I Love Old Hymns!!!
This post is actually from my old Xanga that I only ever managed to post on three times. However, this post is something that I still feel the same way about and I wanted to start this blog by re-posting this. It was originally posted May 28th 2008.
So I decided to stop by the local Christian bookstore and browse their music selections this afternoon after I got off of work and one CD I stumbled upon was what I am currently listening to which is Chris Rice - Peace Like A River: The Hymns Project. All I have to say is this is quickly becoming one of my new favorite CD's.
Let me start by saying that I love music in almost any style or genre. I have a little over 14,000 MP3's in my iTunes library and almost every week there are a few more CD's I want. I love a lot of mainstream music as well as a lot of not so mainstream music which the more Christian artists would fit in. I have many different levels of enjoyment of music; some I simply enjoy for no other reason than because it is fun to listen to, for a lot of hip hop & rap I like it because it has a really catchy beat that is fun to dance to, for rock I love intricate layering of instruments and good guitar solos or piano driven rhythms, then for my Christian selections a lot of that criteria applies but I love the lyrics to Christian music. And on that note brings me back to my topic for this entry, Hymns. There has always been something about hymns that I have enjoyed. As I've been slowly becoming an adult and have taken a more active role in my faith and my relationship with Christ, hymns have become one of my favorite styles of music. I really love the old hymns and Chris Rice has put together 10 of the best on this CD. I feel like with hymns there is such a sense of passion and emotion behind each and every note and melody that just absolutely captures my heart and moves me. When I listen to or sing hymns it is a full immersion experience for me. I am not just signing notes or words but rather relating to the words, thoughts, ideas, and feelings of Christians who have come before me on the journey that is a Christian life. Some hymns are full of hope of the fulfillment of promises in the future and some are singing of pain, struggle and strife that we all deal with in life. I also really enjoy the pure and clean sound of most hymns; they are not complicated but when played on a full organ they can shake the foundation of a church and they can sound very majestic. So anyway I just thought I would share with you my love of hymns and if you find yourself groaning in church when you have to pull out that old hymnal, I challenge you to really focus on the words that you are singing and just see if you can relate to what they are saying... I think you'll be surprised.
I'd like to also share what Chris Rice said about this CD.
As a kid sitting on a pew week after week, I had no idea how important these great hymns would be to my faith. I miss the days when our songs were written to teach and preserve theology, rather than to become a radio hit. From the pen of great theologians like Martin Luther, to the songs of slaves sung to strengthen and remind each other of the peace and freedom to come, I hope the hymns I chose for this recording will remind you of the great truths they contain. - Chris Rice
Five of my favorites are: It Is Well With My Soul
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
How Great Thou Art
And if you have read this and have any particular favorite hymns or memories of singing hymns when you were younger, I'd love for you to share them with me.
Have a great day!
So I decided to stop by the local Christian bookstore and browse their music selections this afternoon after I got off of work and one CD I stumbled upon was what I am currently listening to which is Chris Rice - Peace Like A River: The Hymns Project. All I have to say is this is quickly becoming one of my new favorite CD's.
Let me start by saying that I love music in almost any style or genre. I have a little over 14,000 MP3's in my iTunes library and almost every week there are a few more CD's I want. I love a lot of mainstream music as well as a lot of not so mainstream music which the more Christian artists would fit in. I have many different levels of enjoyment of music; some I simply enjoy for no other reason than because it is fun to listen to, for a lot of hip hop & rap I like it because it has a really catchy beat that is fun to dance to, for rock I love intricate layering of instruments and good guitar solos or piano driven rhythms, then for my Christian selections a lot of that criteria applies but I love the lyrics to Christian music. And on that note brings me back to my topic for this entry, Hymns. There has always been something about hymns that I have enjoyed. As I've been slowly becoming an adult and have taken a more active role in my faith and my relationship with Christ, hymns have become one of my favorite styles of music. I really love the old hymns and Chris Rice has put together 10 of the best on this CD. I feel like with hymns there is such a sense of passion and emotion behind each and every note and melody that just absolutely captures my heart and moves me. When I listen to or sing hymns it is a full immersion experience for me. I am not just signing notes or words but rather relating to the words, thoughts, ideas, and feelings of Christians who have come before me on the journey that is a Christian life. Some hymns are full of hope of the fulfillment of promises in the future and some are singing of pain, struggle and strife that we all deal with in life. I also really enjoy the pure and clean sound of most hymns; they are not complicated but when played on a full organ they can shake the foundation of a church and they can sound very majestic. So anyway I just thought I would share with you my love of hymns and if you find yourself groaning in church when you have to pull out that old hymnal, I challenge you to really focus on the words that you are singing and just see if you can relate to what they are saying... I think you'll be surprised.
I'd like to also share what Chris Rice said about this CD.
As a kid sitting on a pew week after week, I had no idea how important these great hymns would be to my faith. I miss the days when our songs were written to teach and preserve theology, rather than to become a radio hit. From the pen of great theologians like Martin Luther, to the songs of slaves sung to strengthen and remind each other of the peace and freedom to come, I hope the hymns I chose for this recording will remind you of the great truths they contain. - Chris Rice
Five of my favorites are: It Is Well With My Soul
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
How Great Thou Art
And if you have read this and have any particular favorite hymns or memories of singing hymns when you were younger, I'd love for you to share them with me.
Have a great day!
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