Ponderings.........

I have been asked to sing at the ladies prayer brunch at our Church this Saturday morning. I have no idea how they even knew that I attempt to sing from time to time. And I honestly think that they could have found someone with a heap more talent then myself...but never the less, I seem to have been chosen.
For the past two weeks I have been pondering and praying about what I am going to sing. I like to be prepared and I generally need lots of practice. So I have been pondering and praying and praying and pondering. Firstly, is that a word? I want the Lord to be glorified, not me. Second, I want the women's hearts to listen to Him, not me. And third, I want to share how much Christ loves them and how much He cares about them. So like I said pondering and praying, and praying and pondering.
As I have been trying to prepare I have been looking through my songbooks and sheet music. Nothing seemed to speak to my heart. Finally I picked up my old Baptist hymnal. Opening it I was blessed beyond words. This hymnal was my grandmothers, and inside the the cover she had written down the titles and page numbers to her most loved songs. Now I knew this was in there, I had seen it many times. But for some reason at just that moment, it was as if the Lord had sent me a little surprise gift.
Thumbing through songbook I was taken back in time. Back when a little stringy haired girl would follow the old beaten path from her house to the front door of her grandmothers. With every step she took she could hear the sounds of, " Power in the Blood", or "Victory in Jesus," being pounded out on the old upright piano that graced her living room. I saw myself and my sister marching around the house as she played, "Onward Christian Soldier's." I chuckled as I heard us once again singing, "Bringing in the Sheaves." We would change the words to "Bringing in the cheese", just to get Mammaw going. And once again I sat in her rocking chair as she would play and sing,"Amazing Grace."
To my grandmother these were not just words written down on paper. They were songs that spoke to her soul. They gave her comfort and hope and the strength to go on against odds that said she couldn't.
My grandmother lived a long and full life she passed away at 97 years of age. Her life was not an easy one. She went from horse and buggy to automobiles, to planes to seeing a man walk on the moon. She lived through the dust bowl, only to arrive in the depression. She lived through 5 wars. She bore 4 children, she buried 2. She took care of aging parents, keeping them in her home till they went to be with the Lord. She sent her son off to Korea, and lost her husband in the same year. She cooked untold amounts of meals. Washed untold amounts of clothes, without a machine. No matter how little she had there was always enough at her table for one more. She milked 12 cows by hand, selling cream and eggs for pocket money. Along with her Lord, hard work was her constant companion.
After many years, time took its toil. Fingers that once would glide effortlessly across the keyboard of the piano, were now gnarled and stiff. A voice that once was pure and strong, became scratchy and feeble. Time took its toil on the old upright as well. Presented to her on her 10th birthday, the piano was her pride and joy. But as with all things there comes a time when repairs need to be made. Repairs that would have been costly. And money could not be spared. In spite of keys that stuck, and keys that were off tune. In spite of fingers that were bent and stiff, she played on, with those fingers, touched by God.
As she played a little girl watched, listened and learned. She learned that the sweetest voices are not necessarly the best voices. She learned that gnarled, stiff hands that play to the Lord, play more beautifully than any concert pianist could ever play. And most of all she learned the truth of God in words of songs. She learned that Jesus is the Victory. She learned that the Power is in the blood. She learned that He longs to walk with us in the garden. She learned that when times are hard we need to be near the cross. We need to being our cares and worries to Him, in our hour of prayer. And that His grace, truly is Amazing. So many truths, so much hope. All taught by work stiffened hands and an ancient upright piano.
As I thought of all these things I knew the Lord was whispering to my heart. " Sing to them about the 'Me' that your Mammaw knew." And so I am. I pray that I do her justice. And I pray that the Lord is glorfied.

God Bless and Happy Trails
Ranch Wife