 Spiritual: October 26, 2016 Issue [#7928] |
  Spiritual
This week: Got To Tell Somebody Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Spiritual Newsletter. My name is Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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"I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music." ~ Billy Joel
I love music. Always have. When I was a kid I'd sleep with my portable radio, the music barely audible but comforting in its ability to keep me company and lull me to sleep.
Music is a time machine, instantly transporting us back to past experiences and depositing us smack dab in the middle of long-forgotten memories.
There was always music in my childhood home--everything from then-contemporary Christian to Latin Jazz instrumentals to American rock. I remember Mom blasting Abba or the Bee Gees or Joan Jett's I Love Rock 'N Roll as she danced around the living room, and to this day I'm grateful to my parents for instilling in me an appreciation and absolute love for music; it has brought me much happiness.
One of my dad's favorites was Don Francisco, a Christian singer/songwriter who won two Dove Awards, Song of the Year in 1980 for He's Alive as well as 1980 Songwriter of the Year. Francisco wrote poignant, soul-searching, eye-opening songs that made people think, and I can recite every word of every song to this day. As I was researching him online and trying to find clips of his music to include in this newsletter, I was stunned to discover he has a Facebook page. My eyes instantly filled with tears. His music made such a huge impact on my life that it was like being reunited with an old friend. He's 70 years old now, and tonight I plan to write him a letter of thanks. His music was the soundtrack of my childhood.
Even though I've heard every song a thousand times, I can not listen to Don Francisco's music without crying. That's the thing about religion: once the seed is planted the roots run deep. Because of its message, Steeple Song has always been one of my favorites, first appearing on the album Got To Tell Somebody in 1979. Please, listen to the words and tell me they aren't more relevant now than ever:
There isn't a Don Francisco song I don't like, but I do have a few favorite albums:
 Brother of the Son (1976)
Forgiven (1977)
Got To Tell Somebody (1979)
The Traveler (1981)
Another favorite is Too Small a Price, written from the perspective of the thief on the cross. It's Don's best work, in my opinion, and one of the most powerful Christian songs ever written. There are several versions floating around out there, but my favorite is the original--B5 on his 1979 LP Got To Tell Somebody:
Music has the ability to elicit powerful emotions, from euphoric joy to gut-wrenching despair and everything in between. It is integral to humanity, and much of our spirituality resides between the notes.
Is there a song that speaks to you? Which artist would you like to introduce to others? How did music shape your childhood? How does it impact your life, your spirituality, your writing? Respond to this editorial and I will share your comments in next month's newsletter.
"Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us." ~ Martin Luther
Peace and blessings.
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The following is in response to "Dream a Little Dream of Me" :
Elfin Dragon-finally published  writes, "I never put much stock in dream interpretation. I suppose it's because I have such strange and frightening ones. I mean, how would you interpret a dream which was a musical of dancing, singing cartoon pirate pigs? (yes - music, pirate ship and all). And I don't remember one dream which didn't have some sort of musical score behind it. And too many of my dreams involved a combination of the military and being late for school. Weird. Mostly because I'm never late for anything and I'm no longer in the military. And I'll keep the others to myself." Yeah, some of mine are pretty weird, too. Just last week I dreamed about armless women being kept in chicken crates that were stacked one upon the other. 
Zeke writes, "Most of my short stories originated in my dreams." A lot of mine did, too. The opening paragraph in "The Death of Tucker Ray" [18+] is about a dream I had. 
QueenOwl ~ A New Day Dawns writes, "Hi, Shannon. Dreams: the power of our subconscious mind to foretell an event with the aid of our extra sensory perception. Yes, I believe in dreams. Only the dreamer can interpret it because it is a message uniquely delivered to that dreamer. Although I digress because in ancient times, there were individuals who were gifted with knowing how to interpret dreams. Such one person was Joseph, son of Jacob. All his interpretations of dreams by dreamers came true. My dreams are messages I catch out of the atmospheric waves because I am half-way around the world apart from where I was born and lived for the first 27 years of my life. When there is no other medium to connect me with my loved ones, they talk to me in my dreams. So, yes. I'm going to accept your challenge to post stories about my dreams and how they became realities in my life. Stay tuned." Ooh, that is so interesting! Please share your stories with the newsletter once they're written. I'd love to read them. 
Vaughan Jones - ONE Scribe  writes, "Every person is unique and the only person who knows how it is to be you is you. I had a repeated dream once, for about five nights in a row in sequential form like episodes of a series on television. I dreamed that I was trapped in a little hut in a large garden. The hut contained garden implements and it was surrounded by a pool of water, like pont around a castle. In this pont there were many huge reptiles - snakes and all types, and I felt totally trapped. No way out. Nothing I could fathom would suffice. The image of my wife at the time would repeatedly flash before my eyes; which was a given, there was nothing I could do about it. I never escaped as such but eventually, the dream subsided. However, this dream remains alive in my mind till today." I agree with you. I believe dreams have meaning specific to the dreamer, and it us up to the dreamer to interpret them. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!  |
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