singing

Hitting High Notes in Memory Care

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I will praise to the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Psalm 146:2 ESV

“Mine eyes have seen the glory of…” I am sure as you read that phrase, that you were not only able to fill in the rest of the words, but that the melody from the Battle Hymn of the Republic also stirred in your memory. The linking of memory and melody is nothing short of miraculous. I still remember a night from a few years ago when a non-verbal 102-year-old resident who had been wheeled into our church services for months, suddenly broke into song at Christmas as we began singing “Silent Night.” Something in those words awoke a memory in her, and she sang along for more than just the first few lines. Amazingly, this dear lady made it all the way through all three verses! You could try to explain her response in some sort of scientific terms, but the plain truth is that there was a mystery there which only God understood. While we have commandments which forbid us from doing some things and require us to do others, as believers, singing praises to God is usually spontaneous. From the beginning of creation, God gave us singing as a wonderful gift to help us express our love and worship to Him. Even with people whose cognitive abilities have been severely compromised, they still retain a sometime hidden capacity to sing,

So, while visiting, friends or family who are living in memory care, why not try bringing along music. Turn on the radio, play a music CD or use a song list from your device. But no matter the form you use, be sure to sing with them. Listening is to hymns or worship songs is soothing, but singing together is priceless. Remember today’s verse says that we can sing to God, not just when we are young and our voices are clear, but as long as we live, and if we have eternal life through Jesus Christ that is a long-long time indeed!

Changing the Strings – Day 2

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He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. Psalm 30:3 NIV

Once the old strings are unwound and removed from my guitar, my next step is to put the new ones in their place. One by one, they need to be seated into the saddle and their pegs pressed firmly into place, or they will pop out as they are tensioned. Then each string must be fished through the end of the tuning peg and properly wrapped. This tedious process reminds me of our first wobbly steps as a baby. We are not yet confident of our footing, nor sure of our balance, so our moms and dads are vital to gently helping us to try and try again. Just like our parents, God is also gentle with our fearful first steps of faith on new paths that He puts us on. We may not yet understand where He is leading, but we need to learn to trust Him as He slowly tensions our new strings in their places.

When after a great deal of twisting and turning the guitar strings begins to sound their proper notes, my job is still not done. First, those strings must be played a bit and then given one more final tuning. In that same way, God’s discipline isn’t over when we start out on a new commitment. As the sign I once saw outside a church said, “Thanks for inviting me to the wedding. Don’t forget to invite me the marriage.” – Jesus

Thank God that He only asks us to take one step at a time and He is patient when after a few faltering steps we stumble. He knows that we are not ready to run, just as my guitar with its latest set of strings is not prepared for a concert. Instead, that is when God draws us near, listens closely to our tone, and does some more fine tuning, till we are playing the notes He has in mind. Is God changing the strings in your life today? Have some old and dear things been broken, taken out of their places, or lost? As the words of the old hymn “He Keeps Me Singing” tell us: Jesus sweeps across the broken strings of our life to awaken a new song. Don’t give up or give in to doubt or depression, God is not through, He is just preparing you for a new set of strings and a new melody that He has chosen for you to play!

"All my life was wrecked by sin and strife
Discord filled my heart with pain
Jesus swept across the broken strings
Stirred the slumbering chords again."
He Keeps Me Singing
Luther Bridges 1910

Making Melody at Nursing Home

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

Singing is so important that it is one of the few things we do on earth that we will also do in heaven. The key in helping seniors to sing, is finding ways, for everyone to make melody in their heart to Jesus. So, the best songs to choose are the ones that everyone can sing, because there must always be a “We” in worship. Here are three ideas that have helped me along the way.

First, remember that the voices of senior saints are not what they were when they were younger. But if George Beverly Shea and Burl Ives could record music into their 80’s and 90’s; there certainly is a way we can help seniors to participate. To begin with, the key we are playing the songs in makes a huge difference. Hymns were often written for much younger voices or for choirs to sing. Though those original keys were nice they are not sacrosanct. There is certainly nothing wrong with singing “Holy-Holy-Holy” in a key that is low enough for someone besides the cherubim and seraphim to join in!

Secondly, not only are our people’s voices changing, but their ears have also grown older. I happen to have an exceptionally loud voice (ask my wife!) and because of that I rarely use a microphone. But if you have a sound system available, please use it! If there is no microphone available, consider moving closer to your listeners. With my guitar I can walk back and forth in the room, and turn directly towards people, so that they can hear the notes, and hearing helps them to keep up with where we are at in the lyrics.

Finally remember that pacing and rhythm matter. In a nursing home meeting, even on a great day, most people only have energy to focus for about thirty minutes. Some have medications that make them sleepy, or aches and pains that make it difficult to stay put for long. The last thing we want to do is incorporate so many slow and gentle hymns, that half our audience falls asleep! I usually start out with familiar and easy songs such as “Just a Closer Walk”, so that as many people as possible join in. Then we usually pick up the pace a bit, with as many joyful songs as I have the energy for. Even Sunday school songs like, “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength” or “I’ve Got the Joy-Joy-Joy” work well. Just because they are older, doesn’t mean our friends won’t enjoy some fun and laughter. They will have plenty of problems to greet them after they leave our service. Of course, the idea is not just to sing fast songs, rather to give a variety. It is a good idea to slow down near the end of the service, for songs such as “The Old Rugged Cross”, “How Great Thou Art” or “In the Garden.” Now they are ready to focus, to pray and to allow God to speak His melody into their hearts. If you have any questions, would like to make a comment, or share your own experiences, please do. Someone may need to hear what you have to say!