THE SONGS OF MY FATHER

          My father grew up in the beautiful rolling hills of western Pennsylvania near Clymer, due east of Pittsburgh.  He graduated from a small school as a tall and skinny-legged young man who was quite shy.  Those of you who knew Bodie Siverd might be surprised to find out that he was once  very bashful - - a trait he would outgrow.  Throughout his life my dad seemed to struggle with some degree of xenophobia or agoraphobia - - large crowds made him uncomfortable.  When he and mom celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary we tricked him into going to The Shaker Woods Festival.  Had we apprised him in advance about the mass of humanity that would quickly descend upon the bucolic woods of Columbiana county he would have surely put on the brakes with both feet. 

          My father met my mother while stationed in the Navy in Pensacola.  After his baptism into Christ, they married and took up residence there, worshiping at the rather large West Hill Church of Christ (now known as the Gateway Church of Christ).  I have no recollections from those days of dad ever participating in leading anything at church.  He attended, but he did not serve communion; he did not word prayers; and he certainly wouldn’t be found leading singing.  Soon we moved to Ashtabula and began worshiping with a much smaller congregation (the West Avenue Church of Christ).  It was there that my father seemed to blossom.  He began doing things he had never done before.  Although he wasn’t a song leader, MY FATHER SANG.  He couldn’t “read music”, but my daddy sang.  He didn’t sing loudly, but he sang nonetheless.  His simple act of worship  helped to formulate and nurture my thinking and actions throughout the days of my youth and adulthood.    

          Hearing the songs of one’s father in worship to God is more important than we might realize.  How impressive it would be if all dads would bestow this simple gift upon their children.  The apostle Paul urges us all to engage in speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord” (Eph.5:19).  How blessed my life has been to have heard the songs of my Father.

                                                                           Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