The church I went to when I was a little girl was an old school Southern Baptist church. Old school like women weren’t allowed to bless the pulpit with The Word, old school like women wore dresses AND stocking to church, old school like having a Mother’s Board with the old school saints sat in their reserved seats, old school like attending church from 8 a.m. Sunday school until regular service let out at maybe 2 p.m.; old school like getting that church pinch if you didn’t act right and whomever doled out that pinch, your momma, grandma, aunt or neighbor, dared you to shed a tear; old school like seeing an elder “catch the spirit” scared the hell out of you, old school like Easter speeches, Christmas plays, real deal Sunday dinners and good old “stomp, clap” music.
What is stomp, clap music you ask? It is how churches made music before they could afford the piano or organ or full on music sections churches have now. You literally started a song by stomping and clapping; and you know Sister So and So always had a tambourine…LOL
I remember listening to the same songs all of my childhood and often catch myself singing them now. Many of those songs included some variation of waking up in my “right mind with full use of my limbs.” How often do we take for granted that we have awakened and can think about our day or we swing our legs out of the bed to take that walk to the bathroom for that first morning pee and they actually move!
Today, I am thankful for my mind and body being strong and useful and in my full control.
I tell you what, as much as I enjoy many of the modern gospel songs, there is nothing like an old-school hymn or song of praise to stir or calm my spirit. I absolutely love the older songs and it makes me sad that my daughter will not grow up with the same traditional songs that generations before her did.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm glad I can wear pants to church. So glad!