Music runs in my blood. I’m not musical by any means – no matter how bad I want to be – but man do I love music. One of my favorite ways to get in some self-care is to hop in the car, a hot shower, or just dance around the kitchen with music blasting. I’m talking so loud I can’t hear myself think and can only focus on the music. Sometimes I turn on favorites from childhood like Michael Jackson or Meat Loaf. Other times it’s throwbacks to my punk and emo days with The Early November and Taking Back Sunday.
When I’m really feeling maxed out and need to completely overhaul my mind I go for worship music. A couple Thursdays ago when it seemed as though the entire day was going wrong, I was having problem after problem, couldn’t shake my bad attitude, and overall wanted to crawl in a hole.
I turned on Pandora and set it to a praise and worship station and hid in the kitchen. All the kids were occupied with snack in the living room so I soaked up the music. One of my favorite worship songs, Break Every Chain, came on and I lost it. I fell to my knees then laid flat down on the floor and cried out to Jesus. By the time the song was over there was such a sense of relief flowing through me. Jesus is stronger than any trial or challenge I face.
This love of music and the connection to it has passed into my children, especially Cade. Lately he has completely latched on to the song The River by Jordan Feliz. He “sings” it on his own and he can identify it with only a few words being sung. If he’s having a hard time calming down I can turn it on and his attitude does a 180. He can go from having a total meltdown to smiling and watching the words scroll by. I don’t know why this song speaks to him so deeply but something about it soothes his little soul. And it fills my soul to know that he is connecting with music in such a great way.
The first forty-ish psalms are generally believed to be written by David. They are songs of praise and prayer. Some are filled with gratitude to the Lord for all he has done, others proclaim his majesty, and many are laments and prayers asking for protection and answers. Oh how I can relate! When I have on a praise and worship station and the songs change from upbeat worship to cries of help and back again I can feel each piece of me being soothed, restored, and comforted. The music and words express what I sometimes cannot on my own.
Seeing the affect music has on myself and my children I want to start having more purposeful worship time together. I’ve discovered that YouTube is actually a great resource for this as many Christian artists offer lyric videos for their songs. Now I don’t need to mumble when I don’t know the real words, ha! We can dance, praise, and sing to God together and I’m so excited to do this.
What soothes your soul in times of trouble? Do you have ways to practice self-care and do you actually do them? Find a healthy way to soothe your soul and practice it today.
What type of music do you enjoy? What are your favorite songs?
I’m linking this up with Kristin Hill Taylor for Three Word Wednesday
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