"Daddy sang Bass, mama sang tenor....."

I consider myself a music snob. I know what I like and what I dislike. And, what's more, I can be very vocal about my opinions. I've got reasons!

I've made a few jokes about the hours I've spent drinking in bars, in all parts of the world, while my singer-spouse practiced, in near-by performance venues. I did, eventually, sit through all of his concerts. Trust me, when I tell you that I have listened to symphonies, choral concerts, operas and recitals by the dozens. I've watched professional singers, at all levels, in performance. God knows, I could write publishable reviews.

So, why I am I telling you this????? Because, my mother used to say "If you can't say something good, just keep your mouth shut." You will find me listening to what's being played or sung, and then I'll clap like a good audience member. It is possible, for great music to be played or sung very badly. And, likewise, bad music can be performed expertly. 

I've heard high school bands in concert, that were so bad you could not distinguish their rendition of our National Anthem, from their rah-rah fight song. I've even smiled through beginning violin recitals, and imperfect back to back renditions of "O Holy Night".  I'm even quiet, about my opinion of contemporary church music. Mostly.

Yeah, I'm picky, but unless you are sitting right next to me, at a particularly awful performance, and I chance to abruptly grip your arm in sheer audio-pain, you'll never know. Silence is golden, and I can turn off my hearing aids. 

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Dear God. Help me control my mouth and my typing fingers. Guide me towards curbing my enthusiasm for caustic words. Remind me that praise is preferable to criticism. Gentleness is better than harshness. This help I ask, in your Holy Name.

 

"Thanks for the Memories"

 I have, in recent years, promoted acceptance of change. After all, change is growth. Nothing ever stays the same, in our lives. "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." - Winston Churchill. 

But, no matter how hard we try, we often remember how things used to be. Realistically, familiarity can be pretty awesome and comforting. I certainly embrace new acquaintances and new experiences. I like to think that I am growing, daily. However, I frequently communicate with friends that I have known for 70 plus years. I know and love them, not only for how they have evolved (since the nineteen fifties, yikes), but also for what they once were. Together, with our years of shared experiences,we can discuss the past and embrace the future. We have shared broken bones, broken romances, successes and failures. We've shared joy, sadness and devastating loss. This deep connection has enhanced our lives.

Who, among us, doesn't (just occasionally) jump at the chance to have a greasy old-fashioned hamburger and fries? Or, wolf down a serving of gooey macaroni and cheese (when it looks like the stuff we enjoyed, in the grade school cafeteria). Comfort food at it's best! We do it because it's familiar (and yummy), although we all know better. Thanks goodness for the anti-acids in the bathroom cabinet.

Isn't life great?  Enjoy your life to the fullest. Look forward to the new, but hold on, just a little bit, to the past. Both are amazing.

........................................................................................................................................................................

Great God. We thank you for life.

 

 

 

 

 

"Don't mess with Mr. In-Between"

Congratulate me, please. I just discovered a new word. Well, it's probably not so much a new word, but a new definition of an old word. The root word would be influence. And it means, "to persuade." That's the common, old-fashioned definition. I've just discovered the word, "influencer".

Now, perhaps I used to be an influencer............to my four children. I would suggest that they should clean up their rooms, or else!!!!! Perhaps I was more of a threatener. I was the influencer, who put food on the table and encouraged them to eat it, or starve!!!!

Today, the word influencer is used in regards to Social Media. I checked the Internet for a list of the 10 most successful "influencers" and I recognized four, of the ten names. Frankly, in spite of their popularity, I haven't been influenced by any of them. And, seriously, probably never will be.

An "influencer" in today's jargon, is someone who promotes a product or products. These folks make huge amounts of money doing it.  For example, Justin Bieber (one of the 4 names I recognized) will wear a holey pair of jeans or sport a new tatoo, on his face, and thousands of folks will buy the jeans and rush to the closest tatoo parlor. 

The top influencer, in today's crazy society, is a soccer player names Christiano Renaldo. I'm not interested in knowing anything about him. Common sense tells me that there's not much this mega=popular, gazillionaire guy can influence me to buy, do or change in my life. My age, alone, should make me wiser than this 30-something athlete.

I'm pretty happy with who I am. I'm not interested in following any of the recognized "influencers". I am sure they are all perfectly nice individuals. But, in the end, we all have to make our own decisions and take responsibility for our own actions or inaction. We have free will.....let's use it, wisely.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Lord. There is but One Influencer that should be guiding our lives. Help us to keep an open heart and open mind, to Your Words.

 

 

"Open my eyes, that I may see."

 Here's a simple question. What did you do, the last time you had a few minutes, unscheduled? Just a few minutes of peace and quiet. Chances are, from I have observed, you probably pulled out your cell phone and checked your messages, your email, or just scrolled through whatever. Listen up! Get your face out of your phone, and observe what's going on around you. Try it.

Here's a suggestion, in my opinion, for the good of you and your fellow human beings. Keep your phone, in your pocket or your purse, and let your mind wander. Think! Use your brain, instead of your fingers. 

There's no telling where your mind will lead you, if you let it wander. 

Or how about speaking to someone you encounter? I believe that it is possible for folks to go for days without opening their mouths and making a sound. We are using our fingers to do our talking. A two year old knows how to swipe a device. A fourteen year old can't write, but he/she can sure text!!!!

