What to Write: Music

 Now that my Fruit of the Spirit series is over, I have to come up with new topics to write about! Right now my life is steeped in music (our family has a little band and has been playing out at farmer's markets), so I decided to write about music this month.

here's my letter....

Greetings and love to you from Oregon! 

I think you know that I am a musician – I play and teach violin. Sydney and Kayleigh also play violin (I have been teaching them for the past 5 years), and Kevin plays drums and guitar. Our family loves music and recently we have begun playing as a family. It’s been a fun way for our family to connect and learn to work together. 

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t love or appreciate music. There are so many different kinds of music and so many different ways we can make music. God created every single one of us to have our own, unique voice – a personal instrument we can use to praise Him. And our hands and other parts of our body can tap out rhythms in praise. 

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Psalms – an entire book of songs. Isn’t it wonderful that one of the longest books of the Bible is music? 

PSALM 108

My heart, O God, is steadfast;

I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations.

I will sing of you among the peoples. 

I have also found music to be a wonderful way to memorize things. I know many Bible verses because they have been set to music. When I sing these songs I am also reciting Scripture. Music also makes me feel so many different emotions. Sometimes I hear a song and immediately remember an event in my past – something from my childhood. Fast, exciting music makes me want to dance and respond with movement. Other types of songs or music might make me a little sad or overcome with gratitude.

When I traveled to Nicaragua earlier this year, I took my violin to play for my sponsored children and the kids at the Compassion project I visited. Even though I couldn’t speak the language and communicate with them very well, I could share my music because music is a universal language.

I think it’s safe to say that music is part of my life every single day – either because I’m playing music on my violin or listening to music on the radio or spontaneously singing praise to God. How about you? How do you make music? Is there an instrument that you would like to learn to play some day?

Feel free to use whatever parts of this letter or idea that appeal to you. Happy letter writing!