Playlist
As the Creative Arts Pastor at Trace, it can be assumed that I’m into a variety of music; Muse, M83, Hillsong, and Cold Play, among others. What you might not know, is my wife Nikki, graduated with her degree in piano performance and takes interest everything from the L.A. Symphony Orchestra, to 1950’s blues to Olafur Arnalds. I have two little girls and thus we endure all the princess pop associated with that. Oh, and did I mention that we have Stu our Irish video intern living with us? (insert Irish folk music here)
This makes for a load of different music playing in our house at any given moment, and we find that our kids have latched on to Hillsong, Daft Punk, The Beatles, Abba, Danny Gokey, and Cindy Lauper. That’s right, Cindy Lauper. It’s been fun and interesting to see which songs both Rivers and Winter hear, enjoy, memorize.
As Rivers was in the car with me we were listening to some of ‘Dad’s music,’ Rivers declared that when she’s bored, she’d rather play some of the music that she has in her ‘Head Player.’ I asked ‘What’s a Head Player?’ She described an imaginary music player in her mind ready to play any and all music and any moment. After inquiring what kind of songs are in her ‘Head Player.’ I wasn’t surprised that it wasn’t all Disney lullabies and worship music, but a mixed list of the aforementioned music.
I’m not sure how she has memorized some of the songs she listed, which made me think “Where are you hearing this garbage?” After chewing myself out for a solid 10 minutes, I made a commitment to play music in our house that has been given the ‘Dad Pass’ regarding lyrics and themes.
This doesn’t mean all secular music is excluded in our house. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be the guitar player today without bands like Guns ’n Roses, Metallica, and The Smashing Pumpkins and Pink Floyd. (Don’t listen to those bands kids) But I want my girls’ listening to include honorable, excellent and fun music.
As the Husband and Father of this house, I have the responsibility of protecting my girls not only physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It’s easy to overlook, but music plays a large role in this.
Let me leave you with this:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philipians 4:8