I thought I had it all together but Mavis Staples, Jeff Tweedy, and God proved me wrong.

Posted on April 3, 2020

For the most part, my family and I have reached a sort of routine during the time of pandemic social distancing. I still work from home, and my wife and kids are all here until the end of April. It’s not ideal but we’re adjusting. Things are starting to feel “okay”, which is mostly all someone can ask for.

One night this last week my wife and I were working on making dinner for our family. She was working on cleaning and putting away some dishes and I was cooking our meal at the stove. I had a nice glass of beer on the counter next to me, because to be honest being a chef is my favorite time to have a drink. I think it has to do with the act of creating and I do very little of that now outside of cooking a meal.

And what goes great with cooking and drinking? Well, music obviously! Music has always been a big part of me. It calms me and it focuses me. If you find me a song with a strong groove and I’m a happy person. Add a fine beer and good food, I’m even happier.

So, since my phone literally has thousands of songs downloaded to it, I decided to just tell my phone to create a giant playlist of all my music, and I have been constantly listening to that playlist for over a month now. It’s been fun rediscovering music I haven’t listened to in years, and I don’t spend 5 to 10 minutes trying to figure out what I’m in the mood for that day.

So I had my playlist going, I was cooking, I was drinking and then God decided to put the perfect song I needed to hear right then on the stereo. One stanza into the song and my eyes were tearing up.

Sometimes I get so worried
I don't know what to do
But all the things I worry about
Very few of them come true
And when they do I call on you

This song wasn’t just for me that night, my wife heard it too and just said “Oh Mavis…”. It was Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy singing “Ain't No Doubt About It” and it was what we needed right then. The song is about just relying on God in your troubled times, and that’s what we’re living in right now.

I thought I had grips on the pandemic life we’re living, but I’m still scared. I’m still worried. I needed that song to play right then to break me a little. I often need something to break me in order for me to let my guard down and let some goodness in.God knew I’d need that song months ago when I started playing that playlist. It wasn’t just the song that moved me, it was that gentle act of love by our Heavenly Father that moved me. The gentle love that broke me.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

Please stay home, please stay safe and when it gets hard to do so, remember that God is always there for you and always there to listen. We’re all in this together, and God is there with us also. He wants us out there with our family and friends as soon as we can, enjoying the beauty of his world and everything he put into it.

I also love you all, now wash your hands.

If you’re unfamiliar with the song I’m talking about, please enjoy below: