I'm feeling a little old skool today so I'm pulling out DC Talk which hasn't made an appearance yet on the 365.  That's largely due to the fact that they haven't been a group for years so I don't think about them as a group anymore, rather as individuals with their new projects.  tobyMac has a successful (that's probably an understatement) solo career, Michael Tait is front for the Newsboys, and Kevin Max has his own solo career as well.  Free at Last was one of many songs that put DC Talk on the music map.  For that time they were like no other band (white rappers say what?!) and they really made some inroads in Christian music.  They brought together the best of Christian pop and Christian rap and mixed the two to become a hugely successful band.  I will probably always love Free at Last and actually the album it was on.  It's like my "oldies".  DC Talk is to me like Beach Boys is to my Dad.  Free at Last celebrated the freedom we can have

People have asked me where I get my ideas for this little ole experiment.  Some of you have given me suggestions - especially when I have begged and pleaded on FaceBook.  And sometimes the songs just present themselves to me...like today's song.  I actually heard it a while back but have been holding on to it, not sure if I could or should but today I decided I could AND should.  My friend, Leith, and her family have just lived through some hard, hard years that had beauty intermixed.  Sometimes there are no words and other times there are a few.  Leith and her hub Aaron had a beautiful girl named Hadley.  As an infant it was discovered that sweet Hadley was born without part of her brain and what she did have was underdeveloped.  She never advanced past about 2 months old developmentally, was fed through a g-tube, had seizures, wore diapers, was legally deaf and blind, lived her days in a wheelchair and was the BEST thing that ever happened to her family and so many others.  Hadl

Two of the most dynamic country singers join up for today's song that my friend, Alison, told me I had to listen to!  Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.  I don't think there needs to be anymore explanation about why the song is fantastic!  Their names say it all.  Two extremely talented musicians/singers joining up for a duet?  AWESOME.  The song is such a good one for couples who have found themselves forgetting what it was like in the early days of their relationship.  It's hard to keep that flame going when you have jobs and kids and a home and whatever else on your plate, they all serve as distractions and before you know it you are looking at each other over the table and you can barely recognize the person you are much less the person you fell in love with!  We all need reminders, we all need to be pro-active in keeping the flame alive because one day the kids will be gone, the job will be done, the distractions will be minimal and you will find yourself wondering wh

One might think it is kind of sad and pitiful that I didn't know about Miles Davis until the movie "The Runaway Bride" in which Richard Gere's character listens to Davis almost exclusively.  But I choose to forget how sad and pitiful it is that I first heard Davis through a movie and focus on being grateful that I finally heard of him at all!  Miles Davis is really soulful and soothing.  His music is the perfect soundtrack to most any kind of mood and day.  Today's song choice is actually courtesy of my oft mentioned friend, Misty.  It's one of her fave's and I love it as well!  There's not much I should say about Miles Davis and his music - it's best just to listen and soak in it! So What

I actually have had Addison Road's "Hope Now" stuck in my head and had fully planned on doing it for today's song until I checked my list and saw that I had already done it.  Then this song came on the radio this morning and I was so filled with gratitude for the people in my life who stick with me that I decided this is today's song!  So Addison Road gets another turn on the experiment which is starting to wind down.  Today is 343! I am a firm believer in friendship and especially in the friendships that go the distances.  And I'm not talking about the distances, necessarily, that you can measure by miles.  I'm talking about those distances that get created by life circumstances, by hurts/wounds, by the cloudy days.  I have a handful of people in my life who have stuck with me, pushing and pulling on my walls and letting me throw my fits and being there no matter what.  I'm SO grateful for this handful of people.  Some have been around for years and

