Calling All Swedes and Swede Ams!
How important is “Children of the Heavenly Father” to people of Swedish descent everywhere? Very much so. If you know the song, and love the song, why not celebrate and expand the tradition by singing it once a week (and change the world in the process)? The Lina Sandell project begins here.
“Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara,” the tender hymn known in English as “Children of the Heavenly Father” was written by Lina Sandell in 1858. For the tribe of people into which I was born, Midwestern Americans descended from Swedish Evangelicals, this song is beyond sacred, providing a vivid, in-the-now-moment, description of a loving God, who is all-powerful, yet caring for individuals at every stage of life, which is carried on a tune so delicate and memorable that upon hearing, anywhere, at any time, even just a few notes, our deepest, oldest, and most meaningful reservoirs of love are accessed, the love of God the Father, memories of earthly parents, gratitude at deliverance thus far, and hopes for our own future and our children. Since we have sung this song at all manner of church services– baptisms, weddings, funerals, ordinary weekly services– attended by the entire community and by many already passed, the song also recollects the connections we have to each other.
If this is true of normally reserved midwestern American legacy Swedes, it must be true of other groups of people as well, Swedish or not, American or not, religious or not. Anyone who has heard and liked this hymn can connect with its beauty and join in this movement.
This song is a gentle, concise, reminder of our Christian heritage, and a persisting, free, bit of goodness from our childhood which is portable in the best sense of the word. It can be taken anywhere by anyone and sung a capella. And anyone singing the soothing, unadorned melody and taking to heart the metrical and profound lyrics is expanding the reach of God, beauty and assurance wherever they do so.
Which leads to the plan. We will sing “Children of the Heavenly Father” or “Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara” every Wednesday at seven pm, 19:00, wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, and in whatever language we prefer. Sing it silently in your own head if you must. Sing it loudly and proudly if you dare. Let Lina ring. If this is your normal time for family worship, so much the better. Just add this song each week and create a new tradition. If you’re alone with the television, turn it off for a minute and sing the song. If you’re in a group, have everybody join in. We all know the first verse already, and in time we can commit the remaining verses to memory. Positive devotional benefits come from memorizing hymns, especially this one.
If enough people in enough time zones join in, someone will be singing this beloved song on the hour for every hour of every Wednesday. What was once Prince Spaghetti day in the North End of Boston can become “Children” day around the world. Let’s keep this song, and the traditions it echoes, going for a few years more. Let’s take this plan around the world. Invite everyone anywhere who loves the tune. As you see your world transformed, take notes, report back, and spread the good news forward.
A world with “Children of the Heavenly Father” ringing out every hour, every Wednesday, would be a much better world.
Here are some more web versions of the tune:
Tryggare kan ingen vara- Projekt 1173 (Swedish hip hop version)
Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara (Swedish punk version!)
