Get Out The Map

Get Out The Map

Over the years, our family has gone from toddling around our house, constantly bound by the limited places you can hang out with very little ones, to going five different directions at once.

“Get out the map get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down
We'll leave the figuring to those we pass on our way out of town”

Just like many families, we constantly seem to be on the move.  Very often, as I lay in bed at the end of the day or open my eyes first thing in the morning, I take a little headcount.  Is everyone here, asleep in their beds?  Maybe Maddy is off singing with her school choir somewhere; Rachel might be Irish-dancing her toes off in another city; Eliza sleeping over at a friend’s house; Greta at a yoga conference.  It might even be me, with my work travel, waking up in a hotel in a far away city or country.  Regardless, when I realize we are all in the house together, sleeping peacefully, I smile.

“I’m gonna clear my head
I'm gonna drink that sun
I'm gonna love you good and strong
while our love is good and young”

The Indigo Girls…wow…I can’t say enough about how their music has woven itself through the tapestry of our life together as a family.  It is hard to count the number of times my wife Greta, our 3 girls and I have been headed down the road, music turned up, signing along with Emily and Amy at the top of our lungs.  All smiles. The one at the top of our family-sing-along hit list is certainly “Get Out The Map”. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfT6W6ZynRU&feature=kp )

“The saddest sight my eyes can see
is that big ball of orange sinking slyly down the trees
Sitting in a broken circle while you rest upon my knee
this perfect moment will soon be leaving me”

The images from this song…the roadtrip, the campfire, a call from the far away friend…paint a picture of the continual being apart and coming back together we experience in our lives.  The times we spend together as a family are treasured moments.

“Why do we hurtle ourselves
through every inch of time and space
I must say around some corner
I can sense a resting place
With every lesson learned a line upon your beautiful face
We'll amuse ourselves one day with these memories we'll trace”

One of Greta’s favorite inspirations today is Glennon Melton.  Her book “Carry on Warrior” and “Momastery” blog bring this wonderful mix of a mom’s reality, unabashed love of life and connection of disparate influences into a beautiful mélange of wisdom.  Recently, Glennon wrote about her experience attending an Indigo Girls show
(http://momastery.com/blog/2013/11/06/love-letter-amy-ray/).  As Greta read this to me a few weeks ago, I was reminded how the Indigo Girls’ music is a part of my family’s life.

As I wrote at the beginning of this year’s journey, I truly believe music is a gift from God.  When I think about how music, especially that of the Indigo Girls, has been a continual gift to our family, the joy and closeness it has brought, I know God has given us melodies, harmonies and lyrics as a way to be drawn together.  Psalm 95:1-2 says it better than I could ever:

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song”

So, this morning, relish music and how it has played a part in your family’s love for one another.  Realize that music is the praise we offer when words fail to express what’s in our hearts and souls. Fall in love once again with God’s gift of music to us.