I miss my grandmothers. My living grandmother, Lillian, lives 3,000 miles away. She is almost 100 years old and her motto is, “Keep smiling, it works for me.” My deceased grandmother, Eva, died 30 years ago yet it feels like yesterday. She bequeathed to me memories of her quiet kindness. And her favorite church songs.
Amazing Grace makes my eyes tear, my breath slow, and my heart calm. I stop thinking and worrying and working, for a few minutes. I am just with the song. And the love. Amazing.
What songs tear your eyes? Calm your heart? Connect you to loved ones? I would be privileged to listen to you and your songs.
Have an amazing day ~~~~~~~~ Angie Mc
Family Love Does More 
I’d really have to think about that. It’s wonderful that your grandmother can live on in your heart through song.
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Thank you for reading, Linda. I, too, am thinking about things that help me to connect to what is loving, true, beautiful. Music, books, movies…baseball 🙂 I appreciate your thoughts on such matters. And, yes, I’m very fortunate to have ongoing relationships with both of my grandmothers ❤ Beautiful Sunday to you & yours.
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Hi Angie,
One of my grandmothers was Lillian, too. I never knew her. My mom was 12 when she passed. My heart aches for my mother when I think of her growing up without her mom.
I love Amazing Grace and like you, I have a hard time singing it without tearing up. My husband calls us ‘puddle puppies,’ but I tell him that it’s Our Father touching and softening our hearts.
There’s a gospel tune that I love probably as much as I like “Amazing Grace” but I can’t find it on You Tube to show you. It’s called “Who Am I.” Sung by Lisa Ray and Cedar Hill on their Portrait of a Song album. You can listen to just a snip of it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002AXRQR0/?tag=lastfmmp3-20
The other tune isn’t a gospel tune, but I have a hard time singing the last verse without tearing up…makes it super hard to perform…it’s happy and sad at the same time…It’s “Tune of a Twenty Bill”…This YouTube shows Bluegrass greats, Shawn Camp and Verlon Thompson, both awesome guitar pickers, and Mike Bubb on stand-up bass. I’m not familiar with the fiddle player, but she’s good. Enjoy!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlVwC38DJYM
Have a beautiful week!
Mary
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Puddle puppies unite!
Sweet songs, both, Mary. I have a patch of bluegrass in my heart that I don’t visit as much as I should 🙂 I was raised a city girl back east. When I moved out west as an adult I found Bill Monroe 🙂
Thanks SO much for sharing ❤
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Oh, Amazing Grace reduces me to a big soggy mass in the first line. Especially played on bagpipes.
I’m so glad you’re still able to be with your grandmother! What a blessing that must be!
And sorry I am about the loss of your other. *hugs*
You know, I never thought about this until you asked, but I don’t think any song calms my heart, really. I’ve come to realize that while I refuse to cry about anything personal, certain movies and most songs just make all my emotions leak out. The church we go to now plays mostly (still) unfamiliar songs, so I’m grateful in a way, because otherwise I’d run out of tissue! Once I know them better, I’ll have to stock up, lol.
The National Anthem is another one that does me in. Every. Time.
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(((Ness))) and oh yes, The National Anthem! As a huge baseball fan, we watch a lot of baseball (live and televised.) My eyes tear up Every. Time! I will stand in my own living room and sing with tears in my eyes and hand on my heart. How fortunate are we to live in such a generous and loving country?!
I, too, am not a crier, as in I’m a pull myself up by my bootstraps kind of gal 🙂 So, like you said, maybe these moments give me freedom to just be, to just feel. Because more often than not, I’m being so very reasonable and working oh so very hard ❤
Enjoy your new church songs! I’m sure you’ll find more to add to your tearful collection 🙂
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I cry every time I hear Amazing Grace. My husband just lost his grandmother last week. We spent our week in N.J. for the services and with his family. There was a bagpiper at the burial playing Amazing Grace and it was unbelievably beautiful. She was an amazing woman and deserved nothing less. I lost a sister when I was only 13. We played Garth Brooks “The Dance” at her burial. Of course it still brings tears to my eyes.http://pt.musicplayon.com/play?v=225199
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Oh, Kesha. I’m so very sorry for your family’s losses. I’m originally from PA & spent much time in NJ so I can imagine the services…and the bagpipes. Your grandmother sounds so well loved and what a beautiful legacy she has given to you all. And how very sad to lose a sister so young. Thank you for sharing this with me, and The Dance – so bittersweet. And I’m so glad Amazing Grace has connected us. So blessed ❤
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http://evelenmargaret.com/2014/03/12/the-versatile-blogger-award-2/ for you!
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