Ask most people what’s on their playlist, and you’ll get a quick and definite list of songs that they most enjoy listening to, songs that they play frequently, sometimes over and over while singing along. Years ago my children gave me an MP3 player to use while jogging, and I formulated my first ever personal playlist. Most of the songs were spiritual; all of them were inspirational. I would often sing along as I jogged through the neighborhood. Poor neighbors! I was probably so off key!

I’m not the greatest singer, but I sure do love music. So much so that when I heard my first husband sing an original song to the Lord while playing his guitar, it was love at first song. What a blessing to be married to a man who would write his own songs! He taught me the beauty and power of praise. I’d be in the kitchen doing dishes, while he was on the couch creating a beautiful ballad. We shared a love for the hymn “My Jesus I Love Thee.” It was sung at our wedding, and I put the lyrics in my wedding scrapbook. We sang the hymn during the births of our children. Those words were the first words my children heard as they entered the world. I learned through childbirth that focusing on the Lord and singing to Him, takes my focus off of the pain. I knew the lyrics to “My Jesus I Love Thee” by heart and sang them during troubling times to keep my eyes on the Lord. On my husband’s last day on this earth, I sang our song to him one last time before taking his final breath. Those were the words I put on his tombstone and framed them as well to hang on the wall of my home.

“My Jesus I Love Thee” was a song that captured my heart, and I didn’t let go, learning and keeping those words within. It was at the top of my “heartlist.” Some songs are like that. They catch your attention and quickly take hold of your heart. They’re personal, meaningful, and touch deep places. They’re worthy of attention. For me, I intentionally memorize the lyrics. I often find the songs online and print out the words to refer to as I sing them over and over. I have a notebook where I keep them. More importantly, I keep them in my heart.  “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave and “Blessings” by Laura Story are two from the past few years that have touched my heart significantly. I sing when I’m rejoicing, troubled, and even when I’m hurting. I sing to the Lord. Over the years, my heartlist has continually increased, as specific songs cling to my heart, and I won’t let go. They entwine through the chambers of my heart, into my thoughts, and become outpourings of my life.

After being a widow for over 7 years, I married a handsome Irishman. I selected the hymn “Be Thou My Vision” to be played on violin while we lit the unity candle at our wedding. It was an ancient celtic hymn, and I thought it would be a perfect gift to my babe. Last summer the hymn kept coming to mind, drawing me to its beauty. I pulled out an old hymnal to begin learning all of the words and verses. When I found the correct page, the hymn was on the right. Do you know which hymn was on the left page? “My Jesus I Love Thee!”…the song from my first wedding. That was a God thing! Each morning I would get up with the birds and sing to the Lord those beautiful lyrics, verse after verse….”Be thou my vision O’ Lord of my heart………thou and thou only…..high King of heaven, my treasure thou art.”

A month after memorizing “Be Thou My Vision”,  I was told that my mother was dying, with just days left. As I drove the 5 1/2 hours to see her and tell her one last time how much I loved her, I prayed, listened to an audio book on prayer, and sang that hymn to the Lord as tears rolled down my cheeks. Those were tough days, but singing to the Lord helped draw my focus off of my pain and the trials of this world. I looked to the Lord, and He was so faithful!

Having a heartlist is important. It allows you to praise the Lord whenever and wherever. You don’t need background music and a famous singer to sing along…….because the words and music are within. I believe that keeping songs in your heart is a vital part of a life of worship. They become the outpourings of your life.

If you had to list just one song that meant everything to you, what would it be? Do you have the entire lyrics memorized?  I would love for you to share it with me. If you don’t, then maybe this would be the time to find one, so you’ll be prepared for when you really need it. This will also help you in being more attentive to songs that grab hold of your heart. They’re speaking to you, in a way, wanting you to know them fully by memory and to sing them to the Lord with all your heart.

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…”    Ephesians 5:19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week I noticed something on Instagram that caused me to go down memory lane. A woman, who I met through my blog and Instagram, posted a photo of her living room.  Hiding in the left corner of the picture was a guitar. Just as she had encouraged me, I was led to do likewise. I wanted her to know from personal experience what a blessing to have a home filled with music. It turned out that her husband was the guitar player, and she was involved with her church’s worship. She indeed had a heart and home filled with praise.

Pics of hymnals, guitars, piano, CD, chalkboard, tombstone

The day the music died

Precious Stone…prayer answered

THE song in my heart: my Jesus I love thee…child birth

Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord Col. 3:16

Teach children with music…days of creation, days of the week, etc., hymns while nursing and tucking in

Blessed to teach in 2 and 3 year olds class…learned all kinds of children’s songs

Make a joyful “noise”…that’s me!