Here We Come A-Caroling

Every month Christ Church Spokane has a psalm sing where families gather after church to learn how to sing the complex melodies of the many psalms and hymns in our liturgy. This month the church music director had a great suggestion. In lieu of our church's monthly psalm sing, he encouraged each parish to go caroling.

So on Sunday the Coeur d'Alene Parish decided to brave the 10 degree weather and share our (frightfully) feeble voices with our neighbors. We all met at my adopted children's home (the two dogs I dog-sit frequently: Shadow and Abby), the Obendrauf's. I was unable to carol in the Obendrauf's neighborhood with the rest of the parish but I did get to go with them to the nursing home where my grandmothers reside.

Dad informed me that the group sang at several houses in the neighborhood and many of the residents couldn't believe that people were actually caroling! One family (from California) said it was their first year in Idaho and this was exactly how they had imagined it to be. (We all had to laugh at that.) It's sad that the communal feeling so prominent throughout America's history is disappearing and traditions such as caroling are fading away.

When we arrived at the nursing home, I wheeled Grandma Turney into the dining room where we sang a few carols to the residents gathering for dinner. Some of the residents sang along with us and many clapped after we finished. We then walked down the halls singing to the residents unable to leave their beds. We stopped in front of Grandma Williams' room and sang a few carols to her. It was touching to watch her lift her hands to God, praising Him, as we sang.

I hadn't gone caroling in a long time -probably since elementary school- and was reminded of how much of a blessing it is, not only to the recipients but to the carolers too. Singing Christmas carols is just another form of proclaiming the Gospel to the world. Isn't it amazing that this time of year the airwaves (radio, television, etc.) are filled with the Good News of the Word but most of the time the words lose their meaning. As Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear..."