Last week, as I was looking for music to download for my little elementary line dancers that I am teaching, I remembered a song that I love but as of yet have not downloaded.  I Googled to song to find the video and watched it.  Here it is (in case you wanted to listen/watch, too):

Well, I was feeling down and beat up a little bit emotionally.  Mind you, I am not doing anything intentionally to encourage the attention I am getting other than just being me; still, I was disturbed that day especially that maybe this (inappropriate) attention was somehow my fault–and I was upset to the point that I didn’t want to be myself anymore…or at least not the part of me that would have to run into said person again.  So, I played this song, and I cried.  I sang along to the chorus, and I felt empowered.

The next day, I faced my fears and encountered said person again.  Well, this time I was ready.  I played my empowering song twice to boost my courage and internal feeling of empowerment.  And I felt amazing.  I was able to participate in activities that would lead me to accomplishing my goals without giving over my power to some unseen force that was seeking to victimize me.  I felt amazing!

So, are you feeling neglected, manipulated, or objectified in a situation currently?  What can do you to get out of that situation, to empower yourself, to be the amazing person that you are?  Please share your thoughts with me.  I’m still working on this situation…and finding that when I am on top of the world independent of what my circumstances are, then nothing else matters.  I get to choose what bothers me…so I’m not “chasing rainbows and coming up empty.”  I may only be “one voice in a million,” but no one can take that away from me.

“‘Cause when it all boils down at the end of the day, it’s what you do and say that makes you who you are…sometimes all it takes is one voice.”

Sometimes all it takes is your voice.

 My husband and one of my daughters were visiting while ironing clothes.  A radio station was playing in the background.  I was in the kitchen paying attention to one of my sons.  We were talking and he was sharing what he had experienced earlier in the evening.  Some of my favorite times are when my children are giving me a play by play of the events of their day. 

All of a sudden, I stopped.  I heard a few notes of a song.  I started walking down the hall just a few steps and called out, “What is the song playing?”  My husband answered that it was Dvorak’s “New World Symphony”, a part of which is more commonly known as “Going Home.”

Instantly, my mind was swept back to a time when my daughter was learning to play this on the piano.  It was already a favorite of mine because it talked about going home, one of my favorite places.  I listened more intently and my daughter turned up the music so I could hear it better.  A sweet peace filled my heart as I remembered the times she played this song.

She learned the piece for her piano class.  My husband had a church assignment to work with missionaries.  Every six weeks a farewell, meeting was held before the missionaries returned home.  At the end of the meeting, my daughter would play “New World Symphony” as part of the postlude music. 

The feelings of those experiences filled my heart with joy!  I listened.  I remembered.  I was strengthened by the power of the music. 

My mother insisted on piano lessons for all of her children.  Some of my siblings were much more dedicated and now are much better pianists than I am.  However, for many years, even though my playing was mediocre at best, I would sit at the piano and play when I was happy, sad, or contemplative.  Any intense feeling was shared with my family through music.

Music has power.  One or two notes from one song can carry you back through years- even decades, and bring back to you clear memories as if the events just happened.  Each time I hear the first song my husband and I danced to, I am filled with warmth.  I relive those moments on the dance floor in our church building.  I see the crowd of people there and I remember the dress I wore and the suit he wore.  I also remember that he brought another girl there as his date.  Ha ha!  The memories are all warm and full of light for me. 

Music has power.  It has power to heal and to bless.  Music has power to harm and upset.  Music has power to bring back the joy and happiness of our lives.  We equate music with love when we ask a member of a couple, “What is your song?” 

I am grateful for the power of music in my life.  I am grateful to my parents who not only paid for lessons, but also persevered though my practicing.  I am grateful to have the memories that music brings into my life.  What a powerful tool to use for good!  Oliver Wendell Holmes, an early American writer states:  “Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons.  You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body.”  I don’t know about you, but I find a daily bath is better than a weekly one.  Enjoy empowering yourself with music more often!

One of my daughters played the piano and everyone else played another instrument from bells to violin to trombone to mandolin to harp. One of our sons brought out his guitar and even though most of the instruments played were not played by participants who took lessons and practiced the instrument, we made beautiful music.

I was actually surprised by how beautiful the music was. Our family sings together often. We love music. Wait a minute, what an understatement! More accurately, We LOVE music. So, we played and sang Christmas songs. It was an absolutely amazing experience. I was empowered by this shared experience and my heart was filled with love for my family. Joy is the word that describes this experience.

So, this week, even though it is very busy with lots of holiday preparations, find time to make music together with your family and friends. Whether your family lives close together or is far apart, find ways to connect. Connection brings empowerment.

My family helps me as I struggle, rejoices as I succeed, supports me when I feel I can no longer bear the burdens placed upon my shoulders and brings peace to my heart. I wish this for all of you. May you learn the empowering value of family! We wish for each of you a Merry Christmas filled with joy, happiness and most especially peace!