Seriously, why aren't we using our time to let our mind's wander and think? Why aren't we enjoying our amazing world? Can we remember a time, when we were actually living our lives and when we were not on the phone, all of the time, texting, messaging, reading nonsense, or waiting for someone to call?

I understand that our cell phones are our present form of communication. But, I am questioning whether it is a totally good thing. Just for a smidgen of time today, cast your eyes upward. Put your phones down and fold you hands in your lap. Quit moving your fingers and let your mind wander. 

...........................................................................................................................................................................

Thank you Lord, for our many blessings. Help us to remember that there are many forms of communication. Remind us to love one another.

But, what if we need it?

 Attention ,all of you "half-way hoarders" out there. You know who you are. I am not the one who is judging you. I, myself, am a recovering HWH. It's time that we break our habit and start on the road to recovery.

To clarify my "label", HWHs are folks who keep one sock, of a pair, when they have lost the other. We keep the lids of plastic containers, when we have misplaced the bottoms (and vice versa). We keep half of a pair of gloves, when we are pretty sure we dropped the other one in the grocery store parking lot. It's dumb. One earring, ladies? The other one is gone...really gone.

These half-items are fairly useless and they take up space. Just today, I tossed a whole drawer full of plastic take-out containers.....bottoms and lids. I saved the only two I found, that matched, for future use. It felt so good. I won't miss them. I have decent number of reusable, and store-able glass containers, to use for left-over containers. I'm quitting cold-turkey.

But, while I am at it, I think I will toss a few un-used, "where did they come from", charger/appliance  cords. These snakey things seem to appear out of nowhere.  We have a couple drawers full of them. They belong to old phones, razors, clocks, tape recorders, radios, etc. Those items are long gone......why do we need to keep the cords? It's a rare cord that can be reused in another item.

To purge is to live a better life. 

Trust me, HWHs of the world, ........less is more.

........................................................................................................................................................................

Lord, we are abundantly blessed. Remind us to use our gifts with humility and grace. 

"Her name was McGill. She called herself Lil, but everyone knew her as ............"

 I consider myself fairly techno-literate. Most senior citizens are. And, although we learned to type on a manual Smith-Corona, we are, for the most part, computer and cell phone savvy. We use these things daily. Why then, do I continue to be stumped, baffled and chagrined by these damn things?

For two months now, I have been worried about my "digital" membership card, to a local museum. I have been a loyal member of this group for years. They always send me a physical, plastic card to show at their underground parking facility, for free admission. The card also gives me some shopping and dining perks at the museum. This year, the card is something called a "digital membership app". I cannot figure out how to download the thing, on my phone.

Then, last night, I got a message from the garage door clinic. You know what I am talking about ladies. The Mammogram Place, where they insist on electronically lowering a garage door on your female anatomy, once a year, for your pleasure! 

To continue. They sent me a set of forms, to fill out on my computer, including a "sign with your finger" page, which I finished without a hitch. My screen eventually informed me, that the forms were complete and accepted by the sender. At this point, I looked for something that would tell me just when my appointment would occur. I needed to know the date and time! Nowhere, on any screen, was this information to be found.

Next, I sent them an email, asking them to send the appointment information, that I NEEDED. By return mail, I was told that I must request, by email, a "secret number code" to apply, for the phone app, that I should use to get the time and date. Phooey!!! No way!

This morning, at 8:05 a.m., I physically used my cell phone to call the clinic. In 3 minutes, by giving her my name and birth date, the pleasant young lady answered my questions. No fuss, no frustration, no secret code, no delete key. 

Mission accomplished.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

 Dear Lord. Everyday life is not easy. We find that we are often frustrated by the "easy things." Grant us patience, courage and wisdom to survive. Teach us acceptance. Show us how to focus on your Grace. We ask these things in your Holy Name.

"Memories, light the corners of my mind."

 And, as long as we are on the subject of performing.......performing seems to run in my family. Two of my sons have been paid performers during their lifetimes. They both play instruments and sing, like their Grammy Award winning Dad. They have musical talent. They have other talents, too. My daughter is a talented artist, creating beautiful collages. Also, two of my boys, will go down in history, for appearing on stage nearly naked, in High School. They are responsible for a drastic change in Talent Show rules!!

I played the flute, in school, but gave that up decades ago. Recently, I have been trying to re-create my flute skills, by practicing on a tin whistle. I do this yearly, near St. Patrick's Day, hoping for a long- anticipated career,  as a tin whistle player. I'm discovering that, from year to year, I don't remember much about playing my musical instrument of choice.!!

Remember, that old saying about "riding a bicycle". I looked up the facts, and bicycle riding skill is procedural memory.  Procedural memory involves the use of muscles.That's why we remember how to do it......even if years pass, from ride to ride. The other type of long term memory is labeled declarative, and no muscles are involved. That's what we can't remember things like names, phone numbers or episodes from our past life. Supposedly, remembering how to play a musical instrument is procedural memory. 

Well, I'm beginning to question this procedural memory theory. I don't seem to be making much improvement. I've got a month to practice, until a possible performance. Don't add the date, to your Google Calendar, just yet.

............................................................................................................................................................................

Gracious God. We don't remember all of the things, that You do for us. We are grateful for Your everlasting love and grace. You are our sword and shield and our ever-present strength, in time of need. Forever and ever.