Grandmother’s Singing

My grandmother’s name was Luz. “Luz” means light in Spanish, and I honestly can’t think of a more fitting name. I’ve been thinking a lot about her lately as it was the first anniversary of her death just a few weeks ago. She was truly a light and guided everyone around her. In the 1970s she initiated the move that brought her, my grandfather, and their four children from the Dominican Republic to New York City. In New York City she was the first in her family to become a Christian. A few years later, she helped plant a church that even today continues to be a pillar of the community where it stands. My grandmother was truly a light. But I didn’t always see it that way.

Early Morning Singing

When I was a kid, I only knew my grandmother as strict. She had a lot of rules. When I went to her house, I had to sit up straight at the dinner table, and I wasn’t allowed to walk around barefoot (my favorite thing!). But the worst of it all was the singing. The early morning singing! My grandmother woke up every morning at 5:00 AM to pray and to sing. And no matter what time you went to bed, if you were in her house, you were awakened at 5:00 AM to the sound of a woman singing her heart out.

When I was 14 years old, I slept over at my grandmother’s house, but instead of spending time with her, I went out with my friends and didn’t come home until 3:30 AM. I was shocked to see she had waited up for me, and I prepared myself for the inevitable tongue lashing. Instead, she looked at me for a few seconds and said, “Jael, you know better than that. I’m glad you’re home. Go to bed.”

Grandmother’s Commitment

I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and noticed that it was 3:40 AM by the time I dozed off. I was startled awake by the sound of my grandmother singing and looked over at the alarm clock to see the time. It was 5:00 AM.

That was the moment that I learned to love my grandmother’s early morning singing. From that simple act, I learned more about consistency and integrity than I had ever before or ever since. My grandmother was able to do remarkable things in her life and in the lives of others because no matter what happened in her daily life, she always showed up to talk to and sing to God.

I pray to have half the commitment my grandmother had. She was truly a light.

The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him (Proverbs 20:7, ESV).

If you liked this, you might also like Singing In the Night | Why Singing to God is Good For You and Your Kids 

Jael Amador writes from New York City.

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