Sorry Daddy, but I LOVE Country Music

I was writing my sermon on Saturday night and came across this video.

(p.s. country music had nothing to do with my sermon - but it does help me think)

Before you read on, know that I love Love LOVE Brad Paisley.  I think he's an incredible musician, I love that he tells a story and I have enjoyed listening to how his music has changed as he got married and had kids.  I love that he doesn't take himself too seriously and that he gets a passion in his eyes when he is performing.

Okay, so back to my sermon.  So to speak.

A couple of weeks ago Brad Paisley posted on twitter that he was singing in the White House.  I thought it was really cool, but was too wrapped up in school to track down the video of him actually performing.  I'm glad I did - because he performed a song that I think is so relevant to this administration.  The song juxtaposes the dichotomy between where we were 50/60 years ago - and how far we've come.  I love Brad Paisley's speech before he sings, because he just seems overcome with emotion - not just because he was invited to sing in front of the president but also because he was singing a song that was influenced directly by the first election of a black U.S. president.

(I also love the fact that he says that we NEED MUSIC IN THE SCHOOLS.  But I digress ...)

What I love also about this song is the fact that because it reminds me of how far we have come in a short amount of time it also forces me to think about the potential that we have for the future.  What would a world look like where the gap between the developed world and the third world was closed?  What would a world look like with affordable healthcare available to everyone?  What would a world look like if race, class, gender and sexual orientation didn't matter?  What would a world look like if we focused less on differences and more on opportunities?  What would it look like if children everywhere had good schools and enthusiastic teachers?

When I start listing off of all those things, it almost sounds daunting ... but listen to the lyrics of this song - and think about where we were!!

A better world is possible.  Welcome to the future!!