Songs that have touched my heart over the years. . .
Is it the melody or the lyrics that touch us most profoundly. . . perhaps a little of both.
When we were little and went to church, it was the song service that I enjoyed. I loved the feeling of joy that it brought to me . . . and watching others, sometimes seeing tears in their eyes as they sang. If I sat with Grandma Johnson, she would point to the words as we sang. I really give that credit to learning to read at a young age. . . tactile learning that they really had no idea about. When the singing was done, so was I. . . just had a hard time sitting and listening to all those “foreign words”, loud and sing songy. . . even sometimes frightening messages . . . or so it seemed to someone little.
Maybe the first song that I really remember touching my soul was:
How many times discouraged, We sink beside the way,
About us all is darkness, we hardly dare to pray,
Then through the mists and shadows, The sweetest voice ere known
Says Child am I not with thee, never to leave thee alone.
Isn’t that amazing? I heard that soft, gentle voice as the air was leaving my body. . . saying that He loved me, and would never leave me alone. Amazing! Why would he give me life again . . . I still don’t know what His plan is? Another song goes along with this thinking of WHY?
Thus far the Lord has led me on: Thus far his powe’r prolongs my days,
And every evening shall make known some fresh memorials of His grace.
Much of my time has run to waste, And I, perhaps, am near my home,
But he forgives my follies past; He gives me strength for days to come.
I lay my body down to sleep; Peace is the pillow for my head
While well appointed angels keep their watchful stations round my bed.
In vain the sons of earth or hell, tell me a thousand frightful things,
My God in safety makes me dwell . . . Beneath the shadows of His wings.
Rich loved the singing portion of our services too. He had so many that touched his heart. The one that he commented on the most was :
On Jordan’s stormy banks, I stand, and cast a wishful eye
To Canaan’s fair and happy lands, Where my possessions lie . . .
No chilling winds, or poisonous breath, can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness and sorry, pain and death, are felt and feared no more.
When shall I reach that happy place, and be forever blest?
When shall I see my Father’s face, and in His bosom rest?
Filled with delight, my raptured soul can here no longer stay:
Though Jordan’s waves around me roll.
Fearless . . . I; launch away.
Rich and I loved Vince Gill and when he wrote the song about his brother, I just knew that it had to be song for Rich. Amy Cullum was so gracious to come and we both loved her song that was written to thank God for all the things he had brought her through. We were thankful too, for All that God had brought us through. . . all the battles
I know your life on earth was troubled
And only you could know the pain
You weren’t afraid to face the devil
You’re no stranger to the rain
Go rest high on that mountain
Son your work on earth is done
Son your work on earth is done
Go to heaven a-shoutin’
And of course, that last day that Rich spoke, he softly and gently sang the first few words of Amazing Grace . . . Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.
When Rich first got sick . . . it was those old church songs that got me through the Waiting Room of life and all those hours of sitting beside his bed, watching him sleep, waiting for test results, wondering what God’s plan was. What a precious time we had. A pop song was loved by us . . .
Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow
Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don’t let show
Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on
If there is a load you have to bear
That you can’t carry
I’m right up the road
I’ll share your load
If you just call me
So just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you’d understand
We all need somebody to lean on
Lean on me when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
Till I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Lean on me…
Sometimes we forget to lean on others, even God, to help us through the hard times. We all have those times
. . . that is just part of life. Sometimes we do the leaning on, and sometimes we are there to help others.
The song service at Rich’s funeral was absolutely beautiful, maybe we sang too many, but Rich would have wanted the singing, so we sang his favorites. It was soon after the funeral, and I was ironing clothes. . .
just that is what I do when I don’t know what else to do. John Mellenacamp’s song, Walk Tall, came on and I stopped dead in my tracks. It was as if Rich was there, saying. . . “I’m okay now! I know what life is all about.”
WalkingTall by John Mellencamp
Simple minded and the uninformed can be easily led astray,
Walk Tall, Yeah, Walk Tall
Walk Tall, Yeah, Walk Tall
Grace, mercy, and forgiveness will help a man walk tall.
I think that he was able to walk tall . . . again. . . finally. . . forgiving those that had caused much heart ache the last years of his teaching. . . those that had treated him so unkindly and unjustly . . . those three young men that had caused our family such heart ache before he got sick . . . he was finally able to forgive! He was okay and walking tall. What comfort and peace that is for me.
There are many more songs, gifts of the angels, that have touched my life. What songs have touched yours?
Shirley Thacker 