Shukugawa.
Only two days green in this foreign land, and they sing together as a congregation. Over the syllables I stumble, the words unknown, but the tune my heart knows. The notes soft and sweet just like my favorite rendition.
“Be Still My Soul”, my soul loved on the first hearing of Michael O’Brien’s CD, so many months before.
My mind strays to recent memories as the tune continues...
I come back to the beautiful Japanese voices, praising the Lord in their own language, to the tune that has at once overwhelmed me with joy, thankfulness, sweet memories…
My energy now focused on restraining the tears that gather and blur. They didn’t know. They didn’t know what it would mean. I couldn’t have planned or predicted, either would have prevented the moment. The gift.
Only two days green in this foreign land, and they sing together as a congregation. Over the syllables I stumble, the words unknown, but the tune my heart knows. The notes soft and sweet just like my favorite rendition.
“Be Still My Soul”, my soul loved on the first hearing of Michael O’Brien’s CD, so many months before.
My mind strays to recent memories as the tune continues...
I come back to the beautiful Japanese voices, praising the Lord in their own language, to the tune that has at once overwhelmed me with joy, thankfulness, sweet memories…
My energy now focused on restraining the tears that gather and blur. They didn’t know. They didn’t know what it would mean. I couldn’t have planned or predicted, either would have prevented the moment. The gift.
They don’t know how my soul is strengthened, but He does. He is, after all, The Soul Strengthener. It is not the melody, these notes in this order, that warms my heart. It’s the reminder of the All Powerful, Ever-Present. The One who can use such a small detail to remind me of His careful hand. And I crave Him more. I long to know the One who cares, even about the small details. The One who blesses with even this, the seemingly small.
This gift.
And I feel His “wink”, as my Pastor Dave once described.
And I am reminded of our Lords mother as I treasure all these things in my heart.
This gift.
And I feel His “wink”, as my Pastor Dave once described.
And I am reminded of our Lords mother as I treasure all these things in my heart.