Music

I LOVE music! I love listening to it, playing it, singing, etc.... I was thinking about this while I was teaching piano lessons this afternoon. For some this is a tedious process, or just something to do. I actually enjoy it. I love teaching, and I love music, so what would be more natural. Now, if I could just get my kids to cooperate and be quiet... (yeah right!)

I am so glad that God gave us the gift of music. I am a fan of many... from Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmoninoff to Dean Martin, Michael Buble, Samite, and The Beatles (early stuff, not the drug induced crap toward the end). One of my very favorite Christmas traditions involves music. Lyndall, Jeff and I would turn off all the lights except for the tree, and then we would lay on the floor kind of under the tree, looking up at the lights. And we would listen to music. It has been a while since I've done it quite the same way we used to, but I've adapted it, and still love to crank up my christmas music.

I am also very grateful for the way music can touch hearts. I saw this a lot on my mission. I remember one lady that was really scared due to home circumstances, and she was trying to quit smoking. My companion and I asked if we could sing for her. It was amazing that as we sang we could visibly see the peace settle on her. The desire to smoke left (temporarily of course) and she calmed down about the other stuff. Music truly can calm the beast!