Would you agree with me that in today's society the word "Christian" carries some negative connotations?  I generally shy away from the word and prefer instead to use "believer" or "follower of Jesus".  But the Early Church were called Christians and I sure don't want to put that important and vital part of Church history on the backburner.  So I have found myself trying to reconcile to the term in light of today's culture.  Today's culture sure makes it hard for a lover of God to follow him as he has laid out in the Bible.  This hymn kind of addresses that, or at least in my perspective it does.  Before we can be the things we want to be - the hands and feet of Jesus, loving, Holy, etc - we have to first allow them to be a true part of us in our hearts.  What is in our hearts comes out - no matter if it is "good" or "bad".  Or to state that more biblically, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up

In honor of the Real Pirates exhibit that I took the youngest redhead to today the song(s) of the day have to be pirate based...of course!  The youngest is obsessed with all the installments of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.  She has a poster of Jack Sparrow on her bedroom wall.  So I figured that the National Geographic Real Pirates exhibit would be a winner for her and I was right!  It was a GREAT exhibit.  Very cool.  If it comes to your town/city I'd recommend it for sure.  It leaves Denver the week of August 21 and travels to ???  But if you see it advertised and wonder if it's worth your money...do it!  (Of course I'm a nerd and love a good museum exhibit so if museum's aren't your thing then forget I said it would be worth your money - ha!) So today's song(s) are serious and silly.  The soundtrack for the first Pirates of the Caribbean was, in part, responsible for making the movie so good to watch.  The music matched the action perfectly.  I'

Michael Grimm won last year's America's Got Talent and rightfully so.  From the moment our family saw him audition to the moment he won we cheered him on.  He is INCREDIBLE.  He has talent beyond his years.  He's got a great bluesy voice and style and he is SO incredibly down-to-earth that you just want to eat him up!  When I saw that his first album had finally been released I immediately bought it on itunes, it's so worth it to hear him sing and play.  Today's song is like the one a couple of days ago in that I didn't have a ton to choose from since he's just getting started. So I just picked one because truthfully all of them are good! Enjoy!  Stay With Me

So today's song is for two reasons.  1)  I love Africa.  I do.  A large part of my heart actually resides in Kenya, Africa.  2)  Today was Young Life Service Center's Summer Picnic and we had it at the ZOO!  Our Zoo happens to have a large Rift Valley (which btw I've been to FOR REAL) exhibit and while it is nothing really like the real Rift Valley it did just enough to make me long for and miss deeply my Kenyan family and the nation of Kenya.  So the obvious song selection for being at the Zoo is today's song and I did my best to honor the continent of Africa in the process so the Soweto Gospel Choir is my choice for the song today!  The Lion Sleeps Tonight

My friend, Jason, tweeted the other day that this video and song were a must and far be it from me to not obey!  :)   I'm totally in the dark about Jeff Carl , so I'm super glad that Jason tweeted about him and his music.  He plays guitar and sings.  :)  Okay but he does really well! Here I'm Home is one of the few songs Carl has out right now as he's still in the early stages of his career.  I love the idea behind the song and the lyrics really drive it home.  (Get it?  Home?  Haha.  Okay, yeah it was bad.)  ANYWAY.  Here I'm Home talks about that bittersweet in-between place we all find ourselves in at least once in our lives.  I'm going to argue it happens more than once to the majority of humans but we'll go with once for now.  That in-between place is where you ask and explore the answers to questions like: Who am I? What am I meant to do? Where am I headed?  What will happen in my life?  Etc, Etc.  And as you figure these things out there's

Trace Adkins has some great tunes.  This is by far his best!  :)  It was no surprise to me that my friend, Misty, told me I should do this song for the experiment!  Trace Adkins has, apparently, observed my husband and used him as the basis for this song.  I just don't get my hub.  He seems to have eyes that see what he wants to see and not what's reality and standing in front of him! :)  I suppose I should be thankful.  I think I'm a lot like the woman in the video, completely oblivious to my husband's second set of eyes.  At the risk of TMI, that's me sacked out at the end of the day not even thinking about anything but sleep!  And my hub is NO GOOD for me when it comes to physical fitness matters.  I could be double my size now and he'd not even bat an eye but still be after me.  He's a good man.  Well regardless of his apparent bad eyesight I still am making efforts to fit into "those" jeans!  But Trace Adkins honest song makes me really appre

