Songs

It was some years ago that a surf magazine previewed the upcoming world tour season in a creative ways: they had the top pros evaluate each other. Never seen it done before. Most were diplomatic in their treatment of their peers. And then there was this one guy whose comments were, well…blunt! I recall his treatment of a west coast pro, one of the more well known names in the sport: fully sponsored, getting the cover shot regularly, star of a feature length surf film on surfing around the globe (whose co-star’s nickname was something you found at the hardware store). The “honest-to-a-point” pro’s assessment of this more well known surf icon? “I don’t know what’s wrong with his surfing. I think he needs to listen to faster music or something.”

He was spot on with this: Surfing has a sound track! Who hasn’t felt the advantage of some musical score bombing inside your head as you stroke out into the line-up.? We bring songs into surfing, don’t we? And until they perfect a water-proof ipod, we log them into our minds and…push play.

Have you got your surfing play list? What’s on it? Marley, Metallica, G-love? Jack Johnson, J-5, Jimmy Eat World? Is it music with words that nourish your soul? I bet...not always.

But the great thing about living in this era of time and space? You can get music—good music—God music, and let your mind feast on it, and then...paddle out. Some have churches they belong to with worship leaders and bands that deliver. Soak in it Sunday morning, and it keeps coming back to mind through the week. Go ahead, sing it, and then ride to it. Wait...is there no church like that in your town? Well then jump on Itunes and explore a bit. While you online, check out Pandora (which I’m listening to as I write this) and select a genre. You’ll find artists who will give you music to fit your tastes and a message to move you, to boot!

I reckon God could have created a world without music. Just as well as he could have created us without the ability to laugh and paint and pull a soul arch after getting blown out of a barrel. But that’s not how the Creator played it out. Music is God’s thing. If you don’t sing out, the rocks just might. All creation joins in. If you’ve ever spent a night sleeping on the beach, drifting off to the sound of surging swell, you know what I mean.

So choose your soundtrack for this surf movie that you’ve created in your head. Starring you. And the people you resonate with. But choose wisely. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. As well as a song…

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.