Happy 4th of July!
I really like when this holiday falls on a Sunday. It is a good reminder that it is by God’s grace that we live in a great country like the United States. This country was founded on Christian principles (despite what some people may say), and it is God who deserves the glory for the blessings we enjoy in this land.
When I entered the sanctuary, I had no idea that I would be in for a treat.
I attend the contemporary service. This service does not have a formal choir. Instead, the music is led by a worship team and band.
This morning, however, there were quite a few people standing on the bleachers behind the band. We sometimes use this area as overflow seating, but this was not something we needed today as a lot of people were missing…out of town visiting family, I suspect.
Among the group, I also spotted three guys from the high school band.
Interesting, I thought to myself. They must be playing in the band too. It isn’t uncommon to see new faces now and then.
The service began in its fairly regular way.
Everyone stood and said the Pledge of Allegiance, to acknowledge this special holiday.
We sang several praise songs, passed around the attendance binders, and took up tithes.
And then the surprise…
The band, the extra people in stands (I quickly realized they are the members of the regular choir, which sings at the traditional service), and the three guys from the high school band stood up.
The guys had strapped on their drums.
One was playing tenors (which is what Rooster will be playing this fall)…
Another guy was holding a snare drum…
The third gentleman had strapped on the very large bass drum…
The guys were wearing black shirts, and their drums were held with white straps similar to these…
They looked like they were wearing uniforms, and the picture was striking.
The lights were down in the church, and the choir began singing.
The boys stood at attention.
They looked a little like the following picture, which was taking during the Civil War…
One by one, the boys lifted their drums sticks as their instruments entered the musical piece.
As they began to play, all eyes focused on them.
We just couldn’t help it.
We were mesmerized.
Chills traveled through my body.
As the tempo picked up and the song reached its crescendo, tears began rolling down my face.
Chicky looked over at me and, in a voice barely above a whisper, asked why I was crying.
I couldn’t explain…not yet anyhow.
You see, as I watched those boys play, and I listened to the words of the song, my heart was moved in a powerful way.
My nerdy brain that thrives on history saw those boys as representative of others who, many, many years ago, served in our military.
Music played a very important part in military life way back when. Music signified the beginning of a soldier’s day, meal times, drills, and even pay day.
The musical selection Taps originally began as a song that ended the day.
Drum cadences were used to help men march in time, unified, as they were about to face an opposing army. Commanders relied on drum signals to convey commands across the field of battle.
All of these things were going through my mind as I sat there this morning.
Those boys…one just graduated, one to graduate next year, and the other the year after with Rooster – they could easily have been in our nation’s earliest battles for freedom as most of the soldiers were quite young back then.
This holiday is a day when people barbecue…thank their lucky stars that they have an extra day off.
For me, the morning’s music was a time to reflect and give thanks, both to God and to those who were brave enough to take a stand for freedom.
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: 4th of July, drummers, holidays | 4 Comments »
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