Reminiscing
My southern gospel journey started back in the early to mid-1980s. My mom bought an aerobics tape which included a variety of styles of music, but among the artists featured was The Happy Goodman Family. It was love at first sound and started me on a journey to learn all I could about the music, as well as the groups who sang such wonderful harmony.
Within a year or two, I found a radio station out of Winchester, VA that played Southern Gospel music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I listened to that station all the time and began to know all the songs and recognize the artists by sound.
In January 1991, my family moved and it was harder to find a good station so I lost touch with group changes, new releases, etc. I still loved the music and listened to the CDs I had; I just didn’t stay up with anything current.
Somewhere around 2005 or ’06, I met a young man who became one of my closest friends, maybe in part because he was also a southern gospel fan. Up until that time, I don’t think I had met another young person who was into the music as much as I was. He was part of a southern gospel forum and, before too long, I joined my first forum.
I started out slowly, as this was all new to me, but I soon came to enjoy just chatting with other southern gospel fans about anything at all, not just music. After a while, we became like family. When one member hurt, we all hurt. When one rejoiced, so did the rest of us. I used to think about about the fact that that’s how the Church should be, but I expect I’m not alone in feeling more faith that my forum friends would be with me through a tragedy than my local church would be.
It would be easy to think that this is a classic case of neglecting those close to you and feeling close to those afar off since they aren’t “there.” I used to wonder about that too, but when we got together, it really was like a family reunion. Only we liked our family.
Yesterday, one of the members of that forum passed away. It had been a while since we talked but I would see her on Facebook and always thought fondly of her. She had a lot of health problems and pain, yet she stayed positive. That always encouraged me.
It really is true that each life touches other lives, many times when we don’t realize it. You may think your life counts for nothing but you may be surprised who feels a void when you are no longer around. I’ve reminded my readers often to let people know what they mean to you before they can no longer hear you. I reiterate that today.
Life is so short. You may think you have tomorrow, but you never really know. We don’t always know the plans God has for us, but I do know His plans are good. I also know that every person that touches your life, whether for good or bad, does so for a reason.
Have you told the ones you love the most how much they mean to you? Have you taken time to talk over coffee (or tea) and really heard their heart? Have you prayed for those who are struggling, that they would have the strength they need to walk through their trials victoriously? I was listening to The Rambos sing, “I’m Gonna Leave Here Shouting” today, and I hope that, when I’m ready to go, someone is there to “lift up my dying hands.”
I don’t think I can say it too much. Take time to tell someone you love them. Go do it now before life becomes too busy and you forget and then it becomes too late.
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