the singer in the family

It has become quite obvious that our son loves to sing...and is actually good at it. I have to tell you something that brings tears to my eyes. For the past 3-4 weeks, when we put Eli to bed, we've been quietly playing Rich Mullins music on the little cd player in his room, to help him fall asleep. It's sort of an alternative to a nightlight, I guess. So far we've been playing "The World as I Remember It", both volumes 1 and 2, and "Liturgy, Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band."

A couple of nights ago, Erin was in Eli's room getting him ready for bed, and called me in to the room with them. "Listen to Eli" she said. Quietly, and accurately, Eli was singing "Oh God, you are my God, and I will ever praise You. Oh God, you are my God, and I will ever praise You. I will seek you in the morning, and I will learn to walk in Your ways. And step by step You lead me, and I will follow You all of my days." He learned this chorus simply by hearing it in his room with the lights off before going to sleep. And it's one of my favorite songs of all time....actually the song we were singing in my high school youth group when I committed my life to Christ. I was definitely tearing up to hear Him singing it so beautfully.

For the record, Eli also loves to sing "You've Stolen My Heart" and "Hey, You're the One" (both by Leeland), "Mush (Bus) Driver" (by Caedmon's Call), "You Never Let Go" (by David Crowder), as well as a few others I can't immediately remember.

Now, considering how well he's absorbed the nightly Rich Mullins music, I'm wondering what else I should start playing for him to sleep by. The languages of the world? Mark Nelson's podcasted messages? The Purpose Driven Life? High school level calculus theories? Anything by John Denver?

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