Oh my gosh.  The Nylons!  I totally forgot about them until my bestie, Jodi, thought I needed a little Nylons on the experiment!  She was SO right!  I appreciate a good acapella group.  I appreciate the blend of harmony and melody.  I appreciate the sounds and noises that acapella groups can make with their throats, tongues, and whatever else.  My brother, Paul, sang in an acapella group in High School and did a show in College that was acapella.  Admittedly his performances in these groups made me appreciate the art of acapella so much more than I think I would have otherwise.  The Nylons are still together and still performing around the world.  Many of the videos on YouTube are from 2010.  Long live acapella! :)   Happy Together

Okay so it's true that this hymn was written for American patriotism.  And I'm all for that.  But today I picked it because I wanted to focus in on the truth in it.  Regardless of who is singing this and who it was originally written for or even the motivations this particular hymn was written there is a deeper truth in it that is UNIVERSAL and not just specific for America.  And it lies in one line that really sang (pun intended!) out to me when I heard the song, again, recently.   "His truth is marching on." God's truth marches on.  It marches through the doubters, the skeptics, the mockers, even through the believers-who-aren't-quite-believers.  God's truth cannot be squelched, changed, eradicated.  God's truth is truth no matter what.  It doesn't find it's existence or meaning in people, it IS.  God's truth is TRUTH no matter what.   His truth marches on and on and on...Selah!  Battle Hymn of the Republic

Jack Johnson is not new the music scene, unfortunately he is to me.  Now, fortunately, my siblings introduced him to me and so now I'm not so much out of the loop! :) Johnson is one of those artists that if you aren't in the mood for music but some needs to be playing in your background he fits the bill.  And when you are in the mood he fits that as well!  Lucky for him I suppose.  :)  This particular song makes me want to go sit on a shaded beach with a cold drink and a good book that I don't mind putting down from time to time to listen to the waves.  The song is kind of about that actually.  Wishing for a breakdown from something practical in order to get a break from life.  A breakdown of the other kind doesn't necessarily lend to a good break from life.  :)  What kind of breakdown could you facilitate for your life in the next few days or weeks?  Don't forget, if we don't take breaks from life in whatever way soothes us then we will have one of those &qu

So yesterday I said I would have to feature Caleb, the band made up of Steven Curtis Chapman's two sons, Caleb and Will Franklin plus another friend of theirs.  I figured there was no time like the present!  :) There is no doubt that both Caleb and Will Franklin have inherited some musical ability from their famous Dad.  In their own right they are great musicians and haven't modeled themselves after Dad, which is refreshing, but have forged their own way with their own style of music.  Fight the Fear fits this style that Caleb has.  It sounds nothing like anything Steven Curtis Chapman would do and that is a-okay with me!  :)  I love that their style is going to bring them their own fans, legitimately.  It won't be because they were riding Daddy's coattails.   The Chapman's are a tight-knit family and it shows in how the boys relate to one another and if you watched yesterday's video interview with their Dad you can see the three of them interacting and you

"My" :) Steven Curtis Chapman has released a new album, re:creation. He's recreated some of his old songs and added some new ones in.  Today's song is the first release off that album and it's a new song for him.  The video is actually...weird? creepy? fun?  All of those?!  :) But the song is great no matter what the video may be!  So Steven hits on a really important theme in this song.  We all have inflated egos that believe we should be doing bigger and better and we aren't worthy of whatever task we deem "below" us.  This inflated ego causes big problems for us.  We become discontent, irritable, snotty, whiny, hoover vacuums (sucking the life out of people) of complaining.  It's so not pretty when we allow our egos to get the best of us.  Chapman addresses the most menial of tasks - changing diapers, mowing lawns, etc - as opportunities to bring glory to God and shine with his grace (remember what I said a few days ago about my lifesong?). 

