I had planned on only posting something once a week but I guess the Lord has a different plan because this post keeps knocking on this blog's door this morning. I'm grateful for the reminder this experience has brought to me. I hope it can help someone else as well...
My father died when I was 5-years-old. I do not have very many memories of him, but I do remember he had the most beautiful singing voice. Some of my only memories, in fact, are of me sitting at his feet or on his lap as he sang to me. He loved to sing songs about the Savior but I distinctly remember a very specific song (hold onto that thought as we go to another memory I would have with my dad 20 years after his death.)
I have been blessed with a husband who also has a beautiful singing voice. When we were first married, he was asked to sing in church quite often. Everyone assumed that because my husband could sing, I could also sing. Singing in a church choir is okay for me, but a solo - I don't have that kind of voice! But it was inevitable, I was asked to sing with him in church and the sweet little lady who had arranged it would not back down no matter how many times I told her that I couldn't sing.
We practiced and practiced. I prayed and prayed. My husband was so kind and found money in our tight little newlywed budget for me to buy a new dress for the occasion. It was the day before I was to sing and I was sick to my stomach with nervousness. We lived in Ogden, UT at the time and I distinctly remember driving along 12th St. turning onto Wall Ave when suddenly on the car radio, this song began to play. It was the song I remember my dad singing to me...
(You know you want to sing out loud - that is perfectly okay to do! Just sing!)
Can you imagine what I felt in that moment? I had to actually pull over, the tears were coming so freely. It was an answer to my prayers and my dad, who had been gone for so long by then, had been part of it. The message was clear - "Sing your song! Sing out loud and strong and don't worry if it's not good enough. Just sing!"
The next day I put on my new dress and stood with Troy at the pulpit while we sang some medley of hymns - can't remember which ones. I actually did okay and I didn't die and I honored both of my fathers that day - the one who gave me talents, and the one who used the talents he was given to bless my life.
The words to this great song, "Sing" are quite deep if you think about it. We each have talents and abilities different from those around us but we each have a song that we need to sing and it deserves to be heard. We need to sing that song loudly and with strength. No matter how simple we may think our talent is, we just need to sing!
God made each of us different on purpose and we honor Him when we use those talents to share good things, not bad, happy, not sad. “For … there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God … that all may be profited thereby” (D&C 46:10–12).We need not worry if our little talent is good enough because it is and as we develop them our whole life long, they will grow stronger.
Most importantly, as we sing of love - the love of our Savior most specifically - we will know more of the love there could be and then we will rejoice as the world begins to sing along.
Using our talents to serve the Lord is the same as sharing our testimonies.
"...ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you." (I like that last part!) Doctrine and Covenants 62:3
There are so many other messages in this little experience of mine. I was grateful the Lord knew where I was and exactly what I needed - an answer to a prayer on the radio!
My father died when I was 5-years-old. I do not have very many memories of him, but I do remember he had the most beautiful singing voice. Some of my only memories, in fact, are of me sitting at his feet or on his lap as he sang to me. He loved to sing songs about the Savior but I distinctly remember a very specific song (hold onto that thought as we go to another memory I would have with my dad 20 years after his death.)
I have been blessed with a husband who also has a beautiful singing voice. When we were first married, he was asked to sing in church quite often. Everyone assumed that because my husband could sing, I could also sing. Singing in a church choir is okay for me, but a solo - I don't have that kind of voice! But it was inevitable, I was asked to sing with him in church and the sweet little lady who had arranged it would not back down no matter how many times I told her that I couldn't sing.
We practiced and practiced. I prayed and prayed. My husband was so kind and found money in our tight little newlywed budget for me to buy a new dress for the occasion. It was the day before I was to sing and I was sick to my stomach with nervousness. We lived in Ogden, UT at the time and I distinctly remember driving along 12th St. turning onto Wall Ave when suddenly on the car radio, this song began to play. It was the song I remember my dad singing to me...
(You know you want to sing out loud - that is perfectly okay to do! Just sing!)
SING
By The Carpenters
Sing, sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things not bad
Sing of happy not sad
(*) sing, sing a song
Make it simple to last
Your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not
Good enough for anyone
Else to hear
Just sing, sing a song
La la la la la
La la la la la la...
Sing, sing a song
Let the world sing along
Sing of love there could be
Sing for you and for me
Can you imagine what I felt in that moment? I had to actually pull over, the tears were coming so freely. It was an answer to my prayers and my dad, who had been gone for so long by then, had been part of it. The message was clear - "Sing your song! Sing out loud and strong and don't worry if it's not good enough. Just sing!"
The next day I put on my new dress and stood with Troy at the pulpit while we sang some medley of hymns - can't remember which ones. I actually did okay and I didn't die and I honored both of my fathers that day - the one who gave me talents, and the one who used the talents he was given to bless my life.
The words to this great song, "Sing" are quite deep if you think about it. We each have talents and abilities different from those around us but we each have a song that we need to sing and it deserves to be heard. We need to sing that song loudly and with strength. No matter how simple we may think our talent is, we just need to sing!
God made each of us different on purpose and we honor Him when we use those talents to share good things, not bad, happy, not sad. “For … there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God … that all may be profited thereby” (D&C 46:10–12).We need not worry if our little talent is good enough because it is and as we develop them our whole life long, they will grow stronger.
Most importantly, as we sing of love - the love of our Savior most specifically - we will know more of the love there could be and then we will rejoice as the world begins to sing along.
Using our talents to serve the Lord is the same as sharing our testimonies.
"...ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you." (I like that last part!) Doctrine and Covenants 62:3
There are so many other messages in this little experience of mine. I was grateful the Lord knew where I was and exactly what I needed - an answer to a prayer on the radio!
Ah, I'm glad you added "post a comment" to your blog. It is through your blog I am truly touched. I don't even know you and yet when I read your story and listened to "YOUR" song, I too cried. Thanks for touching my heart!
ReplyDeleteMarsha
I love to hear you sing in all the ways that you sing... through music, through your testimony, through baking awesome chocolate chip cookies... and so many other ways. I love you, Lisa Love!
ReplyDeleteYour husband,
Troy
Thank you Lisa. I love your post. I'm always touched by your thoughts. I needed to hear this song today.
ReplyDeleteThank you - each of you - for your sweet words. I hope every time you hear this song you will remember you have wonderful talents and you will just sing your song! :)
ReplyDelete