Thought-Collage Thursday // Song is My Native Language

amelie belle at pre-school

Nonna – can we put the music on?”  Amelie asks me so sweetly every Thursday morning when she arrives for pre-school.  We talk about pushing the big, rectangle button on the surround-sound, then carefully lifting the lid to place an LP on the player.  Then we lift the lever, place the arm over the spinning vinyl, and lower the lever with great care.  Then we lower the lid and after just a bit of crackling,  the dancing begins.

She loves the process, the steps to using the turntable.  She speaks them softly as she reverently plays a record, today: The Fabulous Fifties, last week, some Andy Williams.  I am trying to expose my grandbebes to older, American classics in music, for the new they will always find.  So I start them on 40s love songs and 60s Motown.  As they get older (like Gavin and Hunter), they want to hear the Footloose album or a song like “The Night Chicago Died.”  But it is all “old-timey” music to them.  :)

Hey – remember the 80s?

Well, as I may have mentioned before – I barely do, but not for the “usual” reasons.  I was just busy having babies and tending to my little family back in those days.  Movies?  Music?  Who the president was?  I can hardly recall (though my huge hair and Desperately-Seeking-Susan wardrobe was fantastic).  But our friends, Mary and David, invited us to a show last weekend with a B-52s cover band called, Hey Lady.  It was an all-80s music extravaganza, even with the openers, The Retrosonics (I could sing along with a lot of their music – they were great and the lead singer is the sister of another set of great friends: Joel and Marj).  But I had mostly missed the B52s the first time around.  Ha.

hey lady

Two things became very clear to me: I really AM  from the 1970s and I need that red wig!

I don’t drink and I don’t dance (I want to – just…can’t…dance, that is), so I was out of my element, but Mary has promised we’ll go back on Karoke night sometime – because I DO love to sing!

The keyboard is currently in the living room, where I plunk and play and sing a little most days

I have hit that horrible age where every song has a memory and I burst into tears at the drop of a hat or the gentle turn of a melody.  It isn’t because the memories are sad or bad, but just because I wish I had held every moment of life a little closer and more reverently.

Now I play a chord and sing a line and I see a person or place or time in my mind’s eye.  And I cry because I am so grateful I got to live it and know the people I know and to have loved them.  And my heart is full now because understanding seems to come with age.  Not one day is unimportant.  Do you hear me?  Not one.  The tears are just the overflow of a heart that can feel, that risks feeling, more and more as time goes by.

So just let me cry when I sing.  I am that age now.

#TBT

For today’s #throwbackthursday ::  Highland Park Church of God in Des Moines, Iowa.  My mom was the choir director and she started it while I was about 7, at which time she taught me to sing alto.  In fact there was a whole alto section, Rhonda Sable being the rest of it, but nonetheless – there were parts.

Junior Choir 1968 j

This picture includes all 5 of us, my siblings and myself.  I am the girl in the back row clear to the right.  While the choir had been going for a year by this time (practices on Sunday evenings at 6 pm, while the YPE (aka Young People’s Endeavor, now more commonly known as Youth Group, except with some way more hip title) met upstairs.  But in the fall of 1968, when we got our poncho-robes and bright-white bow-ties, we were certainly at the zenith of our junior choir career.  Good times.

Back row, left-to-right: the late Lonny Sable, Brenda Smith, Sharon Smith, Wesley Sable, Rhonda Sable, MOI! //  Middle row, left to right: Timmy Rodgers, Timmy Moslander, Debbie Bettis, Joey Moslander, Rebecca Sable, Darryl Sable.  Front Row, left-to-right (the junior-est of them all): Tina Slight, Laurie Rodgers, Dana Mitchell Moslander, Tami (alias Tammy) Moslander, David Bettis, Carol Bettis and the late Ramona Whorley.

Which brings me to this question:  Where has all the harmony gone?

What is up with all 5 vocalists onstage singing the melody these days?  I miss hearing harmony?  Part it out, people.

Beautiful music makes the whole world go around!  Who wants to sing with me right this second?

