Music and Memories

I was reminded Sunday in worship that I attach memories to music. I can hear a song and instantly be transported back to the time, place, and people connected with that song.


This Sunday it was “Be Unto Your Name”. When singing that song I remember Wilson Lake, a campfire, and 15 or so Jr. Highers praising Jesus together. Just the guitar and our voices filling the night around us. I admit I felt a pang of homesickness then because we miss our “kids” like crazy. Being lay leaders for 7th and 8th graders for five years blessed us and stretched us in so many ways. We still pray for them and are excited to hear how God is working in their lives.

So this occurrence set me to thinking and I have compiled an incomplete list of songs/memories.

• All the “Gaither tunes” my Mom taught me as a toddler and young child.
• Those 70s worship chorus’ sung around campfires when I was in Jr./Sr. High School
• “Keeper and Sustainer” & “You are My All in All” sung through tears for many Sunday services after Moriah was born and we were aware of her medical struggles.
• “Shout to the Lord” & “All my Worship“-sung by my tiny, blond headed sweetheart Moriah who from about age 2 has always loved to sing to the Lord!
• “We Fall Down” & “Blessed Be Your Name” my son Declan’s two favorites. My heart is warmed as he belts those out with full voice!
• “Grace Alone“, first learned at our “home” Grace Bible Church, Hutchinson, KS
• “How Marvelous, How Wonderful” (or is it called I Stand Amazed?) Evening service at GBC, just the guitar and all our voices. A taste of what praising Jesus in heaven will be like.
• “Be Unto Your Name“, and many other chorus’ we sang together in Jr. High. Some started out as a “crash and burn” while we learned to sync our voices with our guitarists, but all were a “sweet, sweet sound” of worship in His ears.

I thank God for giving us music as a way in which we can praise His goodness, majesty, faithfulness, love, power . . . Because of all He is, indeed, “How can I keep from singing?”