One day as I was driving to the workshop I tuned my car radio to our local public radio station. It’s one of the few that still plays mostly classical music. As I was listening I heard a familiar piece of music that moved me in a new way. My heart engaged so fully I was almost on the verge of tears.
I was listening to a selection from Handel’s Water Music.
As I listened, my heart was filled with praise to the Lord.
I wasn’t sure why… so I did a little online research. Though I knew the name of the piece, I was curious about Handel and if there was a backstory.
It seems that Handel, most known for composing The Messiah, was a man of faith, described as a devout Lutheran, generous even in his times of poverty, caring for the orphans and those in debtors’ prison. Some have said that he also demonstrated less than graceful behaviors on occasions. However, a close friend remarked, “He died as he lived—a good Christian, with a true sense of his duty to God and to man, and in perfect charity with all the world.”
His friend Sir John Hawkins commented, “Throughout his life, [he] manifested a deep sense of religion. In conversation, he would frequently declare the pleasure he felt in setting the Scriptures to music, and how contemplating the many sublime passages in the Psalms had contributed to his edification.”
Water Music was written for England’s King George at a time when the monarch needed to do a little posturing. There isn’t anything quite like floating down the river in barges with an orchestra following with amazingly beautiful music to get people talking about you in a positive way.
It seems that Water Music was written to be “memorably tuneful and made fashionable use of the dance forms typically found in the Baroque suite. Ultimately, Handel was careful to keep His Royal Highness’ ear from tiring with a perfect measure of festivity and finesse.”
Of course, we do not really know the man, nor his heart, nearly 400 years later. And because I’m no musicologist I really have little understanding of his music or that background. What I do know is that I love listening to Handel’s oratorios and orchestrations. Somehow they cause my spirit to fill with joy and I kept reading about Handel in hopes of understanding, why. And then I came to this…
A sense of humanity imbues his music as well—a point often made by conductors who compare Handel with Bach. But where Bach’s oratorios exalted God, Handel was more concerned with the feelings of mortals. “Even when the subject of his work is religious, Handel is writing about the human response to the divine,” says conductor Bicket. —Smithsonian Magazine
Water Music is playing as I write and my heart is again filled with inexpressible joy.
I may not know the motive behind the piece. Though it seems historians would suggest that this was merely a piece geniusly crafted to please the king and profit his pocketbook, we really do not know Handel’s heart and what meaning may behind those carefully arranged notes.
What I do know… is that the psalmist admonishes us to…
Sing a new song to the Lord;
he has done wonderful things!
Sing for joy to the Lord, all the earth;
praise him with songs and shouts of joy!
Roar, sea, and every creature in you;
sing, earth, and all who live on you!
And when I listen to Water Music… my soul is doing just that.
I may not be utilizing my vocal chords, the keyboard, or horn, but that does not diminish my praise one iota.
Whatever avenue or channel you use to sing for joy to the Lord… SING!
Allow your whole heart and spirit to SING.
The experience will change your outlook… your demeanor… and revitalize you right to the core.
When we praise and worship our God… purely because HE IS WORTHY… we, too, are blessed.
Sing a new song to the Lord;
he has done wonderful things!
It’s JoyDay!
One way we can praise and worship our God is through thanksgiving.
Please join me in looking back over the past week and counting all the wonderful and amazing things God has done. And with hearts of praise list just seven here. It will cause your joy meter to soar. Guaranteed.
I’ll start…
Thank you, God for…
- how YOU fill our hearts with joy when we take delight in YOU and in praising YOU.
- my dear friend and her thoughtful, late-night gift of “pumpkins on a stick.” They make me smile every time I look at them.
- your wonderful provision. My heart is full.
- laughter and fun times with my good friend.
- Handel and the joy that fills my heart as I listen to his music.
- farmers’ markets and bouquets of dahlias in October.
- YOUR amazing love and grace. Thank you!!
Now…it’s YOUR turn!
List your ‘seven’ in the ‘share your extraordinary thoughts’ section below. You’ll be glad you did.
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ONE MORE THING…
Do wish you could take better pictures… for your family or sharing on Instagram or maybe for your blog?
