Doxology fitting for many ocassions

Posted

This 70 degree weather is heavenly!!  When I got out of my car on Saturday and walked into the hot south wind, I realized what the weatherman was talking about!! It was awful!!

Because the LMWL Nebraska North was convening in Columbus, I arrived just before the lunch break to see a few old friends.  This is an organization of energetic, loving women (and a few men) who love to sing. At the passing of one of the items on its agenda, we were asked to stand and do the Doxology.  You should hear it when 250 women sing it, with harmony.

Another time to hear it would be in the Concordia football team in the locker room, win or lose. I think that is a huge way to teach students to be thankful for whatever comes their way, in life, as well as in games.

Our pastor had us stand and sing it when we passed a motion last month to proceed with a building plan. This church had a beautiful building opposite Lincoln Northeast High, with a school. The school had outgrown its structure and they bought a large plot of land east of 84th street, just off Adams.  

We have worshiped in the gym, or “family life center” ever since. The sound system was upgraded a few years ago, so I'm content to do that.  But of course, the chairs need to be set up and taken down before and after each service. The school uses it daily. Funeral lunches become a challenge. You get the picture.

But for a blue collar congregation to agree to attempt to raise 2 million dollars to add a sanctuary is, in my humble opinion, a challenge to inspire trepidation. We will need to sing the Doxology many times in the next three years.

It often reminds me of Aunt Dora. I think every family has an Aunt Dora. No children of her own, so nieces and nephews are doubly precious. She was hospitality personified. She loved to put the leaves in the dining room table and put a turkey in the oven before leaving for church.

If our family, and the six children of my sister-in-law, were to be present, a folding table went up in the living room, for the “kinder”. Always, the meal was prefaced by the Doxology.

It really is an all purpose, faith affirming praise song. It covers folks on earth, the heavenly host, and in the name of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

When our Homeowners Association women meet for lunch over at Good Evans once a month, someone leads in prayer. The organizer of this gathering asked me to do so this month. I jokingly told her I could not pray without my prayer book; in fact, I got it out. There were so many Thees and Thous, I had to chuckle.

And I scrapped it by asking my neighbors to join me in the Doxology. The other group in the private dining room were a bit taken off guard, I'm afraid, but I was pleased with the sound. For a bunch of octogenarians, it was pretty good. And I doubt the Heavenly Father judges by the sound. Thank goodness!!