“You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” Deuteronomy 6:7
Yesterday I described how I enjoy daily or many-entried books with my teen boys (and actually, all throughout my parenting!). I mentioned a book yesterday that has a theme that I would like to elaborate on today: hymns.
We are not musicians/singers here. We have a couple who know a little about singing and can sing pretty well. We have two piano players, one drummer, and two dancers (Mom and Dad!). However, we are not what one would call a musical family.
However, to enjoy singing and worshiping God, we have found that being a musician or singer is not necessary! In addition to singing and listening to music most days, we have also enjoyed studying about songs and songwriters.
We are currently doing a book that I love called “101 Hymn Histories.” This books has 101 hymns (music and words included for each one!) and a one-age excerpt about each one—its author, its history, etc.
For example, did you know that one major thing that Martin Luther’s theses and the following reformation did was bring congregational singing out? Prior to that, the people themselves did not sing much. And did you know that his “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” was the beginning of this? Do you know how powerful and moving the words to that song are? We do…we just read it today!
I will put links below to some “song books” that we have used. Happy singing!
*”101 Hymn Stories”– https://www.christianbook.com/101-hymn-stories-kenneth-osbeck/9780825434167/pd/34165
*”101 More Hymn Stories”– https://www.christianbook.com/101-more-hymn-stories/kenneth-osbeck/9780825434204/pd/34203?event=CF
*Then Sings My Soul” (our son, Jonathan’s favorite right now)– https://www.christianbook.com/then-sings-my-soul-volumes-1/robert-morgan/pd/5168 (two volumes listed there)
*”Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas”—we read from this one every Christmas!– https://search.barnesandnoble.com/Stories-behind-the-Best-Loved-Songs-of-Christmas/Ace-Collins/e/9780310239260/
*”My First Hymnal: 75 Favorite Bible Songs”—the one I used to do everyday with my toddlers– https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000T044UI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0634056727&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1DXSNXV0QHW25YZ2P3EH
