Things of a Summer Nature

"More saving. More doing."

-Home Depot commercial

Be still and know that I am God. 

-Psalm 46:10

People. It's July 17th. We're way into summer, and here in the good old town of Bellingham, we hit upwards of 85 degrees yesterday. Sweltering, I tell you. Positively sweltering, with a touch of fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk. Well, not that bad, really. But it's been hard to sleep in our apartment, and that's really how I know summer is making its presence known. The heat makes our place into a oven and it's hard to sleep while under a deep broil. But it makes me glad that even though I can't sleep, it means that summer is HERE. Every summer, I tell myself that THIS summer, I'm going to make the most of the sunny months, the long days and cool evenings. I'm going to do THINGS OF SUMMER. Make fresh strawberry jam. Host a million barbecues. Plan an ultimate frisbee game. Hike up a mountain or two. Take up kayaking or canoeing. Spend more time at the beach than indoors. You know. All the things that make summer a wonderfully sunburnt time of year, full of good memories and picnic food.

Well, I've got the sunburnt part down. And I've spent a little time by the water so far. We went on a couple of walks around Lake Padden. We had Father's Day out at Birch Bay. We did find some nifty chairs and a little table for our compact balcony, and we do sit out there fairly often. Aaaaaaand, that's about it. There's no strawberry jam in my freezer. I'm not even sure where my frisbee is. No mountains have been conquered. I don't even have the right shoes for kayaking. I'm assuming you need correct footgear? See, I don't even KNOW. And I'm more than reasonably sure that I've spent waaaaaaaaaaaaay more time indoors than out so far. You see, Masterchef and Hell's Kitchen and The Bachlorette (what is GOING ON this season??) are demanding my full attention. And my health is demanding plenty of couch time, meaning I've been guilty of canceling plans with friends, declining fun social things AGAIN, and generally taking it one day at a time. The usual.

I hate the thought of watching another summer, another year float through my fingers like clouds of July. It's so very hard to not equate a full life with full-on activity, you know? To equate busy-ness with the good life. I can't help but feel sometimes I'm pressed up against the glass and watching life and people march by on their merry way. Comparison (darn you, Facebook!) only increases my crazily high expectations for myself. When I find it hard to do the dishes or make dinner, how much harder is it to give myself a break when I can't kayak or hike the nearest trail? Doing things isn't always an option, and it's a daily process to decide if I push myself a little and get out there, or choose rest and the remote control or a book.

When I step back and stop equating real life with activity, stop comparing myself to my neighbors, I see that life...is...good. As it is. With its aches, pains, naps, Netflix marathons, and doctor's appointments. With its small beach trips, good conversations with good friends, trying new recipes, and good times with family. Accepting my limitations releases me from the dangerous game of comparison and expectations and can open my eyes to the good life I have, and this very good summer.

Roots

Why Should the Devil have All the Good Music?

-Larry Norman

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

-The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Colossians

I've been changing my mind recently on a topic that I never, ever, ever thought to change my mind on. I'm pretty surprised myself, after being a young teenager of the 1990s-wearing every Christian t-shirt known to man and buying WWJD bracelets. I used to purchase every new Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith album, and can probably recite all the lyrics of "Shine" by the Newsboys. Reading lots of Gilbert Morris and Frank Perretti novels, I also bought a lot of Christian POGS. And Redemption cards. Anyway, I've come a long way since then. I've worked at Christian camps and Christian bookstores and Christian software companies, enough to give me a sometimes(ok, mostly) cynical view of things labeled "Christian." Don't get me wrong-some of it is great stuff and has helped me tremendously on my walk of faith-I love writers like Henri Nouwen, Frederick Buechner, G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy Sayers, Philip Yancy, Gary Thomas, Charles Spurgeon, Fenelon, and musicians like Keith Green, Wes King, Leeland, the David Crowder Band, Ten Shekel Shirt, and so many more. Some of it should make us all cringe. Like the shirt that says, "Jesus is My Easy Button," or a book that compared faith to going through a drive-thru window and ordering whatever you want from God. Ouch.

Anyway, the thing I've been changing my mind about is...wait for it...CHRISTIAN MUSIC. Let me back up. I used to think that Christians should only listen and read Christian material...whatever that means. I think it meant buying all material at the Christian bookstore. Then I was introduced to the little idea that for the Christian, there is no sacred and secular divide. Not that it is a license to read and watch and imbibe everything-but that truth can be found in unlikely places, that Christians need not fear the so-called secular. I've found that some so-called "secular" movies or books have a stronger Christian worldview than many items I sold at the Christian bookstore. The Count of Monte Cristo, anyone? Gilead by Marianne Robinson? Vanity Fair? Foyle's War? The King's Speech? So I started to explore other kinds of music, other kinds of movies, other kinds of books. And I've found some fantastic offerings! I've mentioned on this blog before how sad music helped me with a serious bout of depression a few years ago-Patsy Cline, She & Him, Brandi Carlile. Sad music helped me process and name my grief at that time, much like Psalms in the Old Testament. Melancholy music will probably always be my favorite, for whatever reason. But lately I've been realizing my need for more faith-based music in my life. And I can't believe it, really-me, who used to scoff at all the bandwagons everyone hopped on (Left Behind, Purpose Driven Life, Thomas Kincaide, Emerging Church), who rolled eyes at the stacks of Christian romance novels people would buy, and the music that only seemed to be the "Christian" version of whatever was popular outside the church.

I still believe there's a place for being wary of accepting whatever is labeled Christian. For sure. There's so many lackluster products and mediocre stories that are told just because it's dubbed a certain way. I want to support good art, good entertainment, regardless of if it is sold at at a Christian bookstore or not. We need to be discerning of whatever we choose to entertain, to instruct us.  But in the last few years I've been dealing with chronic pain, chronic illness. Melancholy tunes are not always the best choice for me. My husband and I went on a little road trip to the coast last month, and we listened and sang along to every cd in the car on the way. Awesome. Ben had a cd with some Christian music on it that I didn't know, and I really liked it! I actually ENJOYED listening to it. I shocked myself. I think I'd stopped believing that the Christian music had anything to offer outside of Sunday morning. Then I realized that I still need good music that reminds me of Christ, reminds me of who He is, and reminds me that I'm not on my own here. I'm coming full circle back to a place for Christian music, leaving some crusty cynicism behind, and filling my head and heart with some reminding truth. As someone who constantly struggles with depression, and who lives in a culture where entertainment defines the individual, leaving my comfortable skepticism behind has been a little rough. I cling to my incredulity, which is a little too easy sometimes. I pride myself on things I like, and don't we all? And although I won't be giving up my crooningly sad tunes, I'm ready to balance out my listening habits with a little more doctrine, a little more truth about the universe and the good news of Christ. I see it as a kind of daily communion for the ears and for the heart-the act of communion-the eating of the bread, the drinking of the juice-reminds us of Christ, reminds us of His life and death and resurrection. This simple act grounds us, plants us, identifies us with Christ. He knows we need reminding; He knows we are but dust. And the simple act of listening to music that reminds us of who He is and who we are is just what we need, too.

Some Favorite Albums:

The Sound of Melodies, Leeland

The Ministry Years, Keith Green

Risk, Ten Shekel Shirt

Illuminate, David Crowder Band

Best of, Bebo Norman

The Jesus Album, Rich Mullins

Best of, Jennifer Knapp