Hi,
This is April and welcome to the April Sings a Lot podcast,
Where each episode I'll share a story and then a song and invite you to sing along.
This is my story.
This is my song.
I have been walking around the neighborhood with my son since the first week that we had him home.
I had him in a stroller and I was pushing him around the block.
And it helps my sanity.
And I think it helps him to be out in the sunlight.
So that's just been part of our routine,
Weather permitting,
We're outside every day.
Now,
As he's gotten older and able to sit up and things,
We put him in a stroller where he's facing the same direction I am and I'm pushing him.
So I'm behind him and he can't necessarily see me as I'm waving to different people that we pass that are working in their yards or driving by or running,
You know,
Whatever it is.
I always wave and don't even necessarily say,
Hey,
But just kind of,
You know,
Acknowledge the person.
Well,
I've noticed recently that he has started waving the exact same way that I wave.
Now,
You might say,
Well,
Of course,
Because that's how you wave.
But honestly,
He's never seen me wave because he's always in front of me.
And it freaked me out.
I thought,
How is he like picking up on these mannerisms that he's not even seeing?
And then I realized he's not mimicking me.
He's mimicking the people waving back at me.
Because people wave back at you the way you wave to them.
Right.
So if I'm just kind of raising my hand and like a just a brief acknowledgment that I see this other person,
Then that's probably what they're going to do as well.
And so that's what he is seeking.
And so then that's what he is emulating.
That made me think about when we find people are treating us rudely or,
Oh,
My gosh,
That person was so rushed or didn't seem very considerate.
I think now to myself,
Are they mimicking behavior that they're seeing in me?
Like,
Am I coming to the situation completely calm and cool and collected?
Am I coming to the situation at peace?
Because if I'm not,
Then that person might be feeding off of that energy and then it just escalates and everybody ends up frustrated.
It reminded me of when I was directing choirs and I would be just incredibly excited and happy.
And then the choir members would be looking at my face so excited and happy.
So then their faces are excited and happy.
Well,
Their faces are facing the congregation.
And so then that makes the audience happy.
So just more and more examples of how our life is a reflection of how we are showing up in it and all the more reason to show up as much at peace as you can be.
Today's hymn that we'll be singing is You Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace.
For Jesus himself will be our leader.
So we shall walk through the valley in peace.
And I invite you to sing that along with me and throughout your day,
Throughout any situations that come up,
Maybe before you walk into a meeting or walk into a grocery store.
I know at least right now,
It seems that every situation is heightened in intensity because we're all just a little on edge still from the virus scare and people are wearing masks.
So you can't really see expressions as much as you usually do.
And then if people aren't wearing masks or aren't wearing them properly,
Then that can make people even more nervous.
And so just more than ever.
Let us walk in peace.
So let's sing this together.
We shall walk through the valley in peace.
We shall walk through the valley in peace.
For Jesus himself will be our leader.
We shall walk through the valley in peace.
There will be no sorrow there.
There will be no sorrow there.
For Jesus himself will be our leader.
There will be no sorrow there.
We shall meet our loved ones there.
We shall meet our loved ones there.
For Jesus himself will be our leader.
We shall meet our loved ones there.
We shall meet our Savior there.
We shall meet our Savior there.
For Jesus himself will be our leader.
We shall meet our Savior there.
All right,
That concludes our episode.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you enjoyed it,
Please consider sharing it with a friend.
And if you haven't become a subscriber,
I invite you to click subscribe in whatever platform you're listening to this on.
Okay,
Without further ado,
Here's a cute or funny or embarrassing outtake to conclude the episode.
I will talk to you again soon.
We shall walk through the valley in peace.
Valley in peace.
There will be no sorrow there.
Sorrow there.
There will be no sorrow there.
I've just made it up.
