~Mosaic Monday~~

Sabers, Rifles and Flags

You are the music while the music lasts. 

~T.S. Eliot~

The results of the District Band Competition were not as we had hoped.  But that doesn't detract at all from the grace and the music performed.  Marching band requires skill in many areas and long hours of practice.  It means giving up time in the summer to practice.  If you are guard member it means learning the dance and maneuvering the saber, rifle, and flag with grace and this leaves me in awe.  I cannot tell you how much I admire these young people, all, who do their best and entertain as well.  

Memorial Tigers

Well Done!

And Kellie, especially, thanks for the memories!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Visit Mary at The Little Red House and share in the beauty offered there.   Lisa at  Macro Monday  also has much to offer.  The pictures are grand.

I would also like to remind you that Wednesday is Adventure Tour Express.  Be thinking about the adventure you would like to share on our journey together!

Music Monday-- CANTICLE OF THE SUN

I have joined this today because I wish to share the Glory of God. I found this opportunity at Blessings for the Day. She has chosen a lovely song and thought I would offer one of my favorites, The Canticle of the Sun by Mary Haugen. Have a grand day praising the "glory of our God."

If you wish to join in this Music Monday visit Shawntele's lovely blog Saved By Grace each Monday for a musical and inspiring start to your week. She hosts Music Monday where we are invited to post a song or video. This meme is a fun and easy way to do that. It is a delightful place to visit.

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God!!!

Music In Prayer

High Museum
Atlanta, GA
April, 2007

St. Augustine once said, "that a song sung, is a prayer prayed twice." So even when I am humming a song I am often reminded that I am, indeed praying the words as they run through my mind. Consider there are 150 Psalms. Early Christians recited them daily. Hear the Gregorian Chant during prayer. Music is centering. Music is harmony and discord. Music is life.

I reflected on these words by Archabbot Lambert Reilly, O.S.B. from his book Latin Sayings for Spiritual Growth.

Cantare amantis est
("To sing is characteristic of the lover")
St. Augustine

When one is in love one can't stand still and keep quiet. One must speak to the beloved. One must speak of him. And sometimes, filled with the love that is too much for words, one must sing.

The Psalms are our love songs to God. Some are attributed to King David, others to unknown figures, all of whom bring forth tin their songs all the sentiments, emotions, feelings, and desires that anyone who knows love is able to experience.

It is the Spirit who inspires the lover and it is the lover who sings the glorious dependence on the Lord God in the Psalms, the prayer book of the Holy spirit.

But I will sing of thy might;
I will sing aloud of the steadfast
love in the morning.
For thou has been to me a
fortress and a refuge in the
day of my distress.
O my Strength, I will sing praises
to thee, for thou, O God, art
my fortress, the God who shows
me steadfast love.
~Psalm 59:16-17~

So it is as a lover of God, one's music becomes a gentle offering of prayer. Voices lifted in praise, thanksgiving, petition and repentance, like incense, rise to heaven as an offering to the Almighty God! Whether gifted in voice and music or not, one should not be restrained from offering this gift. And so I say to one and all, "SING!!!"

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God!

Schoolhouse Rock

Lisa at Are We There Yet brought back some really fond memories of times spent with the kids on Saturday mornings when she asked if there were any songs that came to mind. So, Lisa, here is my offering! "Thanks for the Memories" (That's a different song altogether!)

Wishing all a Grand Sunday and fond memories. Thank you, Lisa!

~~*~~*~~*~~

Thanks be to God!

Alleluia by Randall Thompson

Kellie and Winter Guard...

Tonight Ron and I were able to go to an exhibition of the Memorial High School Winter Guard, Drum Line, and Cadet Guard. Kellie was part of the Guard during Marching Band season. When one of the girls broke her foot early in Winter Guard, Kellie was asked to perform with them. Quite an honor for an 8th grader.

I tried to video with the digital camera but apparently I was not able to tape the entire performance of either the Cadet or High School Winter Guard. They both end abruptly, but you can see most of the Winter Guard's performance. I was trying, like any good grandmother, to keep Kellie in the frame. I was pretty successful I think, but all the girls are very talented. They have been competing weekly now for the last 5 weeks with their final performance to be this weekend, barring any bad weather.

The music is Phantasmagoria.



We were grateful for the chance to see them perform. And we wish them success this weekend!

***
For being a grandma I say,
Thanks be to God!

The Way of the Cross

While I was on retreat last weekend, we were able to attend an organ recital in the Abbey Church. Marilyn Mason was the artist who gave the recital and was the first to perform on the organ after it had been newly install in 1963. She had numerous 1st's, but the one that stands out most vividly for me was the fact that she had been Professor of Organ at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor since 1947. She is the longest tenured professor in the university's 190 year history. This gifted, demure lady was still educating others in the art of music!

