Tag: whispering winds

• 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…

  Marian

  January 21, 2013

  God’s Love, Music, Reflections

  Gabriela Montero, gift, gifts of the Spirit, God’s love, God-given gifts, improvisation, listening for God, Madison Symphony Orchestra, piano concerto, reflections, talking with God, thankful, thankfulness, whispering winds

• Reflections on Christmas from a Church Organist

  It’s over. The busiest time of the year for everyone, but especially for church organists, is over. As I look back over this holy season, what were the highlights for me? Celebrating Christmas together with our church family at Messiah Lutheran Church. I played the organ for the 10:00 service on Christmas Eve. This is…

  Marian

  January 14, 2013

  Celebrations, Christmas, God’s Love, Jail Ministry, Music, Reflections

  accompanying singing, Christmas Carol Sing, Christmas Carols, Christmas music, Christmas season, church musician, church organist, church pianist, congregational singing, East Koshkonong Lutheran Church, God’s love, hymn sing, jail ministry, leading singing from the organ, leading singing from the piano, listening for God, Messiah Lutheran Church, playing the organ, reflections, spirituality, talking with God, whispering winds

• Transition Time

  It’s official. Whispering Winds Retreat Haven is on break. As of the first of the year, the farmhouse will be home to another family for at least two years. In January of 2015, the farmhouse may reclaim the name of Whispering Winds and come back to life as a B&B-style retreat center again, or it…

  Marian

  December 30, 2012

  Assisted Living, Blogs, Celebrations, God’s Love, New Year, Reflections, Uncategorized

  Abbey, assisted living, blogging, change in my life, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, farmhouse, God’s love, life changes, listening for God, reflections, spirituality, whispering winds

• The Price of Kindness and Gas

  About noon on Friday I left Christmas Mountain in Wisconsin Dells to drive home for the weekend. I’ll return today (Monday) for three more days of my 10-day writing retreat. I’d made the reservations for this writing retreat a couple months ago. Since then a few things have come up for the weekend that required…

  Marian

  December 10, 2012

  Christmas, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Music, Reflections

  beggar, begging for money, being kind, buy gas, Christmas Carols, christmas hymn, Christmas Mountain, Christmas Mountain Village, gas money, generosity, generous, God’s love, God-wink, hospitality, hymn sing, kindness, lessons from God, life challenges, listening for God, love your neighbor, Mary Had a Baby, panhandler, person in need, reflections, spirituality, whispering winds, Wisconsin Dells, writing retreat

• The Life of a Farmhouse

  When I was a kid, I’d occasionally watch “Captain Kangaroo” on TV. One of the characters on the show was Grandfather Clock. He was a tall, normal-looking grandfather clock, except he had a cartoon-like face and he talked. He often talked about whatever was on his mind and how he felt about it.  I thought…

  Marian

  December 2, 2012

  Assisted Living, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  assisted living, bed and breakfast, Captain Kangaroo, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, Country Comforts Bed and Breakfast, fairness, farmhouse, God’s love, Grandfather Clock, group retreats, guests, hospitality, house blessing, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, reflections, talking with God, whispering winds, Whispering Winds Retreat Haven

• Enjoying Christmas Music to the Fullest

  I love Christmas music – listening to it, singing it, and playing it on the piano and organ. The Christmas music season for me begins the Monday after Thanksgiving (today!) and extends at least throughout the week of Epiphany (January 6), and sometimes longer. I like playing Christmas carols from hymnals, but I also like…

  Marian

  November 26, 2012

  Celebrations, Christmas, God’s Love, Music, Reflections

  assisted living, christmas, Christmas Carol Sing, Christmas caroling, Christmas Carols, Christmas Eve program, Christmas memories, Christmas music, God’s love, hark the herald angels sing, hymn sing, I am so glad each Christmas Eve, Jeg er sa glad hver julekveld, Joy to the World, lutefisk, reflections, singing Christmas carols, Singing Christmas Tree, spirituality, whispering winds

• Learning to Count by 35

  Last week I did a lot of thinking. I was at our Christmas Mountain timeshare in Wisconsin Dells to focus on writing my book on hospitality. I’ve been working on this project for almost three years, and the end is finally in sight. My goal is to complete it by January 31. I think I…

  Marian

  November 19, 2012

  Assisted Living, Celebrations, Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  35, assisted living, change in my life, Christmas Mountain, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, getting organized, give thanks, give thanks in all circumstances, goals, God’s love, growing up, growing up on the farm, hospitality, life calling, life challenges, life changes, on the farm, reflections, selling eggs, spirituality, Thanksgiving, whispering winds, writing book

• Beyond the Sunset

  Aunt Edith passed away last Tuesday evening. She’s the talented gospel pianist aunt I wrote about in this blog last summer (https://whisperingwindsblog.com/2012/07/30/lets-celebrate/). I woke up several times Tuesday night. My mind was imagining what her welcome in heaven was like. Here’s what came to mind. Edith’s husband, Helmer, was pretty excited. He had heard from…

  Marian

  November 5, 2012

  Celebrations, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Music, Reflections, Reunions

  beyond the sunset, Edith Kenseth, family reunion, Gary Kenseth, God’s love, heaven, heavenly home, Helmer Kenseth, life changes, reflections, spirituality, whispering winds

• My Little Black Dress

  A few years ago, Goodwill advertised that their resale stores were the best places to find the perfect little black dress to wear to holiday parties. That brought back memories of the black dresses I used to have, especially the one I wore to my first grade Halloween party. When I was a little kid,…

  Marian

  October 29, 2012

  Celebrations, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Abbey, black dress, black dresses, God’s love, Halloween, Halloween costume, life challenges, life changes, little black dress, old suitcase, puppy costume, puppy face, reflections, whispering winds

• Salty Cookies, Burnt Cereal, and Learning Curves

    My mom worked in Madison during most of my growing up years.  She compensated for not being around home to supervise me as much as she would like by suggesting projects for me to do by myself, especially during the summer. One project was learning to bake cookies. One of the first times I…

  Marian

  October 22, 2012

  Blogs, Goals, Life’s Challenges, Personal Retreats, Reflections

  accomplishments, baking cookies, blogging, chocolate chip cookies, Christian Book Market, devotional book, e-book, Guideposts, hospitality, independent publisher, learning curve, life challenges, listening for God, monday mornings, personal retreat, reflections, reflections on everyday life, self-publishing, spirituality, Thomas Nelson, whispering winds, writing a book, writing retreat