Motivational Monday #9

"You'll Never Be Alone"

Capital Kings

Motivational Monday #7

This is such a great video. It's pretty much impossible not to smile! Also, I'm sure we could all benefit from the pearl of wisdom, "You've got to keep on keeping on. Get on a pig and hold on tight!" ;)

 

Have a splendid Monday!

 

Baby Monkey (Going Backwards on a Pig)

 

The Power of Music

I've always loved music. It's so amazing to me that a bunch of sounds in different arrangements can lift spirits, move one to tears, bring people together, and provide a safe haven in a world that seems so unsure. Music is a huge part of my world, and the world in general. It's woven throughout every culture, and I think there's a reason for that.

I've been researching the effects music has on us, and I've stumbled upon some very interesting facts. For instance, it seems as though music is tied quite strongly to our reward system. When we listen to music, dopamine (the feel-good chemical) is released and it makes us feel good, so we naturally want to continue. Therefore, it has been concluded that people who are more driven by rewards, and less by thrill and adventure, are likely to more frequently get "chills" when listening to music they enjoy.

Music also reaches out to strong memories we have. We all have songs that immediately take us back to another time; a vivid memory locked away in our minds. For instance, what do you think of when you hear the Theme from Gilligan's Island, Mission: Impossible, We Will Rock You, The Macarena, or It's a Small World? It's usually songs like these that so easily become stuck in our heads, like an itch that we can't stop scratching.

Music has been helping us out for longer than we may think. According to my good friend, Wikipedia:
+Apollo is the ancient Greek god of music and of medicine.
+Aesculapius was said to cure diseases of the mind by using song and music, and music therapy was used in Egyptian temples.
+Plato said that music affected the emotions and could influence the character of an individual.
+Aristotle taught that music affects the soul and described music as a force that purified the emotions.
+Aulus Cornelius Celsus advocated the sound of cymbals and running water for the treatment of mental disorders.
+Music therapy was practiced in biblical times, when David played the harp to rid King Saul of a bad spirit.
+As early as 400 B.C., Hippocrates played music for his mental patients.
+In the thirteenth century, Arab hospitals contained music-rooms for the benefit of the patients.
+In the United States, Native American medicine men often employed chants and dances as a method of healing patients.
+The Turco-Persian psychologist and music theorist al-Farabi (872–950), known as Alpharabius in Europe, dealt with music therapy in his treatise Meanings of the Intellect, in which he discussed the therapeutic effects of music on the soul.
+Robert Burton wrote in the 17th century in his classic work, The Anatomy of Melancholy, that music and dance were critical in treating mental illness, especially melancholia.
+Music therapy as we know it began in the aftermath of World Wars I and II, when, particularly in the United Kingdom, musicians would travel to hospitals and play music for soldiers suffering from war-related emotional and physical trauma.

How cool is it that God would understand us so completely, and love us so much that He would give us such a beautiful form of art that actually heals us, inside and out? :) The more I learn about the world and myself, the more I am amazed by the Designer. Too cool!!

My Top 10 : Film Soundtracks

1 :: Nemo Egg (Main Title)

 

2 :: Avengers Theme

 

3 :: Titanic Theme

 

 

4 :: Pirates of the Caribbean (He's a Pirate)

 

 

5 :: Tarzan (Two Worlds)

 

 

6 :: Up (Married Life)

 

 

7 :: The Truman Show (Truman Sleeps)

 

 

8 :: Chronicles of Narnia (Only the Beginning of the Adventure)

 

 

9 :: Lord of the Rings (Concerning Hobbits)

 

10 :: How to Train Your Dragon (This is Berk)

 

Sources:
http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/2013/03/top-10-best-film-scores-millennium-part-3
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/08/26/film-score-countdown
http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/classicalmusicinmovies/tp/bestsoundtracks.htm

Motivational Monday #5

Happy Monday! :) For your very own personal enjoyment, I'm sharing a neat little music video made by Youtubers Meekakitty, Nanalew, and Lancifer.

When We First Met- hellogoodbye

 

 

If you like what you see, check out their Youtube channels! They're always posting new and interesting stuff. :)

http://www.youtube.com/user/jesusfreaklancifer/about

http://www.youtube.com/user/meekakitty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Nanalew

The Trial Run

*

So, I'm considering a new idea. Let me know what you think. I'd like to start doing a weekly spot on Fantasies and Reality Checks. Every Monday, I will post a little tidbit to brighten everyone's day. We all know how trying Mondays can be. However, it'll need a name... how about "Motivational Mondays"?

