I've been reminising today on memories of back when I was young and going to church..Every Sunday we'd start out walking quite early so we could get there on time.. We didn't want to miss Sunday School or Preaching.. Oh yes, there were a few people that we caught a ride with that managed to have a truck so we could all jump on the back.. After a few years passed daddy managed to get a truck and we rode on the back to church or anywhere else for that matter.. I remember those old time hymns , I think I enjoyed them just as much as the preaching.. My favorite one and still is was "Rock Of Ages". I always looked forward to it with high high hopes they would sing it .. I would put someone up to suggesting it when the offer came for a song request..I loved that old song so much and I'd sing it to the top of my lungs and even after we got back home it was still stuck in my mind.. I couldn't stop humming or singing "Rock Of Ages".
I remember company coming for Sunday dinner, usually family or neighbors. It was a real treat to have fried chicken and banana pudding..The chickens we raised ourselves and daddy would wring their necks on Saturday and get them dressed and ready to fry for Sunday dinner.. Needless to say, it took quite a few young fryers as they were called to feed a crowd.. And all the fixings ,(usually garden vegetables) were cooked on Sunday morning before church.. Mama got up quite early to get it all done..The Dinner discussion was usually centered around the Sunday services and sermom but being kids we didn't pay to much attention for the sake of eating our bellies full and running outside to play.. Mama always said clean-up time was after the company left which could be late in the evening..Me and some of the girls would get together and sing those old hymns. We knew them by heart and we sung to the top of our lungs.. The grown-ups were to busy talking and spittin their tobacco ad snuff to even notice or so I though.. Later on mama said, we sure did enjoy hearing you girls sing .. It was then that I knew someone was listening besides God..
Later on in life, I started singing solo at church every Sunday and I don't mean really low.. When God put a song on my heart I'd get up and sing when the offer came..Needless to say "Old Rugged Cross" was sung quite often.. They learned in a hurry it was my favorite..
I'll never forget when I first heard "God On The Mountain", it became my second favorite of all time..People would request that I sang it ..But I always went back to "Old Rugged Cross"..
Today I still love the old hymns, all of them and some of the more recent as well, but "The Old Rugged Cross" is the one I'll cling to until my dying day.. And those old time meetings of singing, shouting, and preaching are forever locked in my memories... Hope you all have a nice Labor Day weekend..Blessings, Susie
Thank you for sharing such wonderful memories with us, Susie! I love the old hymns... I think it's sad that some of them are no longer sung in church much~ they are beautiful and have such meaning to them they should never be forgotten!
ReplyDeleteI know Paula and so sad too.. Thank you so much.
DeleteI enjoyed hearing about your memories, Susie. So many of the old hymns were my favorites too. I much prefer them to the newer songs.
ReplyDeleteThank you Daisy, I do too.
DeleteSusie, The old rugged cross , is my favorite too. But I usually end up crying before it's done. It takes me back to when I was 10 and a true angel came into my life. Her name was Ruth Russell. She just started taking me to church. She loved me I know and I think to this day God sent her to our family. Her husband was my mom's lawyer when she and my father got divorced. Mrs. Russell showed us a better way of life. Took me and my sister Jeanie to church camp.That is my best childhood memory.xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteShe was truly an angel sent from God..Thank you Susie, that's so inspiring..
DeleteSusie, this is just beautiful. I can picture you up there belting that hymn out, too. Being Catholic the old Latin songs we sang still cling to my mind, & I miss them ... the church changed, songs are in English ... kind of sad that the old beauty is gone ... as well as the romance of the Latin Mass.
ReplyDeleteSuch a delight to always read your shares & memories ...
Have a beautiful holiday
TTFN ~
Hugs,
Marydon
Thank you so much Marydon, Alot has changed since back then. I enjoy your inspiring posts as well.
DeleteSusie, what a wonderful post! I have many of those same memories, and the old hymns are still precious to me. By the way banana pudding is still my favorite dessert!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you share the same memories .. banana pudding has been around for many years and my favorite too, Thank you
DeleteI like the old hymns, too, Susie. Good post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gorges.
DeleteVery precious memories. Those old hymns come to mind throughout my day. I love the stories/history of how they became to be written.
ReplyDeleteThank you, they do mine too.. Yes it is interesting.
DeleteA beautiful post that touched my heart. I too remember riding in the back of Daddy's truck and singing in the choir at the Methodist Church in our little town. At least I thought I was singing. I realize now that I can't sing. lol
ReplyDeleteThank you Beth, I bet you can sing.. I thought I was singing too..lol..
DeleteSusie, I have almost the exact same memories. We lived close to the church building, and since we had no car, we walked, sometimes coming in contact with stinging nettle!
ReplyDeletePerhaps someday the new "praise" songs will be just as well remembered, but to me, nothing will ever take the place of those old songs by writers such as Fanny Crosby; the Holy Spirit speaks through the old songs.
Awww, that's nice that we share the same memories..I hope they will anyway.. It seems alot of things have been left by the wayside..Thank you.
DeleteI've always loved that song too. My dad used to sing it a lot.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy
DeleteLovely memories. I miss church on Sundays too.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ben.
Deletethis made me want for simpler times and neigbors and friends.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad.. Thank you so much .
DeleteThank you so much, glad you enjoyed it..
ReplyDeleteHI Susie,
ReplyDeleteI loved reading about your childhood memory. I love those old hymns as well, today's Christian music often lacks the scriptural references of the old hymns, which is an excellent way of getting God's Word into our heart's and minds as we go through the day humming or singing them!
~God Bless~ Lisa
Thank you Lisa, it certaintly is..I love singing them to myself as I call it.. It does help to get through a day..
DeleteHi Susie! What a sweet story. I bet your mom cherished those time when she heard you all singing! I love reading about your childhood. Your poems and stories always trigger a smile in my heart and they start my mind thinking about happy and loving times. They are such a wonderful gift, and I appreciate it so much! Have a wonderful afternoon. With Love, Delisa :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Delisa.. She always encouraged me in everything and she loved the singing..Glad yoou enjoy them..Blessings
DeleteDear Susie,
ReplyDeleteI loved reading the story about your childhood memories of singing the church songs. I love those old songs too. I remember Rock of Ages well. I have a few favorites of my own, and some of them will be played at Nel's wedding. I know I am going to cry when I see her walk down the isle to the traditional 'wedding song.' It sounds like you had such a loving and wonderful childhood. Oh, and I would have loved to try some of that fried chicken. Have a lovely week.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley
Thank you Sheri, I would love to be able to attend that wedding and hear those beautiful songs. Congrats to the both of them..
DeleteLove your stories of growing up. One of my favorite hymns is "It Is Well With My Soul"
ReplyDeleteThank you Susie,I love that song too.. It's so inspiring and uplifting..
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