Christi Register is blind but she sees life in a way that others don’t and it’s “just beautiful.”

When God made Christi, He made her with a smile on a face and a song in her heart.

That’s the way her mother, Gwen Register, explains the happiness that surrounds her daughter.

“Christi is always happy and she’s always singing,” Gwen Register said. “She brings happiness to everyone around her. She is a joy in our lives.”

Christi was adopted when she was three days old and there was never any doubt about taking a blind baby into the Register home.

“We loved Christi from the first time we saw her,” her mom said. “She is love and she is loved.”

For Christi, life is but a song.

“I love music and I love to sing,” she said. “I know the words of just about every song in the hymn book and all the words to the songs on the radio and television – songs that I like.”

Christi’s favorite kinds of music are gospel, bluegrass and the old-time hymns but she also likes country and some pop tunes.

“I love bluegrass. Ralph Stanley and his Clinch Mountain Boys are some of favorites and I like James Taylor,” Christi said. “I just like music.”

Christi sings at home and God has blessed her with a good voice and the ability to memorize and remember the words to many songs.

“I sit in the rocking chair and sing and I sit in the swing and sing,” she said. “Everywhere I go, I sing.”

Recently, Christi and her mom attended the Chuck Wagon Gang’s concert at Macedonia Baptist Church Park. They sat on the front row where Christi could be close to the outdoor stage.

Christi sang along with every song, that the “Gang’ sang, even the oldies from the original Chuck Wagon Gang back in the mid-1970s.

At intermission, Shaye Smith, who is the granddaughter of Anna Carter Gordon Smith of the original Chuck Wagon Gang, went over to Christi and her mom.

“She had noticed that Christi was singing along with every song and she was amazed by that,” Gwen Register said. “She asked Christi if she would like to come on stage and sing with the ‘Gang.’ Of course, Christi said she would.”

“I was not nervous at all,” Christi said. “It was an honor to sing with the Chuck Wagon Gang.”

After the singing, Smith wanted to give Christi one of the Gang’s CDs.

“She asked me if I wanted a CD of the original Chuck Wagon Gang or one from today’s” Christi said. “I told her I didn’t want to hurt her feelings but I’d rather have one of the old Gang. I really like them.” Those who don’t know Christi might think singing on stage with the Chuck Wagon Gang was the most exciting event in her life, to date. Those who know Christi, know it was not.

“Christi is happiest when she is doing something for somebody else,” her mom said.

Christi volunteers with Hospice Advantage in Troy. She plays bingo with the residents at Noble Manor in Troy and volunteers at the Brantley Senior Center. “I like to be with people and I sing and talk to them,” Christi said. “It makes me feel good to do something for somebody else.”

Blindness has never stopped Christi Register. She can’t see but God has blessed her in so many ways and with the love of so many. “It’s wonderful to be loved,” she said. “I can feel it and it feels good.”