on the rim

I was having a discussion the other night, and we were talking about the importance of developing good prayer habits.  We talked about how God is always listening, and I mean ALWAYS! I am probably on Facebook too much.  Besides Facebook, I do have a Twitter thing, and I write this blog, as well as my alter ego writing the political one. I also love email.  I use them as tools to communicate.  I am not a fan of phone calls, and even though I usually don't initiate conversations,  I end up talking too much when people get me started.   By the way, when I start getting into subjects you don't like, or care about, shut me up!  Maybe that is why I hate the phone.   I won't take offense. I promise.    Probably the use of  non oral communications allows me to formulate, and think before hitting send, or enter. Sorry, went on a little rabbit trail, for a second. Any way, while we were talking, I came up with this idea.  Let me kn...

Thankfully, it was not long lived.  I have learned in the past week what a gift music is to me.  I know that all can enjoy it, but for me it is an essential experience, ranging from extreme highs to lows, from spiritual peaks to valleys of despair.  There is no middle ground.  That is why it was so painful to feel nothing.  I know, I am a nut case.  I get it, but we all have our things, and mine is music. Tonight was a rehearsal for the Families are Eternal Pageant .  I had mentioned the pageant in previous posts.  We are now working on the music, and the staging.  It was tight quarters at the Independence Stake Center tonight, as there were many things going on.  So instead of the gym, we were in the Relief Society room.  No bother, we adapted.  I was slightly disappointed to find that it will be held indoors, as I was hoping for the full olde school pageant experience,   The reason is completely legit, and that is that...

I would love to say that I have moved beyond my apathy for music, but it hasn't happened yet.  Having said that, I have decided to keep singing because, I know that just like when I don't feel like praying is when I need to pray the most, the same with singing.  While I may be singing by rote, and not fully feeling the music, I will still sing, knowing that I will feel that joy again. The morning started with the power off, and a lot of things do do for a Saturday, starting with pageant rehearsal.  This is setting up the next several weeks of pretty serious practicing, for the Families are Eternal Pageant .  This pageant will be held Aug. 9-12, at the Independence Stake Center.  Information for the pageant can be found at:     http://familiesareeternal.org/ After returning home, and with the power still out, I headed up to the Stake Center for Priesthood Leadership Training.  This Stake Conference we are blessed to have a member of the ...

I went down to the sacred store, Where I'd heard the music years before, but the man there said the music wouldn't play. Don McLean-American Pie Caution-Some very real and very raw feelings. I am not deaf, yet.   I can still sing, and maintain a pitch, and feel that I do okay at it.  I just don't want to, and I don't know why.  I wanted to put this in writing while I am feeling it.  Hoping all the while that it passes. I felt there were good messages at church today, but all day I was feeling off. The director had to leave before the closing hymn, so she asked me if I would direct it. (Her family sits right behind us)  I did, but I struggled to focus on the song.   I teach the Deacon's Quorum, (12-13 year old young men) and I felt m y lesson was flat, no doubt, as a result of this feeling. I came home, and wanted to break every thing musical.  I didn't, so my bass is intact, as is the piano.  I didn't trash my music or my chanter. ...

For those who may read and are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, let me explain before beginning. Each Sunday we have the most important meeting of the week.  We call it Sacrament meeting.  During this meeting, we receive the bread and water as symbols of Christ, to call us to repentance, and to rededicate ourselves to Him each week.  Following this ordinance of Sacrament, meetings are usually talks given by selected members of the congregation.  As there is no paid clergy at the local level, any one may be selected.  They are given specific topics, but how they approach them is up to them, Usually the first Sunday of each month is designated as "Fast Sunday".  Members fast for two meals, and the money that they would have spent on those two meals is to be given to the church for support of the needy.  We also gain spiritual strength by fasting, as it teaches us to master our physical bodies,  On Fast Sunday, inst...