How is it that my kids like country music and how am I going to explain it to my friends and family?

This is really of no import to anyone but myself, but my kids know all the words to all kinds of country music songs because of their hour and a half bus drive in the mornings.

It started with my sister Rachel and Nick's wedding a few years ago.  Somehow, it seems, Rachel has fallen into the country music Karaoke crowd.  I do love you Rachel and well, I guess we all need something...



When my kids came home from that trip out west singing "Big Green Tractor," I wasn't too annoyed. I like tractors after all. I'd prefer a song about a little Farmall SuperM, but we can't have everything.  And if I ignore the innuendo, it's pretty clean cut for a country music song.

At least it wasn't about sitting at a bar drowning my latest broken heart; or getting kicked out of the bed of yet another gal;, or about how it doesn't matter how much you kick me around, dear, I'll always come crawling back to you.

So it could be worse.

But lately, when I turn on the radio in the van, I always get at least one voice clamoring for Cat-Country.  I hear occasional lyrics from the various pop country songs being sung around the house.

Recently a friend posted The Band Perry's "If I Die Young" on facebook and I watched it a couple of times.  I liked the Ann of Green Gables imagery.  But I knew nothing about the band or their style of music and whether or not they were popular.

So today, I was doing some writing and that song comes on the radio.  I said, "Oh, Joe, this is that song Jenna posted on facebook."  My little Sophie says, "Really?"  and she immediately starts singing along with the radio.  I asked how she knew that song.  Clara said that they hear it every day on the bus.  John piped up that he knows it too.



And is there anything wrong with this song or the fact that they know it?  Not at all.  It's a pretty sounding song and doesn't say anything amiss.

But if they know that one, what else do they know.  Is one of them going to come home singing one of those other choice country music songs that I occasionally stumble upon while trying to find a station?  And are they going to grow up thinking that all that junky lifestyle stuff is normal?

Then I think of the songs that are on the pop stations.  Not really any better.  Sometimes much worse.  I was scrolling through stations last night trying to find something to listen to as I was driving.  I found this really cool sounding dance type song.  I really, really liked it musically.  But then the words come on.  OK, yeah, that's not great, maybe it doesn't get any worse... ooh, it's got lots of innuendo there...Oh...my...goodness...did I really just hear that word on my radio?  Yikes.

But not to fear, Mary.  Your kids have had the ONE THING NEEDFUL as a regular part of their lives.  A little music is not going to take that away.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12 

Since it can do all that, it can protect from any ill effects of all kinds of music.   Trust God's promises, Mary.