If you look back at the post for July 2 - 3, you will see that I began to hear music for the first time in years, not just the rhythm and percussion. Each day since, I've spent time - sometimes hours - listening to music on my car radio and computer, allowing my brain to relearn what music sounds like. Every day has been better. The real "breakthrough" has just occurred!
Last Thursday my Audiologist made program adjustments to my CI and hearing aid. I turned on my radio to my favorite Classical station and felt immediately that I was hearing a more vibrant sound.
When I could hear and enjoy music - thirty-five years ago - I became friends with an exceptional family. The Ditchfields were members of the church I began to attend soon after I made the life-changing decision to become a Christian. They were outstanding Christians as well as exceptional musicians.
Stan, the "patriarch" of the family, although not a musician, was also a talented painter who over time became my best friend and a bestselling artist in the art business I was starting after my income and "early retirement" disappeared.
Today, Stan's son, Steve, is the "patriarch" of The Ditchfield Family Singers, now numbering nine virtuoso members - all family - and not including a non-singing daughter, Christin, the author of more than sixty books! There are, besides, six grandchildren.
Just goes to show what can be accomplished when you really set your mind to building your own choir!
The Ditchfield Family Singers are renowned from coast to coast for their close harmony and unique family blend, highlighted in the mastery of their a capella repertoire.
As the years progressed, along with my hearing loss, I could no longer hear the amazing harmonies that characterized their many appearances throughout the country and on TV, but the visual beauty and energy in each show still made attending worthwhile.
I watched their performance schedule, which you can see on their website, and knew they would be presenting a production: And Sings My Soul on Saturday, July 21st, three days after the programming appointment with my Audiologist - and four days before my eighty-seven birthday on the 25th.
What if the new programming allowed me to experience a concert in the way I remembered - able to hear every word and every note? Would that be too much to ask - even of a loving and attentive Lord and Savior?
The new programming went well. I knew as soon as I left the office. Over the next three days, my hearing improved by leaps and bounds!
On Saturday, thirty-five years of hearing loss was pealed away! I not only saw my friends - my brothers and sisters In Christ - I heard them in the glory I remembered!
O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
And when I think of God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
- Carrie Underwood
The technology that, day-by-day, is opening my forgotten worlds is truly amazing. It's the result of work by many gifted scientists, researchers and technicians working independently and together = human intuition, ingenuity at genius levels.
In my device, there are eighteen electrodes extending from the receiver implant just behind my ear into the cochlea. They can be programmed individually as I watch my Audiologist manipulate the digital "sliders" on her computer.
Sounds are picked up by the microphone in the audio processor which analyzes and codes them into a unique pattern of digital information. The implant interprets the code and sends electrical pulses to the tiny, inch long, electrodes in the cochlea. The auditory nerve picks up the signals an sends them to the auditory center in the brain. All of this happens instantaneously.
That's when my supernatural God takes over! The brain He "implanted" in each of us recognize these signals as natural sound.
As miraculous and life-changing as this technological gift is for me there is a more excellent gift available to "whosoever will" accept. It is recognition and submission to the Creator of all human intelligence - the one and only God. It is not a religion. It is a relationship - not one that will only last a lifetime, as my CI, but one that is eternal with infinite benefits for all who accept the free gift.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Wow Me Harrison, just seeing this, how great you art!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your doing great.
Do you know when next meeting is and where? I haven't heard anything about the meetings.
Thanks Kathleen