How can I keep from singing?

"When my feeble life is over/ time for me will be no more/ guide me gently, safely over/ to thy kingdom's shore, to thy shore."

So I have totally legitimate excuses for not writing the past two days, both of them having to do with me actually having a miniscule social life. I refuse to drunk blog (applying to my birthday), or blog when I am so tired I can't see straight (applying to last night). So I absolve myself of all lenten slackness.

I recorded another gospel hymn last week. We sang it in the Rise Up Singing book at the monastery and I just felt so homesick and yearning for the soulful music that takes me back on the wings of a snow white dove ("pure sweet love") to the South. I think that along with "Softly and Tenderly" and "In the Garden" and "Near (In?) The Cross," that "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" is at the top level of my hymnal wedding cake tower. Except for maybe the song they sing at the beginning of Doris's church led by a toothless deacon who is probably near to a hundred if he's a day. Something to the effect of "Jesus is alright with me" and then at some point "It's alright, I can't hide/fight it, but it's alright."

But I was just thinking today how powerful this particular image is to me, this crossing over the river stuff. Rest beyond the river. Crossing to the other side. I got no boat so I'll be good and muddy when I get to the other side. My home is over jordan. They'll be no graves on that bright shore. Wade in the water. We shall meet on that beautiful shore. Of Death's cold wave I will not flee, since God through Jordan leadeth me. Maybe it is just growing up Southern Baptist that makes my soul so susceptible to river/water/washing imagery and this preoccupation with "the other side." Nevertheless, I love these hymns. They are hymns of comfort for the weary and they move the deep river inside me.