Sunday Hymn

Glory And Praise To Our God (Schutte)

(refrain)
Glory and praise to our God

who alone gives light to our days

Many are the blessings He bears

to those who trust in His ways.

*We the daughters and sons of Him

who built the valleys and plains,

Praise the wonders our God has done

in every heart that sings.

*Every moment of every day

our God is waiting to save,

always ready to seek the lost,

to answer those who pray.

Thanks to everyone who wished me birthday happiness...it may have been self-indulgent to "inform" you all...but the result was fun and encouraging! I don't know how to respond to a couple of you, but I really appreciate your comments!

As for my day...

• the pedicure has still not happened (my Dad got home too late...so I threw a little fit...came to my senses and realized that, of course, that was not the most important thing in the world...apologized...hope to get it tomorrow night.)
• the friends who were coming over for dinner and cake got caught up in shut-down interstate traffic from a wreck and didn't make it...unavoidable but still a bummer..but the cake was good anyway:)!
• after these two happenings, I had real concerns re: Sat. breakfast...but that was great, as was today's choral concert.
• I was lucky enough to be serenaded via phone by 2 groups of adorable children...and by my Uncle Willard on the violin. (if only Willie had called and sung too!)
• My wonderful parents, Neuenswander aunts, and others always come through w/great cards and gifts.

It's been a full weekend, and I feel blessed to have family and friends who care....blessings on you all.

Happy Thoughts...

Years ago my friend Susanna gave me the great little book Happy Thoughts to Get You Through the Day. I've been thinking of it as I've tried to toughen up a bit for my Bday tomorrow...(and yes this is a shameless attempt to have you wish me a happy day!:) I've actually had to do the math a couple of times to remember how OLD I'll be...yikes! So...here is my little but varied list if what's making me happy these days:

• just started rereading Vienna Prelude (Thoenes)...it's refreshing that's it's still so good! My friend Andrea and I are trying to plan a trip there this fall...so this is to help me get in the spirit of things..so far it's working:)
• so glad that I only have a "few" gray hairs appearing...they're there, but they could be much worse!
• this has been a week where I've been able to get a "little" caught up on things around the house...I am not much of the happy homemaker type, but I do like things kept as well as possible...and do enjoy the extra time to bake/cook a good meal/get laundry done.
• this weekend I am singing in a choral performance of Durufle's "Requim"...it is so beautiful...amazing organist for very tricky organ score...this community/college choir has had more downs than ups this semester, but thankfully things seem to be coming together.
• I plan to get a Bday pedicure tonight...always a good thing!
• no huge Bday events planned...but tomorrow night we'll be having dinner w/family friends...(and there will be cake!) then Sat. morning breakfast w/a friend...nice.
• Been listening to my newest Michael Card CD...(The hidden face of God)...it has ministered to my heart.
• Phone calls...that challenge, recharge, and make me laugh and laugh!
• Feeling a little silly for getting caught up in the blogging craze (or maybe it's just me that gets a bit over invested) but at the same time, it has been refreshing and uplifting to connect more with you my friends and feel your love and prayers in my life.
• And finally....so truly aware that "happiness" only comes from the Father above...from His presence and the knowledge that He is with me. I recently read someone's views about God's being "in control" of every "detail" in life...I guess that was comforting to them. Frankly, that view of micromanagement just doesn't make sense to me...certainly doesn't comfort me...I'm not a theologian, but so thankful that my theological underpinnings do not support such thinking. Obviously this is a huge subject that I am not going to even attempt to reason out here, but I am thinking on it because I am THANKFUL for foundational teachings and a belief system (shaped by wonderful parents) that hasn't left me confused or alienated in tough times....but has protected and pointed me to a God who desires to be with me...in the good and the bad...and that's what brings true happiness.

Strawberry Jam & other stuff...

So...this was "supposed" to be a weekend where my wonderful friend Dorinda was coming for a long-awaited visit...that didn't happen. Her unexpected health concerns kept her from being able to come....and so instead, I spent much of yesterday making Strawberry jam. And I will say that it turned out DELICIOUSLY! (In case you're not aware, this area of LA grows alot of strawberries...we even have a festival.) Not sure if there are any big object lessons here, but I do think that in times when you're disappointed...when "stuff happens" as it will... it's generally better to keep busy...and stay as happy as possible. (trusting that all is ok for Dorinda and looking forward to whenever a visit can happen:)

Other happenings:

• Played for a big wedding last night...played the entrance/exit on a fabulous pipe organ....only problem w/that is that I am not a fabulous organist...but it worked out fine...and the very young children saying their vows didn't seem to mind one way or the other.
• Can't say I really missed being at IHC this week...(do miss seeing friends) but it was "interesting" to hear via the internet...and really amusing to see the pictures of two of my blogging buddies kiddos running the sound...too funny! (genius)
• It continues to be so difficult to follow the Va. Tech tragedy...even more so as all the details emerge... so much pain. And so much fallout yet to come. I wonder if we will continue to see such incidents in a culture that is so sad and alienated from each other and from our God. Here's some good insight from Peggy Noonan: http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110009962
• And finally, faced again with life's fragility as my best friend's Mom is in the hospital very ill. This is the not very great part of being a "grown-up"...the responsibility and fear of seeing those we love age and struggle. Not a fun note to end on...maybe I'll go eat some Strawberry jam....

