Music on my Mind

The other day Eloise, Matthew, and I were driving somewhere in the car, and I was listening to the radio as I usually do. I used to listen to CDs, but Eloise put some coins in my CD player and it no longer works. So now we are at the mercy of whatever the radio stations play for us. This has been ok with me.  I've never really liked "kids" music, and don't think I have to subject myself to it every time I want to enjoy some tunes. I'm always on the lookout for new running music too, so I like to hear what's out there.

So we were driving along, and Eloise started singing the song playing on the radio. I was a little surprised because I didn't realize she'd heard it enough times to actually know it. She knows several songs, but they are all songs I sing to her regularly at bedtime or songs we listen to at home - like her playlist on my iPod. I thought it was cute at first, but then I started thinking about it. I started thinking about what this song was actually saying.  It really wasn't all that bad - just a song about love lost (Stitches my Shawn Mendes, I think), but it was certainly nothing she could (or needed to) understand at this point in her young life.

I started thinking of the other songs I listen to and what they say. While I don't always pay much attention to the words - enjoying the sound more than anything - I had a pair of little ears paying attention, and that was something that gave me pause. (Yes, I know I'm coming to this realization a little late in the game - but better late than never!)

I lamented the loss of my CD player. I had a lot of good praise CDs we used to jam to, and her little voice singing praise to our God always filled my heart to bursting. Then I realized we could listen to my iPod in the car, and all I needed to do was download all that stuff to my computer and put it on my iPod.

It has been a long time since I've purchased a CD, and while I have a lot of good (current) music on iTunes ready to go, I decided to take a look at my old CD collection and dig out several of my favorites. Oldies but goodies... I have no idea what era they are from, but simply looking at them and playing the songs in my mind made me smile.

Now don't laugh (okay you can). I know these are old. But they bring back so many wonderful memories!  My goodness - how a song can bring on such a powerful bout of nostalgia! And how so many words can nourish my soul, just as they used to back in the day... whatever day it was. So now I'm in the thick of downloading this stack of CDs while Eloise and Matthew rearrange the house and beg to go outside (we are going! we are going!), and I cannot wait to add all of these songs to our playlist and rock out to them every time we get in the car.

We are no longer at the mercy of the radio, and now I can put all of these wonderful words into her mind.  She can sing along with these songs and write them on her heart and take them with her into this life. She doesn't know they are old and out of date - they are all brand new to her. And I am going to enjoy every single nostalgic moment!