soundtrack of my life

I’m sure some people’s life soundtracks are considerably cooler than mine – it’d be some ancient rock band that’s just recently appearing on worn vintage tshirts for sale in department stores. It’d be the kind of music that very few people really “get”, except conveniently for the he and she in a romantic comedy who are so obviously destined to be together. One of the reoccurring names on the soundtrack to my life is Michael W. Smith.

One of my favorite roles in the choir performances at church when I was in middle school was based around one of his songs (I was no better at singing then than I am now, but my dad worked with the youth group and I think the pastor had pity on me, ha!) and I’m familiar with all his synthesizer praise music from the 90s from church and my parents stereo. As long as I can remember, I’ve known his music.

He was one of my very first concert experiences when my dad brought us to Praise in the Rockies. I saw him in 1996 when my youth group traveled to California for a youth conference called DC/LA and in 10th grade when I was asked to write about an influential person, my essay was about him. It was the first time I can remember I was made fun of for my beliefs.

When Columbine happened just 40 minutes from my high school and I was walking through the hallway weary of the students who still wore trench coats I found comfort in the song he wrote for the girl who answered a sweet and simple “yes” to her belief in God before she was killed. The album he released the year I graduated was on constant replay, and my parents used one of the songs in the senior video they played at my graduation party.

His instrumental CD “Freedom” was the only thing I could listen to while studying all four years of college – and it never got old. The first time Justin and I ever slow danced happened to be to one of his songs, and we danced to it again for the first time as man and wife. I used three of his songs on “Freedom” during my wedding procession as the candle lighters set the ambiance for the ceremony and parents and grandparents were seated. It could not have been more perfect. I had this CD in the background during the ridiculously long labor day with Bella – it’s what she was welcomed into this world with.

One of the CDs we play for Bella to fall asleep was a gift for her baby shower and lulls her to sleep with instrumental versions of all his best singles. The best part of opening this present is this is literally the first time I’ve ever really told people how much of an influence his music has had in my life – in the background, once again, it was just there.

My favorite holiday, without a doubt, is Christmas and ever since the first Christmas season we spent together dating, Justin takes me to some kind of Christmas concert. We’ve seen the Nutcracker, the Christmas Story and this year we saw Michael W. Smith’s Christmas concert with music from the CD he released last year. It was much simpler than the concerts I’m used to from my job, but it was simple and intimate and I loved it. He sat and played at the piano for most of it and although it had his hokie parts (as most of his albums have) it was awesome – and Bella’s first concert. She sat in our laps and rocked back and forth with this huge smile until she finally fell asleep.

SO, I know it’s not incredibly impressive or cool, but it’s surprisingly meaningful and mine.