Good Music in the Home and the Proclamation in Our Hearts

Today our guest writer is my friend, Alex Boye,

and what a treat this is!  If you have a minute, BEFORE you read his post below, go here to mormon.org and hear his story… it will make your day!:  Hi, I’m Alex Boye

Ok… how inspiring was that?

Now… check out some of the things he has done with his life by going here and reading his Bio:  About Alex Boye

and then you will appreciate his words all the more.

But, let me just add my two bits.

When you hear Alex sing, you hear the message – not just the song.  He has a real gift of communicating the true meaning of what the words are seeking to convey.  Never, will you hear him sing and think of anything other than the song he is singing – you are in it. And when he is singing a hymn, you will want all you love dearly to hear what you just heard.  He has a gift, pure and true.

 

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GOOD MUSIC IN THE HOME AND THE PROCLAMATION IN OUR HEARTS

                                            By Alex Boye’

So i tried this experiment recently and it freaked me out a little, ok alot.

I want you to try it and see if you get the same results.

I listened to top 40 mainstream radio for 1 hour,

switching stations every 2-3 minutes. I had a notebook with me and wrote down a list of all the subjects i picked up on. Are you ready for this?

COUNTERFEIT LOVE, FLIRTY GIRLS, ANGRY BOYS, DRUGS, SEX WITH NO CONSEQUENCE, BINGE DRINKING, SLEEPING WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS, SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE, ROCKS, DIAMONDS, BACKBITING, ICE, BLING-BLING, IMMODEST CLOTHING, WARS, HATE, 30 INCH RIMS, RAPE, ASSAULT, DEATH, VANITY, PRIDE, JEALOUSY, ENVY, CRYSTAL, CHAMPAGNE, PLATINUM RINGS, LYRICAL PORNOGRAPHY, MARIJUANA, ADULTERY, SMOKING TO LOOK COOL, DISRESPECTING WOMEN AND GIRLS, USE OF GUNS IN GANGS, PROSTITUTION, LUST, MURDER, MASTURBATION, SUICIDE, HATERS OF PEOPLE WHO DO GOOD, LOVERS OF PLEASURES, PRIDE, BLASPHEMY
 (Phew, i said all that without breathing!)

Remember, this is just mainstream radio which targets children as young as 14 that goes out to the whole world!

A popular music producer who has been saying for years

that children are at risk from pop music was quoted as saying,

“WELCOME TO THE WORLD YOU HELPED TO CREATE. YOU WANTED A SECULAR SOCIETY WITHOUT THE LORD AND HIS WORD. NOW YOU’VE GOT IT.”

Innocent hearts are being damaged

and the world is suffering as a result of all the subjects i mentioned above.

There is a scripture in proverbs 23:7

that says “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”. To me, that means we pretty much become what we think about most of the time.

A friend recently made a comment that has stuck with me.

He said “In my opinion, families will never be together forever if we try to think the way that the world thinks, and try to live the way the world lives”. To me, that sums up what the family proclamation represents. It is a call to the world to stand up and be counted, and for us to live closer to the laws of God than we ever have before, which will ultimately result in incredibly fulfilled lives and unparalleled joy, purpose and meaning.

N. Eldon Tanner was once quoted as saying

” We cannot serve God and mammon (The world). We will grow to love one and hate the other. Whose side are we on?

I think more and more people in the world are coming to the realization

that the world is failing, fast! I also believe that more and more people in the world are seeing the great blessings in their lives that derive from keeping Gods laws. They are going back to they’re roots, back to the God who created them. I love it! It’s true!

We do have a long way to go to influence

the people who are responsible for shaping this world and how it is today for good. I am certainly no expert, but even i know how this can be done thanks to Gods unfailing principles of success found in scriptures and modern day prophets. One thing i do know is that adherence to the family proclamation is needed now more than ever. The last part of the proclamation says” We warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets. Well. It’s happening. The world may continue to mock everything that is good, wholesome and true, but as for me and my house, we will follow the Lord.

 Like my music page on Facebook

http://listn.to/alexboye

 

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Remember to visit the other blogs hosting this celebration!

They have great things going on each day!  Montserrat from Chocolate on My Cranium,  Jocelyn from We Talk of Christ,  and Jaime from Welcome to the Madness.  Be sure to visit each blog every day!

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And here is today’s giveaway!  We are doubling up so you have double the chance to win!

