I'm very grateful for the songs we were able to sing yesterday as they helped bring strength and comfort following a very sad event that happened to my brother Hyrum, his wife Jenna, and their two boys, Will and Sam. We were informed Friday that Jenna's pregnancy had ended after only six months. Little June Kathleen Pitt was delivered stillborn, leaving behind a sad family that was so eager to bring her home and shower her will all the love and happiness inside them. Instead, June went straight back to her loving Heavenly Father and Mother who had other plans for her.
The good news, is that Hyrum and Jenna can do just what we sang about yesterday. Typically when the Choir sings this favorite song of mine, I think about my own life and what the words mean to me. But yesterday, as we sang "Standing on the Promises", I thought of my brother and his wife and how they are, with faith, standing on the promise that June isn't really lost to them. She's a part of their eternal family. And they'll get to see her and love her and raise her one day.
One of the other songs "I Will Follow God's Plan for Me" made me think about trusting God and holding fast to His word and His love--how times of grief and unanswerable questions can be overcome by faith in God's plan.
Another of the songs, "The Ground" is one that the composer wrote for a work entitled "Sunrise Mass". From his words: "it’s called The Ground because I wanted to convey a sense of having ‘arrived’ at the end of the Mass; to have reached a kind of peace and grounded strength, after the long journey of the Mass, having gone through so many different emotional landscapes." I couldn't help but think of the emotional journey that those who have lost one ones have to go through, and how they can arrive at a peace and grounded strength as they rely upon God for strength.
The last song we sang was a fitting tribute to June and her family. "May the Good Lord Bless You and Keep You" has these words:
May the good Lord bless and keep you whether near or far away
May you find that long awaited golden day today
May your troubles all be small ones and your fortunes ten times ten
May the good Lord bless and keep you till we meet again
I'm sure that Mack and Ryan had no idea how perfectly these songs would fit together for a family who was grieving this weekend. But I'm thankful they were inspired to add them to the program, and I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who hears and answers prayers, and brings comfort and peace in a variety of ways--including inspired music.
Until next time, God be with you.
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