Everything Old is New Again
I have had what I would call a bit of a retro weekend.
For some reason that I can't explain to you, I was surfing the iTunes store Friday and I had a sudden urge to see what was available from my 'younger' days (in quotations because I still feel very young). Oh, I know what it was now...it was the news of the tragic premature death of Dana Key that got me thinking about the old days and the music I used to listen to. I searched 'Degarmo and Key' and listened to a few of their tunes. "Living On The Edge of Dying" and "Ready or Not" were a couple of my favourites.
Then I linked through to some classic Imperials! Before I knew what was happening, I had purchased the entire 'Priority' album. Ahh, how I remember that first purchase. I can't remember how old I was...15 or 16 maybe. My parents had absolutely forbidden any music in our house that wasn't either Maranatha Praise, Dino (wow, remember him?), Southern Gospel, or Perry Como. I had to sneak the album home and then I would wait for an opportunity to slip over to the church (attached to our home by a door at the end of the living room that opened stage left behind the piano), take out the portable turntable from the Sunday School resource room and then hide between the pews where there was an outlet and listen to "Trumpet of Jesus" as loud as I could without being discovered. Man, that seems like a lifetime ago...but it's not of course, because I am still very young!
Here is the irony. About five years ago, I organized a bus trip to a large 'Gaithers and Friends' concert (yes I still enjoy many types of music) at the ACC in Toronto, and my parents came along with us. At one point during the evening, Russ Taff came onstage and I could hardly believe my ears when he belted out "I listen to the trumpet of Jesus, (awesome trumpet riff) while the world hears a different sound. I march to the drumbeat of God Almighty..." You get the picture. Everyone in the place was on their feet. And then there was this moment...I looked to to my left and down the row, and there was my Mom and Dad, now in their seventies, standing on their feet and clapping their hands to what they had deemed many years before to be evil rock music (even though it was Christian).
Funny how we evolve over the years isn't it? Don't misunderstand me, my parents are as deeply committed to Christ as they've ever been. But like all of us tend to do, they have softened a bit on some of their views that were maybe overly legalistic...I think we all tend to learn over time which things are really important and which things really don't mean much when it comes to now and to eternity.
Loving God and loving people. That's what its really all about.
And don't underestimate the power of great music! These past couple days, I've been driving with the windows down and sunroof open, blaring "Trumpet of Jesus" and "I'd Rather Believe In You" for anyone who would care to listen.
And last night, I went to see "The A-Team". To quote Hannibal Smith, "I love it when a plan comes together!" All is right in the world when everything old is new again!
In case you don't know the song...
For some reason that I can't explain to you, I was surfing the iTunes store Friday and I had a sudden urge to see what was available from my 'younger' days (in quotations because I still feel very young). Oh, I know what it was now...it was the news of the tragic premature death of Dana Key that got me thinking about the old days and the music I used to listen to. I searched 'Degarmo and Key' and listened to a few of their tunes. "Living On The Edge of Dying" and "Ready or Not" were a couple of my favourites.
Then I linked through to some classic Imperials! Before I knew what was happening, I had purchased the entire 'Priority' album. Ahh, how I remember that first purchase. I can't remember how old I was...15 or 16 maybe. My parents had absolutely forbidden any music in our house that wasn't either Maranatha Praise, Dino (wow, remember him?), Southern Gospel, or Perry Como. I had to sneak the album home and then I would wait for an opportunity to slip over to the church (attached to our home by a door at the end of the living room that opened stage left behind the piano), take out the portable turntable from the Sunday School resource room and then hide between the pews where there was an outlet and listen to "Trumpet of Jesus" as loud as I could without being discovered. Man, that seems like a lifetime ago...but it's not of course, because I am still very young!
Here is the irony. About five years ago, I organized a bus trip to a large 'Gaithers and Friends' concert (yes I still enjoy many types of music) at the ACC in Toronto, and my parents came along with us. At one point during the evening, Russ Taff came onstage and I could hardly believe my ears when he belted out "I listen to the trumpet of Jesus, (awesome trumpet riff) while the world hears a different sound. I march to the drumbeat of God Almighty..." You get the picture. Everyone in the place was on their feet. And then there was this moment...I looked to to my left and down the row, and there was my Mom and Dad, now in their seventies, standing on their feet and clapping their hands to what they had deemed many years before to be evil rock music (even though it was Christian).
Funny how we evolve over the years isn't it? Don't misunderstand me, my parents are as deeply committed to Christ as they've ever been. But like all of us tend to do, they have softened a bit on some of their views that were maybe overly legalistic...I think we all tend to learn over time which things are really important and which things really don't mean much when it comes to now and to eternity.
Loving God and loving people. That's what its really all about.
And don't underestimate the power of great music! These past couple days, I've been driving with the windows down and sunroof open, blaring "Trumpet of Jesus" and "I'd Rather Believe In You" for anyone who would care to listen.
And last night, I went to see "The A-Team". To quote Hannibal Smith, "I love it when a plan comes together!" All is right in the world when everything old is new again!
In case you don't know the song...
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