A Few of My Favorite Things

My hubby and daughters know me so well…they couldn’t wait to give me their favorite gift yesterday morning-  the anniversary addition of the Sound of Music on DVD!

I remember the very first time I saw it. I was about 8 years old. It used to come on TV around Easter.  The first scene I saw was Liesl and Rolph dancing in a gazebo, in the pouring rain.  I got butterflies in my stomach as I watched them sing- and dreamed that I, too, would one day find the man of my dreams,  sing and dance in the rain, and squeal with delight over my first kiss!

The Christmas I turned 10, I got my very first keyboard.  Another favorite thing of mine.  I can remember my grandfather visiting me and offering me a challenge- he said if I could learn to play the theme song from The Sound of Music, he would give me 20$.  I took him up on the challenge and learned to play it in no time.  My grandfather passed away this August.  I went to see him in his final hours of life, and while I was there, I remembered the challenge he gave me so long ago.  What he gave me was priceless- a passion and a desire to learn to play songs by ear- a gift that I thank God for every day!

A couple of weeks ago, I went downstairs and found my girls snuggled on the couch, watching The Sound of Music on DVD.  “Mom, sit with us!  Watch it with us,” they begged me. You see, The Sound of Music is not a spectator’s sport!  I must sing. every. song. And I must recite every. single. word.  I sat with them and as I sang, they hung on my every note.  “Mommy, you weren’t kidding!”  You DO know every word!”  I left them to finish the movie by themselves and  my heart melted.  They were too cool to sing in front of me, but once alone, they couldn’t help themselves!  I could hear them singing all the way upstairs.

How sweet it is to hear them singing these songs, much like my sister and I used to do so long ago!  It’s not just a movie to me- it’s part of my childhood. Music changed that strict, lifeless household  into a vibrant, joyful family full of passion and love!  I have always loved Maria’s positive, joyful spirit, her whimsical ways, and how she never gave up on instilling her passion for music into the hearts of each member of the Von Trapp family.

Every good and perfect gift is from Him and I could never thank Him enough for the precious gift of music- and how He has used it to draw me closer to Him all these years.  And I thank Him for passing on the love of music to my children!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights

James 1:17

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