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As I walked through the hall on Monday morning I heard the band playing in the music room. I was surprised to hear them playing one of my favorite songs. I guess it wasn't so much that they were playing it, but when they were playing it. I walked in and listened to them finish playing Pomp and Circumstance. Instantly I thought it was the second week of May and I needed to get the gym set up for graduation.
Have you ever heard a song, or maybe it was a smell, that instantly transported you to another time and place? It is amazing how our senses can trigger a memory or make us think of a situation. Sometimes this is positive, but not always. People may hear or smell something that causes fear and anxiety to rise up within them.
I know for some of our students and alumni they hear a song and it takes them back to a chapel service they had during their time at Valley. God reminds us in Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble." No matter the circumstance, God is present with us in our lives. I hope there are moments when a sound or smell transports you to a place of joy and comfort. I also pray that as you go through life, no matter the circumstance, you remember that God is ever present and always a source of strength.