"Let your speech at all times be gracious..." Colossians 4:6
In college, she was a member of The Chorale. It is there that she learned to train her voice. While she would not have made a spectacular soloist, as a loud, clear alto, her voice was perfect for a choir setting.
Growing up, I can remember her singing songs from her Chorale days. For a while, there were many songs that I had only ever heard the alto harmony version of! One example is A Wonderful Day Like Today.
My mom's love for singing carried through to her spiritual life, singing praise and worship songs as she went about her daily tasks. It wasn't until I was older that I realized not all moms sing Christian songs as they fold laundry. As a little girl, I often watched my mom stop whatever chore she was working on in order to close her eyes and lift her hands in praise: no accompanying music required.
At Mass, my mom was that woman who, without realizing it, competed with the lector leading the songs. Many a family would turn around afterwards and compliment my mom for her beautiful voice. And while such compliments may give some a little ego boost, it didn't even phase my mom: the way she saw it, her voice was just a gift from God that she in turn was giving back to him in praise.
"Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving and give him praise; Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise." Psalm 95: 1-2
All this is not to say that my mom could hit every note perfectly... There may have been a few songs that gave my sisters and I reasons to tease her, especially since one of her favorite singers was Sandi Patti. ;)
Synonymous with her nature, even my mom's speaking voice was gentle and soothing. As a teacher and mother she most certainly had her assertive, no-nonsense voice when necessary but even then it never strayed from it's calm, collected beauty.
I believe it had something to do with the fact that, for the most part, she simply did not speak if her words did not have a positive purpose. She never gossiped and nary a complaint left her mouth, even during the two years that she endured chemotherapy.
"She opened her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31:26
note: My mom passed away in October of 2013 at the age of 55 after a two year battle with breast cancer.
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