Alex Boye spiritThe amazingly talented singer, Alex Boye, who is the guest blogger for The Red Headed Hostess today, is giving away a copy of his CD Spirit. Feel the spirit of life and a passion for worship with songs like “Word of God Speak,” ‘”I Can Only Imagine,” “I Will Not Forget” and a special arrangement of the popular hymn ‘”How Great Thou Art!”

AND

vinyl 01
We are a mother/daughter team who enjoy working together in our business, Design Divas. Alison is the business manager and Rachel is the artistic designer, who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. We operate from two different cities and love what we do.

When we started Design Divas, our goal was to start a business that would use our combined talents to create something special. We have created a unique product line of Vinyl Wall Quotes, and are currently designing another line of Vinyl Wall Art. Rachel enjoys a challenge, so please contact us about placing a custom order! Thanks for checking us out!

This beautiful vinyl lettering wall decal can add that special touch to any room in your home. Just think of the possibilities!

This listing includes
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One (1) item #1113 “A happy family is but an earlier Heaven” vinyl lettering quote. Size 6 x 24 inches. (Please Note: These sizes indicate the parameters of the space the quote is designed in, not always the actual size of the vinyl quote. All sizes are in inches.)


39 comments

  1. “One thing i do know is that adherence to the family proclamation is needed now more than ever.’ Amen! I remember thinking when the proclamation was first read “It’s bad now! How much worse can it get?” Well, 16 years later I can definitely see how much worse it has gotten.

    Your experiment at the beginning is exactly the reason why we only listen to CDs or nothing at all on our long drives to town. Having kids captive in the car for 40 minutes (one way!) is a great time to just talk or to listen to beautiful, inspiring music – including some of your CDs!

  2. Thank you for all the post on the family and good music. I have 3 teenagers and it’s very hard to find good music that they feel is “cool” enough to listen to.

  3. I love your music, Alex! I have been trying hard to only have clean & uplifting music in our home lately. Thanks for this great post.

  4. Thank you, Alex for being the guest blogger today. It is so sad that our youth are listening to such family destroying music when there is so much uplifting music available. Loved your post.

  5. After reading your Mormon.org profile I just had to come back and make another comment. I laughed when I read that you refer to yourself as the “Token Black Guy in Utah.” I have a very good friend living in Lehi, who had to get used to the stares he produced when he first moved to Utah. Maurice was a convert to the gospel when we were both in 8th grade back in Georgia (where he obviously blended in very well). He is a very good example of how the gospel really changes lives and traditions! He served a mission, received a college education, married in the temple, and is now raising four sons with his lovely wife (http://mitchellmania5.blogspot.com/). Though you guys are few in numbers there in Utah you are making a big impact!

  6. Thanks for your incredible suggestion about writing down what you hear on the radio — I think that would make an incredible YM/YW activity!

    I found you when I listened to your interview on the MormonChannel.org — I’ve since become a huge fan! I so appreciate the perspective you have.

    Thanks for inviting him to participate!

  7. Thank you Alex for those inspiring world. I have recently stopped listening to main stream radio because I rarely could find anything worth listening to. I’ve noticed a HUGE difference in me and the spirit in my home since doing so. Thank you for being an artist who realizes the blessings of wholesome uplifting music and entertainment.

  8. I know that the radio is scary. We stopped listening to it a few years ago. I love the spirit we feel when we listen to appropriate things.

    I totally agree that the world has become a scary place and we should all know this: “One thing i do know is that adherence to the family proclamation is needed now more than ever.” Amen, Amen, Amen.

    Loved the profile video. Thank you for your post and your humor and your spirituallity.

  9. Wonderful post! I”m a big believer in good music. This is such an important message to send to our youth! I think that many times they don’t even realize the filth they are listening to!

  10. I have just recently found your blog while on Pinterest and followed a link on scripture journaling, which I have just started doing and I have found the most inspiring things here on your blog. I appreciate all of the work that you put into it for us the readers. It’s fantastic! Thank you!

    Anyway today’s post really resonates with me. I am a single mom with my youngest still at home–a 12 yro daughter and yes the music out there is sickening! I listen to KBYR while she’s the top pop radio. When we do dishes we share and listen to each others music, but it’s hard to win her over. I wish we had LDS teen musicians who put music out there for the youth even if it didn’t go mainstream. It could give our youth another outlet. The world is a very scary place to raise our families in and I’m trying to find ways as a single mom to pull my daughter away from the world as much as possible and to fill our home with the spirit more and more. It is a challenge, but a necessity. Your blog is a wonderful help in all that it offers. THANK YOU!

