Making music together is one of the most intimate things that two or three or four people or more can do together. As a child, music was always important. I always LOVED it when Mom dug out the accordion and played the Beer Barrel Polka or Whispering Hope. (Coincidentally it never struck me that those two songs were a bit odd to play together – but for me as a child they were perfect!) It was loud, it was fun, and my sister and I would sing at the top of our lungs! Grammie and Grampie Doody had a cassette player and would make tapes of Sherri and I singing. Grammie would make us sing for as many people as would listen. When we went to Connecticut Grammie’s sister Wilma would have us sing and even pay us (probably not even a dollar – but I was impressed!)
When Sherri and I were little girls we were invited to go to Vacation Bible School with the Kierstead family. We went to the little church down in Sleepy Hollow and loved it. Before the closing program, the Kierstead girls told Sherri and I to SING LOUD. When Mom and Dad heard us practically yelling at the top of our lungs …♪♫ THE B-I-B-L-E YES THAT’S THE BOOK FOR ME… ♪♫ I STAND ALONE ON THE WORD OF GOD THE B-I-B-L-E! ♪♫ I believe that Mom and Dad told us NOT to sing that loud again.
As we got into our teenage years (in fact I’m sure it was 1983) I learned how to harmonize. I know that the first time I really “heard” the harmonies was when I was playing Alleluia in a flute duet with “Andrea Nichols from Ashland.” The “from Ashland” part was not really part of her name but it was almost always said – since we had another Andrea Nichols and she was not “from Ashland.” I have no idea why we were playing that song or why we were practicing it in the Brown Cottage – but we were practicing for something. Every time we sing that song in church, the harmonies take me back to that moment with my friend – from Ashland.
After that time I almost always put myself in the alto section of whatever group we were with. Whether it was the Northern Lights Youth Choir, or singing choruses in Youth Fellowship with Bob Davis, or singing good old hymns with Elmer Tompkins at Sunday Evening services at State Road Advent Christian Church, I loved singing parts with people who I loved.
At Christmastime a group of us girls would go Christmas Caroling on Christmas Eve in the morning. We would sing for anyone who was unfortunate enough to be working on Christmas Eve. We always went to Maine Farmers Exchange – which happened to be on the second floor of a building on Main St. in Presque Isle. We would promise ourselves that we would not go too fast – because inevitably we would start to sing and be gasping like a fish out of water for enough breath to finish. We would end up laughing our heads off after the first song – because we did it again. We would ride the elevator to the top of the Key Bank building to sing for Linwood Raymond. I think he was on the third floor – and it was the tallest building in our town. Linwood would stop and listen and share our songs with folks far away – and he would cry. Linwood was always easy to love – and he loved us right back. Another stop was to Anne Blanchard’s house near Presque Isle High School. Anne’s kids were very young when we started singing to them. They were nearly grown by the last time I remember singing to them. I think that we became a part of their holiday tradition I know they were part of mine. I looked forward to that singing event most of all every year.
During a dark time in my past I lost the ability to love music and sing with my friends. I lost my way through that dark tunnel of divorce and depression. Emerging from the other side, music was difficult at best. It was something that had been important but I didn’t know how to grasp it again, but in 2002 when the holiday season was approaching I experienced my own Christmas miracle. I had told Tony that more than anything I would like to find a church to go to – just to sing some Christmas Carols. It wasn’t but a day or two later that I received a Shirleygram in my mailbox. It turned out that Dave and Shirley Ross were taking a pastorate in a town called Bethlehem. I had no idea how to get to Bethlehem or where it was, but guess what, it was only 15 minutes through the curvy roads of Dudley Shoals. Dave and Shirley were moving over Thanksgiving weekend. They would be there for Christmas. I had an answer, a place to sing some Christmas Carols where someone loved me. We called and asked permission to come to their church. Dave said yes – of course. We had a place to go – and carols to sing. I was excited, nervous, and oh so thankful that God had provided a place for my family.
I had no idea what the gift of a church would be to my family – although I should have known. I simply asked for some songs at Christmastime. I got so much more. I got a family. I got a sense of belonging. I got a place where I could sing those familiar alto parts and learn some new ones. I found a place where I could make music again. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 God is always true to His promises, but that dark tunnel blinded my eyes. I am so thankful for promises that I didn’t even realize that I should hold onto and He kept them in spite of me!
This Christmas I have enjoyed singing with my kids. Anna is now 17, Emily 15, and Isaac is 9 and one of the thrills of this holiday season (aside from the Dinner Theatre, Billy Graham Library, Christmas Drive Thru and many parties) has been to teach my children to sing “Christmas is Coming” the way that we used to sing with Sherri, Holly, Kori and others who joined us through the years. It is no small feat for my children to sing parts and a round – and we may not be quite concert ready – but I am thrilled with it and proud of them.
I am so very thankful for music in my past, present and future. It is truly a gift that I treasure and hope that will be as important to my children as it is to me. After all… ♪♫”Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat! Please put a penny in the old man’s hat. If you haven’t got a penny then a ha’ penny will do. If you haven’t got a ha’ penny then God Bless You!”♪♫
