Teaching Hymns

A variety of thoughts and fellings have led us to the decision to actively teach hymns to our children.

A while back one of my friends was telling me a story about her three year old son, who had done something naughty. He was banished to a "time out". As he sat there she could hear him singing "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!" Cute story, it was, but I came away thinking- wow! I don't think my kids even know that song!

We sing a great variety of music at our church- many hymns included. However, I don't think that individual hymns are sung often enough that my kids could "learn" them the way I know them. Thus, we began singing them at home.

Many years ago we added a hymnal to our home library. We don't have a piano, and neither of us play any musical instraments, but they hymnal has been a valuable tool for many reasons. Sometimes, a song is stuck in your head and you just cannot think of the rest of the words-- out comes the hymnal. Sometimes we sing a hymn at church, and I need to re-process the song during my own personal quiet time-- out comes the hymnal. L will pull it out and open it randomly and just "sing" little kiddie songs... she calls it her "singing Bible".

There are so many good doctrinal truths in the classic hymns. It is a great source of vocabulary words, and beautifully written language. We have talked about "atonement" and "God in three persons, blessed Trinity" and "break down every idol, cast out every foe".

And all we do, is sing them. Usually a new one every two weeks or so. Before bed, usually, but some other random times of the day, too. If we forget, one of them is quick to say- Hey, we need a new song! They love it.

It brought tears to my eyes on Sunday when the three kiddos stood up straight and beamed as we sang "Holy, Holy, Holy" in church- because they knew the words. Now they felt a part of the worship time, too!