Tradition

Today, I finally figured something out. A lot of the things that have been going on in church have really been bothering me. For example, the branch choir. Ugh. I know it's one of those 'music major' things--but I just can't stand ward/branch choirs. Here can be worse. They're never on pitch, they sing the wrong parts, they don't even listen to the piano, they drag like CRAZY, and they belt out EVERYTHING. There is one dynamic, and that is LOUD!! Oh, it bothers me! But, today, finally, as I sat there listening to the choir sing, I realized that I just need to give up on letting it bother my musical senses. This is the way they sing in Africa, and no amount of music teachers coming through town is going to change that. It is their tradition. Instead of fighting against it and letting it bother me and interfering with my feeling the spirit of the message they share, I should enjoy (well, as much as possible) the cultural experience. It's time for me to listen with my spiritual ears, so to speak. It doesn't matter if they can't keep a tempo, or if the person leading the music just plain can't do it, or if they NEVER sing that stupid C#, or if the tune they learned is totally wrong. That's the way they do things. It doesn't change the words--and hymns are supposed to be a prayer. Are prayers perfect? No, they're spoken from the heart. These people are singing from the heart and regardless of how much the music hurts my ears, it is their prayer. I should listen to the prayer and the spirit and not let other distractions take that away. Wish I would've thought of that when I was in Guatemala cringing away through the music...