When I was in fifth grade I won my school wide spelling
bee. Impressive, I know. But the truth is I worked for it. I studied like crazy and when the big day
came, I was the last one standing. I was
pretty much the spelling equivalent of Michael Phelps (without the drug
accusations of course). But my job wasn’t
done there. The next arena I was poised
to conquer was the city wide spelling bee.
Yes, sir, we’re talking the big time!
If you thought I was dedicated before, you should have seen me once I
realized I was going to “the show.”
Until the unthinkable happened…
Just three days before my big break into the spelling scene,
I came down with a serious case of tonsillitis.
I didn’t even know tonsillitis was real!
I thought it only happened in stories or the movies. I hadn’t had it before and I haven’t had it
since. As a result, my alternate went in
my place. It was the lowest point of my
fifth grade life.
But you know what the worst part was? I felt like I was cheated out of
something. And I had no control over
it. Not one kid at that spelling bee
would ever know the amount of work I’d put in.
None of them would know my name or that I even existed.
So what’s the point?
Last month, September 19th, 2012, marked the 15th
anniversary of the passing of Rich Mullins.
For you younger guys, that doesn’t mean much. Most, if not all of the high school and
college students I know, have no idea who Rich Mullins is. That bothers me. A lot.
Rich was one of the best, most underrated songwriters of his time,
especially among Christian artists. If
you are a young person, a Christian who is also a musician or singer, and you
don’t know who Rich Mullins is, then you should be forced to hand over your harmonica,
cajon, banjo, Fender Strat and/or microphone immediately.
Honestly, I simply appreciate how much his music and
words have influenced my life, and I want everyone to feel the same. Naïve and a bit selfish maybe, but I sometimes
experience the same feelings I had after missing my spelling bee. I feel like no one knows or cares about who
Rich is/was, what he contributed to Christian music, and how much all of it
impacted me. I realize most of his collection
is dated and doesn’t reflect what’s happening in mainstream music today. But, in my opinion, there is a struggling honesty
in his lyrics that’s difficult to find in modern Christian music. He was unrefined, unpolished and…real. I respect real.
So, for what it’s worth, this is my Ode to a
Ragamuffin! I, for one, miss and
appreciate you, Rich!
Step by Step (Live)
If I Stand (Live)
