Name that tune

There was always music playing in the background of the home I grew up in, music of the masters coming from classical radio, the turntable, and any stringed instrument my mom could get her hands on.  To this day, so many decades later, when I catch even a phrase of certain symphonies or concertos, even if I cannot nail down the composer, the music is like an old familiar friend coming in the back door.

Those pathways were engraved in my mind over many years, each time those musical impressions going a little deeper into my heart.

We learn by repeating, and then even deeper by using our five senses God gave us to increase the dimensions of what we know.  And so, what we learn by sight can be multiplied by touch, hearing, smell, and taste. That is why, for example, a small child learns his ABC's by singing the little tune, a deeper learning, a deeper engraving.

In my oldest daughter's van, filled with car seats, music plays not just in the background, but on the lips of our grandkids.  These little children are not just listening to tunes.  They are learning Scripture verses set to music, and God's truth is engraved in their hearts a little deeper each time a song rolls around.  (The grownups, too!) The CD series, which my daughter listens uses, is offering a free download until Thanksgiving. Click here, if you are interested.

A couple of days ago, the children called me on FaceTime to show me what they had learned the previous day.  They were both outfitted with large plastic mixing bowls, Maggie with wooden spoons and Howie with two whisks.  They recited a verse for me, and then, they sang a little song that was related to it, accompanied by the joyful banging of kitchen utensils.  Later, they abandoned the instruments and danced rather dramatically while singing the words, sweet worship in the eyes of our God.

Just a short time later, as I was going about my early morning tasks, our daughter who is living here for a couple months called out, "What are you humming, mom?"  Of course, I was humming the song the children had sung earlier.  I wasn't even aware that she could hear me.

We are never really aware of how others perceive us.  What do they see and hear?  Hopefully a life transformed, so radically changed that others actually hear a different song -- a soundtrack of grace -- coming forth from a new heart.

We can claim things as our own, but a hum comes from within, that which is engraved and not forgotten.

What am I listening to?  What am I humming?  The Word of God emerges in all that I say and do and think.  And He changes me through it.

Sing to Him a new song,
play skillfully on the strings,
with loud shouts.

                             Psalm 33.3

...for God had made them
                rejoice with great joy;
the women and children also rejoiced.
And the joy of Jerusalem
             was heard afar off.

                             Nehemiah 12.43