Sing a song...

My kids fell asleep listening to hymns being sung by faltering senior voices around them...not a bad way to start your night right?
I love hymns. They offer so much history, truth and praise in lyric, but also leave such a legacy you can't help but remember as you sing them.

We were visiting my 90 yr. old Gramma at her retirement home this evening, and decided to sit in on a sing-a-long that was happening there. I'm so glad we did. Who knew you could be so blessed and encouraged by sharing your voice with a choir of elders by singing honor and glory to our Lord?
We sang, "Let the lower lights be burning" and I looked around at the wrinkled faces - what were their stories?
When we sang "Does Jesus Care", I wondered if any were struggling with fear, loss or loneliness?
Even Connor chimed in on "Blessed Assurance". It was wonderful.

My family used to do services at nursing homes in our community - maybe once a month. We would lead a singing, do special music and my father would preach a short devotional. At the time, the LAST thing I wanted to do was spend couple of hours with old people I didn't know and sing songs. Of course, I see now how beneficial it was to have us experience that and I hope to have the same opportunity for my children as well. It might not be as often, but I do want them to embrace our "senior" citizens and respect them for who they are, what they have been through, and what they stand for. There is much to be learned there.

I'm not sure if it was pure exhaustion, or the soft lull of the piano/voices that put my sweets to sleep, but I'd like to think that tonight their little brains will replay some of the amazing words and promises they heard tonight. I know mine will and I'm so thankful for it.