song
She was fourteen when her daddy died. The second to the oldest, she was plunged into an even harsher world than she had ever imagined. There were five sisters younger than she, the youngest still in diapers. The old tobacco farm her parents had bought just a few years before required attention to plant bed preparation and the constant care that her dad had orchestrated. She missed his warm and loving voice and his melodic violin, played each evening around the old fireplace. Torn from her presence but never from her memory, Grandpa Davis was the subject of warm recollections at my mother’s feet. Never was there heard from her lips a word of despair or anger over the loss of her beloved father. Her gift to us was voluminous expressions of gratitude and love for one who helped shape her life with care and compassion. Through her loss she learned to keep and give what was most important! “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
By: Cathy Garrott
Music has always been a part of my life. My earliest memories of family gatherings include everyone gathering to sing together at some point before we headed home. We would beg my Dad’s oldest sister to play “just one more” song before we had to go. She played in what we now call “Southern Gospel” style, hitting every key on the keyboard as she blended the notes together in mesmerizing beauty. My Mom’s oldest sister played the piano for her church … stately, high church music … which instilled in me a love for more classical types of music as well. I loved hearing high school bands, as well as professional orchestras, blending their instruments together to make the music come alive as they played.
To me, music has always meant “family.” We could quickly put aside any disagreements and find unity in making a melody from our differences (soprano, alto, tenor, bass, etc.) … ending our visits on a very happy note. 🙂 God has used this lesson from music to help me see that in life there are many different parts, but if put together in the right way we can, indeed, make beautiful music together. Now I am a member of the PD family … and I’m finding out how one person’s experience can help someone else get through another trial, another day, another valley. As we share what we learn from our own experiences, we build a stronger sense of family … where we can be different, but perhaps we can bring some harmony into the lives of those around us as we put our voices together.
I want to share this song with you – it has really blessed and encouraged me. The video and the sound are not matched up well in this rendition of it, but I love the spirit of the song in this … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3UndvbYqJs