August 11 - Nine Years

Bear with me for just a bit, and I'll tell you what our wedding could possibly have to do with anything Irish...

Nine years ago today, a full-blooded and a half-blooded Norwegian were married in a Norwegian Lutheran church by an old Norwegian pastor (my grandpa), but it was the Irish Whistle that accompanied all our wedding music -well, all except Michael W. Smith's version of The Lord's Prayer.

My piano teacher, Pastor Brian Lother, was going to play piano for our wedding, so we met to talk over the songs. He pointed out what I hadn't noticed - that several of the hymns I had chosen had Celtic roots, especially the one my sister Leah was going to sing. He asked if I'd like his son Micah to play his Irish Whistle. Oh, yes, would I ever! The music was beautiful (in my unbiased opinion).

As far back as I can remember, I have loved the sounds of Celtic melodies and instruments. Though I didn't realize it until Pastor Lother told me, it made sense that my favorite hymn - the song Leah sang at our wedding - is an ancient Irish tune called St. Columba. The lyrics are based on Psalm 23 and were written by Reverend Sir Henry Williams Baker, an Englishman who lived from 1821-1877.

If you like Irish music or hymns or both, take four minutes and listen to this beautiful rendition by Skip Cleavinger with the uilleann pipe ~ Ireland's bagpipe.

The King of Love My Shepherd Is
(Click here to listen)