Reality

Sometimes it's hard to accept the reality you are living in...the news from VA has been so hard to see and hear...another tragedy. There has been much talk about the "coming together" of community...of how important it is in crisis times to BE with the ones who love you best...that's one of the foundational pieces that helps us cope and start to go on when we wonder if we are able. Last week (April 12th) marked the 7th anniversary of my mother's stroke...an event that changed the reality of life as I knew it. (Thanks to my friend Tara for "remembering".) The following thoughts are some from a letter I sent to a small group of friends who were critical in helping me survive a very large crisis (have purposely held off this posting, wanting them to receive the letters 1st...and just not comfortable "listing" the names.) I wish I could say that from this learning experience I am now an always reliable friend to others in times of need....the truth is that's not always the case...I mess up...sometimes too self-absorbed, busy, or tired and miss opportunities. I hope others have mercy for me...we all need it! And I hope we are learning to take better care of each other...we all need that too.


{This may be the strangest form letter you have ever received! And this is certainly the 1st of this type of letter that I’ve ever written. Yesterday marked the 7th anniversary of Mom’s stroke...(hopefully the beginning of a perfect year:)...hard to believe in some ways but easy in others. That evening began what has been a very long, unbelievable journey....in many ways a nightmare. However, as in all things, it is important to notice the good things gained along the way. For me, one of those things has been the "living in reality" part...I am wide awake to what really matters and what is peripheral...to who are the people I can really count on in this life.
For me, that 1st night of the stroke occurrence and subsequent days are mostly a big blur. But what I do strongly remember are the people who came and "stood in the gap" as we entered this terrible time of crisis. There were many people who came and called and helped and prayed....a very long list for sure and each one appreciated (and it’s always dangerous to make such a list and risk leaving someone out).....but in the end, a few of you stand out in my mind as someone who supported and kept us/me from falling apart. I think it is important to remember and reflect and say to you "I applaud your ability to be there for me in the crunch time!" Certainly others have found their bearings and been a great help in later days, but I consider you someone who was there from the very beginning....who didn’t falter, and who helped me see the light in a very dark time. }

Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours, no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion
is to look out to the world.
Yours are the feet with which Christ
is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which Christ
is to bless all people now. (Teresa of Avila)

Recognition....

I have been recognizing myself in the writings of others...in Tara's quest for authenticity, Julia's discipline to NOT be self-centered (never thought she was anyway:), Sarah's noticing of her non-ability to tell a story (one of the many reasons I always love having Sonja around...I like being the sidekick!), and Marty's worries that her writing isn't "good enough". What I love the most is the honesty. And I realize how easy it is to only present the best in any new endeavor...so grateful to know such "Real" people.

{On a total thought tanget, my favorite of messages from my campmeeting days was John Parker's on "realness" where he actually read from The Velveteen Rabbit....awesome!}

Also, in reading the profiles of others, I kind of shocked myself by noticing that I had NOT included in mine any reference to myself as a "Christian". Others of you had such nice descriptions and even creative ways of saying it...so what's up w/me? I do strongly identify myself as such, but do I, in some sense, separate myself from the spiritual in concrete identification if not practice? Maybe it was an oversight, and not sure I will be changing the actual profile (I think I've made myself clear in other ways), but this is food for thought. I noticed that I didn't "forget" to list my educational background....am I too identified by that? I do value it, but certainly that is a risk as a single (and "nonworking") person...to overstress that in my value system. Believe me, I truly realize how little I know, and how MUCH I've forgotten of what I did learn!! Please keep up your writing that challenges me...the pics. and fun stuff is great....but maybe challenging each other's complacency is one really productive quality of the blogging world.

Enough rambling...(but thanks for listening)...here's some actual concrete stuff:

• I'm loving the increase of traffic here...but it's freaking me out a little...so I took off my last name...with that name, you can find out just about anything about me pretty easily!
• my Dad left today on a short business trip...always stressful for our family.
• a couple have mentioned a blogging book club....my recommendation would be Prayer (Philip Yancey)...I received this for Christmas...have read only 3 chapters so far and it's so good. Here's a quote I read today on the subject of prayer that is worth sharing..."To pray for one another is, first of all, to acknowledge, in the presence of God, that we belong to each other as children of the same God." (Nouwen)

Don't you like the concept of belonging....hmmm...now that's a whole other blog!

Easter night

I have really enjoyed all the comments I've gotten to catch up on this Easter night (even the sarcastic:) I need to figure out how to respond to the "thousands":) Excited to hear that more friends are joining this little world.

It's been a day: Got up...got stuff ready to take to cousin's....(drank coffee)...played at an extraordinarily well attended Easter Mass...drove madly to get to my church on time...(drank a little more coffee)...had nice service at our church, including doing a 1 day old arrangement of "God Gave The Song"...(my pastor even did the recitation...if you know my pastor you know he does a mean recitation:)...immediately after church had cantata practice...went to family lunch at cousin's and had 1st Coke in 40 days:)...picked up sandwiches for after-church party...got home and made mini-cheesecakes, cleaned-up, mopped....(and drank more coffee)....had final cantata practice...had a good communion service (loved playing "There Is a Fountain")...successfully did the cantata...had the cantata people over...cleaned up...(had more coffee...this time decaf.) That about covers it!!

You have to wonder, where was the time to focus on the true meaning of Easter? It actually was in there...in the purposeful rejoicing...time with family...listening to the Story told again in a new way...praising with other believers. Both ministers I heard speak called for "living the resurrection....it should make a difference in everyday life." And here was a quote I loved from (of all places) Mass this morning...."Growth in Holiness is not a discipline of comparison among the group, but rather an evaluation of our individual responses to the Redemptive plan. In other words, Bloom where you're planted...that's where holiness happens!" That may not be shoutin-grounds for some, but even on this busy Easter day, how important to remember that God expects MY best..and is honored by the gifts I willingly bring. The expectation is not about how perfect or polished my life may be, but about what is surrendured...that makes it beautiful.