Here is my Guest Post

Here is the post that I wrote for Heidi Poppins:


I have stopped listening to "The Christmas Station" on the radio. I used to love to turn it on in the background to help me get into a Christmas-sy mood--but now it just enrages me, so I leave it off.

There is a simple explanation (and no, it is not my hormones making me madder than David Banner on a bad day!). It is that some of the greatest music ever written is about the birth of the Christ Child--and very, very little of that great music is played on the radio. Instead, we are subjected to the worst twaddle of the twentieth century (and yes, I am referring to Wham's nausea inducing "classic" "Last Christmas" or the electronic saccharine of "Do They Know It's Christmas").

Apparently 1984 was the bottom of the barrel, song-wise--except that was the year that Mark Lowry wrote the words to "Mary Did You Know" (although it took another six years for someone to set it to music).

In this song, the author, Mark Lowry cites a laundry list of disabilities and sorrows that the Savior miraculously healed. Most of us know or have interacted with people who were blind, deaf, crippled or lamed in one way or another. When I was young I wondered if being "dumb" or mute still existed, because I had never met or even heard of someone who was mute. Very few people have.

Now I am the mother of one.

Partially the reason we don't hear about it is that the name has changed. Now it is called being "non-verbal"--which is actually more accurate. My daughter can not speak, but she is FAR from being the silent creature that the word "mute" implies, and, while she has neurological and developmental issues, no one who has ever met her would consider her "dumb". Also, it is statistically quite rare.

However, that doesn't change the fact that she doesn't speak. I have never heard her say "mama" or tell someone her name or how old she is. She can’t tell me where it hurts, or what she is thinking about. I would give anything to understand what is going on in her head, what she wants and how she feels.

Which is why listening to "Mary Did You Know" invariably reduces me to tears, especially when it is sung (perfectly) by Kathy Mattea.

This song is not only beautiful, reverent and thought provoking, but when she sings (at 2:07) that "the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb" I am reminded that the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Him who heals all sorrows, including my non-verbal child. I know that someday, my funny, loving, adorable daughter will look into her Savior’s face and "sing his praises".


So, instead of listening to the radio, I made myself a playlist on YouTube, so I can listen to the truly great music of the ages .

May you have a wonderful, joy filled Christmas--and may you be aware of the miracles that you take for granted every day.

Spring Awesomeness!

I forgot to blog about another bit of exciting news: BigGirl got her ears pierced! They look very cute, and she is quite stunningly stylish.

Last night my big children went to the annual banquet that the Kiwanis put on to honor all of the 4-H'ers who got "A" Grades on their projects. I am really proud of them.

In what seems to be a continuing theme--that of how cool my siblings are, and how they help my musical tastes be "fresh" instead of "incredibly uncool and fuddy-duddy", here is a link to my new FAV! (Don't be put off by the Dutch DJ at the beginning, watch the whole song.) Check out all of her other songs on YouTube as well. Caro Emerald is going places.

Lady Gaga either is or has a great arranger and has extremely catchy songs (and I prefer non-whiney alto voices for female singers), BUT Caro Emerald has a better voice, better clothes, more style, an EXTREMELY talented band AND Brass Instruments! WIN!

Music

I am, by nature, a list maker. I especially love to make lists of music of similar types (the right music for breaking up, moving, chess championships, whatever!) So, for the next week, each day, I am posting a playlist with a particular theme. Just for fun. No, there is no particular significance, except they come together in my head.

You are welcome to leave comments and suggestions if I have missed any songs that fit the theme. Who knows, I may just add them (or maybe I left it off because that particular song gives me hives and stomach cramps?).

I am leaving my main playlist up in the sidebar--it has lots of lovely music. The theme lists are much shorter (4 to 10 songs, usually).

And so, today's entry is "Lady"

Enjoy!

Updated Playlist

I tidied my playlist and rearranged it. I put "Summer Breeze" first to remind myself (the self that is sitting in a house surrounded by LOTS of snow, with more coming down all the time!) that summer still exists!

I think that the main thing we can see from this playlist is how random my wandering musical taste is. And, to make it even more surreal, it is automatically set to "shuffle". Just another added service in my ongoing quest for weird! I will update it more if I ever have time (no promises!)

Just a note--the green list is just fun music to have playing. The blue list is my "heartbroken" list--for when you are blue! Although I really like a lot of those songs, anytime!

I hope you enjoy it---I do!

Songs for the Broken Hearted

When I was in college, I took a music appreciation class (I find it very ironic how often I use the things I learned in "filler" classes, and how seldom I use the things from my required classes!).

We learned about several studies that have shown that when you are feeling a strong emotion (joy, anger, grief), you should listen to music that matches your emotion.

While that seems like a "duh" statement, it isn't. People have a tendency, when they (or someone else) are experiencing a "negative" emotion like sorrow or anger, to put on cheerful music--which has the result of really ticking them off!

If you want to be in a better mood, first listen to music that matches, then, very gradually work your way (musically) to more cheerful songs.

So, for the one I love, whose heart is broken, I am adding a playlist of heartbroken songs. It cheers up at the end. I know you will get through this--but it won't be fun (it never is!).

Good Tears and book reviews

I stayed up until 10:15 reading (again) which wouldn't be bad for normal people, but I get up at 4:30 in the freakin' morning (with a cheerful morning person hubby! URG! I stumble around like a zombie, while he is all cheerful and chipper. Urg.). So, any staying up at all creates dire waves the next morning. Usually after I finish teaching my seminary class I go back to bed for an hour--usually snuggling my sweet kids. But this morning, I read my email, and one of the moms on my online support group recommended this video (STRONG Kleenex warning)

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc5RDJnF2vI"

(Still can't get my computer to link to things, sorry!)

Whoa! I can't even listen to Collin Raye in the car, because every single song he does makes me cry and here he goes and does one about my life, and being the mom of a daughter with neurological handicaps--yeah, I haven't stopped crying all morning.

I stayed up reading "The Sugar Queen" by Sarah Addison Allen.


Last summer I read (and was utterly captivated by) her book "Garden Spells".


I love her new reality, where magic is just lightly tossed in as a part of regular life. I was not as captured by "The Sugar Queen" which merely means that it was much better than most other books. I really, really loved "Garden Spells", so almost everything falls short of that.

However, another good read, on a TOTALLY different wave length is "A Girl Named Zippy (Growing Up Small in Moreland, Indiana)" by Haven Kimmel.

This is written with a very dry, midwestern voice, and her humor is so sly that it takes me by surprise, and then I find myself falling off my chair laughing, and wondering how she did it.

Anyway, now I have used up all my sleep time on the computer (again). Today I have to prepare for the "ordeal of the yard sale" which will happen tomorrow. Big Sigh.