Wouldn’t you like to know some quick and EASY ways to use your camera in manual mode and get really good results?
My good friend, Jennifer Carroll of Celebrating Everyday Life is an excellent photographer and magazine stylist and publisher in addition to being a blogger. Over the years I have admired her mad photography skills and encouraged her to put together a course for those of us who needed to improve our photography skills.
I’m thrilled to announce that Jennifer has indeed created such a course!
I have had the privilege to preview the course and have already put to work several of her many tips. You may have noticed an improvement in the photos here on the blog. I’m totally amazed by my new found confidence and skill.
If you would love to create magazine-worthy photographs… then you absolutely MUST sign up for a FREE video training of her new course.
In the previews, Jennifer is generously sharing some incredible tools you can immediately use, at no cost to you.
I can’t encourage you enough to sign up for the FREE preview sessions. Please use my link here to register. It will be the best thing you’ve ever done to enhance your picture taking skills!
Thanks so much for popping by today!
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Joy Day!
It always amazes me how our Lord calls us to him. He will use music with me as well. I will cry with praise every time I hear Canon in D. Don’t know why, I just do.
I thank you Lord for,
1.Classical music
2. You calling to me Lord, and I know your voice
3. B. came home from hospital
4. The fire fighters are starting to get the California fires contained
5. Granddaughter (age 2) came to play. We had the best time jumping in squares (hopscotch) playing Barbie’s and painting our nails. 3 different colors
6. J. got good news from Dr.
7. Last week in S.F. area we had an Amber Alert. But all ended happy.
And I also thank you Diane for your time and energy you put into this Happy Place for people that you will never meet in person. You bless us! Thank you?
Blessings to you!
Minnie
Minnie, you always bless me when you join in the conversation. You always have something meaningful to share. Thank you!!
I rejoice with you in God’s goodness… be blessed this week and may your joy cup overflow!! xo
Joy Day!!!
Thank you again for sharing such insight!!!
I’ve seen your faith shine through in these posts
1. Such a quiet day
2. I heard birds today
3. I got to attend a mini reunion. Everyone that could make it got together in our hometown to visit. It was a beautiful time!!
4, help when needed
Stopping in to celebrate joy with you here today Diane. My schedule tells me that I have no time with only three days until our photographer arrives, four days to the broker’s open house, our Pod being picked up this morning (all the extras going out the door for staging) and not even finished packing it yet. Yet my spirit tells me to take a moment to breathe before beginning another busy day. I’m listening to Water Music as I type.
1. Strength for a new day.
2. The anticipation of new things ahead.
3. God’s perfect timing that pulls things together in amazing ways.
4. Time to stop and listen the music!
5. A husband who makes up for my deficiencies and vice versa 🙂
6. Beautiful online friends that inspire onward and upward (Diane).
7. HUGE answers to prayer – HUGE! My family member, whom I’ve grieved and wept over for the past couple of years has turned her life around. 60 plus days clean and sober. I am blessed beyond measure at God’s glorious goodness. Today my JOY is FULL!
Patti… it is such a joy to have you join us here today. I now know that you indeed made it in time for the photographer and hiked the entire width of the Appalachian Trail… both amazing accomplishments. 😉 (I couldn’t resist that little tongue in cheek addition.)
My heart rejoices with yours in that HUGE answer to prayer. God is faithful and I know you have prayed unceasingly for this answer.
Hope you have time to rest and restore for a little while… soaking in the goodness of God’s grace and mercy and love for you and yours. {{hugs}}
Beautiful post Diane! I love the photos. God bless you sweet lady…
Thank you so much, sweet friend! May you sense God’s amazing love and grace in your day! {hugs}
I’m so glad to be your neighbor at Barbie’s today. I’m blessed by your sweet encouragement. I love Handel’s music and I appreciate the backstory.
Singing is one of my favorite things so making a joyful noise unto the Lord fills me to the full. Blessings on your week.
I’m so glad I took the time to do a little research, Mary. It’s good to know that there is a heart for God behind Handel’s music. When one lives with Hope in their heart it seems to naturally infuse everything, doesn’t it.
Thanks for stopping by, Mary. May your week overflow with JOY!