If you're like me, you've been singing in worship services since you could open your mouth. I was raised where I would get dirty looks if I didn't participate. So, I learned the words, some of them even before I could read. That way I could join in with everyone else. As an older child, I would sit with friends who sang Soprano so I could learn that part (my mom sings a beautiful Alto). And piano lessons helped me learn to follow notes so I could sight read just enough to be dangerous when we learned new songs.
But, in some ways, that has all become a crutch. Songs I've been singing forever become rote. I'm so busy making children be still, or thinking about what I have to do later, or having to get up to take someone potty, that even though I am singing along, I'm not paying a lick of attention to what is coming out of my mouth. Why is that a problem? Because even though I am participating in worship, I'm not actually completely immersed in it. The words are on my tongue, but not necessarily penetrating my brain or heart. A trend lately has been to take older songs and rewrite them, sometimes giving them a new chorus or a new tune ... or both. Or even completely new words, set to a familiar tune. At first, it really bothered me. After all, those songs were great just the way they were. But the more we've sung them, the more I've discovered something about taking something old and making it new. You have to pay attention to what you're singing. If the tune or words are just a little different, you can't just sing along, not giving your attention to what is coming out of your mouth. And that makes the message penetrate the fog that busyness has clouded over my brain. It makes me stop and think and remember that I need to mean every single things I sing to the Lord. And that's a good thing. Do you find yourself distracted when you're supposed to be focused on God? Have you discovered different ways to bring your attention back where it's supposed to be? I'd love any other tips.
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This is a place for me to share thoughts and ideas not just related to writing. Thoughts about what's going on in my life, about an idea I got that I thought shareworthy, or just a funny anecdote.
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