52 thoughts on “Thought-Collage Thursday // Song is My Native Language

  1. I will! I shall sing with you right this minute! What shall we sing? Yes, let’s sing in harmony. Thank you, by the way, for teaching me how to sing alto. Tell me, what did we sing in this little choir Mom lead?? :) Oh Happy Day? To My Father’s House? :)

    1. Our first “big number,” Tami, was “Battle Hymn of the republic. There were THREE parts. It was hilarious! With a little encouragement, she could have been leading the Brooklyn Tab Choir a few years later, no doubt about it! We also did JD Sumner’s “In the Upper Room with Jesus.” “Highway to Heaven” etc!

  2. Can we do Motown? And you will overlook my singing and know my heart can sing even if I’m off key ourside, right? I have a lyric that goes through my head but I can’t ever remember the name of the song so I can go listen. It’s “what a beautiful day, what a beautiful way….” which reminds me of that rock one back in the day…. but I forget what it was too…hmmm right on the tip of my mind…lol getting older isn’t for the faint of heart, is it? Also loving Lord of the Dance by John Fishcher these days.
    I love when from the backseat Bekki will randomly start singing something like You are My Sunshine or 5 foot 2, Eyes of Blue. Paul and I just smile and listen. Love sharing music with our grands too.

  3. I wish to express appreciation to this writer for rescuing me from this particular difficulty. As a result of surfing around throughout the search engines and obtaining principles which are not productive, I was thinking my life was well over. Being alive minus the strategies to the difficulties you have fixed through your entire site is a serious case, and ones which may have negatively damaged my career if I hadn’t discovered your blog. The know-how and kindness in handling every item was useful. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I had not encountered such a thing like this. I am able to at this point look forward to my future. Thank you very much for this impressive and effective guide. I will not think twice to endorse your web blog to anyone who would like support on this area.

  4. My wife and i were very contented Edward managed to carry out his basic research through the entire ideas he was given using your web page. It is now and again perplexing just to be freely giving tips which often the rest may have been making money from. Therefore we recognize we have the blog owner to thank for that. These explanations you have made, the simple blog menu, the relationships your site make it easier to engender – it’s got everything fabulous, and it’s helping our son and the family imagine that the subject matter is fun, and that is extraordinarily mandatory. Thanks for all the pieces!

  5. I would like to show some appreciation to this writer for rescuing me from this difficulty. As a result of surfing around throughout the online world and finding principles which are not beneficial, I was thinking my entire life was over. Existing devoid of the strategies to the issues you’ve sorted out by means of your review is a serious case, and the kind that might have in a wrong way affected my career if I hadn’t noticed your blog. Your own personal understanding and kindness in maneuvering every aspect was priceless. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t encountered such a thing like this. I can also at this time relish my future. Thank you so much for the expert and sensible guide. I won’t think twice to suggest your site to anyone who should get support on this area.

  6. I’m just commenting to let you understand what a awesome discovery my wife’s girl had browsing your site. She discovered so many details, not to mention what it’s like to have an awesome giving mindset to make many more without difficulty fully grasp specified advanced things. You truly surpassed our expected results. Thank you for distributing these insightful, healthy, informative as well as fun thoughts on this topic to Janet.

  7. Thank you so much for providing individuals with an extraordinarily breathtaking chance to check tips from here. It really is so useful and as well , packed with a great time for me and my office acquaintances to search your blog at the very least 3 times in one week to study the latest guidance you have got. And indeed, I am actually astounded with all the exceptional secrets you give. Certain 2 tips in this post are without a doubt the best we have ever had.

  8. I simply had to appreciate you again. I’m not certain the things I would have made to happen without the type of tactics revealed by you over this situation. It became an absolute troublesome dilemma in my view, nevertheless viewing your expert approach you dealt with that took me to leap with delight. I’m just grateful for the guidance and believe you find out what a great job you were doing educating some other people via a blog. Most likely you haven’t met all of us.

