Songs of Deliverance

The snow had finally stopped and our driveway had been opened by an Amish neighbor.  We stepped out of the house to a clear, dark calm and breathed in the freshness that can only be felt after a snowstorm.  Jerry took my hand and we walked out of our driveway and across the road to Dan and Barbie's house.  A window in the large addition that was built for these occasions was opened just a tad.  The music danced across the snow drifts and pulled me in.  We tried to sneak in the back of the room but it was quite obvious that we were not the usual "Singing" participants :-).  Our hosts greeted us with strong, decisive handshakes and set up folding chairs for us in the back of the room (my request so my tears could be somewhat hidden).  

At the center of this large, plain room was a long table.  The young girls were on one side sitting on hard, backless benches.  The boys were facing them in the same fashion.  I guess this makes stealing glances at a potential suitor a bit easier ;-).  I wondered who gets the places of honor at the table?Around this group of maybe 40 teenagers, along the edges of the room, were some older folk; a few I recognized as parents of the teenagers and a few younger families.  The men sat to my left and the women were nearer to the door on the right.  I assume this made it easier for them to come and go as they cared for their young ones.  Two young dads carried on a quiet conversation while each holding a little son on their laps.  One small child was sound asleep, sprawling across the expanse of his dad's long legs.  Water jugs and paper cups were sitting various places for all who needed a drink in the middle of the long hour of non-stop singing.  

The purity and simplicity of the moment overtook me for a bit and I hid my face in Jerry's shoulder trying to get my emotions in check.  Jerry had just told Ivan and Annie (neighbors on one side of us) about my battle and I could see the tears glistening in their eyes as they hugged me from across the room with a smile.  Through the sea of singing and whispering teenagers I saw Sylvia, the sweet neighbor who invited us, give me a small wave.  I waved back through my foggy eyes.  It did not matter that I was the only woman without a head covering and I wasn't wearing Amish garb.  Jerry's hair was not styled in the Amish fashion and we had buttons on our clothing.  One song reached out to me as they sang, "You go to your church and I'll go to mine but we will help each other along this journey....".  Was that song chosen because we were there?? Was that their way of including us in their world for those moments?

Most of the songs were in German with a chorus of English thrown in every now and then.  Sometimes I recognized the tune and sang along with my English words.  "Lord I am Fondly, Earnestly Longing" was one and I sang those words and thought of my mentor, Arnold Moshier, enthusiastically directing from heaven's shores.  Would I be singing with him in the near future? Am I "climbing up the ladder that the angels are holding for me"?  Aren't we all? 

It was clear when the last song was being sung.  The older ladies got busy setting up lots of food on a side table.  I hungrily spied whoopie pies but we reverently crept out the back door.  The holy hush followed us back across the road, down our driveway and into our world of electronics and drums and tv and stuff.  

I was reminded of verses from Psalm 32 that I had been journaling and pondering that morning: "YOU are my hiding place; YOU preserve me from trouble; YOU SURROUND ME WITH SONGS OF DELIVERENCE. Selah.  I WILL instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I WILL counsel you with my eye upon you.....Many are the sorrows of the wicked, BUT he who trusts in the LORD, LOVINGKINDNESS shall surround him.  Be glad and rejoice you righteous ones (I always stumble over those words till Jesus reminds me again that HE made me righteous!); and shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.  (Again, that's me ONLY because Jesus paid the price for my rebellion! My heart is upright because of HIM.)

This night, this precious moment in time, a gift from my Heavenly Father, the songs of deliverence were sung by Amish teenagers.  My ears didn't understand the words,  but the power of the music swirled around my body, soul and spirit surrounding me with love and bringing hope and peace.  Yes, and tears.  But that's ok.