Song of the Righteous

 D&C 25:12 "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

I love this picture of my little nephew just listening and taken in by Alex playing her cello.  He was drawn to it and intrigued by the creation of melodies.  Music does that to us.  

Music has always been a part of my life.

I remember listening to my parents 8 tracks and LPs on the HiFi stereo as we danced to Simon and Garfunkel and Johnny Cash or sang along with Roger Whitaker. 

My dad is pretty much tone-deaf but it didn't stop him from singing along, or rather belting out his own voice. Or teaching us to dance as we stood on the tips of his shoes.

On car trips, especially on the stretches with no FM reception, we sang in rounds and learned that each of our parts may be different but together they make beautiful harmonies. We learned to tune into the rhythms and cadences of others and follow along.  It also broke up the inevitable arguments of seven siblings in a station wagon. 

My mom was once in an accordion band that played on a riverboat on the Mississippi. She also played the piano and taught lessons but knew we would do better if we had another teacher.  We had very busy schedules but she somehow found a piano teacher willing to give 5:30 am lessons.  (Mrs. Hemmelman said she was up anyway since she got up at 3:30 with her dog, Princess).  So we would get ready for school and eat breakfast at her house while it was our siblings' turn, and then take our turn at the bench with her pencil in hand to gently remind us to keep our wrists curved. Because like in life, form matters if you want a certain outcome.

George also comes from a family who have embraced music.  One ancestor made his way to America by playing his bugle to entertain as his ship passage.  His Grandma Potter's guitar which played many songs at grange halls sits in the corner of our music room. We have newspaper clippings of his Grandpa playing the "gut-bucket" along with others to uplift at nursing homes. And he used to sing in a barbershop quartet. 

We have a music room instead of a dining room.  And over the years we have listened as the first ear-splitting shrieks of the cello and violin attempting hot cross buns, the simple plunks of the piano and the gentle strums of the harp have all improved week by week until over the years concertos and touching movements have emerged.  

Our basement echoes fondly with show tunes being sung in the shower and vocal warmups and exercises repeated again and again. We have attended hundreds of concerts and shows together. 

Music has taught me many lessons.  Isn't it amazing how a few notes can transport through time and cue memories you didn't even know you had stored? 

Music can also motivate, inspire, worship and praise.  A sermon that might be rejected from the pulpit, when sung as lyrics can softly yet powerfully edge its way into our hearts and minds.  

No wonder the Lord told Emma that righteous songs were His delight and that blessings would come to those who sang them.  

So find your song and sing!  Increasing righteous music is one of the simplest ways for many to increase in spirituality.  And I am grateful for Emma and all of the others who share their gifts that all may be blessed.