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Papa Bear was a country music fan when I was growing up. Lil Bro and I always gave him a really bad time about his twangy music, never wanting to listen to it. But listen he did. There was one time when a song came on the radio and Papa Bear turned the volume up saying "You have to listen to this song!" It was called The Chair and was sung by George Strait. It was my first encounter with country music where I actually LIKED it.

Years later, Lil Bro and I are country music fans. Awhile back Papa Bear commented on a CD I was listening to with these words "that's a little twangy". Ha! It's funny how times change. Not being one that wants to push my musical style on anyone (especially because I get REALLY tired of people's comments about country music...I get it, you don't like it, stop talking!) I hesitated for half a second when I came across this article. It seems the gentleman, Hank Cochran, that co-wrote the song The Chair, passed away recently. The night before he died a few musicians gathered around his bedside and took turns passing around a guitar and singing to and with him. It made me smile and get teary reading the article. Too many people leave this world not knowing what a difference they made in others lives and this is the kind of thing that makes me love country music...it's not just about the music, it's about living as a community of artists and cherishing those who have made an impact and influence on your life.

I think the church needs to take a few lessons from the country music world in that regard.