Sometimes I'm just in no mood for music at all.  And when that happens I usually will stick to instrumental.  Jim Brickman is a favorite.  He plays piano beautifully and his music soothes that irritability I sometimes have with music.  Oh.  Let me explain.  As Front Desk in a Lobby I have to play music over the speakers in the Lobby.  :)  So therefore there is always some kind of music running through my days.  As far as I'm concerned there is no bad Jim Brickman.  It is all good.  So today I just typed in his name and the first song that popped up was this one.  I liked it also for it's title as I'm originally from Michigan where Lake Erie is. :)   I hope you enjoy and appreciate Jim Brickman as much as I do!   Lake Erie Rainfall

Lauren Alaina was the runner-up in this most recent season of AI.  Just like Scotty blew us away in auditions so did she.  I mean THAT voice coming out of that little 15 year old?  Crazy! It seems that like Scotty Lauren comes from good family.  She's very close to her parents and you can tell that they did a great job of giving her a firm foundation to stand on for life.  We loved, and still love, about Lauren that she is so confident in who she is that she isn't too fazed about body remarks that have been thrown her way.  She's beautiful and curvy and that's all okay!  This song is done beautifully!  The power in Lauren's voice is very comparable to Faith Hill or Martina McBride.  I can imagine they might be kicking themselves for not picking up the song, if they had the chance.  The voice Lauren has is right up there with the big girls of country. She's gonna do just fine.  :) Like My Mother Does

Scotty McCreery is AI's newest winner.  And he totally deserved it.  Actually in our household it was such a tie between him and Lauren Alaina that we let the rest of America duke it on the voting and just sat back and watched the results.  We have loved Scotty since he and his deep bass appeared in the audition room for the AI judges about a year ago.  We are so impressed with him as a person.  To have the voice and the maturity that he does at his age just blew us away!  Not to mention that Scotty recognizes that while he may have come in first on AI he's actually second...click here to see what I mean. This is Scotty's first of what I feel is to be many videos.  He is likeable, his voice is soothing (very Josh Turner like except he has made it his own), and he's pretty stinking cute!  :)  He's got endurance for sure, unlike some of the past AI winners.  Yay for Scotty! :)  I Love You This Big

"Today" my brother, Paul, participated in his second NYC Triathlon after completing in the past few years the NYC Half Marathon and The NYC Marathon twice!  We think he's crazy BUT we are SOOOOO proud of him!  I want him to do a bike race and he's mentioned a Century so we'll see... I remember when I was a little girl we watched this movie on that new fangled thing called a VCR...I was amazed! The theme song has stuck with me all these years later, as I'm sure it has with many many many others.  And I, of course, always think of it in the context of running which explains why it's today's song.  Part of a Triathlon is running...I'm hoping you all knew that already - ha!  :)  So today's song is dedicated to my amazing brother who also happens to be a new Daddy!  We are SO proud of you Paul!  Chariots of Fire Theme Song

Gary Allan is one of those Country artists that I like...but don't.  I like his songs but there is something about his voice that I can't get around.  That being said, "today's" song I like for, of course, lyrical content!  :)  Not only do I like the song but so does my friend, Misty, who actually shot the song my way as a suggestion.  Songs About Rain is about lost love.  There's a double meaning in Allan's lyrics as he's got "rain" coming out of his eyes for his lost love and he wishes he could blame it on all the songs about rain the radio is playing.  Boy, isn't it something how our hearts hold on to lost loves with a death grip?  So many times that death grip produces "rain" in our eyes that spills down our cheeks.  The good news is that means our hearts continue to hope and stay soft for love! Songs About Rain

