In All Things Give Thanks

Today, I am thankful for music. I can't imagine a life without music. Now, some music is just a lot of noise, but for the most part I like a lot of different music.

Our house has music in it every day. When the boys are off to school and work, I have music playing, whether it is from my iTunes library or from the radio via my iTunes. I love CBC Classical, and have it on quite regularly throughout the day. There is some reading that must be done in silence, eg. my bible, anything by B.B. Warfield or John Frame. But throughout the day, I have music on. When the boys are home from school, I don't because their music fills the house.

Their music is either of their own making or from their rooms. Yesterday, when he came home, my older son was doing something with guitars, pedals and amps that required running this through that to get a certain sound. I listened attentively to his description, but didn't quite get it all. I will say, though, it sounded good. He's quit a perfectionist and I hear the same riffs played numerous times. He records them and plays them back.

After he finished with that, my other son practiced his piano, which involved a new arrangement of "In the Bleak Midwinter" that his teacher gave him. He also practiced "Clair de Lune," by deBussy, which really isn't something he's doing with his teacher; he just likes it. He says his favourite composer is deBussy. That is cool. My son has a favourite classical composer. I like my kids to enjoy a variety of music. After supper, he went downstairs to practice his trombone. Number 1 son was back upstairs, this time with the other guitar player from his band. On Friday night, they are playing a show at a local drop in centre which is run by the Southwestern Ontario Youth For Christ. They weren't having full band practice, but rather got together to pick their sons and practice some harmonies. The two of them are collaborating on a new song that I think involves protesting against wars and guns (there is a line in the song that uses the phrase, "shot gun"), and I heard that.

There is a lot of musical tastes in our house, which makes things interesting. My daughter has a huge library on her iTunes, ranging from The Black Eyed Peas, to Barbara Streisand, The Tallis Scholars, and recently, Meatloaf. I told her that I had really had enough of Meatloaf when he originally did that music, so I'm not as thrilled about it as she is.

Music is attached to memory, emotion and experience. It regularly provides the soundtrack for our worship. I just love to hear it played by my family and ringing out through the house.