I remember singing in church a lot. Mostly I remember my Grandad Bristow and his deep booming baritone drowning out my Grandmother Bristow's off-key, but heartfelt singing. Unfortunately I think I inherited my Grandmother's singing voice. Perhaps not, I can stay on key, it's just that my range is very limited. But I love to sing. The cat doesn't mind. But when Zach was very little I would sing to him in the car. He would say "Mom why can't we get a radio?"
My grandparents attended the Church of God in Columbia City. In my hometown we attended the Evangelical United Brethern. They called it the singing church. I did sing in the children's choir. They placed me in the alto section. I couldn't do much damage there and I learned all the words to the songs. I loved singing. I even sang in the high school choir, but I didn't stand out and I made certain to sing quietly within my range. As well Johnny Pflieger usually stood behind me, both in the school choir, and in the church choir, and he had a great strong voice. He is now a world-reknowned opera singer. He is very famous in Germany. Then there is Janie Fricke who won a couple of country music awards. She grew up in my hometown. She can tap dance too. Crystal Gayle grew up just a few miles away in Wabash, Indiana. Apparently the musical talent doesn't come from drinking the water!
Last night I was watching one of the Country Music channels on cable, and they were singing old church hymns and then Christmas carols. I sang right along with them. Fritzie the cat came running to make sure I was really all right. Sometimes singing the old hymns makes me cry.
Somewhere back in my childhood I learned a phrase that has stuck with me throughout my life and gotten me through scary things and even danger. I think my Grandmother Terman taught it to me. Whenever I'm alone and afraid or in danger, the phrase repeats itself in my head...."God is with me all the time."
I remember watching a scary movie and then one of my friends bringing me home to the farm house. It was dark and empty, no one else was home yet. I found the key to the back door and let myself in. "God is with me all the time. God is with me all the time." Got me inside the house, away from the scary cellar stairs, and into the kitchen, where I began turning on all the lights until the house was blazing with light. Knowing God is with you all the time is a great comfort. Singing church hymns and Christmas carols is a joyous way to celebrate.
Mother called me Friday night to tell me she'd just been caroled by her church friends. She named off all of the people who were there singing to her. They were all friends who sang in the same choirs. I'm sure not all of them were perfectly on key, but they were singing joyously. That's the point. Even if you have to do your singing in the car with the windows rolled up so as not to frighten pedestrians, one should always keep on singing. It fills one's heart with joy.
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