Ready to SINGGGG

So I went to church this morning and immediately began to smile. Being around joyful people is contagious- and the two times I have been able to spend time with this small group of people, I just feel like the sun is shining a little bit brighter.

One of my favorite things in the Dominican Republic is that everyone is a singer.  And they all believe that they sing WELL. I will let you decide whether you believe that it is possible for everyone- and I mean, EVERYONE- in a particular country to be gifted at singing, or not.  But regardless, believing yourself to be a talented singer translates that you sing LOUDLY- and by loudly, I mean, at the TOP OF YOUR LUNGS.  And this, well, it just brings a smile to my face.  Every single time.  There is something inspiring, something incredibly joyful, about singing with all of your strength.  Giving it everything you've got.  And well, this morning, it WAS contagious, and I began belting out the songs too.  I was singing LOUD, the kind of loud that you sing in the car with the radio blaring. Because when the music is blaring, you sound GOOD.  and yup, I most definitely sounded good this morning. and I mean gooood. And thankfully no one lowered the volume of the music to prove otherwise, and really, there's no need to ask Nicole her opinion on the matter either.  ;)

I left there with joy in my heart and the thought that in this new year of 2012 I desire to be more intentional. I want to intentionally live and serve here in the Dominican Republic with all the same gusto that I sang with this morning.  So here I go... ready to SING.  I'm asking for grace ahead of time, because it's a given that I'm bound to sing out of tune at times, but I hope that others will still recognize that my heart most definitely is in it.