WORD WEDNESDAY - A Joyful Noise

My Word of the Year for 2016 is JOY!  Each week I will share in a "Word Wednesday" post as I discover the JOY in my life - and yours!  Please join me during this year-long journey...

I Love to Sing!

I think I have always loved music!  Growing up I would sing along with my many records, or the radio or TV shows.  I think I was always singing...

In fact, even now I sing along with my CD's or the radio as I am driving around town.

In school, I was in chorus and learned a lot about singing and music...

...that knowledge must have been forgotten after graduation!

I don't really know what the notes are ~ middle C or A or whatever; just that they "go up or down" the scales!  But, somehow I get it right...

I am not ~ nor have I ever been ~ a good singer.  Certainly not going to sing a solo...and there's no way I'd compete on American Idol or The Voice or any of those other shows!

Singing in a group works best for me...

And I've enjoyed many years of school music classes and choruses, and Church choirs.  With voices blending together to make beautiful music, mine doesn't "stand out" above the others...which would not be beautiful.

Chancel Choir

Riverside Ave. Christian Church

(I am the 3rd from the right)

The past few years I've suffered with allergies, sinus infections, bronchitis and asthma, causing a lot of coughing and breathing issues.  And, my voice has suffered greatly from it; sounding quite raspy...

I haven't been singing as much as I did at one time; but, when driving in the car alone, I do still (attempt to) sing!

Before she had to go into a nursing home, my mom attended church with me every Sunday.  In fact, I guess I attended with her because it was originally her church when she was a teenager!

My mother loved to sing, especially the praise songs she learned at retreats and on the Walk to Emmaus.*  But, well, let me just gently say, she definitely made "a joyful noise" because she did not have a very good singing voice.  Years of smoking gave her a very raspy voice ~ and it was not really all that pleasant when she sang.

{I am not talking ugly about my mother; she knew this about herself!}

But, still she would raise her voice to God ~ as I do every Sunday morning ~ and "make a joyful noise", whether singing with the choir, or just in the congregation.

Found on Pinterest

Shared by etsy.com

Whenever I am able to, I do still sing with the choir; but it's been a while since I've been able to sing.  This past Sunday, as I was leaving church, another member told me the choir would be singing for a memorial service on Monday...and I already knew the song!  So, I joined them for a quick rehearsal after church.

It felt good!  I enjoyed lifting my voice and joining with the others...

But, I was the only alto!  The other two were unable to be there for the rehearsal; but will be singing, and I can follow them for the service on Monday!

When it was pointed out that I was the only alto, I said I was singing quietly; and our leader told me he had heard me, and it was awesome!

Talk about feeling good; it sure made my day!!

I don't know that it was that awesome; or if he was just happy there was an alto to carry the harmony...

But, what I do know is this:  When we lift our voices to God, I think He hears our voices as if being sung by angels.  Even if I am "making a joyful noise", I think God loves that noise because to Him...

It is awesome!  We are lifting our praises to Him, and He is a God who desires our praises.

"Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy."  Psalm 47:1 (NRSV)

So, let us all "make a joyful noise to the Lord"!

Found on Pinterest

Shared by keepcalmandcarryon.com

And, before I end this post, I'll share a beautiful voice for sure...Jordan Smith, winner of The Voice, singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah":

Absolutely beautiful!


* From the brochure "Join us on an Emmaus Journey with Christ" from "The Upper Room":

"The Walk to Emmaus seeks to inspire, challenge, and equop leaders for Christian action in their homes, places of work, and communities."

Read more about The Walk to Emmaus here.



Thank you for following my Word Wednesday posts!  Check back again next week for another post on "JOY"!