Resolutions for 2010

  • #1 Raise $10,000 For My Husbands Garage
  • #2 Spend 1 Year Without Cable Television
  • #3 Spend a 24 Hour Period in Complete Silence
  • #4 Loose 15lbs By Memorial Day Weekend
  • #5 Listen to only Christian radio stations
  • #6 Read the entire Bible
  • #7 Conquer my Diet Coke addiction

Monday, February 8, 2010

My First Road Trip Without Secular Music


For the first time this year, #5 was challenged over the weekend. I had to drive from Barstow, California to Phoenix, Arizona without secular music (a six hour drive…wait, no a seven hour drive with my daughter). For normal people this might not be a problem, but thanks to resolution #1 I can not afford satellite radio….or music downloads to my iPod…..or CD‘s….or Starbucks, but that’s another blog. At home I listen to Air1 the Positive Alternative radio station, and I love it! As a matter of fact, it is the only Christian radio station I have found that doesn’t make me cringe from the corny “holier-than-thou” musical selections. It plays relevant contemporary rock-ish Christian music. The only problem is that when I am off roading in my 4 door mommy-mobile in the middle of the Mohave desert to shave 30 miles off of my trip (and save gas money for resolution #1), there are no radio signals. And when I returned to civilization (also known as interstate 10), Air1 was no where to be found…..for 4 hours!!! My only choices were:

A. The Spanish Only Station,
B. A Country Station,
C. A Corny Christian Station or,
D. A Spanish station that sounded like it might be a praise and worship station

I chose option C, and about 30 seconds later I was literally dozing off. I turned off the radio and talked to Isabelle, prayed, and then I broke resolution #7.…yes, I had to get a Diet Coke…Starbucks is way too expensive and caffeine is one of the only things that can combat corny Christian music. Three hours and 6 potty breaks later (it was a large Diet Coke) I caved in (sort of) and listened to a country station for one song (it was “If You Get There Before I Do,” by Collin Raye which in my opinion, is a Christian song disguised as a country song). The trip back from Arizona was about the same.

My observations on my first non-secular road trip? Not much. I wasn’t divinely rewarded by being teleported to my destinations, I didn’t get free Starbucks, and I still can’t stand corny Christian crap…I mean music. God doesn’t love me more than he did the last time I made this trip with secular music blaring. I reached my destination safely which probably would have happened even if I listened to 2pac the entire trip. But then again I am not attempting any of these resolutions for the external rewards. Maybe I am getting a round of applause in heaven for my endeavors, but that is not why I am doing them either. It makes me feel good (as trite as that sounds) and that is the reward in and of itself.

3 comments:

  1. LOL!! Ok.. you cracked me up! BUT, here's something to think about..no secular music will NOT send you to hell...:) BUT, it does affect the way we view things and the way your daughter views things! SO you set a great example and kept 'crap' out of her eardrums..and yours! that's a start right??? :) regardless of the pay off..sticking to your goals is so big! I am really proud of you!

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  2. as always your resolution is challenging and witty...but I have a silly question, and that is why no secular music??
    Is it just to avoid certain subject matter for the sake of your children, is it for the challenge to see if you can do it, or do you find all music other than spiritual to have no valuable purpose?
    I understand certain lyric avoidance, but there are also a ton of choices that do not have to do with slapping a bitch or humping and lumping...
    Have you ever listened to Marlo Thomas' "Free To Be" series?? I nannied over the summer and the child adored the classic children's singalong.
    I am just curious where this actually stimulated and what objective you aspire to achieve at the end of the journey without popular radio...
    and I guess this means no Phantom Planet?? lol.

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  3. a combination of all of those reasons. Plus I am prone to depression and I am very easily influenced by my enviroment. If a sad song came on the radio I could be depressed for hours. Then, at my last job the teacher I worked with was always playing a Christian radio station....only I didnt realize it because it wasnt the corny music I was used to, it was rock. So I figured I might as well give it a try...and the positive reaction in myself and the kids was instant. The only secular music I miss is my musicals. One day I will be able to balance those back into my life, but for now life is good.

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