As I watched the two characters, played by Bette Midler & Barbara Hershey, I wondered if I, two, would have a friendship that would see me through years of ups and downs, marriage and children, love, loss, and life. (Just so you know, I have.) I loved to hear and sing the music, and I would always weep through the final rendition of “The Glory of Love.”

So–I was singing along with my Barbara Striesand Pandora station (my mother loved her…and I still love to sing along with her…it reminds me of singing with my mother), and guess what song played after Barbara’s cover of “Moon River”?!?!?! Yep, you guessed it…”The Glory of Love” and guess what happened to me?

Well, I started to cry. I felt surprised as I haven’t seen that movie for probably fifteen years or more…& I haven’t heard the song for probably that long either…yet, the music brought me to a place of reflection, of thought, of gratitude for the stories of and the glories of love.

I have had many opportunities to love and be loved in this life, for which I am eternally grateful. I have many stories of love, from my own experiences and those which have been shared with me. As I reflect on this week where we celebrate Thanksgiving, my heart overflows with gratitude for the glory of love.

What stories do you have of the glory of love?  Will you share them with us?  Hearing stories of others helps us to MPower those around us!  I look forward to hearing from you!!!

I did not usually enjoy my piano teachers and am not really sure why many of them became teachers in the first place.  The lessons were not something I looked foward to, but complain as I did (and I did complain) I can still sit and play simple songs on my piano because my mother insisted.

Piano wasn’t the only gift my mother gave to me.  My mother gave me the gift of music.  She would sing with us as we worked.  She sang as she worked.  My mother did not think she had a beautiful voice, but her voice (which I actually think is quite nice) gave each of her children and her grandchildren the gift of music.

I remember my mother sitting on the floor outside our bedroom doors singing us lullabies.  Not all of them were actual lullabies, some were show songs and songs she just loved.  We fell asleep in the safety and peace of my mother’s voice.

She encouraged her children to sing in the choirs at church and at school.  When we are together, my mother encourages us to sing for her.  Sometimes, now that she is far away, we call her on the phone and sing to her as we gather around the piano.  It doesn’t matter how we sound, she loves to hear us sing.

My mother empowered us to love music.  Music empowers our hearts and touches our lives in many, many wonderful ways.  How does music empower you?

Well, I don’t really indulge myself too much in music like that anymore, but I did have a recent thought:  “Ohhhh, we’re halfway there…ohhhhh, livin’ on a prayer.”  Sometimes we live in moments, or challenges, or experiences that feel like they are going to last forever.  They aren’t.  I promise.  They are but a blink.  But they feel like forever.  Believe me.  I know.  I have felt those feelings.  But, my recent thought gave me a glimmer of hope.  What if I’m halfway there?  What if I’m over the hump?  What if the end of the trial is just around the corner?  I’ve made it halfway…probably the uphill halfway.  Maybe the next half will be fairly smooth sailing.  I’m halfway there!  I can do this!  I can finish this experience!  I am going to make it!!

So, live on a prayer.  Eat a little chocolate.  Talk to good friends who love you.  Listen to your favorite inspiring music.  And live Mpowered!  You’ll be glad you hung on…you really are halfway there!

First prize (1)–MPower Music CD (tunes will be announced shortly)

Second prize (2)–MPower Flower designer tshirts (choice of black, brown, pink, blue, lime)

Third prize (3)–MPower Flower logo bags (large enough for groceries or beach/yoga/exercise stuff)

To enter:

(A) write a guest blog (topic can be anything appropriate to Mpowering yourself, your marriage, your children, your friends, or an empowering moment). 200-400 words (edited). Submit blogs through FB message to one of us or through Contact Us on our site.

(B) cut and paste the following on your facebook status–and for every fan we gain because of you, you will both be entered to win (note: please remember to write your name & your referring friend’s name on our wall so you get credit for your awesomeness!):

Become a fan of http://mpowergen.com like me & you and I will be entered in a contest to win a fabulous prize!!!! Paste this as your status, fan us, write your name & the person who referred you on our wall & you are both entered to win!!!!

Now, get busy and be Mpowered!!!

The first way to enter is to write a guest blog. The blog topic can be anything appropriate to Mpowering yourself, your marriage, your children, your friends, or an empowering moment. The blog should be 200-400 words and will be open to our editor’s assistance. Submit blogs through FB message to one of us or through Contact Us on our site.

The second way is to cut and paste the following on your facebook status–and for every fan we gain because of you, you will both be entered to win (note: please remember to write your name & your referring friend’s name on our wall so you get credit for your awesomeness!):

Become a fan of www.mpowergen.com on Facebook like me & you and I will be entered in a contest to win a fabulous prize!!!!

“The prize?” you inquire…well, the prize is a free to you amazingly awesome CD of Mpower music, of course–just for you for guest blogging or spreading the word about us to your friends!!!
Now, get busy and be Mpowered!!!