Therapeutic Music Entertainment . . . . "A performance or activity which, by virtue of its diversion, amusement and/or pleasing qualities, promotes healing."
This is the definition of TME that I was taught during my certification training time with the gang at Hugworks.
Short, simple . . . to the point.
As I get older, the idea/concept of promoting healing through music takes up a lot of the time I spend thinking about important life stuff.
Actually, just the idea of promoting healing ... however, whenever and wherever I can ... takes up a lot of my thinking time. In fact, it's taking up a lot of my personal and professional time.
I currently sing at 4 area assisted living centers each month. This month I will also lead worship at two of these assisted living centers. Seeing the smiles on people's faces as they engage a song through singing, hand clapping or dancing . . . is therapeutic for me. My experience is that TME promotes healing in many ways to many people for many various reasons ... To the ones entertaining and to the ones being entertained.
What kind of healing and how the healing takes place . . . I will leave that all to God.
I sometimes work out theology like math problems. I had the following equation in one of my journals a while back:
Music + Worship = Healing
Actually the words I had written down were "music + worship (should) = healing.
This is the definition of TME that I was taught during my certification training time with the gang at Hugworks.
Short, simple . . . to the point.
As I get older, the idea/concept of promoting healing through music takes up a lot of the time I spend thinking about important life stuff.
Actually, just the idea of promoting healing ... however, whenever and wherever I can ... takes up a lot of my thinking time. In fact, it's taking up a lot of my personal and professional time.
I currently sing at 4 area assisted living centers each month. This month I will also lead worship at two of these assisted living centers. Seeing the smiles on people's faces as they engage a song through singing, hand clapping or dancing . . . is therapeutic for me. My experience is that TME promotes healing in many ways to many people for many various reasons ... To the ones entertaining and to the ones being entertained.
What kind of healing and how the healing takes place . . . I will leave that all to God.
I sometimes work out theology like math problems. I had the following equation in one of my journals a while back:
Music + Worship = Healing
Actually the words I had written down were "music + worship (should) = healing.
Worship, for some, is a time when they expect to be set straight, or "guilted" back into doing what is right, more often according to someone else's opinion of what is right and correct.
How is that therapeutic? How does that promote the process of healing? How does that help anyone come to know God as a loving Lord?
John Wesley suggested 3 general rules (simple rules) for all believers associated with the then Methodist movement in England. They are good guides for us today.
1) Do no harm (that would seem, to me, to promote and facilitate the possibility of healing)
How is that therapeutic? How does that promote the process of healing? How does that help anyone come to know God as a loving Lord?
John Wesley suggested 3 general rules (simple rules) for all believers associated with the then Methodist movement in England. They are good guides for us today.
1) Do no harm (that would seem, to me, to promote and facilitate the possibility of healing)
2) Do good (that would seem, to me, to also promote and facilitate the opportunity for healing as well)
3) The regular practice of those things that help you get and stay close to God (it seems to me that being in God's presence would promote the possibility of healing for mind, body and soul).
Hopefully, in the coming weeks, I want to learn more about how my life, and how I live it, can be an instrument of healing, especially through music, pastoral care, teaching, preaching, engaging people when they are grief or in pain . . . that can help improve people's lives in new and fresh ways.
I'm ok with being a diversion . . . if it helps to promote healing in some way.
I'm ok with being an amusement . . . if it helps to promote healing in some way.
I'm even ok with helping others smile . . . if it helps to promote healing in some way.
Lord, make me an instrument of worship and healing.
God's graces still amazes me . . . ><>
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