I stayed out late last night, catching a cool set from Viva Voce at Emo's. I got in bed at 2am and was awakened by my wife's alarm clark at 7am. She was already dressed and out of the room as I wondered why the radio was left on fairly loud. After the shock to my system began to wear off and I slowly awoke, I listened to the morning dj's talk in friendly tones. They remarked at how a movie Facing The Giants was. One mentioned that it was rated PG simply because it was Christian based. I guess parents of agnostics or Hindu's need to be "warned" that it presents Christian values. Wow. Anyway, they laughed and talked light-heartedly like all morning djs do, and then they played a song that was like a prayer of a mother who watches her son sleep. I thought to myself, 'I wonder if anyone ever serviced and tracked any Neal Morse songs to Christian CHR and AC radio...?' I think he would go over fantastic. And they reported the tragic news of the massacre in Amish Lancaster, PA. They mentioned how Michael W. Smith went and played, like he did at Columbine after those shootings. Then it occured to me: 'I'm enjoying this. I like this. This is refreshing.'
I'm a critic. I've hated Christian radio and haven't listened to it in years. Heck, I don't even like morning djs on ANY station -- let alone Christian. I'd rather hear music. I basically have not listened to Christian radio for years...and when asked I've been quick to point out: "I hate Christian radio!" I'm just not in the same place as Becky (the nickname for the soccer mom demographic that Christian radio and cCm music gets targeted to. But, you know what? I can actually appreciate it. I doubt I'll listen to it all the time or anything, but I can listen to it and enjoy it. There's something about the life of God that can transcend my trendy heart. Being able to truly fellowship and relate to others that don't share my musical tastes without looking down my nose at them with a condescending attitude -- this is possible and it's freeing!
I still have my tastes and my opinions, but it's cool to think outside my own little box every once in a while -- especially when I can truly enjoy it.
In Genesis 13 we see Abram and Lot settle a dispute. They both had grown in wealth, with much livestock and such. Their herds were so large that the ground they travelled on could not serve them, and there was quarrelling amongst Abram and Lot's herdsmen. So they agreed not to quarrel, but to split up and take different direction and land.
The Lord said to Abram afterwards: "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted." This was spoken to a man with no children. He regularly built altars to the Lord and thanked Him.
It's pretty cool to see an example of two men settling a dispute amicably.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at October 4, 2006 10:21 AMhahaha! my parents are the morning show hosts for Family Life Radio in Phionix. i'm not a huge fan of the music they play. so this totaly made me smile.
I love your Magazine. keep it up.
I don't do radio stations either. I perfer a combination of Cd's preferably loud with coffee and whip cream on the way to work. and the sunroof down too.. =)I usually like to sing alot in the morning as well.. or anytime for that matter..
Posted by: tornado at October 4, 2006 05:23 PMI definitely don't do radio. Though our local Christian radio station WJTL does have the Friday night Audiolab hosted by Phil Smith, who plays anything he wants... including Sufjan Stevens, Danielson, 16 Horsepower/Woven hand, Lost Dogs, Don Peris/The Innocence Mission... so on and so forth. Granted, he also has to liberally add doses of crap like Day of Fire, Thousand Foot Krutch, Anberlin, and other typical "youth group fare". But the point is he tries to get some good music happening.
Though I honestly still don't feel any need to listen to it. Probably because I already own the good stuff he plays... and when I listen to it on CD or mp3 player I get to skip the afore mentioned mediocricity.
Posted by: The Theory at October 4, 2006 07:09 PM