Skylar how to talk to the other students and be a productive member of the group.  Skylar absolutely loves to sing & recently she’s been adamant about not participating in choir next year.  This makes me sad as she has a beautiful voice & you can see the absolute joy on her face as she sings.

As I sat watching her I was really happy that most of the issues, to me, seem to be relatively easy fixes.  For example, she stands right on the edge of the riser and because she is extremely fidgety, she tends to kick the girl in front of her.  Of course the girl gets upset and frustrated and I understand her frustration.  This is something that the teacher didn’t see because she is behind the piano.  After class I was able to get on the risers with her and show her that she needs to look down & make sure she stands in the middle of the riser and not the edge to where her feet hang off.  Now the teacher knows to remind of Skylar of this, as will I each morning on the way to school.

I really enjoyed sitting and listening to this group of kids sing.  Their warm-ups were fun and brought a smile to my face.  The first song they sang was really cute and the kids were bouncing up and down as they sang.  The teacher then transitioned to the next song and as I sat and listened I was overcome with emotion.  The words were absolutely beautiful.  The song is called Sing Your Song and was written by a gentleman named Greg Gilpin.  Here is a bit of the song:

No matter what the melody, sing your song.

High or low in harmony, sing your song.

From the heart, yes, your’s & mine, sing your song.

Words of peace in joyful rhyme, sing your song.

Traveling down this road of life, alone or with a friend,

I shall sing this song of mine until the very end.

Each of us so different, yet the same within our hearts.

Sharing our own music & who we really are.

Just when I thought I had made it through the song without crying, the song ended with these simple, but powerful words:

Sing your song your whole life long! Sing your song!

I’m so thankful for a man who penned such beautiful words. All of us are a part of life’s song.  We all sing different parts and when we put them all together it makes a beautiful arrangement. I will never stop encouraging Skylar to “sing her song”.  I’m thankful for the part that she, and each individual with special needs, adds to the song.  Without them, it wouldn’t sound as sweet!

Blessings my friends!

Make it a great one!

JuJu

*I’m so thankful for a man who penned such beautiful words.  I purchased the mp3 of this song and Skylar is thrilled!  You can purchase it here!