Make a Joyful Noise

March 25, 2024

When I moved to Italy, I expected to miss a few things; I expected to miss my friends, my family, certain sporting events, ranch dressing etc. I did not expect, however, to miss singing. I miss driving in the car and singing along to pre-2006 country music. I miss grabbing my ukulele or sitting at the piano and fumbling through a few songs whenever I was home alone. I miss screaming You & I by Lady Gaga in the shower without worrying about neighbors hearing me through my paper-thin walls. I miss going to church on Sunday morning and singing with the congregation. I’m not a singer, but it's all I've been wanting to do lately. It’s like I have some intrinsic need to make a joyful noise.  

Speaking of joyful noises [*pats self on back for that super smooth transition*], I’ve been waking up every morning lately to the sounds of birds chirping. At first it was pleasant, because birds chirping means spring is here, but after a few days of waking up to the cooing pigeons I got annoyed. So, one morning this week, when they woke me up particularly early, I got up and found a liturgy to read “Upon Hearing Birdsong”:

    You draw praise

    from the frailest of things.

    So also draw praise

    from me.

Creation inspires praise. Just a few days ago I visited Lake Garda, and the beauty of it struck me. There’s nothing quite like looking at a body of water and not being able to see the other side… you feel so small. My friend and I sat and listened as the waves crashed against the shore, pushing and pulling shells with them, creating a song of their own. Creation inspires praise, as it points to the Creator.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;  

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God. 

It is he who made us, and we are his; 

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving    

and his courts with praise;    

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;    

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

-Psalm 100

It’s Easter week—Holy Week. It’s one of my favorite weeks of the year, because it’s a week I’m reminded of how loved I am. I’m reminded that I get to serve a God who died for me. The God over the earth and the waves and the birds in the sky. The God who came to meet us where we are, to show us love, and to give us life to the full. The God I get to call "friend". How could I not want to sing for joy?!

Have a happy Easter week!