    Cathy Jackson ♥

  11. Wow, I have goose bumps! Thank you for this amazing post! We eliminated the radio other than the classical channels a few years ago, and I’m so grateful we did! I really appreciate your clear cut stance. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

  12. Great post! I think it’s awesome that you and others are taking positive action to bring that which is good and right to our world. It’s like taking a proactive stance rather than just avoiding or complaining. Awesome!

  13. There are literally millions of indie artists out there on the ‘net who are clean. Of all styles. Did you know there are excellent and clean LDS rappers? With a little bit of effort and searching, you can fill an iPod or a phone player with hours of contemporary clean music

    Mark

  14. Music impacts even when we don’t realize it. How many times do we have the radio on not really paying attention to it in the car when we feel cranky or upset. Many times it is because of the music that has been playing in the background. Music is such a wonderful thing to bring us the spirit if it is good music. Thanks for this post.

  15. I would love to have some good wholesome music. I have three boys I am trying to teach the gospel to and it is definately hard in this day and age. I love the article he wrote and would love even more to have the CD.

  16. My son had the opportunity to hear him speak and sing at a youth conference at Troy University a couple years ago. In LOVE, that’s all I can say. Amazing voice amazing, testimony! This post is great. It’s going to be our dinner conversation topic tonight. Thank you! 🙂

  17. That experiment really opens your eyes. That is crazy. We usually listen to CDs but every once in a while I will listen to a song I like and then, because my kids are in the car, I will notice things I didn’t notice before. It is so sad.

  18. I LOVE to listen to uplifting music in the car, in the home, when wwe are cleaning or just relaxing or before bed or whatever. It invites the Holy Ghost and calms the soul. And Alex has a beautiful voice.

  19. I don’t think I could handle listening to the radio for that long. But, I have noticed recently that when you pay attention to the words the songs become particularly scary. They may have a soothing, or catchy tune and then when you listen it’s actually promoting immoral behavior quite blatantly.
    And I have seen more and more how as we dis-align ourselves from popular culture, the reality of what is happening there becomes clearer. Things that seemed previously harmless, are suddenly clearly recognizable for what they are – tools to lead us away from Heavenly Father, away from closer family relationships, away from things that are lovely or of good report.

  20. I loved this post by Alex Boye. I know that music brings the spirit into a meeting or your home more quickly than anything else except perhaps prayer. I know that my children as they have learned various hymns and other sacred music have said how when they have had a temptation those words have come to their mind.
    I have three beautiful daughters who have sung through the years in trios and solo’s. They have lovely voices that can bring the audience to tears through the message of the song.
    Music can create a heaven on earth an extension of the temple.

  21. Music really does enter our souls without us even realizing it. I find myself singing along to songs I never even remember hearing and certainly not trying to learn the lyrics. It is very important to fill our homes and minds with uplifting, beautiful music and let the junk stay far away.

  22. My son had to fill out a survey for school listing his favorite movies, bands, songs, and artists. He is 11. He was a bit frustrated because he know he would be teased if anyone found his paper and read that his movies are all g rated and the artist was William Joseph. He didn’t choose a band because he isn’t familiar with very many. I wondered what I could do to make this better for him, but after reading this post, I know I am already doing what is best. Thank you!

  23. Thank you! I believe this whole heartedly and am trying to teach my children this. I loved the part about listening to the radio and writing down the topics that were heard. It’s scary but eye opening. I may do this with my teenagers. I’ve always stressed the importance of knowing the lyrics that you are listening too. Thank you again for this post!!

  24. Alex, I have watched your clip on mormon.org before, and it is so nice to have you posting here! Everything you have said rings so true. That experiment you did is a little scary but at the same time, not too surprising. I often choose to play a religious CD rather than the radio when I’m driving- I feel so much better that way and more & more, I cannot find anything on the radio that I want to hear. I am making an effort to play uplifting music in our home in hopes that we will have a good feeling/atmosphere there, and that my children will grow up with a love for uplifting music! Thank you for your post today!
    ~Heather

  25. Thank you for sharing your experiment. It is scary, the things that are on the radio, that my children are exposed to in public when the radio is on…. would LOVE to have a CD! Thanks for participating in the family series.

  26. I have been thinking a lot lately about the music that I listen to and have shared with my young children from when I was a teenager. Seeing things as a mom now I realized how wrong so many of the messages are in popular songs. I want to work harder to prevent them from enjoying the songs with the wrong message.

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