Life and Music

I can hear the metronome ticking, the piano rings with sounds of my sister's playing, and George; my sister's cello, just got put back in his case. This is what an afternoon in my house sounds like. It is music, harmony, and the repetitive clicking of that metronome. Tonight I have orchestra rehearsal and that reminds me that the concert is in two weeks and then it is all over. No more youth orchestra for me; I will miss it.

Music is a big part of my life. In a way, life is a lot like music. Sometimes you dance through life like you're waltzing to Strauss. Sometimes you soar like Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. And sometimes life is sorrowful and it feels as if all the sad pieces of classical in the world mesh together. Do you know what I think? If I traded all the sad pieces of life for all the happy ones I could miss some of the greatest moments of my life.

"Music is what life sounds like."
-Eric Olson

Have you ever listened to a piece of music and come to the conclusion that this song was just too quiet, too mournful, and wouldn't have one of those Dvorak endings? When I was younger all I liked to listed to were thoundrous classics and if the beginning was spectacular I would just hit the "next" button. I learned something, though. Often the most quiet, dull, or unassuming part of a song can burst into the greatest rousing song of all. That is why I wouldn't trade all of the sad or difficult things that I have been through. At the end of the road when I look back over those painful things, I can see that many of them made me stronger. I tried harder, I learned from my mistakes, and when the road ended; I heard the music soar.

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This Amazing Love

Who would you die for? Who would you live for? Who would you not die for? Who would you not live for? Those are four questions that are the revelation of our lives. They reveal who we love and who we do not love.

I will tell you that I would not die to save a terrorist, a murderer, the person who hated me enough to falsely accuse me, and I would not die for a child abuser. I wouldn't do it but Jesus Christ did it. He was humiliated, beaten beyond recognition, nailed to a cross, and hung to die so that the most wicked and vile sinners could be redeemed. There were no exclusions in God's plan of salvation and when I think about that, I am astounded.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
-Isaiah 53:5-6

All of the anger I've had, all of the unkind feelings I have thought, all of the times I didn't obey, and every other time I did something wrong; I experienced the forgiveness of God because of his Son's death on the cross. That is amazing love and it extends to everyone who lives, has lived, and who has yet to live! If you think that God doesn't love you, if you think that he doesn't care about you; look to the cross because that is where his Son broke his heart to save you.

...And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin.*
-Stuart Keene Hine

*How Great Thou Art

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Soul Surfer

When I first saw the trailer for Soul Surfer, the movie, I was a bit skeptical of the wholesomeness of it. The film is the story of Bethany Hamilton who, in 2003, lost her left arm when a shark attacked her while she was surfing. I remember the news reports about Bethany's courage, the line of jewelry that was released which bore her name, and I remember hearing passing comments about Bethany's faith. Eight years after the tragic accident, the story of Bethany Hamilton lives again in Soul Surfer.

It's true that Bethany is a surfer and surfers do wear bikinis but don't let that ruin the movie for you. I don't condone all of her clothing choices but Bethany does love the Lord and she has used her loss to show his love. In an interview she stated "I gave my life to Jesus when I was five" and she said that he "Is the one who gives me courage." While the producers of Soul Surfer may not be Christians they did show the faith and practices of Bethany and her family. In several instances people pray to the Lord. Bethany's parents cry out to God for help when she is near death. As she lies in the hospital room Bethany sees her dad reading the Holy Bible (producers wanted to cover up these words but the Hamilton family requested that they wouldn't). A youth leader in Bethany's church quotes Jeremiah 29:11 when Bethany questions the sovereignty of God in allowing her to lose her arm. The list of faith-based content could continue on but I hope that you'll watch the movie and discover it.

As I sat in the the movie theater munching on popcorn and enjoying the film I knew I would definitely recommend it to the female audiences out there. Apart from the swimsuit styles shown, Soul Surfer is a higly family-friendly film that inspiring and touching. Honestly, I never cry in movies but I nearly did in this one, ;) It's almost the weekend so why don't you go to see the story of Bethany Hamilton? Tomorrow my friends and I are planning to go see it together and I think they're going to love it too. Click on the following link to read the Plugged in Online (Focus on the Family) review of Soul Surfer. Plugged in Online gave the movie 4 1/2 stars out of 5 for family-friendliness! http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/soulsurfer.aspx

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I am not prolific

Tucked away in piece of furniture lies a red spiral-bound notebook. It isn't dusty because it has been there long enough. I have loved to write and still do love to write but I have learned one thing; a story holds a different meaning for the person who reads it because they are not the author. I remember taking my book or story to my sisters and I would request that they read it. I would watch for facial expressions and would often ask, "Is it really that bad?" I am afraid that often, my stories were merely the work of an amateur and nothing more. There was no depth to my writings and they were not captivating.

I wondered why that was. I still wonder why that is. One night as I lay in bed, a thought came to me that was simple and profound. The great authors of the past did not write about things that didn't matter. They didn't imagine everything. They didn't write merely to thrill an audience, there idea of a successful story was not hinged upon the hope that a movie of their story would be made. The greatest authors of all time wrote about what they viewed to be important. Their stories emanated from their life experiences. Whether it be a biography, fictional prose, or a novel; a book takes us places and teaches us about life. My stories were based upon what I thought would make a good piece of literature. In short, I imitated the way everyone else I read would write.

"Anne, why don't you write about the people you know and care about instead of writing all this high faluting mumbo-jumbo?" -Glibert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables the Sequel

I want to be a good writer and I would wish to be remembered as such by other people. I don't think that being a New York Times bestselling author just happens one day. It takes time, and cultivated talent, and it comes from the pen of a writer who has learned how to live well. I think that you should write about the things you know; you should share the stories that come from your heart. You don't have to be like everyone else. There are hundreds of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein imitations but there isn't one story that is like yours. Maybe you will write the next great allegory and perhaps you will be as prolific as Shakespeare but remember that our lives are a story and God is the author. For the present I want to focus on writing about the things that are near my heart, the issues that I feel are important, and yet one day I want to write that novel that will sell a million copies. I am not a prolific writer but maybe God will permit me to be one some day but if that happens I doubt it will be because I wrote too much "high faluting mumbo- jumbo."

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