Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Upside Down" (Jack Johnson)

Have you ever had a song define a period of your life?  You know, that song that when you hear its opening measures you are instantly transported back to a foundational period of life.  We've reflected on some of those songs that do that for me from time to time here at Tuesday's Musical Notes.  Hearing "The Love Bug (Herbie's Theme)" takes me back to when I was a child and one of the first movies I saw in a theater with the potent memory of Dad's laughter echoing all over the room. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Love Bug (Herbie's Theme)" (George Bruns))  The late '70s and early '80s songs of Bob Seger (Tuesday's Musical Notes - Bob Seger search) and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Simple Man" (Lynyrd Skynyrd)) instantly transfer me back to high school days.  For college memories, all I have to do is put on some Toto (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Africa" (Toto)) or Chicago (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Hard To Say I'm Sorry/ Get Away" (Chicago)).

There are even many songs that I associate with special moments in my older adult working life. Journey's "Only The Young" immediately takes me back to the nights that I was the assistant scheduled to close at Walmart in Apopka, Florida. Just about anything from the 90s (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Something to Talk About" (Bonnie Raitt), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "No Rain" (Blind Melon)) has me regaling in memories of friends and associates from days as a store manager for Hastings Entertainment #9697.

And oh yes, there are those songs from more personal moments like getting married ("Say You, Say Me" (Lionel Richie), "Take My Breath Away" (Berlin), and "These Dreams" (Heart), having children (daughter 1 - "Part Of Your World" (Jodie Bensen - The Little Mermaid), daughter 2 -"Achy Breaky Heart" (Billy Ray Cyrus), and daughter 3 - "Change The World" (Eric Clapton).  What about you?  What songs do you hear that define your life's incredibly special moments, good or bad?  Today we explore one such song and the impact that it continues to have on our entire family's life whenever we hear it...

"Upside Down" by Jack Johnson from the album Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George 

"Upside Down" - opening credits from the 2006 animated movie Curious George

Jack Johnson's "Upside Down" was released on February 4, 2006, as a part of the soundtrack by Johnson et.al for the animated movie Curious George.  Based on the children's series (originally 7 books) by H.A. and Margaret Rey, the movie explores the origin story of the lead character, George, a monkey, and his relationship with his human counterpart, Ted, or The Man With The Yellow Hat as George knows him. The movie shows how George came to live with Ted and how Ted's life gets completely turned, well, "Upside Down".  The movie is a tender and humorous salute to the well-loved children's book series and PBS animated television show and holds a very special place in the annals of our family history.

"Upside Down" was the first single released from the soundtrack album and introduced Johnson to the mainstream music world.  "Upside Down" peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and boosted the soundtrack to the #1 spot in the Billboard 200 albums list.  In the UK, the single soared all the way up to #45 on the strength of downloads before the release of the physical single.  

Flashforward to 2014, Tammy and I are in shock after just having been told we were, about 9 months later, going to be grandparents for the first time.  Our kids leveraged their telling of this "news" by telling us in one of our favorite places in the world and in front of two of our favorite people (We lost Louise (https://tuesdaysmusicalnotes.blogspot.com/2020/01/tuesdays-musical-notes-invisible-touch.html) in January of 2020 and Bid this past week)  At the telling of the news, our world was literally rocked at that moment.  We were stunned.  We were far too young to be grandparents!  How was our lives about to change?  

Ultrasounds and other doctor appointments soon came to be a normal way of life and we all quickly discovered just exactly how with each new day we felt a change in everything...Come to find out...twins!!!  Our amazement, concern, and curiosity would soon be heightened as we learned that one of our precious twins had issues. 

"...Who's to say, I can't do everything. Well, I can try. And as I roll along, I begin to find things aren't always just what they seem..." 

We weren't going to need to wait 9 months.  We soon discovered what "at risk" pregnancy really meant.  As soon-to-be grandparents, our anxiety level was minimal compared to that of our daughter and son-in-law's.  They continue to this day to be my heroes in the grace, patience, and faith that it took to advocate for the baby that would be Logan and his twin Landon.   

On October 8, 2015, our grandsons were born premature.  "...I wanna turn the whole thing upside down.  I'll find the things they say just can't be found..."  In the next week, Tammy's stepfather was in one hospital after heart surgery and a stroke, Kelly and Landon remained at the birth hospital, and Justin stayed with Logan after he was transported to a children's hospital.    Fortunately, they were all in Little Rock.  And folks all over the world continued to pray...

"Who's to say What's impossible, well they forgot This world keeps spinning And with each new day I can feel a change in everything..."

For the next 18 months, we gladly became the proud grandparents of one grandson who lived with us while the other remained at the hospital under the constant eye of his parents and incredible nurses who loved on him and kept him alive.  

