May 04


Choir


Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.

Psalm 103:2 (NKJV)


Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

Psalm 103:2 (NLT)


There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it....

Philippians 1:6 (The Message)


I was sitting at least a dozen rows back in Bauman Auditorium. The room was mostly full, but my attention was on the 60-voice choir on stage. They stood on metal risers behind two huge, grand pianos. Ordinary looking college students, but what a sound! They were one of several performing groups that night, but in my mind, they were the best. They only sang four songs, but they sang them perfectly. It was a treat to my ears—contemporary and classical, the Latin, and the old Negro spiritual—all done so well. But it did more. It blessed my soul.

The year before, the college choir was just as impressive, but I was unable to distinguish my son Drew’s voice. This year, he was up front and center, and like the fruit of an excellent wine, he gave the mix a certain distinctiveness. Hearing his voice made me smile, but it brought me more. It brought back sweet memories.

I couldn't help but remember my son, so many years before. There was Drew as a Christmas tree—singing and leading his early-elementary class in the kids’ holiday celebration at church. Spinning, twirling down the aisle, he was smiling and literally all lit up. My mind moved from church to school and I remembered how excited his 6th grade choir teacher was over his new choir student. The school was at Randolph Air Force Base and the choir director was anxious to know how many years we might be stationed there. He said he had never heard such a great boy's voice and that he would love to work with him. For four years Drew sang with that small 16-voice choir. I remembered his first choir competition. Drew's strong singing carried the other four boys in the choir and it was such a delicate song and done so well, the three judges gave them a standing ovation! Unheard of, I was told. Those two songs were recorded and given to us on a CD, and a year later, I deployed to the Middle East with that disk, and every night, alone in the desert, my son and his choir would sing me to sleep.

Back in the auditorium, tears formed in my eyes. They hung there as I savored the quality of every note that college choir produced. Yes, I was the grateful recipient of all they gave me: four songs, wrapped, delivered and handed to me like a gift.

This weekend, I felt God put His arm around me in an unexpected way. After a long and somewhat difficult week, He sat me down in a quiet spot and used a small, college choir to deliver His joy. Music and memories. Children and blessings. Hmm. God’s gifts may seem simple, but they are the best!


Thank You, Lord, for sweet sounds, for touching thoughts and for the pleasing music of memory....