A Garment of Praise

When I read Ann's words last week about a habit being something we wear, I thought of Miss Anita from the church I attended as a child and where my husband and I took those first tottering steps together into the world of church life and ministry.  Dear, precious Anita, whom my husband will tell you taught him to pray as he listened to her quiet humble prayers; prayers which always ended in tears, always hers and often mine.  She requested the same song from our chorus book on Sunday evenings, always this one:

Put on the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness;
Lift up your voice to God.
Praise with the Spirit and with understanding.
O, magnify the Lord.

This is the year of Praise for me, and like Miss Anita, I will wear it as a garment, my daily habit.  I will put it on each morning first thing and try to be mindful throughout the day that it is about me.  I will place reminders about my home for those times that I forget what I'm wearing and why I am doing whatever I happen to be doing.  Reminders like this scripture which is now before my face multiple times a day ... placed prominently in the place where I find myself so often at home (but that's next week's post!): 


1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Isaiah 61:1-3



What are you wearing these days? :)