Tonight she helped lead worship for the students at church. Of all the things I will miss when she leaves, her beautiful harmonizing alto will be among them.

And really – when I see her leading the many to focus on The One – she could tell me she was going to drop out and dig ditches and I’d be just fine with it.

Maybe.

Well, not really.

But I do love to her my girls sing.

Speaking of music….we sang “Happy Birthday” to a certain 12-year-old this morning….but more on that later….

Lean to the left!  Julia is front and center.  She thought her placement was because she was not as tall as some of the other performers, but Rachel assured her only the good dancers made the front row.

This was the last elementary school play for Keith and me, having attended our first in 1996 enduring enjoying kindergartener Rachel belting out “Baby Beluga, Under the Sea.”  More memorable Woodworth moments on stage included Lois-the-sheep “molting” while white cotton balls slowly loosened from her shower cap, Hannah-the-Greek Goddness singing a duet of “Greece is the Word,” and Rachel portraying a sausage in a play (whose name escapes me) about food products.  Seldom had I seen pork played to that depth.

We’re entering a season of “lasts” and “firsts” at home.  “Last” school play.  “First” child” preparing to leave for college.  “Last” child in the children’s ministry at church.  “First” summer we could just stop somewhere on the way home from work if we wanted to.  “Last” Sister’s Day coming up where all four girls will be home.  “First” year of serious boyfriends.  And the beat goes on.

The chorus struck a chord with me:

Desert sands that spin and blow

Distant stars that gleam and glow

Desert midnight

Camels lie sleeping

Silver moon shines bright

Desert midnight

Silent sands keeping

Watch all through the night

I think those “desert sands that spin and glow” are the sands of time, swirling more and more quickly.

I’m watching.  Some days for the first time, and some days for the last.  But I’m watching.

(l-r)  Allison, Bailey, Katie, Kyle, Joey, Lois, Rachel, Brooke (Lois’ best friend) and Hannah

And they sang a capella – the way I learned to sing.  In fact, the congregation sang “Trust and Obey,” which – when I was a child – we sang every week at the start of Sunday School.  Not that my long-suffering teachers would have thought it made much of an impression on me.

I’m going to be humming all day……

I have been promised Mother’s Day lunch cooked on his Egg, encased in its new nifty concrete table/holder/base/thingy.

I am suffering through a really nasty. feverish, hacking-my-brains out cold.  So I blame the germs surging through my body for making me think of this video which Lois has played for our enjoyment countless times:

The Korean Egg Song - Music to Sneeze By

Enjoy.  Both Keith.  And the music.

Back to my Kleenex.

Julia’s practicing paid off – she joined her Shearer Hills Baptist Church choir buddies this morning leading us in worship.  Purely coincidence – Amazing Love played on K-Love yesterday morning on our way to the grocery store, so we belted it out in a trio with Chris Tomlin.   I get to listen to K-love again since I finished the Faith by Hearing New Testament series.  And in case you were wondering – Revelation sounds even more strangely than it reads.

Every few years, our church produces the Living Last Supper – a dramatic reenactment of the final Passover meal with Jesus and his disciples.  For the third time – Keith is portraying Peter, the big fisherman.  The disciples were, of course, really….ummmmm….young guys.  So it was suggested to Keith – perhaps a little cosmetology would be in order?  Maybe give a nodding acquaintance to Miss Clairol?

The Stylist Formerly Known as Rachel first pinned his brown and silver locks so the color could be evenly applied.  He’s not had a haircut in three months, so he has hair’o'plenty.

“There is no such thing as natural beauty.”  Truvy Jones

His middle name is now “Harley.”

Living Last Supper

Thursday and Friday

April 1 & 2, 2010

Tickets Free But Required – Ping Me, I Have Some

Shearer Hills Baptist Church

So here goes – tuning to Channel Glad now…..

The sad news from a Sea World last week made me glad Shamu didn’t see us as bathtub toys in 1998.  Though maybe Rachel had a few doubts at the time.

I know many friends really enjoy the Olympics – more power to you.  But personally – I’m glad they’re soon to be over.  They’re preempting “The Office,”  and that’s a show the girls and I watch together.  The last time I watched the Olympics was the 1972 night the Russians stole the basketball game via repeated do-overs.  I vowed I’d never watch again – and forgiving soul that I am – I haven’t.   U-verse – btw – has had a terrific application for the Olympics.

My continuing rancor at that travesty of a game is kind of funny since my favorite basketball player now is Russian.

There is little that makes me more glad than to hear my girls sing.  Tonight was Hannah’s pre-UIL concert.  That’s her – top row, far left.

“Walking in Jerusalem” really made me smile.  I just finished the book of John in “Faith by Hearing” yesterday.  I wonder about John.  What made him so beloved?

About two years ago, Julia caught a snippet of “Ben Hur” on TV and has pestered me ever since about seeing the whole movie.  “Mom, when are we going to watch that Jesus movie?”  I really didn’t think she was ready for it until recently.  I bought it last week (if I’d just waited one more week, I could have recorded it for free on U-verse – sigh.)   She and I are watching 30 – 45 minutes every few days.  Well, we probably watch 30 minutes, and have 15 minutes of questions.  She’s gotten the concept down – Judah Ben-Hur was a man whose life intersected with Jesus’ at different times, but Judah didn’t know who Jesus really was in those early meetings.  Last night, she told me, “Mom, that’s like us.  Everybody knows Jesus’ name but they don’t know who he really is.”   I was very glad to hear her say that.

From sad and mad to glad. 

Thanks, Mom.  I’m feeling better already.

Julia is sitting next to me right this minute, practicing the songs her choir plans to sing Palm Sunday.  This is her “I’m paying attention” face – because she is.  She takes her responsibilities seriously.

We met Julia four years ago today. She spoke - and sang - in Russian.   She didn’t know “family” and certainly not us personally.  She had no idea how long we had prepared, prayed, wept, saved, reorganized and planned to get her here, knowing God’s hand was it (but wanting human hands to move a whole lot faster.)  She had to leave everyone and everything she knew to leap into the unknown.   I believe her walking out of Children’s Home #47 with us was the single bravest act I’ve ever seen committed – anywhere at any time by anyone.

On Palm Sunday, she’ll led us in worship – in English.  And instead of her following us – we’ll follow her.

Just a moment ago, she began singing Chris Tomlin’s, “How Great Is Our God.”

How great is our God

Sing with me

How great is our God

And all will see

How great

How great

Is our God.

That’s right, Julia.

Get us ready for Easter.

I love Christmas music.  In fact – In 1994, Keith convinced me to abandon over-the-air TV for DISH because of its holiday music channel.  Pretty funny, since we both work on U-verse now.

Lois is top row, second from the right.  She was 15th chair region choir alto for Southeast Texas this year, too.

Tomorrow, it’s the children’s and youth choir at church leading worship.  And Monday night – Hannah in the Bush Middle School choir.

Gotta get my clapping hands ready!

Kanye West says it’s way better than that silly thang of  Beyonce’s.