“It’s amazing how music can spark certain memories, ” I remarked to my husband during the day. He agreed, rather absentmindedly.
For me, however, a conversation after church and then the devotional we read at the kitchen table seemed to bring me back in time. After opening Christmas presents, we always seemed to watch Handel’s Messiah on television. This powerful oratorio never ceases to send chills up my spine. The second song, “Ere Zij God” brings back memories of my Dutch uncles, boisterously singing at Christmas gatherings. According to the devotional we read at the kitchen tables, it is common for some churches to sing this song on Christmas Day, although I do not recall singing it in my childhood.
Conversations after church centered on various Christmas songs and their impact. “You need to listen to “O Come All Ye Unfaithful”, one person urged. I wasn’t disappointed. It is another song that makes an impact.
It makes me wonder what kind of singing occurs in heaven. My mother, always a soprano, stopped singing as she grew older. I don’t know if it was because of dementia, but she did not sing in the same way. However, I am always grateful for the way she shared her love of music. It definitely is one of God’s beautiful gifts.
A Journey Worth Remembering 