The members of the committee the parson had been meeting with all left. The church was silent on a Sunday afternoon. The parson entered his study, picked up a legal pad and plopped himself down on the sofa. Propping his feet on the coffee table, he began making some notes for next Sunday's sermon.
A noise caught his attention. Rising he cracked the door and listened to the silence. Suddenly a familiar voice said, “Ah, here it is.”
The
parson headed out of his study in search to greet his favorite
member. Rounding a corner he peered into the Fellowship Hall. Just as
his eyes focused on the familiar figure, a right index finger began
picking out a tune on the upright. The parson headed across the room.
“Well, Miss Ginger, what brings you to the church this afternoon. I thought the youth meeting was canceled.”
Ginger turned on the piano stool. “Hi, Parson. I came down here to get my Mom's notebook for her Sunday School class. She left it by mistake this morning.”
“When did you start playing the piano?”
“I took lessons when I was younger. That was a long time ago. Actually, I liked it but I couldn't take piano and play soccer too. So, about all I do is pick it out on one finger.”
The parson looked at the book sitting above the piano keys. “That's an old hymnal. Where did you find that?”
“Oh, this. Well I brought this down because I wanted to pick out the tune to this hymn. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Did people your age and my Mom's age sing this hymn when you were kids?”
“You mean the song you were picking out, 'In the Garden'?”
“Yeah, that one.”
“Sure, we sang it all the time. I remember on Sunday nights we'd sing that just about every service.”
“That sure explains a lot.”
“That explains a lot about what?”
“About the mess the church is in.”
“I must be tired, Ginger. I don't get it.”
The words, Parson, the words. Look the tune is wonderful. I really like the tune. But these words are terrible.”
The parson's brow wrinkled. “Why are the words terrible?”
“Okay,” said Ginger. She turned and reached for the old hymnal. Holding it in front of her she began to read. “I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses. And the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses. And he walks with me and he talks with me, and he tells me I am his own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.”
Ginger closed the book with a firm motion. “See what I mean?”
“I'm afraid I still don't get it, Ginger.”
“Parson, did you listen?”
“I listened. Help me out here, Ginger.”
“Parson, I can't believe you guys grew up singing this stuff. I, I, I, I and me, me, me, me. 'He talks with ME; He walks with ME; I hear; it falls on MY ear.' Parson, you guys grew up thinking Christianity was about you.”
The parson began to inwardly smile. A lesson was coming, he knew.
“Isn't it?”
“No, Parson, it isn't about us. It's about them and how much God loves them. You know what, Parson?”
“What, Ginger.”
“We shouldn't even be in the garden alone, anyway. We should be there with the poor children God loves.”
The parson thought about the sermon he had been making notes on. “Ginger, I'll leave you here to play the piano. I have to go to my study and make some notes.
“See you, Parson,” she said.
As the parson came close to his study door he heard the one finger version of another melody he'd sang in his youth. Note by note Ginger was picking out “Rescue the perishing....”
Graphic by subscription with Clip Art [dot] com
Exactly. Exactly.
You have to love that Ginger. :-)
Posted by: Songbird | September 01, 2008 at 08:09 AM
Are you going to help put together the "Sermons of Ginger: Getting to the Root"?
Posted by: DennisS | September 01, 2008 at 05:08 PM
Now there's a thought, Dennis. And if I use that title I'll certainly credit you.
Posted by: Questing Parson | September 01, 2008 at 05:21 PM
So is this lovely young woman going to help you write a book??? I think that you both have more than enough wisdom to share!
Posted by: beach walkin | September 01, 2008 at 05:51 PM
I'm not at all looking for any credit. So, please don't give it a thought - I really don't want any credit for putting something that basic together (Ginger & root). I just love your posts in regard to her, and I think your posts might make a good book - for whatever age group it is intended.
If you do put a book together, please be sure to let us all know!!!
Posted by: DennisS | September 02, 2008 at 03:46 PM
I love that hymn, but then again, I am old.
Posted by: Linda | September 02, 2008 at 08:19 PM
Point well made, but you know, I always just thought "In the Garden" was a corny old hymn until Milton Brasher-Cunningham wrote that the hymn's author had written that the "I" in the hymn is Mary Magdalene. That changed the way I thought about it.
Posted by: zorra | September 02, 2008 at 10:24 PM