Truthfully, I CAN'T ... Sing!

This week's Truthful Tuesday question is:

What talent do you wish you had...

but don't?

Well, the answer to this question is - for me - ridiculously simple. 
 

I wish

 

I

 

could

 

sing.

 
Never been a singer. 
 
Barring a miracle ... never will be.
 
I work in ministry (moms and children) and have taken Spiritual Gifts Assessments (if you'd like to try ... click here for an online version) as a tool to assist in recognizing where God has gifted me so that I might exercise these gifts for Him (as if I've no clue ... I really do, but ... these are fun, right?).  Anyhoooooo, not once have I assessed my gifts to discover that I've a gift in music - neither instrumental nor vocal.  Not once ... and not a DROP of gifting in this area.  Believe me, I have NEVER blessed anyone musically!!!
 
Of course, I blame this on my parents ... that's who we blame all our shortcomings on, right?!  It's part of the parental job description.  My dad is completely tone deaf.  His singing voice is truly the worst - the sort that would make the bloopers segments on the Americal Idol trials.  I've only heard Dad sing a handful of times EVER (he's self conscious and for good reason, I'm afraid ...), but the first time I heard him sing, it was both the most awful and beautiful sound all at once. 
 
We were in the church I grew up in.  The pews were divided into three sections facing the cross, and we were in the section to the far left right smack in the middle of the section - neither closer to the front nor the back.  We went to church EVERY Sunday, but when we worshiped in song, Dad would just stand with the open hymnal, following along - perhaps praising and worshiping in his heart, but NEVER ever opening his mouth or uttering a sound ... not even humming.  Nothing.  Not ever. 
 
On this day, though, we turned in the hymnal to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".  The organist ran through the last line on the organ as a prelude of sorts, paused dramatically, and then plunged into the first verse dragging the congregation along with her.  It was with complete and utter shock that I heard beside myself my father's voice singing along.  And not in a quiet timid sort of way that would have befit the unquestionably un"gift"ed sound coming up from his throat and out of his mouth.  He sang loud ... and proud.  He LOVED that song.  ("My favorite", he told me later.)  And while I recognized immediately why it was that he never sang publicly ... I also detected something beautiful in his voice, something as awesome as his voice was awful.  It was something that I can only describe as a "spirit song".  It was ... I think ... what God must have heard.  Heartfelt praise and worship of the only One who is worthy.
 
So, my consolation over the fact that I sing only slightly better than my father ... is that my Heavenly Father surely hears something beautiful when I open my mouth to worship Him - and that when I am with Him in Heaven, I will surely have a passably good (if not magnificent) voice ... after all, we're promised in Revelation that there will be NO MORE PAIN ... :-)
 

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

- Revelation 21:3-4

Judy Garland (who actually CAN sing) sings The Battle Hymn of the Republic" to commemorate the death of President Kennedy.

Soooo ... What Talent do YOU wish you had ... but don't?

To play along (or find out what talents other folks are hankering after), head over to "Confessions From a Working Mom" and link up (or poke around)!