Do you have fond memories of old songs from a younger time in your life?
I remember singing in the car. Driving down the road. Dad with his good solo acapella voice, mom singing parts, and all of us kids just singing along. I always struggled to find my “part” so I simply sang the melody, you know, the way everyone else in the world sings it because that’s the way they heard it!
Yep! I’m normal. There’s nothing special about me.
There are some who can hear where other notes and parts could be sung (or played) to add richness, depth and a broad perspective to the music. On good days I can sing bass but struggle with where the notes fit to be in harmony, so, I mostly sing the melody. Again. I’m normal. When I was younger I could hit the falsetto range and I enjoyed trying to sing parts like Barry Gibbs of Bee Gee’s fame. But by the time I was nearing 40 most of those note ranges became a figment, albeit it a pleasant part, of my memory.
The older I get and the further my hearing worsens, the easier it is to be content with songs of the past that I have already learned and just enjoy bee-bopping down life’s memory lane happy to know the words without having to focus.
Memories of Songs
Dad always sang Jim Reeves or Eddy Arnold type songs, even a few Hank Williams. You just have to know him and the music style to understand this. But he was often asked to sing at Sing-spirations, Special Songs in church and the assorted funerals. I even remember him emceeing and singing a variety of songs to the delight of the audience at a special event of a little town called Ace, in Texas…
Mom generally always sang church type songs and I’m sure there were other genre’s in her bag of offerings, but I’m not recalling them specifically right now. I do remember her sitting down at the piano and play boogie-woogie songs!
For the most part, us kids would sing some popular folk song or something we learned at church, either a chorus, hymn or choir tune. Way back then we all sang from songbooks (for the most part), and we would learn every verse and then could sing anywhere, anytime, and not have to worry about missing entire stories that a song was trying to communicate.
I do have a recording of my Granddad Simmons singing some songs for mom. And Grandmother? Her voice rings in my ears at church, singing those favored old hymns we all knew the words to.
Through The Years
Through the years I found a few secular artists and groups that I enjoy and can listen to them while mowing the yard with my iPod nano and noise canceling headsets. One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to find the section of terminal that has an artist playing their music and selling their music. I’ll buy a CD for later with memories of the time they simply played their songs for me.
Driving down the road I seldom listen to music. Pure silence is my friend. I would rather converse with a talking head as they belabor a point, share some news, or even tell me the play by play of a summertime ball game.
If you’ve never had a Blue Barn type of place to attend, it’s normally a country event where people could sign up to sing their special song to an audience of average and everyday people. Typically it was on a Friday or Saturday night and it was good clean family environments that drew folks from miles around. Dad enjoyed these places and would go by himself if no one else wanted to go with him!
Gospel Songs
The word Gospel is mostly comprehended to mean “Good News”. So, for the most part, Gospel Songs were Good News songs about Christ, Heaven, Memories, or other stories that pointed you down the road of life.
I remember Gospel Music concerts that would come to Houston about once per quarter. I’ve been to many of them, met the singers, bought their music and thoroughly enjoyed the events. It was another figment of my memory of another place and another time, but there was a time when I thought this would be a laudable way to spend my adult years. If only I could get control of my singing ability!
Every so often a song will pop into my brain and I cannot leave it alone until I make sure I remember all the words and can sing it to myself, by myself and for myself. Not a microphone in site and no one listening in. Just me. My memory. My voice, and whatever it’s capable of doing that day.
I woke with this old song this morning and have been humming and singing it for several hours. Realizing I was only enjoying the chorus I Googled it but cannot find attribution, or a solid version of verses though there are several that make me think they are the correct ones. Let me share it with you.
Shut in with God
The disciples were praying for the power to fall
Ten days they did tarry, on God they did call
Then God sent His spirit to baptize them all
For they had been shut in with God
Chorus
Shut in with God in a secret place
There in the spirit, beholding His face
Gaining new power to run in this race
Oh, I love to be shut in with God
Of all pleasant places on land or on sea
There’s no place on earth that is sweeter to me
Than to kneel at the feet of my Master and Lord
For there, I’ll be shut in with God
The pathway to Heaven, though rugged it may be
I’ll travel ‘til my precious Saviour I’ll see
Then the gates of that city will open for me
And there I’ll be shut in with God
Tag
Gaining new power to run in this race
Oh, I love to be shut in….. with… God…
Here’s My Thought Today
We have filled all the empty spaces of life with distractions galore, or with other voices speaking to us about our issues and problems. Some call them therapists, others counselors, and there are even some who think the greatest thing since sliced bread is to have a “Life Coach” to manage the view of their path forward. I’m not against some expert help focusing my understanding, but I do believe that before I find someone else to talk about life with I should follow the early teachings of Jesus.
But you, when you pray, go into your room,
and when you have shut your door,
pray to your Father who is in the secret place;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
(Matthew 6:6 NKJV)
I also believe that on the Day of Pentecost, as the song describes, that the followers of Jesus, numbering 120, were enclosed in a time of community prayer, seeking the will of God. (Acts 2:1-4) Maybe it’s the deep time of prayer away from all the angst of politics and emotional upheavals where we find our restorative power from the Holy Spirit that gives us the strength to face the challenges of life. A renewal of power.
Just perhaps. We should all spend more time shut in with God, gaining new power, unloading the unnecessary weight, and preparing for the race set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)
How do you prepare for the next step of life? Have you Shut Yourself in with God before scrambling about for the pieces and voices to direct your next steps? Just curious, am I…