  9. My spouse and i got so contented when Michael managed to complete his investigations through the precious recommendations he came across using your weblog. It’s not at all simplistic just to be giving away helpful hints that other folks have been trying to sell. So we consider we have got the website owner to give thanks to because of that. All the explanations you made, the straightforward blog navigation, the relationships you help promote – it is everything fabulous, and it’s really leading our son in addition to us reckon that the theme is cool, and that is unbelievably fundamental. Many thanks for all!

  10. I have to express appreciation to you for bailing me out of this type of instance. As a result of researching throughout the world-wide-web and getting thoughts which are not powerful, I believed my entire life was gone. Existing without the solutions to the difficulties you have resolved through your main report is a crucial case, as well as the ones which may have in a negative way affected my entire career if I hadn’t come across your website. Your own personal training and kindness in taking care of every item was precious. I’m not sure what I would have done if I had not encountered such a point like this. I can at this moment look forward to my future. Thank you very much for your reliable and sensible guide. I won’t think twice to propose the sites to any person who needs to have support about this problem.

  11. I wish to show my thanks to you just for rescuing me from such a incident. As a result of checking throughout the world wide web and coming across things that were not powerful, I thought my entire life was over. Existing without the strategies to the issues you’ve resolved by means of your main write-up is a serious case, as well as the kind which might have adversely damaged my entire career if I had not discovered your website. The knowledge and kindness in maneuvering everything was very helpful. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t come across such a thing like this. I can also at this point look ahead to my future. Thanks a lot so much for this specialized and results-oriented guide. I won’t think twice to refer the sites to any person who would like counselling on this problem.

  12. I would like to point out my respect for your generosity supporting those people that really want help on that niche. Your special commitment to passing the solution up and down ended up being extraordinarily useful and have all the time empowered regular people much like me to attain their pursuits. This helpful instruction denotes this much a person like me and much more to my peers. Thanks a lot; from everyone of us.

  13. My spouse and i were really thankful that Albert managed to complete his inquiry by way of the precious recommendations he obtained through the web page. It’s not at all simplistic to just possibly be giving freely techniques which often some people have been making money from. And we also do know we now have the website owner to be grateful to for that. All of the explanations you have made, the straightforward web site navigation, the relationships you will assist to foster – it’s got all incredible, and it’s leading our son in addition to our family consider that the subject is thrilling, which is certainly quite vital. Thanks for all the pieces!

  14. I needed to create you one bit of observation just to say thanks once again regarding the nice thoughts you’ve discussed at this time. It was certainly surprisingly generous of you to supply without restraint just what a number of us could have sold as an electronic book to get some profit on their own, chiefly given that you could have done it if you ever wanted. The guidelines in addition acted to provide a fantastic way to recognize that other people have the identical interest just as my very own to realize much more when considering this issue. I think there are thousands of more fun situations ahead for many who view your site.

  15. Needed to write you that bit of observation in order to give many thanks yet again on your pleasing thoughts you have contributed at this time. It’s simply seriously generous of you to provide publicly what exactly a number of us would’ve made available as an ebook to make some cash for their own end, specifically seeing that you might well have tried it in case you considered necessary. Those good tips additionally acted like a fantastic way to know that someone else have the identical eagerness like my very own to grasp much more in terms of this issue. I know there are numerous more enjoyable periods ahead for people who discover your blog post.

  16. I am just writing to let you be aware of of the nice discovery my cousin’s princess obtained viewing your blog. She discovered some details, including what it is like to have an amazing coaching heart to let most people just grasp specific advanced subject areas. You actually surpassed people’s desires. Thanks for providing those practical, trusted, explanatory and also cool tips about this topic to Gloria.

  17. Thank you a lot for providing individuals with a very nice possiblity to discover important secrets from this web site. It is always so terrific and as well , stuffed with fun for me personally and my office acquaintances to visit the blog at a minimum thrice every week to study the new guides you have. And definitely, I am just at all times motivated with the outstanding tactics you give. Certain 1 areas on this page are in fact the finest I’ve ever had.