Fr. Gavin was the narrator for the recital and we all sat in anticipation of the music as well as the narration and pictures that would accompany it. Though Fr. Gavin's voice fairly "sang" as he spoke the words of the stations, the pictures were heartrending. The music itself was the most dissonant and discordant I had ever experienced. Yes, experienced. For in the hour and one-half that I listened to the music, I found I was in pain. There was nothing beautiful about this music. It hurt the ears and the organ fairly cried in pain itself. With each station, though I hoped the next offering would be less harsh, but I knew better. And at the end, I was exhausted!

The stations are never easy, but on reflection, and I did reflect for some time on this, I found it was not about the music. No, this was the screaming of pain our Lord must have experienced each time he was mocked, scourged, spit upon, crowned, and marched under the weight of the cross to his death. And for what? Yes, indeed for what? It was all for the salvation of my soul. All so that one day I might see Him face to face. He did this out of love for me, in Love of me.

Finally, I realized again that this is why the Resurrection is such a joyful reality. We must endure the pain of this life in order to experience the joy of our Resurrection. Hallelujah!!
Amen!

~~~~~~~
For the Love of Jesus I say,
"Thanks be to God."
~~~~~~

Addendum: For those who are interested I found a information about the composer of the Stations of the Cross. It is very good. The essay is at Music at the Chapel of the Cross.

In Concert

To Benefit Habitat for Humanity!!!

John Angotti will be here at St. John the Baptist Church December 14 to perform in concert to benefit the area's Habitat for Humanity. Habitat has been even more evident in our lives here since the tornado of November, 2005 destroyed so many homes. They have touched us with their diligence and generosity in housing those who are without homes or lost them as a result of that tornado. More important, Habitat also give us a perfect opportunity to do the work of God in participating in His beatitudes.

I would ask that you pray for the success of this concert. Better yet, if you can be here, come and give thanks, praise, and enjoy the gifts of our God in music!!! John Angotti is a dynamic performer and a zealous "worker in the vineyard".

~*******~

Thanks be to God.

District Band Contest...

Waiting for the Memorial Band to perform, Neil, Ainsley and Lindsey did some art work of their own.

Much to my chagrin, my attempt at taking movies of the Memorial High School's performance at the District Band Contest Saturday was not very good. I had never used my digital camera to take extensive movies before and so did not set it up very well. There is another chance, though for me to redeem myself as the band did advance to regional competition in INDY in two weeks. In the meantime I will see if I can perfect the skill and maybe get better pictures to share with you.

We had a great time at any rate. We took Ainsley and Lindsey with us and they were a joy. They seemed to really enjoy all the band performances and Ainsley even gave a "YaHoo!" after Memorial completed its competition.

A funny aside of the afternoon came when Ainsley was standing next to me watching another of the bands perform when she broke into song herself. She had heard the song early that day before we came to pick them up for the trip...she was singing, "Bye, bye Miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry..." Her rendition was really very good, even if it was out of context from the band performing. She was singing it again as we left Wendy's after dinner. She said, "This is my favorite song today." Was so glad we got to share in it.

OH!! When I told the girls we needed to be still for a few minutes while I read the map so we wouldn't get lost. Lindsey said, "You mean like Grandpa did on the way to MT?" Laugh!!!!! Oh my goodness. Didn't think they would remember that but I guess Grandpa now has a legacy, at least two of his grandchildren will never forget.

******~~~******

Thanks Be To God!!!

It's That Time of the Year...

IT'S FALL! And...


For the first time in YEARS Ron and I went to a Marching Band Invitational. My how times have changed. The last time we were at a marching band event was when Wes was a sophomore in high school. I guess that would be in 1989? It was a lot of work then...but, my, it seems with the addition of sound systems, et. al. the work is multiplied.

I must tell you that I was in awe of the talent and skill of those who marched. I was struck, too, by the dedication of those who planned, choreographed, and worked (maybe "toiled" is a better word) so that the performances were presented with beauty and grace. I personally know from working with the North Knox band that this is not an easy task and though it all appears to work out front, without those behind the scenes, mainly family and friends, it just won't work. And to think that this is not the work of a few weeks, but the work of all for the entire year! For as one year ends, plans for next year have already begun. Whew!!!

I think Psalm 98 speaks to this. It is clear that there is value in "Sing[ing] a new song to the Lord" and each time, whether we are aware of it of not, we should be glad of the opportunities to witness His work again in all things. Yesterday I was able to see it and today I can rejoice in the memory.

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth,
break into song, sing praise.
Sing praise to the Lord with the harp;
with the harp and melodious song,
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
shout with joy to the King, the Lord.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell there.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with joy,
Before the Lord who comes...

Psalm 98:3-8

~~~~~~~

Thanks be to God!!