Anyways, let's do a trial run, shall we? This is a song by Relient K that I love. It's short and sweet, and a little quirky, just like me. :P

Beaming, by Relient K:

 

 

*Image taken from http://www.lipstiq.com/2012/10/15/4-foods-that-make-you-happier/balloon-balloons-beach-colorful-girl-happy-favim-com-49830/

The Best and Easiest Guitar Songs

Have you ever noticed how much more attractive someone gets when they're playing a guitar? Honestly, when a good-looking guy or girl comes into the room it's impressive enough, but when they whip out a guitar, their attractiveness at least doubles. It is for this reason that I am teaching myself the art of playing the fine instrument. Now I can carry it around with me wherever I go, and pick up cute guys! Relax, I'm joking. Not about picking up cute guys, but about that being my primary motive in this endeavor. My primary motive is that I've always wanted to learn, and now it's finally coming true! I'm starting to get the hang of it, too, which makes it more and more fun.

Over the past several months, I have searched far and wide for the best and easiest guitar songs. And because it has taken me so long to find this many good ones, I feel obligated and priveledged to share my research and findings with the rest of the world. So here ya go.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams- Green Day
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/g/green_day/boulevard_of_broken_dreams_acoustic_crd.htm

Don't Worry Be Happy- Bobby McFerrin
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/b/bobby_mcferrin/dont_worry_be_happy_ver4_crd.htm

Brighter Than the Sun- Colbie Caillet
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/c/colbie_caillat/brighter_than_the_sun_ver3_crd.htm

I Won't Give Up- Jason Mraz
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/j/jason_mraz/i_wont_give_up_ver3_crd.htm

Keep Holding On- Avril Lavigne
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/a/avril_lavigne/keep_holding_on_crd.htm

If My Heart was a House- Owl City
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/o/owl_city/if_my_heart_was_a_house_crd.htm

This is Home- Switchfoot
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/s/switchfoot/this_is_home_ver2_crd.htm

Hear You Me- Jimmy Eat World
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/j/jimmy_eat_world/hear_you_me_acoustic_crd.htm

Brand New Day- Fourty Foot Echo
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/f/forty_foot_echo/brand_new_day_crd.htm

If I Die Young- The Band Perry
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/t/the_band_perry/if_i_die_young_ver3_crd.htm

Ours- Taylor Swift
http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/t/taylor_swift/ours_crd.htm

So these are just a few of my faves. Hope you enjoy them, and happy strumming! ;)

~Brie

A Love Beyond Measure

Have you ever noticed how much our culture craves love? No? You mean you haven't stumbled upon the million and billions of songs describing (and bemoaning) it, the TV shows idolizing it? How about the many websites devoted solely to helping people find it for themselves? Still no? Then I'm sorry to break it to you my friend, but you have lived under a rock your whole life. Not only have you been deprived of experiencing life, but I do not envy you the bruises you must have! Rocks are not too comfy..

But you know what I mean, right? Just take a look at these song lyrics:

"What do you got, if you ain't got love?
Whatever you got, it just ain't enough
You walk in the road, but you're going nowhere
You're tryin' to find your way home, but there's no one there
Who do you hold, in the dark of night?
You wanna give up, but it's worth the fight
You have all the things, that you've been dreaming of."
 

"However far away,
I will always love you.
However long I stay,
I will always love you.
Whatever words I say,
I will always love you;
I will always love you."
 

It's as if the whole world is crying out for something more! Something solid in the middle of this unpredictable mess we call life. We know that life is nothing without love, but yet it sometimes seems like it isn't enough... Coincidence? I don't think so! It's how we were made! However we just keep wandering around looking for a quick bandaid fix to this giant problem, when the forever solution is right there! How could we be so blind! God loves us so much and we need Him so much that nothing else will do.
When I'm feeling particularly lonesome, I love just being quiet and feeling God there with me. He says His unfailing love surrounds me (Psalm 32:10), and that he will give me rest (Matthew 11:28) and be with me always (Jeremiah 30:10). That's good enough for me! :)

I Will Follow

"Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move I'll move
I will follow you

Who you love, I'll love
How you serve, I'll serve
If this life I lose
I will follow you"

I love this song. We sang it in church the other day, and I seriously almost cried. It applies so well to my life at the moment, because my family and I have decided to move to Nicaragua next year to be missionaries. It's so exciting to be following where God wants us! He's been very close to me through this too, which is the best feeling ever :) It's really difficult for us right now though, because we are having to move into town, and off our acreage. We're getting rid of most of our stuff and moving to a much smaller place. It's kinda scary leaving this place that has been such a safe and peaceful haven for not only us, but for some of my friends who have claimed it as their second home. But it will all be okay in the end, cuz I know God is always holding me and leading me on. He's got a plan for His daughter, and this is one part of it. God is shaping me into someone more like Himself, and a girl who an fearlessly do His work in this broken world we live in. I have solemnly decided to follow Him wherever He leads me, because I am just so in love with Him, and I'm just so excited to see what amazing things God has planned for me! :) He'll provide everything I need, and He won't ask me to do anything I can't handle with His help.

~Brie