22 Songs = 100 Minutes of Beautiful Moments

Sunday, I ran 8 miles.....exactly 22 songs and 100 minutes.....lots of time to think and enjoy some great music. I feel like my life can be described through music sometimes....I associate so many memories with music. I have so many memories from my past that just bring me back to those moments....I love music for this. Not only does music take me back....but it inspires me for my present life and future.

Through my run......I had 8 miles of memories.....old ones remembered and new ones created. There is nothing that good music can't get you through.....I love turning on shuffle and seeing what song comes next.....especially on an 8 MILE RUN!!!!!

2nd song was "The Veil" by David Crowder Band........let me just say, WOW! What an inspirational song to a crazy good beat! Loved it and it came at a perfect moment.....I had just gotten started and needed a great song to get the momentum going!

Song 5....maybe at about mile 2.....an oldie but a goodie came on.....Whitney Houston's "I want to Dance with Somebody." Brought me straight to college in my sil, Kimberly's (then great friend) apartment. All my girlfriends would meet every Sunday for "Cuddle Club!" It was a relaxing day full of movie watching, chip and dip eating, pj wearing, and it made my week. Well Kimberly is a huge lover of music and she would make cds for every mood she wanted to set.... we would turn up the music so loud and sing and dance....we all would! "I want to Dance with Somebody" was one of her favorites....even made it to her ring tone, I think.....a great memory to be reminded of....and I love thinking back to then and looking at all my girlfriends now.....I love them all so much and I love the relationships I have with each of them. And I loved to sing and dance with them.....Can't wait to do it again.....One day!

Right after....Song 6....."Fever" by Michael Buble.....love him no matter what song! I had hit my high by this song and was singing at the top of my lungs.....good thing I was on one of the busier roads and no one was outside....otherwise they would have gotten a pretty horrible rendition of "Fever." Definitely would have been on the "crazy" reel on American Idol!

Song 9......"Fight Another Day" by Brandon Heath.....LOVE HIM! First words of the song......"It's an uphill climb" and of course, I was right in mile 4 at a big hill.....Love when you feel songs are speaking right to you....and yes, I read into all these things way to much....but whatever keeps you going, Right?

Song 11......another great one from Michael Buble, "What A Wonderful World." It had just hit the beginning of mile 5 and it started raining....this song was just beautiful to me. Made me think of everything that is wonderful in our world....that we don't have to dwell on the bad things on the rainy days....yes, we all know they exist....but isn't it so much better to be positive...to remember the sun shining and white clouds. Aren't there so many more positive things in our lives then negative!?!

Song 14...at about mile 6....Switchfoot "Gone"....totally loved it! I love Switchfoot, but never really "listened" to this song until today. Really listen to it! I mean it really talks to you. All things will go....everything will! So, what I thought about while running during this song was everything will be gone one day.....so whats important to me today! What will I never regret....what will I think about on my last days....what will I thank God for when I see Him. Love the verse "Life is more than dollar bills".....seriously when you see the face of God, will you say, "Thank you so much for that BMW, Big Screen TV, my collection of purses, my 3 carat diamond ring".....or will you say "Praise you God for my family, friends, for seeing my Baby's first steps, for reconnecting with my Aunt, for the love that surrounded me everyday!" "Today will soon be gone, like yesterday is gone, like history is gone, just try to prove me wrong, and pretend like you're Immortal!"

Song 15...."Try a Little Tenderness" and yes I have every song of Michael Buble! Loved this at this point of the run because it made me think of my Hubby. Made me think about how much, as I woman, I deserve Romance, I deserve to be loved gently, tenderly. AND boy did I belt it out!

And of course right after....."Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" by Journey. My hubby's favorite band....a great song....and totally pumped me up and made me smile!

Song 19....."How to Save a Life" by The Fray.....totally brought me back to Grey's Anatomy Season 3...oh the drama! It made me sad thinking back to how good the show so used to be and how it got so bad....way too soon!

21.....Mile 7......a truly beautiful moment for me! "Come to the Water" by Matt Maher. Still raining at this point....and yes I am reading into this song....but I had never heard it before and just took it all in. And this is what it brought out in me. It brought me back to a wonderful memory that I hold dear in my heart. Last summer, I attended the closing Mass for Steubenville, a huge religious conference for teens in Atlanta. It was a truly beautiful Mass, it touched me in so many ways. Matt Maher sang all the songs throughout the Mass.....and if you haven't noticed yet, music just touches me in ways other things can't. Well, I am pretty sure I cried the whole Mass, there was no stopping it. I was at a time in my life where change was coming....I was pregnant and I knew I had a huge responsibility arriving in November....not only the responsibility of raising a child, but raising a child with the Love of God, the way God would see acceptable! I remember right after I had received Jesus in Communion, I felt my beautiful baby kick so hard....and it sent me into hysterics! It is such a gift from God to receive Jesus every week and to be filled with the Holy Spirit and it is such a beautiful gift to be able to have a child and to be filled with life! God is so good! Yes, I thought about all this during this song and then I listened.....and right as I listened, Matt sang over and over....."I will run to you, I will run you, I will run to you, I will run to you, My Lord!" and once again.....I was hysterical in my 8th mile....I was crying and there was no stopping it......Lord, I will Run to You! I will run for You!

What a beautiful run....full of beautiful moments and wonderful memories! I love running! Definitely can't have these type of moments sitting on a couch!