Joy Cubed!

“These days of winter have come to bury you

No sign of spring and no promise to carry you

No flowers blooming in your window sill

And the beat of your heart is too still…

And the beat of your heart is too still… Oh sing

Chorus

Joy joy joy in the morning

Joy joy in the afternoon

Joy joy joy for the child is born

This night the promise is given to you”

Sing Joy by Peter Mayer

Irene’s funeral was yesterday. About 18 of us gather around her three adult children to celebrate her life. Irene was born in Bavaria and was 5 years old when Hitler came to power. Her childhood was much different than most people I know. She liked to recite her Confirmation passage for me “auf Deutsch”:

Psalm 37:5 from the Luther Bibel 1545 (LUTH1545)

5 Befiehl dem HERRN deine Wege und hoffe auf ihn; er wird's wohl machen 

5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. 

Her life wasn’t an easy life, but she had deep joy in her soul and heart. Whenever I would visit her we would talk about art, music, theology and wood carvings. One of our Caring Visitors, Helen,  calculated that she had visited Irene approximately 90 times. Caring Visitors at our church bring the sacraments to members who are homebound. Helen brought Irene joy and I know Irene brought joy to Helen as well.

The PsalmBook at the top of the page is one which I purchased one day when Peter Mayer and I were browsing around guitar shops, bookstores and coffee shops.

The book is open to Psalm 33 which I like to think as some of the inspiration for Peter’s song, SING JOY-

Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous.Praise befits the upright. 

2Praise the LORD with the lyre;make melody to him with the harp of ten strings. 

3Sing to him a new song;play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. 

4For the word of the LORD is upright,and all his work is done in faithfulness. 

5He loves righteousness and justice;the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. 

6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,and all their host by the breath of his mouth. 

Peace,

rtg