Off key...On heart

I couldn't carry a tune if my life depended on it. I pretend to sing by humming along, or just singing the words really low under my breath. At church I try to angle away from the person next to me so I can sing without offending my neighbor with how terribly off key I am. Basically, I limit my singing to when I'm alone in the car (um, not much of that going on these days), or when the singing and music around me is so loud, no one can hear me anyway. I attribute these stellar singing skills to my Dad - he sings so off key it's actually funny. The only difference between our singing is the volume - he sings loud and without reservation, and sometimes the wrong line altogether!

Today at church we sang a song I love called In Christ Alone. I actually sang loud and didn't care that I wasn't hitting any notes (not that I would have known what notes to hit anyway). The song made tears well up in my eyes - as has happened several times since I've been here - because it reminded me of home and friends and just a different time.


(I love the second part of each stanza when the music escalates and the words are sung with more gusto.)


In Christ Alone
In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song;
this cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease.
My comforter, my all in all, here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless Babe!
This gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones He came to save.
And on the cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.
For every sin on Him was laid; here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay, light of the world by darkness slain;
then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory, sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
for I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me;
from life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand;
‘til He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!