Singing In My Soul

I love music. I love to sing. I love to dance. I love to listen to music for relaxation and entertainment. Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I remember doing the do re mis in grade school. I remember taking piano lessons for a few years but then giving up to pursue my love of gymnastics, dance and skating. I sang in youth choirs at my church, high school choirs, and now I sing in my church choir and I listen to music every where I go.

I grew up with a mix of classic country (Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, etc.) courtesy of my daddy and I learned to love Elvis and the oldies, courtesy of my mother. During my adolescence I was very involved in skating and was thus introduced to the 80s music but never allowed to listen to it at home. Today I can appreciate country (classic and modern), the 80s (lite rock and pop), contemporary Christian and soundtracks from favorite movies. I have no desire to listen to hard rock, heavy metal, new age, hip-hop/rap, or Christian rock. With an array of music interest I can honestly say that my favorite genre is southern gospel.  I love The Nelons!!  I love Gold City, Karen Peck and New River, and the Gaithers and their Homecoming Friends.

You haven't been blessed until you've spent an evening with Bill and Gloria Gaither and their homecoming friends or take a journey back in time and listen to some old Chuckwagon Gang, Imperials and Cathedrals. I guess southern gospel has its roots in country or bluegrass. I'm not sure where it originated from but praise God, I'm so glad I found it!

Today I have been listening to a new CD produced by the Gaither Gospel Series (GGS), a tribute to Howard and Vestal Goodman. I miss the saints of old. I cried when Rex Nelon, Glen Payne, George Yonce, and the Goodmans died but I know that they are now singing in the heavenly choir and there's a seat reserved for me too!  When Rex Nelon passed away I felt like I lost my grandfather. I can't wait to see all these people when I get to Heaven.  We will be singing with the saints!!

Music can be very therapeutic. I have seen it reach the lost, the desperate, the grieving, and the lonely. Music has no respect of persons. It can transcend race, nationality, religious creed, socioeconomic status, etc. It reaches to the uttermost parts of the world. Music can resound from the lofty courts of Heaven or erupt from the flaming pits of Hell.

What does music do for you? Does your music encourage you to tell others about the Savior? Does your music encourage you to reach out and help your fellow brethren? Does it encourage you to forgive, do right, etc.? Or does your music encourage you to follow the ways of the world and succomb to the things that will destroy you? Ephesians 5:19: "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." (KJV)

I hope that when people are around me they can tell I love the Lord. I hope they can witness it in my actions, in my words and even in the lyrics of my music. It is my prayer that I can honor I Corinthians 10:31: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. " (KJV).

A little bit about myself: My favorite holiday is the Fourth of July and my favorite song is the Battle Hymn of the Republic. I am listening to a CD right now that I made in 2007 with a collection of my favorite patriotic songs. My favorite hymns are: Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art and my favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night and I think Martina McBride has the best version I have ever heard.

When I die I want the congregation or vocalists to perform the following at my funeral: Another Soldier's Coming Home (Janet Paschal), Look For Me (Tanya Goodman Sykes), Now That You Know (Karen Peck and New River), Celebrate Me Home (The Perrys) and Christians Never Say Goodbye (The Nelons) and I want the congregation to sing What a Day That Will Be (traditional hymn) and My Saviour First Of All (traditional hymn).  Friends and family, please remember this or I may come back and haunt you!!   I told my preacher's wife that they will need to play a cd with all of my favorite "going home" songs in the church 30 minutes before my funeral because I want people to hear the music that encouraged me while I was living and I want them to know that "there's no place like home when you are sheltered in the arms of your loving Heavenly Father."

When the Lord puts a song in your heart don't leave it there. Share it with others so that they too can receive a blessing. If you can't sing praise the Lord anyway. After all, He just ask that you make a joyful noise, right. I guess noise is the keyword here.

In closing I would like to share a song that I have dedicated to my friends and family through the years. It's called One More Song For You by the Imperials. If you would like to listen to it click here. The lyrics are beautiful (chorus is below) and very fitting as a thank you to a friend, family member or anyone else who has been there for you.

As long as there is time and one breath left in me. There will always be one more song for you. As long as there is room for one more voice in praise and a need for a word of love and truth to help my brother thru. There'll be one more song for you.

Hugh: Gone But Not Forgotten (1961-2009)

Have you ever wondered how people get through the difficult times? How do you deal with the loss of a loved one or friend? How do you bounce back after a friendship has floundered, a business crumbles or your dreams are dashed upon the stones? You look to the God of the ages and you realize that it was a part of God’s plan. God makes no mistakes. He makes all things beautiful in His time and though you may be crying today; He will restore the laughter. Hold on to His unchanging hand, joy comes in the morning.

Can you rejoice in times of sadness, sorrow, illness, and financial loss? Yes, you can if you trust in the God of the impossible. God hasn’t promised us a bed of roses or sunshine without rain. God never promised us that hearts wouldn’t be broken, that children wouldn’t rebel, that fathers wouldn’t leave, marriages wouldn’t end or success wouldn’t turn to failure. God only promised to be there no matter what. God promised that He would never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5&6).

