The Concerto of Your Life...

Today marks the 150^th birthday of the famous French classical composer Claude Debussy (August 22, 1862 – March 25, 1918).  Debussy was one of the most prominent figures within the field of impressionist music.  He was made the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in France in 1903, and was a crucial figure in the transition to the modern era in Western music.  He is one of the most famous and influential classical composers.*  He is also one of my wife’s favorite piano composers.  In that context he therefore has played an influential part in our lives.

When I was a student at the Santa Rosa Junior College I discovered a love for classical music when my wife and I took a couple of Music Appreciation classes.  Part of the curriculum included listening to recorded concertos in the campus library throughout the two semesters.  After that I began to bring my stereo headset with me every time I studied in the library, so that I could enjoy the classical tunes while I hit the books!  After my wife and I got married, she would occasionally give me the “gift” of music on my birthday.  She would learn a new piece, unbeknownst to me while I was at work, and then play it for me the night of my birthday celebration.  Many times the new work was a piano concerto written by Claude Debussy.

It is said that his music was known for “its sensory component and for not forming around one key or pitch.” *  He seemed to feel that music should not be kept within strict rules and regulations but be free to flow with color and rhythms.  Who knows… maybe he helped to influence the style of music that I wrote and sang with my wife for the church in the late seventies and then with the children’s songs that both my wife and I have written through the years.

With my Mom’s recent home going, I have been thinking a lot about the many people that have influenced my life.  Needless to say, Mom played a pivotal role in who am I, but there are many others who were but small notes in the writing of my personal composition.  Whether it be a composer who lived 150 year ago, the leaders of our youth group back in 1971, the many Pastors we have served under, teachers, family and/or friends, all of them have played an important note in the concerto of my life.

How about you?  Have you ever considered all of the various pieces to the complex measures within the song of your life?  When’s the last time you thanked someone for the personal mark they made on you?  Many of those people probably have no idea of how they impacted you.  I can remember a time many years ago when a former member of our first youth group introduced Piper and I to his new bride at their wedding as the couple who had the most spiritual influence on his life.  As my wife and I walked away from the Receiving Line we both looked at each other and said, “Really!”  We had no idea of the mark we made.  Certainly not with him at the time when he was in the group!

There are probably people from your past (or present) who need to know how you feel about them as well.  I encourage you to take the time today to bless one of them.  Send them a card, or shoot them an email or a text… it will most likely make their day!

Have a great Wednesday.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Debussy