Sunday, January 16, 2022


Over the past few years, my appreciation for and fascination with the written word have grown exponentially. These days, among my greatest delights is discovering beautifully and meticulously written passages—words that artfully express the writer’s thoughts and deeply touch the reader’s sensibilities. Such passages inspire me and challenge me to rise to equal heights. 


But last week as I sat in our church sanctuary and listened to the choir sing a beautiful hymn, I realized that for me, song—the union of words and music—holds the greatest potential for giving me, a mere mortal, a peek into heaven. The combining of uplifting words with haunting melodies allows me a glimpse of the sublime, however fleeting that glimpse might be. 


That discovery prompted me to veer from my tradition (if four years of doing something can constitute a tradition) of choosing a word to focus on throughout the year. While that practice served me well, this year I’m returning to making a resolution. Just one. And it won’t be broken before the ink with which it was written dries on the page. Rather than dreading this resolution, I’m looking forward to it.


I resolve in 2022 to listen thoughtfully and prayerfully for songs that speak to me in a meaningful way. I’m going to delight in their melodies and ponder their messages. From time to time, I’ll share those songs—mostly hymns, but not always—and my thoughts on them.  


I already have a few songs in mind and am anxious to discover new ones. I hope you’ll tune in to my posts. (Cheesy pun intended.) Maybe some of my favorites will be your favorites, too. Or hopefully you’ll share your favorites with me.