When a melody is like a broken record <3
As we all know, unless we were outside the continental USA this week, we had an Eclipse on Monday.
I have to tell you, I got multiple chuckles out of humorous posts from our family as we documented it in all our far-flung places through text messages and photos.
I laughed out loud at some of the shots people took of other people on FaceBook and it was all in all just a fun day to share via social media.
That morning, when I went to write my post, I almost made a reference to an old song that kept popping up in my head and I thought I would be clever.
I actually was singing the lyrics “a total eclipse of the sun”, but when I googled it I found out that I had the lyrics wrong AND every single person in America (that may be an exaggeration) had already thought of the same thing.
After sitting and watching the full five plus minutes of Bonnie Tyler’s 1983 video which is actually a Total Eclipse of the HEART, I decided not to reference it since it was already an American cliche before 7:30 am and the whole thing was disturbing on numerous levels.
But all that aside, guess what song I wake up with in my head?
Guess what I find myself humming?
Go ahead…guess…because yes…although I have not heard that song in 30 plus years and only listened through it one time on Monday….
It
is
stuck
in
my
head.
Now ask me if I can recite any of the memory verses I have worked on for the first eight months of 2017.
Ask me if I can sing all the verses of some of the praise songs that have been consistently sung in church this summer.
I can sing an entire album of John Denver songs, which I stopped listening to in 1976…but falter to get the correct order of the 23rd Psalm.
And I think there is a reason and it doesn’t have to do with my memory.
I believe that to write God’s word on my heart….to learn and retain the lyrics and notes so that I can sing “hymns, and psalms and spiritual songs of praise” in my heart to the Lord… will always be something I have to work hard at.
Please hear me, I am not condemning secular music.
But this week, when I find my mind calling up this song; I also find the images I saw in the brief moments of the video replaying over and they are not edifying and they do not breathe life into me.
So I have been countering this by intentionally singing any hymn or praise song I can think of quickly.
If nothing else, I can always throw together a few run throughs of “Jesus loves me, this I know.”
Maybe music isn’t your thing that pulls you off. Maybe it’s critical thoughts of others or a movie or something you read.
Maybe it’s negative self-talk or destructive bitterness that leads you down a dark path in the middle of an average day.
Whatever it is that has the ability to alter who you are in Christ, can be identified as you begin to prayerfully look for what “your thing” is.
And them make every effort to nip it in the bud.
Or more honestly, to pull it up by its roots.
Let’s be proactive about what we let our hearts and thoughts dwell on over the course of the day. You are too precious to God to waste your time on things that do not edify and bring life to you and those around you.
Blessings to you and for crying out loud….do not go google that song…it’s a total eclipse of your time.
It was so good to see you at the ladies gathering! I love that I know so many of those gals from different ways, or friends, or Bible studies. There’s something wonderful that is present when we are all gathered for the same united purpose – the Spirit! Hope to see you next time.
And I’m in agreement with you when you say that if it doesn’t edify yourself or others, don’t waste your precious time.
But wasn’t that eclipse pretty cool?
It was rich material for sure! I have a ton of notes and now I am recopying and looking up the Scriptures to spend more time on them. Yes the eclipse was cool, but last night we went for a walk and Russ pointed out you could see the shadow of the earth on the moon. As we looked up we marveled that this is a monthly occurrence year after year after year. The stars coming out, all of it…so beautiful. God’s creation always points to Him <3