I chose the rest of the hymns on this page because they remind me so much of my family--how we would get together and harmonize and practice for hours preparing for special numbers for church, singing conventions, etc. Joe would sing bass, me soprano, Ruth alto, Esther tenor. Sometimes, we girls would switch parts for duets, trios, etc. Joe was the choir director of our church, and he was our music critic. He would let us know whether we were dragging or whether we were singing too loudly or too softly, etc.
Oh, I wanted so much to sing loud so that the people on the last pews could hear me. To test whether I could sing loud, I had Elizabeth, who was too young to participate in group singing, sit far away from me, then I would sing. I would ask her if she was able to hear me. When she said 'Yes', I would tell her to move farther back. I kept having her move back until the end of the room was reached.
I remember my Uncle Frank coming over to our place, and we would all sing to our hearts content and to the glory of God. My Uncle sang as well as accompanied us on the violin or guitar. I also remember playing the piano and singing for hours with my Dad. At our family reunion in San Diego, we were all gathered around the piano, with Esther playing, singing our favorite hymns till way past midnight. These are all sweet and precious memories to me. My Mother's Prayer, My Mother's Bible, If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again, and The Family Bible all remind me of my loving Christian Mother whom we're indebted for giving us a knowledge of and a love for God and the things of God.