[While there are many songs I liked from the very first hearing, there are only a few that that filled me with delight, joy, awe, and other emotions so much so that I gave thanks to God. One is Dave Brubeck Quartet Take Five composed by Paul Desmond. Another is Glenn Miller’s In the Mood. The first time I remember hearing Beethoven’s Ode to Joy was at T.E.C. # 41 in Wheeling. It was at Sacred Heart Basilica on the campus of the University of Notre Dame where first heard On Eagle’s Wings. I invite you to listen to Take Five and share what songs – sacred and secular – touched you to you to your core and became love at first hearing.]
HEARTS ON FIRE 
Father, we have something in common. I too love jazz!
When I lived for a time in Detroit, back in the early 1960s, I worked at a maintenance job at Cobo Hall there and got to see many jazz greats perform in concert. I even got to talk to Al Hirt. They don’t compose great music like that anymore.
“Twistin the Night Away” by Sam Cooke is my all time favorite. The first time I heard, “Pure Love” by Ronnie Milsap, I became a fan. Recently a blind teen that I have befriended asked me if I had any Conway Twitty. I had forgotten how much I loved him until I downloaded some of his music for her. “Lyin here with Linda on my Mind” ranks right up there at the top. “Through His Eyes” by 4Him caught my attention immediately and is one of my favorite contemporary Christian songs. BJ Thomas’ “Hooked on a Feeling,” always sends me back in time. “Blessed” by Dan Seals spoke straight to my heart, and recently Taylor Swift’s “Mean,” had me wondering how someone so young could know so much about mean spirited people. Music is how God reaches me best. I love all kinds of music as you can see.
Anything by Enya but esp. “If I Could Be Where You Are”. I first heard “On Eagles Wings” and
“The Lord of the Dance” at Sacred Heart Church when Tim Waugh was the music director. I always wanted my youngest daughter who ended up dancing in Swan Lake at Radford U to do a lyrical ballet to either or both pieces.” Shenandoah” was a great favorite as was” Moments to Remember”. In the sixties I loved “Red Rubber Ball” by the Circle and “Ventura Highway” by America. These were all love at first sound! Claire
Reading your motto, “Progress not perfection” brought to mind one of my favorite songs by one of my very favorite artists, Leonard Cohen. The song is called “Anthem,” and the refrain encourages us to:
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There’s a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
Thank you. I’ll check out the song.