Why I sing

Don’t you love it when two unrelated thoughts or events simultaneously connect to produce an epiphany?  I like to think of it as conjunction of thought. 

​In terms of astronomy, a conjunction is when two or more celestial objects appear in the same plane of view to the observer, though in reality they are no where near each other.   For instance, if from your perspective you see Mars and Saturn in the same general area of night sky, that is a conjunction, although they are actually over 746 million miles away from each other!

I had an interesting conjunction of thought recently. I have been convicted of returning to writing, after a year away, and was reworking my blog format, as well as revisiting work previously done on my book.  As I began to reformat my blog, I ran into some issues so I had to contact the host for the blog. In doing so, I was asked a question, “Why the posting name, ‘Singing like a robin’?  Are you a singer? Is singing a part of who you are?”

Ok- imagine a deep belly type of laugh- the kind where you literally fall off your chair.  Me- a singer? Umm no!  I sometimes used singing as a way to reprimand students who were habitually late to my science classes.  And they were usually never late again.  So that should tell you something.  

So why do I post as singing like a robin, as well as have that as my Instagram account name?

I came up with the name while out on a routine morning run/walk.   About halfway through the run, I often stop and stretch.  As I did, and was looking up, I observed the majestic site of an eagle soaring above. For a long while, I was completely still,  silently observing this wonderful soaring bird.   In the silence, I was drawn to the sounds around me. How many times am I in such a hurry that I don't still my soul and listen to these beautiful sounds? It was the songbirds,  singing their joyful, melodious songs.

I was named after a songbird, the robin.  Sadly though, I never really embraced that name. Chalk it up to living in England as a young child and being questioned as to why I had a boys name.  Or being a young adolescent where robin red breast took on something to be laughed about. I have always been comfortable with who I am, yet not quite content with my name, until that moment- that conjunction of the soaring and singing.  Something stirred within, and I began to feel very grateful that I shared a name with these birds who had just lifted my spirit- simply by their singing.  

So yes, Mr. blog host,  I do sing!  But not in the normal use of the term sing.  Oh I make a joyful noise to the Lord- and I like to think He takes pleasure in it.  The people beside me may not be so enamored with my singing, but that is not the point. The singing I'm referring to, is the singing of the soul.  It's not something we do, it's more a way of being,  an attitude of heart that soaks through to the subconscious level.   I have learned that this singing - the spirit within that sings praises to God - is the very thing that has helped me break chains and unload burdens.  It has enabled me to live joyfully while walking through the minefields of life.

This brings me to the real conjunction of this post; the two random thoughts that came together and gave me fresh perspective. I must give a shout out of thanks to a wonderful young wife and mother at our church, for she organized a Facebook study of the book of Acts that I am participating in. (Yo Stacy!)  Though I have read Acts 16 many times before,  this time my thoughts started to swirl. Paul and Silas had just been rejected, dragged away, beaten and imprisoned after presenting the gospel. And then this:

“But about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.”  Acts 16: 25-26

Do you see it?

Doors are opened and chains break when we sing praise to our God.

And that is why I sing.  

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For family, for friends, for self, for church, for this country,  for the broken and lost of this world; I sing praise.  Break chains O Lord, set the prisoners free.