Sha Na Na

Sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 96:1

It wasn't even written as a "praise song". It was a silly song on an album that my best friend's 5 year old daughter adores by a band called Tennis. Buried in this carefree song about playing on the beach under the moon are the sha-na-na's. They don't mean anything, all by themselves. They mean sha, na, na. They mean the song is more likely to get stuck in one's head.

But on a soulful morning with my Poppa's presence heavy in my car on the way to work, they were a shout of gratitude for the colors in the sunrise, followed by the wet-eyed ache of how pricelessly purposeful the life we have been given is. The sha-na-na's became a plea that I would fulfill my purpose for that day. And the next. And the next.

On the way home, I am listening to the same silly song and losing myself in the weight of how important friendship is. How insane it is that I have the friends that I have. I sing sha na na, and my God hears, "Oh, thank You for my best friend, my sister. Thank You for everything that she has been to my life. Please help me be half the blessing to her that she has been to me. Oh please, oh please."

Ten minutes from my husband's office where he is waiting for me to pick  him up, a semi truck - juggernaut of the road - pulls a crazy move that sets my adrenaline surging, and those sha na na's are now a prayer for protection of myself and everyone else who holds a wheel that guides 4000 lbs of metal and glass at 70 MPH on asphalt highways day after day.

He sings back to me. Sha na na. "I'm here. I've got you."

Music is a balm and a conduit for communication. When words aren't enough, and my soul needs an outlet, give me something - anything - that I can sing/listen to with the One who loves me the most.

Give me a new song that I can sing to my God.