  18. I want to get across my passion for your generosity for those people that must have assistance with this particular area. Your special dedication to getting the solution up and down came to be certainly advantageous and have enabled those much like me to attain their goals. Your amazing insightful information indicates a whole lot to me and additionally to my fellow workers. Thanks a ton; from all of us.

  19. Thanks a lot for giving everyone remarkably special possiblity to check tips from this web site. It can be very cool and also stuffed with a good time for me personally and my office peers to visit your website at minimum thrice every week to see the new guidance you will have. And indeed, we’re at all times motivated considering the attractive methods you give. Selected 3 points in this post are indeed the finest I’ve had.

  20. I intended to write you a very small word to help say thanks the moment again on your stunning views you have featured in this case. This has been simply seriously generous of you to convey extensively what exactly a few individuals could possibly have made available as an e book to end up making some bucks for themselves, precisely seeing that you might well have tried it if you desired. The good ideas in addition acted like the good way to understand that many people have similar dreams just like my very own to understand a whole lot more with reference to this condition. I think there are thousands of more enjoyable moments in the future for folks who scan through your site.

  21. My wife and i got absolutely ecstatic that Albert managed to finish up his preliminary research through your precious recommendations he made through your web site. It’s not at all simplistic just to continually be giving freely instructions a number of people may have been trying to sell. And now we figure out we have the website owner to appreciate for that. The explanations you made, the straightforward web site navigation, the relationships you will help engender – it’s got everything overwhelming, and it is making our son in addition to our family imagine that that situation is satisfying, and that is incredibly essential. Thanks for the whole lot!

  22. I wanted to put you this bit of note to be able to say thanks the moment again for your personal spectacular suggestions you’ve documented above. It’s simply wonderfully generous with people like you to give freely what some people could possibly have advertised for an e-book to generate some profit for themselves, most importantly since you might well have tried it in the event you desired. These tricks likewise worked as the good way to realize that other people have a similar fervor just like my personal own to realize more on the subject of this condition. I think there are several more pleasant opportunities up front for individuals that read through your website.

  23. I must show my passion for your generosity supporting persons who really need assistance with in this subject. Your real commitment to getting the solution all around ended up being definitely helpful and has truly permitted people much like me to get to their desired goals. Your own informative recommendations signifies a great deal a person like me and additionally to my colleagues. Thanks a lot; from each one of us.

  24. I wanted to write down a note in order to express gratitude to you for some of the pleasant points you are giving out on this site. My prolonged internet search has finally been paid with useful facts to share with my co-workers. I ‘d say that most of us site visitors actually are very blessed to exist in a wonderful community with many wonderful professionals with useful strategies. I feel very lucky to have discovered your entire web site and look forward to tons of more awesome times reading here. Thanks once again for all the details.

  25. I and also my buddies happened to be looking at the excellent secrets and techniques found on your site while then I got a terrible feeling I never expressed respect to the blog owner for those secrets. Those young boys ended up for this reason glad to see them and have now clearly been taking advantage of them. I appreciate you for genuinely well helpful and then for figuring out these kinds of fine areas most people are really needing to be aware of. Our own sincere apologies for not saying thanks to earlier.

  26. My wife and i felt so thrilled John managed to finish off his studies through the precious recommendations he grabbed from your weblog. It’s not at all simplistic just to find yourself offering key points that many people today have been making money from. So we know we have the blog owner to be grateful to for this. Those explanations you have made, the simple website menu, the relationships you can make it easier to promote – it’s mostly remarkable, and it is assisting our son and our family imagine that that topic is exciting, and that’s quite important. Thank you for everything!

  27. Thanks for your own hard work on this web page. My mom loves participating in investigation and it is simple to grasp why. We hear all relating to the dynamic manner you make informative suggestions by means of this blog and as well as encourage contribution from some other people on this area while our simple princess is without question starting to learn a whole lot. Enjoy the rest of the new year. You are always carrying out a glorious job.

  28. Thank you for your entire effort on this site. My niece take interest in engaging in investigation and it’s really obvious why. We learn all concerning the compelling form you offer efficient tips and hints through your website and therefore foster response from other ones about this concern while our favorite daughter is without question learning a great deal. Have fun with the remaining portion of the new year. You are always performing a brilliant job.

