With today being Good Friday a photo I had taken years ago came to mind.

The photo (upper left corner) was taken by me on March 31, 2001. It was while on Women’s Retreat with my Church and I was struck by the symbolism captured in the photo with the clothesline taking on the shape of a cross and all signs of laundry gone no longer needing to be washed.   The photo was tucked into my Retreat Scrapbook album and I knew that photo was in there! I took a digital photo of the 35mm print from my album today to include it here.

There are two songs I’ve been thinking of today: 1) “The Old Rugged Cross” – written in 1912 by George Bennard – performed by The Statler Brothers, one of my favorites; and 2) “Three Wooden Crosses” recorded by Randy Travis in 2002 and on his album Rise and Shine, written by Kim Williams and Doug Johnson. The album is one you will find yourself playing over and over.

I’m reminded that my love of these gospel songs is traced to both my Grandfather and Uncle. My Grandfather would love to sit by an old portable radio and I remember watching him sitting there listening to gospel hymns on his radio being sung by different quartets while tapping his foot and nodding his head. It’s one of my fondest memories of him. One of my Uncle’s favorite groups was the Statler Brothers and between 1991 and 1998 they had “The Statler Brothers Show” on the Nashville Network (TNN) and at the end of each week would close the show with the four of them singing a gospel song.

Using the technology available then my Uncle would record those closing six minutes using his VCR recording onto video tape. I still have my cherished audio cassette tape he sent me dated November 11, 1994. In searching you-tube I have found a few of those videos posted from the tv show.   I’ve got several of the Statler Brothers gospel CDs – what makes this audio cassette from my Uncle so special is that these recordings have it with the taped audience applause. Some of the editing between songs is a little abrupt but wow for the limited technology he had considering this was made for me in 1994 (all analog) it’s really great! That was twenty years ago he sent it to me.   A project I have underway is transferring this using a tape to digital converter and sharing with family members this year.

Think about if you can make the time this year to share a few of your favorite songs with your family and write a few words as to why – it is a great place to begin.

Tomorrow’s post will be a bit lighter but still keeping with the Easter theme.  Wishing you a continued Easter weekend of time to spend with families and friends and reflection.