Logan overcame his obstacles with God's grace, Kelly and Justin's advocacy, and prayers from people all over the world. During this time the movie Curious George served as the backdrop to many waking moments.  It seemed to calm Landon's fussy moments and be entertaining for Logan as he was in the hospital.  There were times when we saw it numerous times in 1 day.  Other times distractions caused us to not make it much further than the opening credits but that was enough as it served its purpose and included today's featured song making the movie and the song all the more endearing as a snapshot of that moment of our lives.  There is a fondness we all have surrounding Jack Johnson's ode to curiosity and the encouragement to persevere through life's "upside-down" moments that permeate through its lyrics.  

This coming Sunday, both boys turn 8.  And our world continues to be turned upside down as our family navigates, Logan's delayed learning and hearing challenges (both of which are quickly being overcome by a different set of therapists and physicians) as well as the births of their sister and brother.  Yup, 4 in one household under the age of 8.  To make it even more fun, they just added a kitten to the mix...

The song "Upside-Down" just goes to show the impact that music, and specific songs, can have in a moment and the continuing influence they can have as we live out accomplishing what others may say is the impossible..."

The Acts of the Apostles as recorded by Luke, a physician, chapter 17, verses 1-15 New American Standard Bible/The Amplified Bible/English Standard Bible/King James Version of the Bible parallel

I confess I have been waiting for this passage of Scripture because of today's featured song of the day and the memories that it evokes. It also serves to relate to another point in history that is heralded by believers all over the world.    

We return to the narrative portion of Acts today as we explore the impact the disciples of Jesus had in their world as they told The Gospel.  Paul was in the midst of his 2nd Missionary journey.  Today we find Paul extending the boundaries far past that of his first trip. As was his habit when coming to a new town, Paul sought out the synagogue, this time in Thessalonica, a port city on the Aegean Sea.  

For 3 weeks Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke engaged the Jews of the synagogue and had reasonable debates with them regarding Scripture. As they walked through Scripture with them, they highlighted those areas that pointed directly to Jesus' death and resurrection and His being the Christ, the promised Messiah.  As in previous towns, the message was received warmly by some, including what the Bible calls "God-fearing Greeks" and leading women in Thessalonica. 

Also, just like other towns, the strict Orthodox Jews of the region were inflamed by the claims about Jesus.  They found wicked men of ill reputation and began causing an uproar, turning the normal operation of the city upside down by going so far as to ransack the home of Jason, one of the Jewish converts and Paul's host in Thessalonica.  When the mob was unable to find Paul, they took Jason and dragged him before the city council, ironically claiming that he brought the ones who had turned the world "upside down" and now brought this turmoil to their city. They went so far as to accuse Jason and the other believers of insurrection against Ceasar because of their claims to be aligned with "King Jesus".  Isn't ironic...dontcha think..  This propelled the upside-downness of the situation as those who were engaged in listening were disturbed by all of the claims.  I find it interesting that in their efforts to squelch the message of Jesus, the Orthodox Jews and wicked men were in fact highlighting the claims the disciples were making about Jesus to folks who may not have been a part of the 3 weeks that Paul and his team had conversed and debated at the synagogue.  They were inadvertently spreading the Gospel they were trying to suppress.  

As bail for the supposed "riot", the city leaders (who had probably caused some damage to Jason's home) took money from Jason to secure his release.  While they thought this closed the chapter in Thessalonica it was not the conclusion of the story.

Hearing of the uproar and fearing harm to the missionary team, faithful believers made efforts to remove Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke from Thessalonica as they saw the approaching situation unfold. They sent the team to Berea by night, where, well...wash, rinse, repeat.  This synagogue of Jews received the Word eagerly and took the opportunity to study Scripture for THEMSELVES.  They just didn't take the word of Paul and company.  They researched and discovered for themselves. I am assured they had the Holy Spirit's guidance as they studied, and they soon found that the message of Jesus was true and supported very well by Scripture as well as the testimony of the Apostles.  

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...or Thessalonica as the case may be...

The Jews of Thessalonica, not satisfied with having run Paul out of town, heard that Berea was also being turned upside down by the message of Jesus.  They came to Berea and caused a disturbance in the city.  It was so bad that the believers of the region again sent Paul away.  This time by sea to Athens.  Timothy and Silas stayed behind and continued the work of sharing the Gospel in Berea for a time.  Once settled, Paul called for the other parties of his team to join him in Athens.  We'll explore more about the town of the Greek goddess Athena and how Paul reasoned with the folks who resided there next week.  

So what's the takeaway from Paul's being run out of 2 different cities today?  It really is simple. Anytime we make the effort to share Jesus, we have the potential to turn people's lives upside down in a variety of ways. We will soon gain a reputation for our beliefs and that will be met with intransigence as well.  There is a very high resistance to change in most folks and our efforts to tell the Gospel of Jesus will be met with pushback that may in fact cause far more turmoil than our sharing ever could.  

But even in the face of the unlikely or impossible, our perseverance and advocacy for the righteousness of God must overshadow any label with which we may be tagged.  Because in the final analysis, with God all things are possible...just ask Logan!  The Gospel of Jesus according to Matthew, a tax collector, chapter 19, verses 23-26 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV  "...I don't want this feeling to go away..."

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by Loving You,

randy

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