I don't mean to be morbid.  Well, maybe I do because we all die.  We can't and won't get around that.  Anyway.  Today's song(s) are to be on my memorial service playlist. For real.  Yes, I'm being 100% serious.  I've actually told several people that and now I'm telling you so there's no reason they won't appear.  Today's song(s) are a twofer...sort of.  The second one is a sequel to the first.  They go together so together they must stay.  :) If (ha, I totally used that word again and we all know it is a gross understatement when it comes to who I'm about to mention) Steven Curtis Chapman is my favorite solo artist then Casting Crowns is my favorite group.  By far. Their lyrical content is rich, deep, and resonates with me on so many levels.  Lifesong/And Now My Lifesong Sings is my heart's cry.  I want my lifesong to bring pleasure to God's heart.  I want my lifesong to bring knowledge of him.  I want my lifesong to be a reflecti

So Brad Paisley has landed on this experiment a time or two already BUT I had to do this song. HAD TO.  I love this song and I love the video to it almost as much! It's so worth watching while you are listening to the song.  It reminds me of "When Harry Met Sally" and the couple interviews that are scattered throughout the movie.  I love those couple interviews.  Paisley takes the idea and incorporates it into this video and at the end the couple interview is with him and his wife, Kimberly Williams.  I have heard this song lots and had even seen the video before (I realized when I started to watch it again the other day) but I really loved watching the video and listening to the song with Lanny.  :)  My sweet husband can relate to every single little weird thing the women in this video express and almost everything Brad Paisley sings about.  Appreciation in marriage comes from the small, little things not the grandiose.  I'm fortunate to have a man who "likes&q

Thanks to my ADD friend (when it comes to music...) Rick today's song is courtesy of P.O.D. (Payable On Death)  A Christian heavy metal band that my hub LOVES and Rick does to!  Back in the day I listened to heavy metal a lot.  Not so much heavy like P.O.D. is but heavy nonetheless.  Now I can't really listen to it except for a song here or there.  I assume this is a sign of me getting old and any day now I will start exclusively listening to talk radio...NOT.  So P.O.D.  has a lot of talent behind their name.  They are great musicians and off stage are just regular guys who happen to love Jesus.  Lanny is always got an ear bent to the music part of a group, specifically bass, and he's been impressed with their talent since day 1.  This song is about the call all of us who believe in God walk under.  We are called to messenjah's (haha) of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are the mouthpiece of God's wrath, love, forgiveness, salvation, etc.  WE ARE.  None of us get

Oh Toby Keith.  He has such a way about him!  I actually REALLY like Toby Keith and this song just gets me!  To hear him sing it makes me laugh.  I had forgotten about this particular song until the other day when I was listening to Paul Colman and heard him do it.  I stopped and thought, "Wait a sec.  I know this song from TOBY KEITH."  So, I had to include it!  Despite what Toby Keith may or may not believe about God and Jesus I like him singing this song.  I like him singing it more than I do Paul Colman (although I provided his version today as well).  The funny thing about this song is how right on it is!  Jesus DID in fact forgive us and adore us while he hung on a cross that was made by haters of him.  The amazing thing about Jesus is that he loved and forgave the very ones who built the cross and sentenced him to it.  Not one person was excluded from his forgiveness and adoration.  NOT ONE.  My favorite stanza from the song is: If I Was Jesus, I’d come back from th

Chris August is a gifted artist - vocally and as a musician.  I think he might be rather new on the scene or I've just had my head stuck in the proverbial sand.  :)  He has a lot of great songs to choose from but I went with this one for today.  While it isn't upbeat and peppy it addresses a topic that needs more of a voice in today's society.  Forgiveness is a work of the heart and of the will in most cases.  Forgiveness is hard.  We have somehow fallen into believing that forgiving a person also excuses them for what they did/said.  That is not the case.  Forgiveness simply provides freedom from resentment, bitterness, grudges, etc.  It excuses nothing, it doesn't "okay" the act or the words.  But it does free you from years of ick.  Unforgiveness becomes a heavy weight around the heart and will drag you down if you don't make the choice to let it go and forgive.  Interacting with someone who refuses to forgive is tedious and usually difficult because u