Long Walks on a beach...or... What I'm looking for in a future "Hall of Fame" song...

Okay. Before I move on, let me share with you a little bit about my philosophy of music. As a Follower of Jesus, I have held many different positions about my relationship with music. My parents did a GREAT job of encouraging me - when I was a pre-teen - to find Christian music I could listen to that would uplift me and build me up. That began my long journey into appreciating Christian music. Somewhere along the way, however, I got caught up into legalism... In other words, I'd feel guilty for listening to songs that "Weren't Christian" (that's a topic for another day). However, when I arrived at Concordia College - and really it was a bit before that - I started exploring all types of music again. I eventually embraced the idea that all songs give you a glimpse at the human condition, and many can be of at least SOME value.. There are exceptions of course, but that's definitely where I've "loosened up" over the years.

I'm giving you that lead in because I know some of you may have  questions about certain songs I put in here.. and that is certainly your right to question. Please just know that I am very contemplative about what I listen to and expose my heart/mind to. In the end, however, I am drawn to music that moves me, challenges me, and causes me to be introspective. I am drawn to music with a good beat, a great hook, and a message about love, loss, life, faith, grace, mercy, brokeness, disbelief, romance, and all the other things that come with being human. I like repetitive dance songs like this one as well as and long drawn out storytelling songs like this one.

Obviously the more that a song has been "part of my life", the better chance it has of making it into my hall of fame. Some songs make it in just because I love the way they sound (Stronger - Kelly Clarkson), some songs make it in because they have impacted my life (If I Stand - Rich Mullins), and some songs bring me back to a specific moment or period in time that I am nostalgic for (Liquid - Jars of Clay).

I'm sure I'll write more about this sometime.. but that's all for now.