Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Awake my soul and SING!

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In my growing up family there were many things that happened that shouldn’t have,

but there were some things that should have happened that did.

My brothers and sisters and I, we grew up singing.

That was back in the olden days, (you know, the sixties)…

back before everyone was plugged in to their own private, electronic world of

internet

ipod

nintendo ds

portable dvd players

Way back then we would sing just for fun.

“I’ll sing the melody and you harmonize, ok?  Ready?”

We sang on long car rides, or at the kitchen sink doing dishes,

and of course we sang at church

out of the old red hymnal called Melodies of Praise.

The words of the songs nourished my spirit.

So did sitting there and hearing the Brother in the pew next to me sing bass,

while the Sister in the pew behind sang alto.

Little as I was, I picked up on the harmony and sang along

full and loud and unashamed.

Because there’s nothing quite like filling your lungs with air

and letting a song fly out

up, up, up, to the heavens.

 

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So out of the treasuries of our own childhood,

(hubby grew up singing too,

and I think I fell in love with his song first,

that, and his blue, blue eyes),

we passed along the gift of song

to our children,

and now to our grandchildren.

With three little girls we played  “Name that Tune” 

on the rickety old upright piano

in the living room of the wee, white parsonage in the valley.

We sang on the long car rides to town and back

and we sang as we drove

over the river and through the woods

to grandma’s house.

We sang in the kitchen and

we sang at church

from the overheads on the wall

while the Brother in the pew beside us sang bass

and the Sister in the pew behind us sang alto.

And now on car rides with the grandbabies

we sing Raffi songs and Sunday School ditties

and the choruses from hymns that bubble up into our memories from that old red hymnal.

Because there’s nothing quite like filling your lungs with air

and letting a song fly out

up, up, up, to the heavens.

And God smiles

and twirls with delight

and lets His own song fly out

down, down, down

right to our hearts.

 

Still following (and singing),

Elizabeth

 

Happily linking here today~



This week’s Simple Pleasure…singing!

Project Simple Pleasures2

20 comments:

  1. "nothing quite like filling your lungs with air and letting a song fly out" so beautiful! there is just something about music that awakens the heart thank you for putting words to that "something"

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  2. Such good memories. Such good new memories you are making for your grandchildren.

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  3. This makes me smile. My mom was always singing growing up - and now I find myself singing to my baby boy. I don't know how to not sing - in happy or sad times.

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  4. I can identify strongly with the things that shouldn't have happened along with things that should (and did) - and yes, we grew up singing too, every day of our lives. I have always been grateful for that...

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  5. Elizabeth, what a joy to see you at the Simple Pleasures party today. We are true kindred spirits, sharing similar memories of singing and harmonizing and letting a song fly out "loud and unashamed." Ironically, I was sitting here, this minute, working on a piece about music. Awesome!

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  6. Yes. Song is so powerful. My 8yo asked me to sing a hymn to me tonight while we lay on the couch before bed. I did. And my heart was full.

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  7. any song song that comes from the heart is always beautiful!



    hugs,
    fickle
    my Simple Pleasure

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  8. Beautiful, and so true!

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  9. Love lifting up my voice to the Lord! :)

    Have a blessed day!
    Sherry

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  10. This is such a great simple pleasure, music and singing has soothed my soul more times than I can count. It is something that speaks to my heart. Unfortunately I don't have a pretty singing voice, but my husband loves it when I belt out song...he calls it "making a beautiful noise".

    Love this simple pleasure!

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  11. I love this! I was not blessed with a beautiful singing voice, but it doesn't stop me from singing it out! I see my 4-year old making up her own songs all day, and I absolutely love it! This is the perfect simple pleasure. Have a blessed day!

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  12. gorgeous writing, elizabeth... and yes, so true... the chorus of heaven in the voices of the young... is there anything so holy? your melody sings true and i love that you linked... harmonizing with you today, e.

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  13. I love the pictures you posted! Makes me feel closer to my oldest son, looking at the same sky that possibly caught his eye on a beautiful September day. This mom who lives in Iowa and misses her son who lives in Portland and oh how I miss him. I keep praying that Joshua will come back to the Lord. The young boy who one evening as we left church asked me, mom do you see the angels in the sky surrounding the church? God had touched him that night at church, filled him with heavenly words of prayer and opened his eyes to see what God sees. Please God, how many more years must I wait? He needs you but does he see that yet? Please pray for my son. my precious prodigal to return to His Father God. Thank you Elizabeth
    Deb
    debmarkus3@gmail.com

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  14. I grew up singing too! Thanks for this walk down memory lane. :)

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  15. what a beautiful adn refreshing read...there is something about singing...in letting out the song that is resonating inside us and ht thought of him singing bcak is wonderful...

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  16. I can not tell you how much I love this. Seriously, it might be my favorite simple pleasure to date, and I mean since Dayle started the party.

    And I've loved many.

    This just spoke to my heart in a way that none other has. I have the same story. We weren't even great singers, but that didn't matter. We belted out songs and even in harmony as we went on our way.

    One of my warmest memories of my brother before he died was a visit home, where we all sat around my mother's kitchen table and sang our hearts out. He always had the best voice of the four of us and the addition of his base made the room sing!

    God willing, I will never forget the joy of that night or the many years of joy that my family spent singing.

    THANK YOU for this simple pleasure.

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  17. So good, we like to sing as well, it is a joy to have my 14 yr old son enjoying learning hymns and when he hears them being sung in a church having the recognition, my 17 year old daughter enjoys them as well and likes to write her own. Enjoyed this thanks for being so vulnerable and sharing.

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  18. You're so right, that feeling of letting air flow through throat in melody is unmatched. In my lifestyle (always moving around in cultures which are a bit more restrictive), I've lost the music. I have one friend who does what I do who sings in her room, by herself, every morning. It's a discipline, but she doesn't only bless herself. The pure music of the heart blesses anyone else who hears the distant notes floating through the air.

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  19. This is a classic post, Elizabeth--one of those rarities that come along once in a lifetime--oh my, I am going to print this and read it every morning for a while during my devotional time. You are an incredible writer. You just keep getting better and better!

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