Music makes the world go round

" And the seasons, they go round and round and the painted ponies go up and down. They're captured on the carousel of time..." Joni Mitchell

Yes, and aren't we all? This month I bought several compiled cd's by artists I've grown up with. There are still more I want. This I'm sure is a sign of my age, wanting the music of my youth to bring back times-gone-bye. Each song a memory, of people and places, thoughts and dreams. Some came true, some faded, some were replaced by a reality better than I could have ever dreamed. God is like that, sometimes the choices we make are bad choices, brought on by situations and circumstances. Our naivety in youth allowing our decisions to be based on such a narrow life experience. God however doesn't hold that againt us, he works with us and for us to turn what was bad good, or helps us escape or adjust...if we are willing to be willing.

I play music as I quilt, what I am working on is usually indicative of what I put on the music machine. If I'm working on a quilt for babies or children (at my age...if they are under 40 they are kids) I listen to Christian music, the words I sing (in my pitiful voice, making a joyful noise) weave over and into the quilt blessing the person who will be the receiver with good dreams, calm thoughts and restfull sleep.

Sometimes though...I'm a "bad girl". I put on something a bit more worldly...Simply Red, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkle, Alison Kraus, Cat Stevens...and it's Cat Stevens I am now in a quandry over. He has chosen a different life path than I, chosen to be a Muslim. The American media and political mindset since 9/11 had been anti-Muslim. I don't think it's being a Muslim that makes a person bad....Christians have and still do some attrocious things in the name of Christ and he has nothing to do with it. It's man telling God what He (God) thinks. I feel, Muslim terrorists are in the same mindset. This is helping me make up my mind so please pardon a bit of meandering as I write. I do no like supporting certain businesses, or people who follow a path I am just flat out against. Take for instance...as a Christian, I'm not supposed to judge, however I'm supposed to use wisdom. I've never been a fan of Michael Jackson, since he went out on his own. I have always gotten the heebeejeebies from him. This I think stems from some of the things he's been accused of and I got those vibes long before all the rubbish on the news. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck etc. There is no smoke without fire as the saying goes. I would not buy one of his albums, etc because I will not fund his "problems". Now, there may be other singers, manufacturers of products, etc that do things I am diametricly opposed to, if I don't know about it am I culpable if I support them? This of course brings me back to Cat Stevens who is now Yusuf Islam. I love his music, I know that Islam and Judiasm and Christianity all started from the same root of the tree...faith in God, Abraham, Sarah and of course...the servent girl Hagar...He loves God, I love God, He loves to sing, I love to listen to him sing...would buying his new album...be supporting terrorists...I think not. I no more believe he supports terrorism than I do. He is against war. What both sides have done in the name of God is dispicable. I think his money will go to help the children who have been wounded in body, mind and spirit by what has happened. So...I'm going to get aboard the Peace Train....