This Reminds Me

Archive for the ‘Music’ Category

Like I mentioned last month - we’re getting ready for Easter.

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

We’ve had a chaotic couple of weeks with basketball, choir, Latin competitions, trading germs, etc.   Today’s been the first day in many that I haven’t sounded like a emphysemic sailor hacking up a lung.   When I feel cruddy, everything either wears me out (makes me sad) or riles me up (makes me mad.)  I got to thinking about what my mom used to squint and bark at me whenever I expressed these emotions:  “”Well you just better turn that ‘mad’ or ‘sad’ to ‘glad,’ Missy.”  Mom was never big on dispensing gushy buckets of sympathy.

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.

Baptists aren’t really “Lenten people” but our church family is preparing our hearts for Easter with this series.  Finding the 28 minutes a day for listening was challenging me.  So…..I’ve given up K-Love during drive time until I’ve finished hearing the New Testament.

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.

What else is there to say?  Or sing?