At least I hope so. I've been so bad about writing for several months.
I told myself I would write everyday last winter and have a surplus of topics to share during the spring and summer. After all, the winters in southwest Michigan keep me inside more than they should - and this past February set a record for days below freezing.
So why didn't I write?
In a word, distractions. First and foremost social media - and I don't even have that many Facebook friends! Secondly, email and online shopping - and I'm in the stage of life to get rid of stuff, not accumulate more!
When I had spent an hour or more on my computer doing everything BUT writing, I just couldn't get enthused about sitting down to write a blog post. By then, my back hurt (another story) and I had stuff on my list to accomplish - cleaning, grocery shopping, exercising, reading, WMU Osher Life Long Learning Classes, helping my 89-year-old mother, practicing new praise team music, working at Hands of God, hanging out with friends, KIA Art Break. You get the picture - I'm enjoying retirement (BTW cleaning should be last on this list if you go by 'hours spent')!
Why do I think any of this will change?
I've switching up my routine. Instead of heading for the computer first thing to see all the new cat vids on Facebook, coffee cup in hand, I'm heading out for a short walk. It's better for my back anyway to do some slow movement first thing rather than just sitting (in a chair said to be chiropractor approved, but with no lumbar support at all).
After my walk, I will write for a bit and sip some java - at least start a blog post - before I open email, Facebook, Twitter, Mlive, etc. So here I am writing for the first time since March 28th... and before that it was September!
To be honest, there are other reasons I haven't written.
First - I am having fun! When I tell people I'm retired, they say "Are you keeping busy?" Like being crazy, busy is the goal of life? So I've learned to say "Only as busy as I want to be." That usually causes a wistful sigh on their part as they try to imagine what that would be like.
The third reason is a more prideful one. With the exception of my sisters who contribute to Girlfriends Breaking Bread, no one is reading my blog. So that makes me wonder - am I wasting my time?
As I pondered these two other BIG reasons, I realized it doesn't matter if nearly no one reads my blog. The main reason I'm writing it is for me. For my own creative outlet. To log my thoughts, so maybe one day in the future I'll look back and remember all the fun and meaningful things I did!
The bottom line is that it gives me some sense of purpose and accomplishment.
If in the process, I give someone in the greater blog-o-sphere a chuckle, reason to pause and think or an idea of how to spend their retirement years - BONUS!
If you want to hear about my adventures, use the Follow by Email box to the right of the title of this post to register.
Also, it would be fun to hear from you. Post a comment and let me know your thoughts - or let me know if there's a topic you'd like me to approach in a future post.
Now - time to enjoy this beautiful spring day!
Miriam
The View From My Kitchen Window
Showing posts with label girlfriends breaking bread. Show all posts
Showing posts with label girlfriends breaking bread. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Trust and Obey
Maybe I've mentioned before that I sing with the praise team at my church. Harmony is my thing and I enjoy the challenge of the alto part.
I'm not a soloist or a particularly gifted musician. I can match a tone and sort of read music and rhythms remembered from my grade school days of playing band instruments. Although, I sang in the choir in 9th grade and rang chords in a rural chapter of the Sweet Adeline's a few years back, I am v-e-r-y far from professional.
The rest of the Praise Team members have similar credentials, although some have more training, lovely voices and the chutzpah to carry off a solo.
For the past few weeks, we have been working on music for Easter. With much prayer and Divine guidance, our director chose an especially stirring musical called, The Story. Crafted by master arranger and orchestrator David Hamilton, The Story presents God's redemptive plan for His people from Genesis through Revelation.
The creators have scripted an abbreviated version that focuses on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This 37 minute excerpt is the focus of our Easter service.
On Easter Sunday, the original concert video will be playing on the big screen, sans sound. The praise team, hidden behind a tall, black curtain, will provide the story through the lyrics of 5 amazing songs intermingled with readings.
We are very excited about the powerful drama, music and words presented in The Story, but man is the music difficult! Keep in mind, the songs were originally composed for the real pros - Stephen Curtis Chapman, Natalie Grant and Michael W. Smith for instance!
There are several challenging solos, not to mention overall tricky harmonies, very high notes, very low notes and intricate rhythms!
