I love to sing. I often sing along loudly to songs on the car radio, often these days to shouts of “No, Grandma stop!” from, I am afraid, from all of my grandchildren! But singing is such a joyful thing to do. It is so easy to lift your mood by playing a fast happy song and, yes, singing loudly along with it, even if you can’t sing well!! Indeed, it is now recognised as being good for your mental health. I can’t imagine a world without music, and it has long been regarded as good for the soul. Even in the Bible, there is a whole book of them called the Psalms. ... In God’s world even nature is singing ... Psalm 147 says “How good it is to sing praises to our God, for he is gracious and a song of praise is fitting” The Song of Solomon says, “The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come” (chapter 2, verses 12). In God’s world even nature is singing: “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” (Isaiah chapter 55, verse 12) .

It is not only the melody which is important but the harmony. When I feel tense and “jangled” I listen to a piece of Bach or a Simon and Garfunkel track like “Scarborough Fair”. The harmony in this music suddenly restores order into the world. June begins the church liturgical season of Trinity, which starts on May 31st, (Trinity Sunday) and lasts all the way to the November 1st on All Saints Day. A lot of the people find the idea of the Trinity, - one God in three persons - confusing and hard to get their heads round. Indeed, for mathematicians, it is tricky to believe that 1 +1+1=1. Any child will tell you this is the wrong answer!

However, for a musician it is easy! I play three notes. They are three distinct sounds which I can hear individually, but together they make one note, a beautiful chord. Harmony. ... a beautiful HARMONY of love ... I find it helpful to think of God in this way. God the Father is the Creator, the Meta figure, who I worship in awe when I see photos from Artemis of space. He is my “Wow!” God. Jesus is my Saviour, the one who suffered for me and understands my pain, my doubts, my failures, and still loves me. I can talk to him as he too was human. The Holy Spirit is that voice that tells me what I should be doing, those little nudges to inspire and guide me into doing better. Together they make that beautiful harmony of His love for me. Their music is the love song that powers the world and they invite us to join in. Come let us sing a joyful song with them!

With every blessing,

                                    Vivienne.