Humming

Dec 31

We started a new tradition on Thanksgiving. For the last few years, we sing karaoke after dessert. Videos exist but they are not public. The best part of the evening is when my dad sings to my mom. Not only is my dad still madly in love with my mom, he is also highly expressive and a showman. While belting out, “I’ve got you babe!”, he accompanies his words with choreographed movements. His affection is on full display.

I recently discovered a related image of the Lord coming from a passage of the prophet Zephaniah (3:18), “[The Lord] will sing joyfully because of you.” What! When God thinks of me, God can’t help but sing a little song, hum a tune, whistle a melody! The song of us gets stuck in God’s head. But wait… It gets better. The complete verse says, “[The Lord] will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.” Imagine singing at a festival. This is whole body, wild, uninhibited singing. I can’t help but imagine the Lord fitting in at Thanksgiving karaoke.

I have not revealed this yet, but I’m constantly humming, whistling, or singing a song. This happens so much that people around me try to guess the tune in my head. However, there was a period of time when I lost this tendency. I didn’t realize it, but I stopped singing after my brother died in 2020. It was not a conscious choice, it just happened.

It was about six months after John died, that I was walking the ring of offices at St. Francis de Sales School. All of a sudden, my friend leaped out of her office into the hallway and said, “You’re humming again!” It took grace, it took prayer, and it took therapy, but the music returned. It takes what it takes. Now, I can’t stop humming.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). The message of this Christmas season is that it’s time to hum again. It's time to hum again! For when the Lord thinks of you, God can’t help but sing joyfully.

May God be praised!