Pray & Sing

So, tonight we're doing our family scripture study (thanks to my dear wife Jodi), and it's Jacob's turn to read. He's in third grade, which is tough enough when you're reading scriptures, but he's also been struggling with his reading.

So, he's reading along, and he hits this word that he's having a really hard time with.

Sound it out, Jacob. Start with just the first half of the word.

"P..."

Good.

"R..." He struggles, "Pr..."

Good, good... now what does "ai" sound like?

"AY!" That one he knew.

Put it together, now...

"PRAY!"

That's it! Great job! Now, you already know the last half of the word.

He thinks for a moment... "Sing!"

That's right! Now put those two together.

"Pray, sing, pray, sing," he chants, just like on Sesame Street. Then he gets it: "Praising!"

It was right about there that the light suddenly hit me. Duh. Suddenly it dawned on me, once again, what it means in the doctrine and covenants, "The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me.." and "Make a Joyful Noise", from the Psalm.

It also reminds me of a song I wrote a long time ago.

I Will Sing This Prayer
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The mountains all around me
Are a fortress strong and tall
The pine trees at attention
Stand as sentries on the wall
The evening wraps around me
Like I was never really there
And while the light is fading
I will sing this prayer

The city seems so quiet
Wrapped up in all it's noise
Machines and men in motion
Some build and some destroy
The people rush on by me
Like I was never really there
And while the world is turning
I will sing this prayer

The earth just keeps on moving
Dancing slowly on it's way
Above the blue and green and white
My life just fades away
But there is One who always
Knows that I am there
And while I'm thinking of Him
I will sing this prayer

There are worlds too vast to number
But He knows I am there
And while He's thinking of me
I will sing this prayer




MRKH
Mark Hansen
http://markhansenmusic.com