MixTape: Me Music

I'm playing along with Jen for Twisted MixTape Tuesday. This week's topic is: "The (5) seminal songs who made you the person you are today. The shutter-openers, the wakers, the 'I can see clearly now the rain is goners.' The tunes that forced you to look in the mirror and say, 'Hey good-looking, you seem familiar, yet new.'”

As Jen admitted in her reminder email, this one was a toughie. She gave us an exception to use this as a "Favorite of All Times" list, but I figured that would be hard for me, too. I decided to try to stick to the original idea as much as possible.

Off the top of my head, I can’t think of any songs that I would say have shaped me into who I am. But music is a powerful thing, and every once in a while, you hear certain lyrics and feel like you better understand yourself, or like someone else may understand you. Here are a few of the songs that have done that for me, and with which I have a deep connection. (And thank you, Jen, for your Jimi Hendrix song mention, which helped me figure out the "angle" to this post. :))

Natasha Bedingfield - “Wild Horses”


This is my song if ever there were one. My spirit longs to be free, but I am always held back by fear.

Casting Crowns - "My Own Worst Enemy"


I know I am. I relate to this one through my struggles with depression, and digging deep into my faith is what always helps me find my way out of the darkness.

Newsboys - "Elle G"


I have my friend Megan to thank for introducing me to Contemporary Christian music in high school -- she would mail me tapes from California because we didn't have much of a selection around here in the pre-internet days. Since music is what really speaks to my soul, listening to those artists (whose music was actually pretty "cool") really connected me to and deepened my faith. At a particularly dark time in my life, this song pretty much saved me.

Third Day - "Run to You"


I feel like I am forever the prodigal child.

Miranda Lambert - “The House That Built Me”


This song makes me think of my grandparents’ house. I still feel an emotional attachment to it that I have never felt about any other place. It’s been sold, and I can totally picture myself knocking on the door and asking to see it again. I think I am better off with my memories, though. I can close my eyes and just explore every inch of that place. I learned so much there and had so many great times.

Jim Brickman ft. Lady Antebellum - “Never Alone”

And so this post isn't completely depressing (sorry), I first heard this song around the time I had Joshua. It made me think about how I would not always be able to be there for him, but that it was beyond my control. I realized all I could do was be there for him as much as I could while he was little, and always let him know how much he was loved.

And so I came up with six songs. Surely, there's another song out there about how I can never follow the rules? ;)