Can’t exactly say when it happened
but I love Country Music. Not the old
stuff, just todays hits. I am drawn to a
good country ballad or love song (preferring mostly those sung by strong &
handsome fellows). I can’t get enough of
those gents singing about love, faith, pickup trucks & beer!
Years ago, my sister Pat and
her husband Jim tuned into Country Radio before having any commercial
appeal. I remember thinking them crazy
to choose this genre of music and believed somehow they were abducted by aliens
from the south! Ken has always had an
appreciation for Southern Rock Bands and crooners like Willie Nelson. To this day, he loves hearing those songs
from the 80’s & 90’s. But to my
surprise, Ken’s Pandora stations are now mostly set with playlists including my
new favorite country “Good Old Boys”!
I must admit my attraction to this style of music had more to do with a hook that grabbed my attention, than anything else. These melodic and rhythmic verses repeat themselves, over and over getting stuck in my head. Couldn’t let go of such mind blowing lines as:
I must admit my attraction to this style of music had more to do with a hook that grabbed my attention, than anything else. These melodic and rhythmic verses repeat themselves, over and over getting stuck in my head. Couldn’t let go of such mind blowing lines as:
“Got Gravel in my
Travel”,
“My Big Green
Tractor”,
“God is Great, Beer
is Good & People are Crazy” (to name a few)
These days I’m usually sitting
back listening and waiting for that softly sung phrase to catch my attention. And like Country Music I have learned to be
attentive to the Hook found in all aspects of my life. Between the rising of the sun with my morning
prayer to the evening sky closing out the day; I find at least one Hook
which captures my attention.
Scripture has always been just
that for me. As a child learning verses
and now as an adult relearning meaningful Hooks from the master himself,
Jesus. Last week, Ken & I journeyed
to mass after a few weeks absence.
Nothing specular happened for that hour – except when I heard a familiar
Gospel story. Couldn’t wipe the smile
from my face or stop feeling the same giddiness I get hearing that perfect riff
in a country song!
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace” … And I am awakened!
I’ve taken to receiving daily
inspirational and uplifting Hooks from many of the apps on my
smartphone. I even have a daily “Seize
the Day” calendar on the kitchen counter.
I seldom, if ever, miss pulling off yesterdays “hook” to capture new words
meant for my hearing today. Hooks
come from all angles – to help me stay on course and when I stumble across the
perfect one – I become aware that a Chart Breaking Hit is surely in the making!
“The healthy wear a crown that only the sick can see” …. And just like
that, I’m Hooked!
Without fail a good Hook
teaches me to “pull myself up by my bootstraps, dust off the dirt, grab the one I love and head
off into tomorrow – of course, with a cold beer in my hand”
