So here's the short of it,
I hope you'll sing.

And here's the long.

Today I heard another conversation about singing - actually about not singing because of not having a good voice.  I didn't grow up in one of those singing all the time nuclear families.  But there was certainly music all around.  We never visited Mount Victory that there wasn't singing.  And then there were the car trips.  For many years we didn't have a car with a radio, so on our longer car trips there was always singing.  Mom and Dad might sing Barbara Allen or Running Bear, or maybe Dad would sing Here Ol Rattler Here.  Often we kids would just listen but sometimes we'd join in too.

Of course when we visited Mt. Victory, my Mom's side of the family, there would always be piano playing and singing.  Everyone sang - I remember singing at the little community church.  Grandpa would play the piano and everyone would sing. Back at home there might be cousins singing on the front porch or up in the grove.  And of course often the Aunts or Uncles would sing.  I have such a fond memory of Uncle Vernon and many cousins and Aunts and Uncles singing Danny Boy.

And then there was dinner time at the Howard house.  Frequently the blessing before our meal was a song such as God Is Great and God is Good or For Health and Strength which is the one that we still sing at my house.

So I guess here's the thing.  I want people to sing.  I don't really care if their voice is high quality concert level.  I don't even care if they can carry a tune.  I love the singing.  Of course I love to hear someone such as my cousin Daniel who has perfect pitch.  But I also love the little kid or the older man who's off key or a little flat but is singing enthusiastically and is so engaged in the song.  I love to hear a group singing the Star Spangled Banner and hear everyone strain for that high note.  I just love the singing.  I do know that a trained choir is an amazing sound, and I love to hear it.  But I love to remember those ordinary folks coming to the little church in Mt. Victory and singing praise and that was in its own way a really amazing sound too.

So around here we're going to sing - off key or not - we're going to sing.