Today's Theme Song

It's not unusual for me to wake up with music running through my brain. Seriously, I have woken up singing. This morning's music is a piece that I was fortunate enough to learn and sing under the direction of its author, Dr. Horace Clarence Boyer. Dr. Boyer was a Professor Emeritus at UMass Amherst and one of the editors of the hymnal, "Lift Every Voice and Sing", which is filled with traditional African American spirituals. Which white people can't sing too well, but under his direction, WOW, we sounded great. WOW. I loved every minute of it.

This clip is of one of his compositions, It's My Desire. It's deceptively simple, really fun to sing, and it IS my desire to be like Him. Him being Jesus.

Unfortunately the first phrase was cut off in the video - ) :. Let me fill it in: It's my desire to be like the Lord, ...

The rest of the lyrics:

It's my desire to be like the Lord,

It's my desire to be like Him. (repeat)

It's my desire (To show that I care), to be a friend (Doing my full share),

'Til the end (Though it is so rare), through rain and wind (To kneel in prayer).

It's my desire (To be a soldier), yes it is (For His great cause),

To live my life as He did His.

The note that the soprano hits twice near the end, that's actually written into the music, and Dr. Boyer called it a "high hoo". I love that - a high hoo!

As I was looking around for a clip of this to post, I learned that Dr. Boyer died last year at the age of 73. R.I.P., my friend, I look forward to more great music in heaven!

Have a wonderful and peaceful week.