Good medicine

The last couple of work days last week very, very long and trying days. Without going into details, I got to be the target of marketing's ire. This, in turn, raised my hackles and had me seriously ticked off all day Thursday. And a good part of Friday, as well.

This can be a big problem. I don't want to take this kind of work junk home with me. Sure, I need to share these things with Mrs. E and keep her involved in my life. But in no way do I need to take home the anger and impatience that was building up in me. It's bad for a marriage, and bad for parenting. So, as I leave work and get in my car, I took some good medicine.

Music.

When I'm losing it like that, I need to be reminded of God's peace and gifts. For me, the reminder has to come through music or it just doesn't seem to get through. I put on Sara Groves' All Right Here, skipped forward a few tracks, and listened to "You Did That For Me". Every time I hear this song, from the opening chords on the guitar, I feel a wave pass through my body as I physically just let go. It's a beautiful song, written by Pierce Pettis and wonderfully presented by Sara, reminding us that in Jehovah we have rest, joy, peace, completion where we are lacking, and freedom - all things I lose when in the grip of anger. I'll then skip down to the album's last song, "Jesus, You're Beautiful": peace from God does not abide in my heart when all I do is take, so with this I give back. Written by Nate Sabin, this is a song of love for Christ our Savior. Does it magically fix everything, change my heart and make me a peaceful, patient man without anger in me? No; but it begins the transformation. Without such good medicine, Mrs. E and the Lil' E's would have a very different, less pleasant and loving, Euphrony to face.

Recently, another song has been finding its way into the medicine cabinet. The most recent album from downhere, Wide-Eyed and Mystified has the song "Unbelievable" and talks of the unbelievable love of God as the reason why people still find it important, necessary, vital to write new songs of praise to Jehovah. It gives me perspective that what I struggle with is not just seen and understood by an unseen God, or even just those few close to me. It adds the tremendous weight of two thousand years of struggle and triumph over sin and this world to the landscape of my life. It's absolutely amazing, the connection I have to the great and to the anonymous of His body!

What songs are good medicine for you?

Tags: Anger, Peace, Patience, Sara Groves, Pierce Pettis, Nate Sabin, downhere, Jehovah