Giving Voice

Pentecost morning, that great celebration of Spirit, church, and lively worship in a multitude of tongues, found me with no voice.  I knew preaching was right out, and I also knew New Community of Faith would do just fine without me.  They did, and I celebrate their resilience.  However, as much as I was grateful to be able to simply rest that day (as best one can actually do that while coughing and sneezing), I thought about my voice, and how through most of my life, I have depended upon it for my livelihood.  Even when I was a massage therapist which is really a pretty quiet way to move through the world, I needed my voice to call clients, answer questions, make appointments, and just be willing to converse.    However, leading worship takes that dependence to a whole other level.  

  

I then found myself thinking about the elders - our elders - whom I serve through SpiritCare.  It is a rare day that I do not come into contact with at least one elder who can no longer speak, due to stroke or some other illness, or who seems to simply be running out of energy to dedicate to the the effort.   I thought of Helen, whom I hope to see tomorrow. I do my best to sing with her, although she can do little more than smile, nod her head, and move her hands with mine.  To sing a hymn like "Love Lifted Me," with her is quite profound.    And she is just one of many, including those who can still muster up the energy to sing in rusty voices, and for those who can no longer speak, but who can still sing.  And then those are those, like Nancy, whose memory is failing, but she still sings with a sweet, sweet voice.  At one point during the service, I always ask her, "Nancy, do you remember this hymn?".   Her eyes will light up, and she will often respond, "Oh, yes, one of my favorites."  If she does not remember it, I assure her we can all learn it together.  And we do.   We may all forget it five minutes later, but we are stronger because we dared to sing.     

 

My voice is lurching back into existence.  Dear God, I know that may not always be the case.  While I cannot promise that every word that comes out of my mouth will be in praise of you, please know that I am grateful of those times when yes, that is exactly what is going on.