Intonation: the manner of producing musical tones, specifically the relation in pitch of tones to their key or harmony.
audiation: Technically a made up word according to dictionary.com that to me means the ability to hear and perceive the correct pitches and tones in a key or harmony
ironic: coincidental; unexpected
So, for years now I have heard others say that they don’t sing because they “can’t.” I’ve heard a number of people who have shied away from singing with all of themselves because they just aren’t comfortable in their voice. For years now I have tended to reply in earnest that the person I enjoy listening to sing the most in this world is terribly tone deaf. But man, when that girls sings…or as my friend Chris would say “SANGS” she just lets it rip!! She is so pleasantly off that you can’t help but smile and just enjoy her heart behind it. You know that when she sings, it isn’t for anyone but God and it’s out of an abundance of the depth of her heart. If she were to make a cd I would be the first in line to get it and that is no joke. God Himself says to make a joyful noise and she does that with the best of them. Anyone who knows me, ought to know by now that I don’t really fit into the category of being afraid or hesitant to belt out my heart as well. However, this is where life gets ironic…
Yesterday I was tinkering around on my computer and found “garageband” which is a computer program that allows you to record all sorts of stuff and then edit them all. Well, I decided to play some songs I have been learning on the guitar and I was just going to mess around with them and make some cool harmonies and all. After singing through a few songs, I went back to listen to them and my first reaction was “WOAH!!! I’m really off…” So, I kept singing and messin’ with my voice and just came to the realization that I just have poor intonation when it comes down to it. I have belting my heart out for years and have been close to the right pitches but not really…haha I love it!!! Don’t you see the humor in it? All this time I have been in choirs or singing here and there and people have probably even told me that I was off and yet I’m pretty sure that I just didn’t care. I was happy doing my thing and was just enjoying making my joyful noise.
I was telling a friend this yesterday and Branden replied by saying “dude, I’ve known that about you from day one but it’s sweet that you’ve got good audiation (can’t remember the right word unfortunately so I made up my own.) That means that while you may be off, you at least can hear what it’s supposed to sound like. You can hear what the pitches are supposed to be and that’s a really good thing. All you have to do is get better at listening to yourself and you can teach yourself to change your intonation…
Now some of you I’m sure are scratching your heads thinking…”hmmm benny, you sing pretty well…at least I think so.” Yeah, that’s the other funny part to me. Either you’ve known I was off for all these years and enjoyed my heart or you didn’t know I was off and you probably have a problem hearing it like I do!!! I’m seriously laughing right now because this is funny to me…Ohhh my, anyway I’ve determined that I’m not going to stop belting because I enjoy it! Also, I would love for God to teach me how to actually sing well because that would be sweet!!! However, if He doesn’t, I will just remain an example of a joyful noise to those of us who don’t have “perfect pitch.”
So how does this relate to our life with God you ask? Good question!!!
“My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me.” John 10 somethin-or-other
Anyone who knows anything about relationships can understand the importance of communication. Heck, I don’t ever find myself in relationships and even I can tell you that!!! I can even tell you that the biggest part of communication is LISTENING...This is more than just hearing. It actually involves careful attention to hear, perceive, understand and interact with what the other party is saying. So today I find myself asking these questions to both you and myself:
1. Are you able to discern between the voices in your head and heart? Do you hear clearly enough to know what He is saying and actually have confidence in that?
2. Can you easily tell when somebody else is saying something that just isn’t right…can you just perceive it in your spirit and know if it is in tune with God or not?
3. Can you easily tell if you are on pitch? Can you tell if your life is exuding Christ in your words and deeds or are you close but not really?
4. Are you willing to sing with all of your heart even if you know you’ll make mistakes? Are you willing to allow yourself to love and be loved even though you know you’re going to hurt some (both you and others) in the process? Or are you so sure you’ll hurt others or be hurt that you just whimper through it hoping not to make too much noise? Do you dull your heart to avoid the inevitable pain?
5. Are you able to overlook offenses when others do or say something that hurt you because you can see past their methods and words and see their heart behind it? Can you see when someone truly wants to show love even if they are clumsy with it? What is more important to you: their tact or their heart?
6. Do you know your Father’s voice? Do you listen intently or do you merely have ears to hear but never use them? Also, do you tune Him out because you’re afraid of what He might actually say? Do you try to drown out the sound of His grace by putting on some “white noise.”
7. Are you willing to live for an audience of one? Are you willing to live a life of praise and thanksgiving despite circumstances to God only or do you fear men and their opinions too much? What do you hold higher this day- man’s approval or God’s approval?
Choose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. ~Bible 🙂
