The Singing Woman

While walking midst the nuts and bolts of a big box store, I heard someone a few aisles over singing.  It was clearly a woman's voice and she was singing rather loudly a song about Jesus.  "When Jesus washed, when Jesus washed my sins away..."  were the first words I heard and then came, "He taught me how to watch and pray, watch and pray..."   By now you are likely singing it with me, but not like this singing woman.  She was singing happy.  She was singing joyfully.  She was singing with passion.  I rounded the end of the aisle and there she was coming right at me.  She broke the singing only long enough to say, "Good afternoon" and then she was past me singing as she walked.

 

I started to write, "I don't know if I have ever done what she did," but then that would not be true.  I know I have never done what she did.  I do my singing about Jesus in the church with other folks, or along with the professional singers on the car radio, or sometimes when I am alone out here on the farm walking.  Looking back I wish I was more like the singing woman in the big box store.  Looking back I wish I could be one who lives so unconscious of what others people might think that I would have just spontaneously joined in her singing.  Who knows?  It might have started a sing-a-long in the store.

 

I saw her one more time.  I suppose I should say I heard her one more time and then I saw her.  I was getting in the truck and I heard that singing voice sounding praise for Jesus across the parking lot.  While I am not likely to follow her example, I am thankful for it.  She blessed me in an unexpected moment.  It was one of those moments when God surprised me with an awareness of His presence.  Maybe the next time I will be ready to seize the moment and sing with her.  Or, maybe I should just start singing a song of my own.  Maybe I should ask God to help me surprise someone with a blessing tomorrow.