Thursday lyrics

Anyone who knows me at all knows how much I love Southern Gospel quartet music. The powerful, beautiful harmonies; the contrast between the soaring tenor and the rumbling bass; and - most of all - the inspiring lyrics, are all part of my favorite kind of singing.

Being just weeks away from fatherhood for the second time often brings to mind the words of a favorite song, "Monuments," by the Legacy 5 quartet. The song talks about the importance of the example a parent sets for their children, and the lasting impact of that example.

Monuments

God's people stood on the river of Jordan
Looking back on the water they had passed through
They shouted and raised their voices to heaven
But Joshua said, "there's one thing we must do."

They laid twelve stones on the banks of the river
At Gilgal they offered their tribute that day
Their children would question them, "what are these stones?"
"Child, they mark the spot of this sanctified day"

Where are the monuments we should be building
so our children can find the way to get home
We should be laying stones so they can follow
the pathway that leads to God's throne.

Mothers and fathers of this generation
there's hope for your family keep this in mind
Don't move the landmarks set up for your children
they will find the way by what we've left behind.

Where are the monuments we should be building
so our children can find the way to get home
We should be laying stones so they can follow
the pathway that leads to God's throne.

It's amazing to see how quickly Wes picks up on everything around him: words, facial expressions, behavior...everything! I'm sure most kids are just the same. It's a crucial challenge - and one that's not always easy for me - to make sure that my children are always surrounded by things that will serve as positive monuments, landmarks to guide them in the right path, and not instead leaving stumbling stones. The music we listen to, the TV we watch, the words we choose. All of these have the potential be be a help or a hindrance to us as well as our children.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12 Paul says, "Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial." The task for me - for everyone - is to move the dial toward the beneficial, and away from the merely 'permissible.' It's something I haven't always been good at, but something that is pretty easy to improve on, if a commitment to making good choices is made.