raising godzillas

Make a joyful noise

For all of her faults, my mother tended to think I was a pretty awesome person and supported me. There is one striking exception I remember.
I was a little kid, about elementary school age. We were at church and singing the hymn- it must have been one of the less boring ones, as I was actually bothering to sing. My mother leaned over after the song and whispered, " Do like I do, and mouth the words. That way you can keep up appearances without subjecting people to your voice".
It was years until I sang at church again; not until I was an older teen attending an AME church. It took until then for me to realise that God had given me the voice I had, and wanted to hear it.
When I moved here to the Pacific Northwest, I began attending the church I have been at for 19 years. WE have a contemporary service with a gospel band, and this is the service that speaks to me. I enjoy the praise music. I REALLY enjoy it. I sway long and sing loudly in my terrible voice. A few friends tease me gently for the way I "get my groove on", but that doesn't bother me.  My dancy boy has danced to the praise songs since he could walk. I remember dearly a lady coming up to me after a service and telling me how much Turbo reminds her of David, dancing and singing praises to God.
There is a mother who brings her daughter to church...an adult child with severe delays, and no speech that I can tell. In many services she has vocalised at odd times. Last Sunday, Turbo and I sat behind them and the mother and daughter were getting into the music, with great joy. The young woman was swaying, laughing, clapping with her mom, and making a joyful noise. I believe her sing was the most beautiful thing to God's ears from our church that morning.

posted by gojirama @ 2:15 PM