  29. I together with my buddies were actually following the excellent information found on your web blog and quickly developed a terrible suspicion I never thanked the web site owner for those techniques. Most of the men were for this reason thrilled to learn them and have now unquestionably been making the most of those things. Appreciate your getting really thoughtful and also for considering certain excellent tips most people are really desperate to discover. My very own sincere apologies for not expressing gratitude to sooner.

  30. I have to show some appreciation to this writer just for rescuing me from this particular problem. Because of searching throughout the internet and meeting concepts which were not beneficial, I assumed my life was done. Being alive without the presence of approaches to the issues you have fixed by means of this blog post is a serious case, as well as the kind that might have badly affected my career if I had not encountered your web blog. Your primary expertise and kindness in controlling every item was crucial. I don’t know what I would have done if I had not discovered such a point like this. It’s possible to at this moment look ahead to my future. Thank you so much for the expert and sensible guide. I will not think twice to recommend your site to anybody who should have recommendations on this situation.

  31. I together with my guys were found to be going through the great helpful tips from the blog and unexpectedly developed a terrible feeling I had not expressed respect to the web blog owner for those tips. All the women are already for this reason stimulated to see all of them and have in effect quite simply been loving them. Many thanks for genuinely simply thoughtful and for obtaining certain nice themes millions of individuals are really desirous to understand about. My very own honest apologies for not saying thanks to earlier.

  32. I needed to put you this little bit of note to finally thank you the moment again on the gorgeous ideas you have documented at this time. It is certainly surprisingly open-handed of people like you giving unreservedly what most of us might have offered for sale for an electronic book to make some dough for themselves, precisely since you could have done it in the event you decided. These techniques additionally served as the great way to be aware that other individuals have similar dreams just as mine to learn a great deal more concerning this issue. I’m certain there are several more fun situations in the future for individuals who read your blog post.

  33. Thank you for your own efforts on this blog. Debby loves getting into investigations and it’s really easy to understand why. Most of us hear all about the powerful way you convey practical tricks by means of this website and even foster participation from website visitors on the matter and our daughter is now understanding a lot. Have fun with the remaining portion of the new year. You have been carrying out a first class job.

  34. I and also my guys were found to be reviewing the best things from your web site while instantly got an awful feeling I had not thanked the blog owner for those tips. All the young men happened to be absolutely passionate to learn all of them and have clearly been taking advantage of them. Many thanks for genuinely considerably helpful and then for using these kinds of fantastic subjects most people are really desperate to be aware of. My personal sincere regret for not saying thanks to earlier.

  35. Thanks a lot for providing individuals with remarkably pleasant chance to check tips from here. It’s always very beneficial and as well , jam-packed with a lot of fun for me personally and my office acquaintances to search your website at a minimum thrice in one week to find out the fresh issues you will have. And indeed, we are usually astounded considering the great pointers you serve. Certain two areas in this article are definitely the most beneficial I have had.

  36. My spouse and i were very excited when Edward managed to finish off his analysis by way of the precious recommendations he made through your blog. It is now and again perplexing just to possibly be giving freely guidelines which often most people have been trying to sell. We really keep in mind we now have the writer to be grateful to for this. Most of the explanations you made, the easy website menu, the friendships you will assist to promote – it’s got everything spectacular, and it is letting our son and the family reason why the matter is exciting, which is certainly incredibly mandatory. Thank you for everything!

  37. My spouse and i were really relieved that Peter could conclude his basic research through the entire ideas he grabbed through the web pages. It’s not at all simplistic to just always be making a gift of helpful tips that many many people may have been making money from. We really discover we’ve got the writer to give thanks to for this. All of the explanations you have made, the straightforward website navigation, the friendships you give support to instill – it’s many great, and it’s facilitating our son in addition to our family imagine that this concept is satisfying, which is exceptionally vital. Thank you for everything!

