The Song Of My Heart

I could never just pick "one" song that touches my heart more than any other.  If ANYONE knows me, they know how much I love music, how much I love to sing.  I have so many "favorites" in so many different genres.  And oft times I'll hear myself saying, yet again... "This is my favorite song".  But why only have one? I have tons!  

(Excuse me while I take a blog break..... my nearly 4 year old Hailey has asked for a pedicure, and I must give in... don't want to miss out on these precious childhood years that are passing all too quickly.  Be back in a jiffy)

Okay, back.  Where was I?  Oh yes... my many favorite songs.  I'm not going to bore you with the particulars of what I like and don't like.  But I will say, if you were to ride in the car with me, you'll find my radio stations tuned in to country music.  Never listened to country  music until I went away to Ricks College, in Rexburg, Idaho.  Couldn't stop listening from then on.  If those stations start to bore me, I'll tune into one of two Christian radio stations in town.  Other than that, I love a variety of show tunes, and gospel/Christian music, and I can't get enough of Christmas music.

My children hear me singing daily, whether I embarrass them or not, I have no idea. I do try to contain myself when their friends are over.    But one thing I have done nightly ever since my first born entered into the world, was sing to my children at bedtime.  Believe it or not, my 12 & 10 year old boys, who share a room, still won't go to sleep unless I've sung to them. (I'll have to make sure they don't read this blog post, don't want to embarrass them, not that they read these anyway, but you never know.)  I love that my voice is the last voice they want to hear as they drift off into dream land.

I have been blessed in my life to be able to share my love of music on many different occasions; funerals, weddings, in various church congregations, church activities, and in choirs. And I can say first hand that the person that benefits most is myself.  Currently, in my church, I am the music leader for the children ages 3-11, and I get to help teach them many songs for nearly two hours each Sunday. I love this job.  For the most part, the children want to learn, they want to express their feelings of the gospel through music, and also just sing for the plain fun of it.  It is NEVER a dull moment with these kids each and every week.

I have the opportunity right now to be involved in two choirs, one for our church congregation, and the other as a seasonal choir, getting ready for Christmas and an upcoming concert.  I love  this time of year, when I can start singing these beloved songs about our Savior, in October!!!  Just last week, I had the opportunity to sing in another congregation, not my own, with a friend, then sing in our choir in our congregation, be with the children for two hours singing, went to choir practice after church, sang at a fireside, and then stayed for another choir practice. I had a headache when I came home, from the long day I had just endured, yet my heart was so full of appreciation for music in my life, and the feelings I get when I sing, or hear beautiful music.  Music can speak to the soul, like nothing else, I believe.

My husband likes to joke that he has a rich voice... that he's "well off".  I can attest to that.  I have often thought, and said to him, "Oh, if only you could carry a tune, then maybe we could sing a duet together.... how totally cool would that be?"  In fact, he likes to tell people that we met in choir at church..... as he figured that was a good place to meet girls, not that he could actually sing.  He was actually interested in another girl who had a gorgeous soprano voice, but then fell for me, an alto.  

I remember being in labor with McKenna.... it was nearing the end of October. One of my favorite Christmas CD's was  Winter Solstice, given to me by one of my sisters. It's all instrumental, just absolutely beautiful.  Anyway, we had brought that CD for me to listen to while in labor, and it has been the CD of choice for each 4 labors after that.  I can't have a baby without that CD. (Well, I'm not having babies anymore....)  Kind of like, I can't clean the house, and I mean a real clean, with all the kids, without blasting "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat".  And kind of like John not being able to do any house remodel without the company of Taylor Swift.  But that's ANOTHER story.  He SAYS he just like her songs.  Uh huh... yep, whatever hon.  Whenever I hear songs from the movie "Titanic" my thoughts are immediately turned to my baby girl McKenna..... that movie came out right after she was born.  Whenever I hear songs from the late 80's early 90's, my high school years come up to memory.  I wonder now how those songs got to be so popular, but I will say, THOSE songs, back then you could DANCE to.  I'm not a fan at all of what our teenagers have to listen to these days.  Songs, like smells, when heard after a long period of silence, bring up many emotions, some good, some not so good, but music truly can have a lasting effect on us all. 

I really have no idea why I'm blogging about this..... except for the fact that this time of year brings out more opportunity for listening to music, and for me to sing more.  I love it!  Some people can't STAND to listen to Christmas music even two weeks before Christmas, and some of us start it, well, let's just say it's not quite fall yet.  Good music, especially Christmas music, can bring out the best in each of us.  Listening to those precious songs about  Christ the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, a winter wonderland, a red nosed reindeer, a white Christmas, a Silent Night.  I guess my hope and prayer would be, that each of us take the time to listen to these beautiful songs, let them fill our hearts with peace, joy and happiness.

PS.... a big thank you to my mom, who filled our home with music through her own voice, and through the stereo, and choirs, etc, etc... which instilled a love of music for myself.

And on that note..... I'll end it there.