Choose Your Weapon, Load It – Then Press Play

I bet in light of all that is going on, that blog title could seem a bit creepy. Alas, let me slay that creepy potential by telling you the Weapon of which I type is Musical. 🙂

Did you know music could be used as a weapon? I guess with the way the world spins it isn’t too far of a jump from reality for music to be a weapon as many a singer/songwriter has weaponized music to make a point. The most common points are political or relational, like a message for a significant other or even an ex, all positive, of course, oh sure! 😉 However, I want to encourage you to use music as a weapon in a new realm. What if you chose to use Music to chase away Social Distance Depression or perhaps even to chase away the Fear of COVID-19?

Yep, that is exactly what I am suggesting…weaponize music to change your mood. Have you ever been a bit blah then that One Song starts playing? As soon as you hear it you cannot help but smile and sing along and your blah is suddenly boosted into outer space and out of your space. There is power in music to do exactly that! I suggest you try it, ’cause hey, realistically what else are you going to do in our temporarily walled off world??

Now you may think I am loony to think that music can move you but I won’t move from my belief that it can! (see what I did there?!) I am a living example of how music can transform a world. I live in a constant Dance Party of the Mind. If I am not actively able to jam out to my tunes (almost always on LOUD) while dancing in my shower or while getting ready or while running or as I drive ANYWHERE, I am often singing or hearing my favorite encouraging lyrics on repeat in my mind. If I find myself in a slump, I turn to my music device of choice and load up my favorite mood lifters. Soon my slump is gone and I have energy I didn’t have just moments before. Music is one of my favorite weapons and my world is a much happier place because of that fact.

That may sound ludicrous to you but it really is a life changer for me. I am That Person you see smiling and grooving in her car and I hope you catch me in the act at some point and it makes you smile. 🙂 Being That Person brings me Joy Overflowing and I am a Joy Junkie so I will dance and sing my heart out, even it if is only a Joyful Noise. (Psalm 98:4 – KJV)

Now, for a few ground rules (yes, seriously):

1. No Funeral Dirges allowed! I mean, if you really like funeral dirges…maybe…but, the point is to play music that Lifts Your Spirit!
2. Turn it UP! There is something about playing it Loud that helps push any crud out of your heart and mind. It seems the music actually fills you up and that, my friend, is the point. (to be noted, don’t be a noisy neighbor or damage your ear drums – but DO safely Crank It Up, as your location and ears allow)
3. Repeat! If you take my simple advice to choose your weapon, load it* and play it and enjoy it…then Repeat it and Share it! If you are not tucked in solo at this time have a Family Dance Party! Take turns choosing the music so everyone gets to play their favorite and enjoy.
   • *Umm… I do realize that “load it” only makes sense if you are at least my age (46) or older and recall the joy of cassettes or CDs or even as far back as 8-tracks
4. Anything Goes! You can choose any song(s) you like, I mean hey, maybe you’re a bagpipe fan or a piano concert aficionado or perhaps you dig a deep metal head beat. If it brings your spirit up then play it!
5. Don’t just Play it – Shake It! …and to be clear by “IT”, I mean YOU! Yep, that means YOU there with the concrete boots! Get your body MOVING and shake it to the music! Don’t worry about anyone seeing you, golly consider this social distancing as an advantage right now, especially if you are a shy dancer! Let it loose, my friend! In fact, I encourage you to dance like King David did in front of the Ark as it returned to Israel (2 Sam 6:14-15). Dance and Celebrate the Life in Your Lungs!

OK – enough with the rules of it, here is just a little of the WHY I see it as necessary:

Think about the birds. Is there a point to their singing? Sure, mating is sometimes the point, but outside of that, they sing because they have a song. So they sing out and sometimes they seem to dance/fly around as well. Hmmm, ever seen a depressed bird?! They might just have something going there… There is really no purpose for them to be singing, but they do. I think that is one of the most important “whys” behind this Musical Weapon Suggestion. If we look around our world right now we may not see reasons to sing or dance. We may, instead, see many reasons to climb in bed and hibernate in a dark and quiet place, but that is precisely why we MUST hit PLAY!

Hitting PLAY is boldly flying in the face of fear and staunchly refusing to bow a knee to the enemy of your spirit by Fighting Back! So many of us feel like our hands are tied and our options are zilch so our spirits are downhearted in defeat. I am suggesting that we see ourselves as the Conquerors we ARE and make a conscious choice to dance in the face of fear! If anything on earth has the power to break fear’s back it is rejoicing in the midst of our circumstance.

Yes, I realize it doesn’t make sense, but if you know Jesus and the Peace He offers, it makes perfect sense. I do and I will choose His Peace over the world’s idea of peace because with His Peace my Dance Party can continue! It doesn’t mean I don’t care about the world around me, it just means I have a firm foundation rooted in God that allows me to KNOW all will be well, no matter how the current circumstances appear. Here are a couple verses that I stand on to soundly root my faith:

Romans 8:37-39 In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Phil 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

The second referenced verse says to “not be anxious about anything, but IN every situation by prayer….WITH thanksgiving present your requests to God”. There is a word here that makes an Attitude of Gratitude possible (and thus the Peace that flows from it) and that is the word: IN. This points us towards looking for the good IN any situation and choosing to focus on it. It doesn’t say we must be thrilled and rejoice WITH our circumstances and therein lies the difference. You certainly won’t find me thankful for the nasty COVID virus spreading on our planet, heck NO! But I will thank God IN this situation because I am safe, warm and surrounded by a Loving Husband and kitten IN this time. I won’t back down or change that tune…EVER…no sirree bob!

I think you get the point and I need to wrap it up. 😉 Music is a gift from God, that is why it can be so transcendent. Music is powerful and it can lift you out of this hopeless realm and into heavenly realms full of hope. So, I hope you do take the time and make the effort to Choose Your Weapon, Load it Up and Press Play!! It just might make you as happy as a bird:

Blessings and Love to You, Little Dancing Bird! ❤