One of my favorite memories is playing on this piano when I was a young girl. I started lessons when I was 11 years old and practiced on an old upright piano in our living room. I wanted a newer piano so bad but my mom, wise as she was, waited until she could tell I had a true love for playing and bought me this beautiful Baldwin piano for my 16th birthday. I was SO excited! It has gone through some paint changes, several moves across 3 states, and lots of tune-ups, but it will always be one of my greatest treasures. My parents watched me play on it, I watched my babies play on it, and now I watch my grand babies play on it. It will never leave my family.
When I was a teenager practicing on this very same piano in our family’s front room, it was almost always a guarantee that I would hear my Daddy call out from the kitchen “play the Old Rugged Cross!” I loved getting requests so of course I would always play it for him. Then he would almost always say “play it again!” And I would play it again, often much to the chagrin of my brothers who were trying to watch TV in the den and ready for my practice time to be over. I played the Old Rugged Cross so many times for my sweet daddy that I knew it by heart by the time I left home.
Fast forward 7 years. I was 25 years old and my dad was dying. We were told he had 6 months to a year to live and so one day when I was over, he called to me from his bedroom to talk to him. I remember so clearly him sitting on the edge of the bed and saying “Punkin, I want you to sing at my funeral.” I looked at him and instantly choked up. In those few seconds that passed, I thought “No way. There is NO WAY I can sing at my own dad’s funeral.” But the words that came out were “Ok, Daddy.” I knew if I had even hinted that I couldn’t do it, he would have never asked me again because he wouldn’t want ME to suffer. I knew I had to do this for HIM. He had loved me my whole life and now it was my turn to give back to him. I asked him “What would you like me to sing?” His answer?
The Old Rugged Cross.
He passed away 2 weeks later as I sat beside him in his bedroom. Just him and me.
I did sing this song for his funeral along with his second request, Amazing Grace. In the days before his funeral, every time I practiced, I just couldn’t get it through it before the tears started flowing. My best friend’s husband was a musician and he suggested we record it on his sound equipment, so that’s we did and played it at the funeral. My mama loved that recording so much that she kept a copy in her car to play on repeat to anyone that rode with her, and it ended up being played not only at at her funeral but also 3 of my siblings. It will also be played at mine one day, in honor of being home with my family.
I haven’t played this song in years but as I sat down at the piano tonight, I just wanted to play it for my Daddy. I’m pretty rusty, but as I played, the memories washed over me and I was filled with gratitude for that old rugged cross and for a dad who clung to it until I watched him take his last breath. Just like he did, I will ALWAYS cherish that old rugged cross, for it is the reason I will get to see my Daddy again. And one day, we will lay our trophies down at the feet of Jesus….
Together.
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