Refreshed

Can you believe it - TWO posts in ONE day!  That's a record for me!!  I debated as to whether or not to write what's on my heart, simply because I didn't want it to get lost in the shuffle of other posts, but I just felt the need to explode onto my computer screen!

Have you ever noticed....

...that when you were younger you were more apt to catch onto the beat and rhythm of a song before you really listened to the words?

I remember when I was young and Olivia Newton John's song "Let's Get Physical" was a hit.  I must've been in grade school or something and I remember singing it around the house.  My mother stopped me one day and told me that was a 'bad' song and that I shouldn't be listening to that kind of music.

"Huh?"

So what - I just liked the beat.

The conversation went on with her quizzing/challenging me as to why it was a 'bad' song.
I played dumb.

"Physical means she's exercising"

"You know what it means"

"Nuh-uh"

I begged and pleaded mercy so I could continue to listen to secular music.  No luck.
As kids, we were banned from listening to secular music on the radio and my father told us we could only listen to stations that played what we called "goat roper" music (country) or "elevator" music (classical).
That was long before contemporary christian music made it's debut on the radio...at least in Montana, that is.

I also remember a similar incident when my little brother, Mike, was singing a song by the J. Giles Band called "Centerfold".  I unfortunately happened to be in the room when Dad cornered him and told him the same things my mom told me about Olivia's song.  Mike was even more successful at playing dumb:

"I don't know what a centerfold is!"

So, Dad turned to me and said....(I remember this very vividly)....

"Jenny, tell him what a centerfold  is."

WHY ME!!!!??????  Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Again - the beat got us -

"....nah, nah, na-nah, na-na-na, angel is the centerfold...."

Today at church we had a guest musical group called Joyful Sound.  They are a group of college kids with somewhat professional singing training who attend North Greenville University where my daughter attended for about 3 years.  They sing contemporary christian and gospel music and visit churches around North and South Carolina, ministering in music.  I have heard them many many times and mostly enjoyed their music, but have often been turned off by the somewhat 'plastic' appearance I've seen in some of them, with exaggerated eyebrow and facial expressions and dramatic gestures that you seen in television singers.
I know, I was very judgemental, but I'm being honest here and I have a point, so don't knock me too badly.

Anyway, I was a bit skeptical and negative today as we headed to church.

Have you ever noticed....

...that as you get older you tend to listen to the words of a song a bit more than when you were a kid?
Today I heard the words - loud and clear.

Words and phrases like:

"...YOU'RE good to me, good to me, and it's easy to see, YOU give to me, give to me, all that I need, the way you bless me, Lord, I just can't believe - YOU'RE SO good to me...."

"...there are no strangers, there are no outcasts,  there are no orphans of God!  So many fallen, but Hallelujah - there are no orphans of God..."

and probably the most impressing words I heard today were in the classic gospel song "Midnight Cry"

"...I can almost see the Father as he says 'Son - go get my children' - at the midnight cry, the Bride of Christ shall rise.  When Jesus steps out, on a cloud to call His children, all the dead in Christ shall rise, to meet Him in the air.  Then those that remain shall be quickly changed in a moment, at the midnight cry, we'll be going home...."

Powerful words.  Words that struck a chord in my heart.  That song is the culmination of my entire life - my very purpose on earth, and a description of a time I am looking forward to!!

Yes, I definitely heard the words today - the beat was there and the rhythms were beautiful, not to mention the sound of those young strong voices attached to truly joyful faces and genuine spirits - but the words came through loud and clear, and I'd be happy to explain their meaning to anybody!