With Easter falling on the first Sunday in April this year, we started working on The Story right after Christmas. I have to admit I was still tired from extra Christmas practices and did my share of grumbling about moving right into longer practices for Easter!
After lots of praying and soul searching, and truth spoken in Love from my sista', Ruth, I jumped in and decided to Trust and Obey. To Obey, meant working hard on my part at home, making a fool of myself driving around in my car singing along with the alto CD and attending all practices.
A week ago, the director, realizing we were not quite as far along as we needed to be, added more practices. OK I'm not going to lie - my grumbling started anew, but only for a day.
I've continued to Obey, working hard and showing up for extra practices. Easter Sunday is a week and a half away. We have four more practices to clean up the rough parts and run through a dress rehearsal. There are a lot of worries within the team that we will not pull this off.
Isn't it time to Trust?
As our Pastor said in his recent sermon about Noah, "Even though he was 500 years old, with no known ship-building experience, Noah chose to Obey God and build the Ark, Noah worked really hard and all along the way God showed up. Really, how do you think Noah would've managed to herd all those animals onto the Ark without God's help?"
That's about where I'm at with the Easter musical. I'll keep working hard, but I want to give God room to show up and make us sound like all the professional Christian artist rolled into one heavenly chorus!
Or at least to bring a joyful noise and a powerful message to the ears of the congregants and visitors on this upcoming Easter morning.
In God I Trust,
Miriam
I'm not a soloist or a particularly gifted musician. I can match a tone and sort of read music and rhythms remembered from my grade school days of playing band instruments. Although, I sang in the choir in 9th grade and rang chords in a rural chapter of the Sweet Adeline's a few years back, I am v-e-r-y far from professional.
The rest of the Praise Team members have similar credentials, although some have more training, lovely voices and the chutzpah to carry off a solo.
For the past few weeks, we have been working on music for Easter. With much prayer and Divine guidance, our director chose an especially stirring musical called, The Story. Crafted by master arranger and orchestrator David Hamilton, The Story presents God's redemptive plan for His people from Genesis through Revelation.
The creators have scripted an abbreviated version that focuses on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This 37 minute excerpt is the focus of our Easter service.
On Easter Sunday, the original concert video will be playing on the big screen, sans sound. The praise team, hidden behind a tall, black curtain, will provide the story through the lyrics of 5 amazing songs intermingled with readings.
We are very excited about the powerful drama, music and words presented in The Story, but man is the music difficult! Keep in mind, the songs were originally composed for the real pros - Stephen Curtis Chapman, Natalie Grant and Michael W. Smith for instance!
There are several challenging solos, not to mention overall tricky harmonies, very high notes, very low notes and intricate rhythms!
With Easter falling on the first Sunday in April this year, we started working on The Story right after Christmas. I have to admit I was still tired from extra Christmas practices and did my share of grumbling about moving right into longer practices for Easter!
After lots of praying and soul searching, and truth spoken in Love from my sista', Ruth, I jumped in and decided to Trust and Obey. To Obey, meant working hard on my part at home, making a fool of myself driving around in my car singing along with the alto CD and attending all practices.
A week ago, the director, realizing we were not quite as far along as we needed to be, added more practices. OK I'm not going to lie - my grumbling started anew, but only for a day.
I've continued to Obey, working hard and showing up for extra practices. Easter Sunday is a week and a half away. We have four more practices to clean up the rough parts and run through a dress rehearsal. There are a lot of worries within the team that we will not pull this off.
Isn't it time to Trust?
As our Pastor said in his recent sermon about Noah, "Even though he was 500 years old, with no known ship-building experience, Noah chose to Obey God and build the Ark, Noah worked really hard and all along the way God showed up. Really, how do you think Noah would've managed to herd all those animals onto the Ark without God's help?"
That's about where I'm at with the Easter musical. I'll keep working hard, but I want to give God room to show up and make us sound like all the professional Christian artist rolled into one heavenly chorus!
Or at least to bring a joyful noise and a powerful message to the ears of the congregants and visitors on this upcoming Easter morning.
In God I Trust,
Miriam
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