Saturday, September 5, 2009

Saturday's Song - Turn Your Radio On

Since tomorrow is my grandma’s birthday I wanted to do a song that reminds me of her.

I can always remember singing this song with her and my grandpa in the truck on the way to logging camp. My grandpa was a logger and every summer they would pull their trailer up to the area he was logging and take one of us grandkids (8 in Idaho) at a time to stay for the week. While he was working we would spend time with grandma playing hundreds of games of Yahtzee, walking on the logging roads, picking up pinecones or rocks and just spend quality time together. There were times where we would pick huckleberries too and in my recent trip to pick huckleberries, the scent of them reminded me of such. I think bonding times like these are important for grandparents and I think that is one of the reasons I was so close to them.

I was raised on Southern Gospel quartet music and I can also remember hearing it played in their house many, many times there was many an occasion when their house was always filled with kids, grandkids, friends or other family where they'd put on the records and we'd all sing along. I can also remember grandma always having the radio on in the kitchen to KBGN and most of my memories I remember a sermon going on, but there were sometimes there would be music too.

My grandma always has had a sweet and loving spirit. I can’t ever remember her speaking bad about or to anyone. If we ever got into trouble with her, we had to put our nose in the corner or if mom and dad were around and we’d get in trouble with them she would hate that we were in trouble and try and get us out of it. In doing a Bible study just recently on our mind and thoughts, I was having to do a lot of reflecting and realized I have an easier time of forgiving and not letting any bitterness consume me. I let things go pretty easily and figured I have gained this wonderful personality trait from my grandma. She was a huge peacemaker and I want to be more like her in that respect.

My grandpa passed away 6 years ago and grandma is in a care facility with Alzheimer’s. I don’t make it home very often anymore to get to see her much and the last trip home (last January) it took her a few minutes to realize who I was. If you’re reading this and are unfamiliar with the Alzheimer’s disease it affects the short term memory. They may ask you the same question 5 times in the span of 10 minutes because they forgot they have already asked it or they can't remember what they ate at their last meal but they can remember events of what happened 50 years ago, like it only happened yesterday. In the last year, I’ve had a chance to talk to her a few times and she talks more about when she was a little girl than she ever did around me and I cherish hearing her stories. This is the 3rd grandparent I’ve had that had this terrible disease and each case has been different. I get teary eyed, even now, just thinking about and knowing that there may not be too many more years where she is around.

If you know my grandma, please leave a comment about a memory you have about her, I would really love to hear them. (This is from the last time I was home)
Turn Your Radio On
as performed on one of the Gaither Homecoming videos

Come and listen in to a radio station
Where the mighty hosts of heaven sing
Turn your radio on turn your radio on
If you want to hear the songs of Zion coming
From the land of endless spring
Get in touch with God turn your radio on

Turn your radio on turn your radio on
And listen to the music in the air
Turn your radio on heaven's glo-ry share
Turn the lights down low and listen to the Master's radio
Get in touch with God turn your radio on

Don’t you know that everybody is a radio receiver
All you have to do is listen for the call
Turn your radio on turn your radio on
If you listen in you’ll be a believer
Believing on a truth that will never fall
Get in touch with God turn your radio on

I included this specific video because it has some comedic material to it…making it a little longer.

1 comment:

  1. Hey Girl, Thanks for honoring your Grandma and my Mom. I saw her for a while Wednesday. Took her a card with photos and yellow roses, which were her beloved Charlie's favorites. The home is having a birthday party for her tomorrow. Her cell #is 570-1336. She most often forgets to answer it.

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