Sunday, August 23, 2020

Dear God,

We wear masks to keep each other safe.  It is especially difficult to worship without singing but it is necessary because of the coronavirus.  

I have been a singer since I was a little girl.  I especially love to sing hymns.  When I sing, I sing for you.  I give thanks and praise.  I pray with music.  It is just part of who I am.  But now I have to make the sacrifice to keep people safe so our worship services no longer includes sung music.

Today the music was played by a violinist and pianist.  It was beautiful.  Because it was familiar to me, I couldn't help but hum the music behind my mask.  I closed my eyes and imagined singing.  But even more than that, I remembered the scene of my sacred dance when the last song was played.  It was the very song I danced to following my renewal leave in 2005.  I danced to give thanks, to show my gratitude but also to celebrate the good gift of a Lilly renewal grant given to my church and me.

For three and a half months I traveled, prayed, meditated, practiced silence, worshipped, served and celebrated on that renewal leave.  Entitled "Journey with God," I did indeed journey.  I changed.  I forgave.  I surrendered.  I trusted.  I changed some more.  And I sang, I sang at Taize, France, Accra, Ghana, London, England, Taos, Santa Fe, and Abiquiu, New Mexico, Assisi, Italy and every city where I traveled.  I sang because I simply could not stop singing.  Filled with joy to overflowing, the song spilled out and it was all for you, all for you my Lord, all for you.

Today I returned to all those places but most especially to the dance I danced in the sanctuary of my last church, Bethel United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.  I reminisced in my own mind and found myself dancing in the spirit inside myself.  What a glorious day it has been!

Thank you,

Gracious and Loving God,

for the gift

of song.

Thank you

for today's

wondrous blessing.

I could not

have been filled

with more joy.

You are

the source

of my joy,

my song

and my praise.

Blessed are you!

Love, Andrea