  38. I’m also writing to let you be aware of what a great experience my child enjoyed reading through your site. She came to understand many pieces, including how it is like to have a very effective helping mood to get others easily have an understanding of a number of impossible matters. You truly did more than people’s desires. Many thanks for offering the powerful, safe, educational and also cool tips about that topic to Emily.

  39. Thanks so much for providing individuals with an exceptionally pleasant possiblity to discover important secrets from this web site. It is usually very nice and jam-packed with fun for me personally and my office fellow workers to search your blog no less than thrice in 7 days to find out the latest items you have got. And definitely, I’m so always motivated concerning the mind-boggling methods served by you. Certain 3 ideas in this article are without a doubt the most impressive we have all had.

  40. I am only writing to let you know of the great experience my wife’s princess had reading through your webblog. She learned numerous details, most notably what it is like to have a marvelous giving mood to get other folks effortlessly fully grasp certain hard to do matters. You truly surpassed visitors’ expected results. Thank you for rendering such precious, trusted, informative and in addition easy guidance on this topic to Gloria.

  41. I’m also commenting to let you be aware of what a remarkable encounter my girl undergone browsing your site. She even learned so many pieces, most notably what it’s like to have an amazing giving mindset to make the rest without problems learn some complicated issues. You actually did more than our own expected results. Thank you for giving these interesting, safe, informative not to mention unique tips about the topic to Emily.

  42. I really wanted to make a brief note in order to thank you for these nice secrets you are giving on this site. My incredibly long internet search has now been recognized with high-quality strategies to go over with my family. I ‘d say that many of us website visitors actually are unquestionably fortunate to exist in a fantastic network with very many lovely individuals with useful advice. I feel very grateful to have used the webpage and look forward to many more cool moments reading here. Thanks a lot once again for all the details.

  43. I truly wanted to compose a brief comment in order to say thanks to you for the amazing tips and hints you are showing on this website. My time-consuming internet research has now been compensated with excellent details to write about with my pals. I would assume that we website visitors are undoubtedly endowed to exist in a perfect site with so many perfect people with beneficial pointers. I feel very grateful to have come across your web pages and look forward to many more enjoyable times reading here. Thanks a lot once again for all the details.

  44. My spouse and i have been quite glad Peter could conclude his investigation while using the precious recommendations he grabbed from your own blog. It’s not at all simplistic to simply always be offering guidance which often men and women might have been making money from. So we take into account we need you to give thanks to because of that. Those explanations you made, the simple web site navigation, the relationships you can make it easier to instill – it is everything overwhelming, and it is letting our son and our family reason why the matter is awesome, which is certainly seriously mandatory. Thank you for everything!

  45. Thanks a lot for providing individuals with an extraordinarily wonderful opportunity to read in detail from here. It can be so superb and also packed with a great time for me and my office acquaintances to search your website really three times in one week to see the latest items you have got. And lastly, I’m also certainly satisfied concerning the surprising concepts you give. Some 4 areas in this article are ultimately the simplest we’ve had.

  46. I truly wanted to develop a word to express gratitude to you for those nice tips you are showing on this website. My incredibly long internet investigation has at the end been honored with reasonable facts and techniques to write about with my friends. I would declare that we readers are really endowed to exist in a fantastic network with very many special individuals with great tactics. I feel very lucky to have encountered the weblog and look forward to really more exciting times reading here. Thank you once again for everything.

  47. I am just commenting to make you know what a impressive encounter our princess experienced reading the blog. She learned a good number of issues, with the inclusion of what it’s like to have an ideal coaching style to get certain people clearly completely grasp specified extremely tough subject areas. You really did more than people’s expected results. I appreciate you for distributing those interesting, safe, informative and fun thoughts on the topic to Janet.

  48. I simply needed to thank you so much once more. I am not sure what I might have used without the hints revealed by you about my concern. It was a real fearsome dilemma for me personally, but seeing the very professional style you solved that took me to jump over contentment. Extremely thankful for this work and then hope that you recognize what a great job you happen to be doing educating some other people with the aid of a site. I’m certain you’ve never got to know any of us.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *