Linda the Song Writer

You probably never knew that I was a song writer, did you? Not many people know this about me, unless you live in Sarasota and attend the St. Paul Lutheran Church there. Our church had a once a month get together called a Coffee House. People took turns entertaining or sometimes we just played games and ate snacks. In August of 2002, I received a reminder that the Coffee House had planned to have a song writing contest. I had no intention on entering this contest until the day of the Coffee House! I had never written any songs or even THOUGHT about writing any songs! As I was driving to work that day, I was thinking about how discouraged Bob was about the cleaning company we had bought in May 2001. It was not doing well financially and Bob was really down about it. I decided to say a prayer right then and there and turn it all over to God. A tune and words just popped into my mind! It was just the craziest thing that had ever happened to me! By the time I got to work, I sat right down and wrote my words out on my computer. I hummed my tune over and over in my head so I wouldn't forget it. When I got home that evening, I picked out the tune on my old, $100 piano that I had bought in Dallas and taken with me to Sarasota. I know a little about song writing, chords and such since I played the piano and flute when I was in junior high and high school. I also took music theory then, intending at the time to teach music. I wrote the melody line to my song onto a piece of lined paper. I hadn't played the piano in a long time and I had forgotten how to actually play with my left hand. If I had the time, I'm sure I could have put chords with the melody line, but I intended to SING my song, "Say a Little Prayer to God" THAT NIGHT at the song writers show! And I did! I got up on that stage all by myself and I sang three verses of the song that I had written that day and picked out the melody with my right hand only, on the piano! I didn't win, but I was very proud of myself for doing this. I wrote two other songs after that one, but "Say a Little Prayer to God" was the winner! My dad who is a musician, helped me put chords to the song and he and his wife Susan performed with me for a church service later that year. Here are the words I wrote:

Just say a little prayer to God. He listens to what you say.
Just say a little prayer to God. He will help you through your day.

If you're having a hard time coping,
And your problems get too much to bear,
If you toss and turn and cannot sleep, but you really do care.

Just say a little prayer to God. He listens to what you say.
Just say a little prayer to God. He will help you through your day.

If you're sinking beneath life's burdens,
And you don't have time to rest.
If you're taking on all life's problems,
And you're trying to do your best.

Just say a little prayer to God. He listens to what you say.
Just say a little prayer to God. He will help you through your day.

If you're tiring by so much to do
And your days are wearing thin,
If you think there's no one there to help,
But you want to try again.

Just say a little prayer to God. He listens to what you say.
Just say a little prayer to God. He will help you through your day.