A Hymn, anyone??

I love hymns. Maybe it's because my dad was the organist at our little Baptist church growing up and he played them continuously at church, at home and anywhere he found a keyboard! Or maybe it's because I think many of them have a message that is so warming and melodious that I treasure all their promises.

My father would head up to church after school and typically I would trail along if I had nothing to do. I would sit in the pew right by the organ for a bit with my hymnal, flipping through various sections like "Christmas Music" or "Gospel" or even "Worship" - that was in our "progressive" Baptist hymnal, of course it was all worship to me! After my dad would play through the three or four hymns for that particular Sunday, I would start calling out the ones I would want him to play for me. He would throw in the occassional baseball stadium sounding chants, the "charge" tune, even some spooky sounding tunes (yeah, even that church - bless him!). I loved it, and even more than that, I loved to sing along. Aren't you glad you WEREN'T there!!

I have so many favorite hymns and I knew most of them by heart, and I would belt them out by heart - those poor Peters who always sat behind us in church!! Only the organ was ever in front of me fortunately! My dad would just play away, and I was so proud that he was my dad and that I got to sneak around the whole church building because he had the keys!! haha (back to Mischief night! and I lose track here...)

One of my favorite hymns, and for some reason I have been finding myself singing it over and over in my head, in the car - because I've learned that no one wants to hear me sing!! - and sometimes in my dreams (weird) is Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. Now, I'm going to copy the words in my blog. My kind husband will quickly correct me if that's illegal - sorry - and they will disappear!

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

Refrain

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Refrain

by Helen H. Lemmel

I really love this hymn. I don't hear a lot of hymns these days, even in small Baptist churches. At the Women of Faith conference they did a hymn medly, and it almost brought me to tears. That's big, because ask T, NOTHING brings me to tears. I'm as tough as nails usually, and that just doesn't really happen to me. Here's why this hymn brings me to tears sometimes...

My parents, in this small Baptist church, had some of the best friends anyone could ever hope for. They are just the kindest, most loyal, funny, lovable people you could ever, ever want for friends. One couple, in particular, have continued to go beyond the call of friendship in so many, many ways I could never list them. I LOVE these people, and am so honored that God has shown me what it really means to be a friend through them.

J first met my mom when I was in preschool with her two boys. I still have a picture (I might post it later!) of the three of us at my preschool graduation. At the time, J was a Christian but her husband was not. It's funny to hear him talk about the crazy Christians his wife used to invite over, and even funnier to hear they were my parents!!! It was through this and other friendships that her goofy husband, B, became a Christian. They and several other couples became fast friends and I still see a lot of them when I visit home. This couple J & B, though, have risen above the rest in the past couple of years because of what I witnessed when my father was sick and since he has died.

To put this all into perspective, I need to mention that this couple has had their fill of devastating experiences. They lost their first son to AIDS after he had lived for years with his homosexual partner, they have one daughter who has suffered from serious anxiety issues, a son who had a child in high school who they have raised - many issues there, and finally their last son who married a woman much older than he, only to find out she had AIDS and had given it to their son. In the midst of all they have going on in their family, I have seen two of the most compassionate, giving people. For years, they have given one night a week to lead a Bible study in the heart of Bridgeport at a halfway house. They have poured themselves into this ministry and other various Bible studies at their church. T even got to serve with them one year on Thanksgiving.

My whole life, growing up, I've known this family. I've seen them pray together with my parents, have parties and dinners, serve together in ministry and grieve together with their friends. Never, though, was I prepared for the outpouring of mercy and compassion like I witnessed when my father was sick, home alone, in the hospital. These two visited every single day that my dad was in the hospital (except when J got sick) and they cried with us, they laughed with us, they shared stories and stories while my dad lay dying next to us.

I've never in my life been more ministered to than by this couple - not ever! J would stand next to my dad's bed, pray with him and sing to him. She has a voice that sounds just like mine, but she was never too shy to belt out a hymn. Why? Because she knew my dad, she loved my dad and she knew what those hymns meant to him. At this time, my father was in a medicated coma and we were really just waiting for Jesus to come and take him to heaven. We knew it was only days away.

B would tell funny stories about when he and my dad had a little tree pruning and cutting business. Neither of them knew how to do either thing and they were both afraid of heights, so the stories are just hysterical. I'd heard them all before, but I loved hearing them again. In my mind, I could hear my dad chortling in the background with his goofy smile. J would tell the story again, about leaving a banana peel in my dad's bed after he took B out one night to buy a new camera that they couldn't afford. I'd heard that story and even told it myself, but they shared it again, and it was so funny!

When my dad finally passed away, B told us he wanted to speak at the memorial service. J told me that he never does that, not for anyone. It made me all the more curious about what he had to say. That day he shared the role that my dad played in his becoming a Christian and all my dad had taught him through their friendship. A friend of mine, who had driven all the way up from Maryland in the snow! after the death of her best friend (who had died the day before my dad) said that B's testimony was incredible. It's making me cry right now, because I wish my dad had been able to hear what his friend thought of him while he was alive!

When I hear this hymn in my head, it's sung by J, next to my dad's bed in a moment when we are just reaching out to Jesus to spare him from the pain of this world. It's the sweetest tune, not because of the way it sounds (we laughed together while we sang out of tune to him - poor, poor man!) but because of who was singing it and why. There is so much truth in this song, even when we are not dying or in despair. It's applicable to each of us, on any given day in the midst of good and bad times. For me, it just has a richer meaning because I experienced this hymn with two totally amazing people.

I look forward to seeing J & B whenever I get the chance. They regularly stop by my mom's, take her to dinner and movies, help her around the house and treat her like the wonderful widow that she is! They aren't afraid to say things around her, they don't shy away because they think they might offend her, they still grieve and laugh with her - it's such a beautiful friendship, and it's the way friends should all be. I only hope that I can be that kind of friend someday!!