Shoba’s Corner: Any Excuse to Sing!

“Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father.”

Ephesians 5:20 Message

I was about 13 years old. It was a beautiful summer evening in Chennai, South India and we had visitors at home. The large windows of the living room were all opened wide, the lush green of the garden was framed by Amma’s carefully selected floral curtains. 

Mother was dashing to and from the kitchen serving food and making drinks to specific tastes. This was something Amma loved- a hall full of people, laughter and conversation! After a while, I could hear Appa’s loud voice call out to me. He called out a few hymn numbers as he distributed the hymn books.

My shaky, nervous fingers then played the hymns as everyone sang. Amma usually stood by the piano to give me encouraging looks and a ‘you are doing well’ smile! I was always relieved when the singing was done and when my legs stopped shaking! This was a regular happening as Sudhan and I grew up- singing with friends and family. 

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:19 NIV

One of Appa’s friends had left this black, upright gleaming piano in our house when they moved overseas. Knowing my parents' love for hymns and church music, I think this was an answer to their prayers.

“(God) satisfies your desires with good things.” Psalm 103:5a NIV.

Soon after, I became a piano student with Mrs. Gita Menon, one of the city’s finest pianists. Though she lived in the other end of town, thanks to the generosity of Uncle Kamalaratnam and his family I learnt to play. Uncle’s daughter Jayanthi, (my dear friend) and I went for classes with our mothers in a chauffeur driven car, every week for the next several years. Piano classes, practice sessions, piano exams- became part of life.

This piano which witnessed our growing up sitting in the corner of the dining room was claimed by its owner the week after I got married and left home. Imagine that!!

When Amma told me that the piano was now gone I could not believe it! That tall, dark upright had surely been a part of our lives. It was God’s provision. Just what we needed and for the right time!

“Abraham named that place ‘The LORD Provides’ and even today people say ‘On the LORD’s mountain he provides’.”

Genesis 22:14 The Good News Bible

When we started our own little home, Ranjit bought us our own piano, also a tall upright from a nearby town. It was carefully hauled into our 3rd floor apartment and had traveled miles by train to reach our home. So again, our tryst with the piano continued with our sons- music lessons and hymns.

When we moved from Chennai to Auckland, New Zealand, buying a piano was definitely not on our list. Our boys were 14 and 18. We used to go to a nearby church to practice piano. An hour a week was what we could manage. 

A couple of months after our move a dear friend invited us over for dinner and as we finished the meal Jenny said that they would like us to please have one of their 2 pianos. We were stunned. The shiny brown upright was moved to our home the very next Saturday and to this day it stands in a corner of the living room. As I play and sing hymns I am filled with thankfulness and joy!

“I will sing and make music with all my soul.”

Psalm 108:1b NIV

Once when Meshak visited us from university he brought this song - music and words. We sat around the piano and sang together.

Thank You, God, for Your Blessings on Me by Jeff and Sheri Easter

There’s a roof up above me

I’ve a good place to sleep

There’s food on my table

And shoes on my feet

You gave me your love Lord

And a fine family

Thank you, God, for your blessings on me!

Huddled around the piano we sang- Ranjan and Meshak on guitars, Mike on the piano and me bursting forth in praise! And the piano knew that we would find every excuse to sing to God the Father!

I will sing to the Lord all my life.

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Psalm 104:33 NIV