Category: Music
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“O Lord, I want you to help me”
If you were confined to jail for several months, and you were allowed to get together in the jail chapel with the chaplain and a few other inmates for an hour once every two weeks to have a time to read the Bible, share your thoughts, pray for each other, and sing a couple songs,…
Marian
Amazing Grace, friends, God’s love, help me, help me on my journey, help me on this journey, How Great Thou Art, inmates singing, jail chapel, jail ministry, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, O God help me, O Lord I want you to help me, Precious Lord Take My Hand, reflections, singing, spirituality, Surely the presence of the Lord, talking with God -
My Mom’s Wedding Ring
I wore my mom’s wedding ring to church on Sunday. I sometimes wear the ring when I want to feel that Mom is especially close to me. Often that’s when I’m planning to play some extra special music on the piano or organ at church, and I know Mom would really enjoy listening to it.…
Marian
Be Still My Soul, Bill Gaither, church family, church music, coffee hour, East Koshkonong Lutheran Church, extended family, family of God, Finlandia, friends, God’s love, God-given gifts, His Eye Is on the Sparrow, In the Garden, life calling, Messiah Lutheran Church, mom, organist, pianist, reflections, Sibelius, the Family of God, wedding ring -
Another Talk with Abbey
Late Sunday morning, after I got home from church, I was sitting in the La-Z-Boy in my office reading the newspaper. Abbey came up to me and sat down. I could tell by the look on her face that she wanted to talk. She started by asking me about church. “Mom, how did the music…
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Working Together – Joy or Drudgery?
Last night Mim and I went to a fundraising concert for the jail ministry of Dane County. Chance Allies, a Madison group of three musicians – a female vocalist, a pianist, and a bass player, performed lots of jazz classics, mostly from the era of Cole Porter and George Gershwin. It was a wonderful evening.…
Marian
accomplishments, assisted living, blogging, Chance Allies, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, David Allen, fundraising concert, goals, God-given gifts, jail ministry, jail ministry fundraiser, jazz classics, jazz combo, jazz musicians, life calling, life challenges, listening for God, Lucas Koehler, Madison jazz musicians, reflections, spirituality, Tisha Brown, UCC pastor, working together -
I should have known better …
Last Tuesday I did something really dumb. As a 65-year-old, I should have known better. The day started out fine. I spent the morning working on my computer in my home office. I was working on a mailing to promote my new book, Come, Lord Jesus, Be Our Guest. I knew I just had the…
Marian
65-year-old, Abbey, caffeine, coffee, Come Lord Jesus Be Our Guest, Costco, cup of coffee, daily devotions, devotional book, dumb thing, eye doctor, God’s love, I should have known better, iced coffee, insomnia, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, mailing, mocha freeze, mochas, new book, praying, praying for others, reflections, sarah young, sleeplessness, spirituality, talking with God -
When Bad Things Happen to Good Birds
This morning I overheard a conversation between Phyllis and Fred H. Finch in our back yard. I actually was listening for them specifically, because I felt bad about something Mim and I did yesterday, something that hurt them, I’m sure. Fred often sits on the railing of our deck and sings beautiful songs. I love…
Marian
“The Love of God”, beautiful songs, bird, bird nest, bird songs, God’s love, house finch, kindness, life challenges, listening for God, love your neighbor, Matthew 23:37, Matthew 6:26, Mother Hen, nature, praises to god, reflections, retractable awning, singing praises, spirituality, talking with God, why bad things happen, why bad things happen to good people -
Do This in Remembrance of Me
I think I was four years old the first time I wondered about what was going on in church when my mom and dad left Danny and me in the pew with strict instructions to “sit still” while they walked up to the front of the church in an orderly line with all the other…
Marian
blood of Christ, body of Christ, bread and wine, communion, county jail, Do this in remembrance of me, Eucharist, God’s love, Holy Communion, Holy Week, intinction, jail ministry, jungle, Last Supper, Lent, listening for God, love your neighbor, Maundy Thursday, Mexico, missionary, Missionary Training Camp, pillow mints, reflections, sitting still, spirituality, talking with God, Wycliffe Bible Translators -
Your Gift to the World
My grandma (Mom’s mother) used to make quilts. At some point she started making a green “Flower Garden” quilt, but she never finished it. When Grandma died, Mom took the quilt pieces with the intention of finishing the quilt sometime. Mom was not fond of sewing. She used to tell the story of one time…
Marian
accomplishments, Aunt Edith, create beauty, daily devotions, doing what you like, Edith Kenseth, embroider, family reunion, flower garden, flower garden quilt pattern, friends, gifts to us, God’s love, God-given gifts, grandma and grandpa, grandmas quilt, Helmer Kenseth, Joan Chittister, Kenseth, life calling, listening for God, Monastic Way, quilt, quilt pieces, quilting, reflections, sewing crocheting afghans, spirituality, talking with God, Uncle Helmer, waste of time, your gift to the world -
Attitude
In today’s reading of “The Monastic Way” Joan Chittister, OSB, said, “The attitude we bring to every day will determine the character and quality of that day.” For me, that’s a timely statement to read on a Monday morning. That’s when I look ahead to everything on my calendar for the week and everything on…
Marian
assisted living, Country Comforts Assisted Living, daily devotions, getting organized, God’s love, hymn sing, Joan Chittister, Lent, lenten hymns, Lenten Music, lenten season, life challenges, listening for God, love letter, Monastic Way, monday mornings, Mother Teresa, Oscar Wilde, pencil, play day, reflections, seasons, spirituality, Valentine, Valentine candy, Valentine card, Valentine’s Day, writing God -
Enjoying Gifts – Both Yours and Mine
Yesterday I saw and heard something wonderful! Mim and I went to the Overture Center in Madison to hear the Madison Symphony Orchestra perform with Gabriela Montero as guest pianist. I had never heard of Gabriela Montero before yesterday, but she was going to play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and we knew we would…
