Music, Music, Music ... Day 42

TJ grew up with music. It has always filled our house – as far back as June, 1979, when Joe and I were married (some seven years before the day TJ was born). During his pre-school years I would sing to him as part of our bed-time routine. The songs I sang were mostly simple choruses that I had learned at summer camp when I was just a teenager. They spoke of the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the “light” He places within every believer’s heart. One of TJ’s favorite songs was the theme song from that camp. I was always fascinated that he liked a song that spoke of a place which he had never seen. Even more amazing was that several years later, after one major move across the country from the east coast to the “left” coast, and then a second move half-way back again (to Michigan), TJ was finally able to attend that camp!

Making music TJ style!

When he was about four, TJ took an old cornet that had been given to us, and decided he was going to play it. That was another one of those days when he had gotten a bit too quiet - that is until he figured out how to make some kind of noise on it. So, as any “good” parent would do, we made him take piano lessons for a few years in his early grade school days - which he never enjoyed!

When he was about nine or ten we realized what a nice voice he had and how well he stayed on pitch. At this same time, one of our favorite day-off activities was to drive about an hour and a half to a large Christian bookstore. On one such trip, Joe got TJ the back-up tape for one of his favorite songs and shortly thereafter, TJ sang his first solo for a men’s breakfast. TJ never sang just to sing. He always sang from his heart. Every song he ever chose to perform always meant something special to him.  

On April 20, 1999 two seniors at Columbine High School massacred twelve other students and one teacher before killing themselves. Michael W. Smith wrote and performed the song “This is Your Time” at the funeral of one of these murdered students. That particular incident had a profound impact on TJ and Michael W. Smith’s song, “This Is Your Time” became another one of his favorites. To this day, I cannot listen to that song without seeing in my mind TJ singing it. It was as if every fiber of his being joined him as he sang in memory of the Christian students who lost their lives for their faith in Christ.

As his voice began to change during his teenage years and his love for the drums grew [that is another whole blog for another time], TJ’s desire to sing in public faded. But, he has not lost his love of music – far from it! He has simply found new ways to express himself through music. Another one of those ways has been to create musical video/slide shows. Most of these are tributes to the military and they are extremely moving. I have put one of my favorites below. TJ has used Chris Daughtry's song "Home" to pay tribute to his fellow service men and women who have sacrificed so much to serve our country in the foreign lands of Afghanistan and Iraq and look forward to coming home. Because music is an expression to and from the heart, I encourage you to listen to TJ’s heart.