Last Friday I found out that my best friend’s brother had passed away. We knew this was coming because he had been sick for some time and hospice was called in right before Easter. But did that make it any easier to say good-bye? No. What made it easier was the peace of God and knowing that Hugh was now in the presence of our Lord.

I immediately went to my friend’s side when I heard of her loss. I spent much time with her family before finally meeting up with her. Debbie asked me if I would stay the weekend with her and the family to help get her through all the coming events and I was more than willing to be there.

Our Memorial Day weekend wasn’t what we thought it was going to be but it was more than we expected. Hugh passed away on my Daddy’s birthday so I will remember that each year and he was buried on “Cousin” Lee’s birthday so we will remember that too.

My role this weekend was to comfort the grieving. How did I do that? Well, I was there for Debbie as much as I could be. I allowed her to cry on my shoulder as we reminisced about the many beautiful memories she had of her brother. I sat up with her every evening as we contemplated what the next day would behold for her and the family. I took pictures, shared stories, entertained children and reminded them all that Hugh was where we all wanted to be.

When we get a glimpse of Heaven we long to go there. Would you dare ask the Lord to send that special person back when you know how beautiful Heaven must be? I would not.

I love knowing that Hugh is now in a more peaceful place. He is no longer suffering because the Lord has made him whole. He is no longer in pain because the Lord has given him a glorified body that can walk the streets of gold, sit beside the crystal waters and envision of a picture of loveliness. Yes, Hugh is now living a reality that our mind can only dream of. And he is beholding the face of our Savior and all things have become new to him.

Don’t be angry with God when He calls another loved one home. He loans His precious children to those on Earth and has a plan for each and every one of them. Someday you will take that final journey and you will cross over Jordan. You shall be reunited with all your friends and loved ones and you shall behold the face of God and you will look into His nail-scarred hands as He welcomes you with open arms. And in that final embrace you shall hear him say, “Welcome home my child. The journey was long and sometimes weary. You can now lay down your sword and shield and you can rest in me for all eternity.”

When you are sad and lonely and the tears begin to fall just remember that Jesus does care. Tears are a language God understands. He can comfort you in a way that no mortal man can. Take it to the Lord in prayer and know that He is working things out for the best for you.

Remember the words from the Crabb Family in I Sure Miss You.

Verse I
If life could only bring again, the days I took for granted when
To hear your voice was just a call away
Oh what I'd give for just some time, to say the things that slipped my mind
There's so much now I'd really like to say
But I can never go back when we did the things we did back then
I'll store those precious memories in my mind
I'll take what you've instilled in me;
I'll try to be all I can be
And walk the path that you have left behind

Chorus
I sure miss you; my life will never be the same with you not here
Each passing day has brought much pain
But with God's grace my strength remains
I sure miss you, but heaven's sweeter with you there

Verse II
The little things that seemed so small, like gold in a memory vault
I cherish every one I have of you
Now I can see and recognize the part you played to shape my life
I often see you in the things I do
In God's design and master plan He saw the hurting hearts of man
As we would say goodbye to those so dear
So with our family and friends we'll be together once again
We'll view all Heaven's splendor hand in hand

Repeat Chorus

In preparation for the funeral the family was asked to write down some memories of their son and brother. While I was speaking with Debbie we began to reminisce about one really fond memory I had of her brother. I'm guessing that no one ever knew this story except for Debbie.

Her parents were going on a vacation and asked her to pick the vegetables from the garden. She invited me to spend the week with her to help her out. I didn't hesitate to say yes because she is my best friend and that just meant another opportunity for me to visit with her. Well, one day we were in the garden and Hugh came down to help. We began working in the field and at some point I realized that Debbie wanted to have a private talk with her brother so I wandered off on my own little adventure. It's a big deal for a city girl to be in the country so I was exploring every plant, bug, etc.

Well, it was then I noticed it. A blade of grass was moving about but it wasn't the wind blowing it. There were two grasshoppers on top of each other! Yes, they were making out and I'm not sure why but this really got the best of me. I pulled the grass out of the ground and these grasshoppers just kept doing the deed. I took it to Debbie and Hugh and they both burst out laughing when they realized "why" I was showing them these two grasshoppers. Hugh was beside himself in tears and wanted me to keep the grasshoppers. So he went into Papa's storage building and got me an empty mason jar. We put the grasshoppers with some extra grass into the jar and Hugh sealed it and poked holes in the lid. We resumed working in the field and every once in a while we would go back to the jar to check on the grasshoppers. They were still going at it and I'll never forget Hugh saying, "They are either having fun or they are stuck!" We laughed until we were crying.

The other night Debbie and I were reminiscing and we both remembered that day. To anyone else it may not have been that significant but to us it became a precious memory.

Thank you to all my friends and loved ones who prayed for Debbie and her family. I know there will be many more difficult days ahead but they will not be alone. God will be with them every step of the way and after the rain the sunshine will peak thru the clouds and we will know there are brighter days ahead. God is and has always been in control!