At just about any given evening hour either Mother or I would be sitting alone at the piano or organ, or we would be sitting there together, carefully counting and practicing together … sometimes crying … always encouraging each other … as we tried to learn our parts well enough to accompany the choir. By the time we started practicing with the choir we both felt it would take more than a Christmas miracle for Dad to pull this one a off. If we got off, the choir would get mixed up. If the choir got mixed up it would throw one or both of us off. Through it all Dad just kept telling us, “You can do it, there’s plenty of time. If you do all you can do to prepare for this program, angels will fill in the gaps.” I thought he was asking a lot from the angels. “Choir members began to pat our backs after choir telling us not to stress, that it was “coming together so … nicely”. Well, of course, we stressed anyway. It’s in our genes.

     I would dare say we played that song four hundred times over the next four weeks and by the week before the performance we could play it together “good enough” most of the time, and more frequently we each played it “very well” … but never at the same time. We had not once achieved what either of us considered “excellent”, either alone or together. At our final, dress rehearsal (our choir practices were at 6:00 AM Saturday mornings) with dad conducting and the full choir singing, we each made one mistake after another. It was disheartening to say the least. We didn’t think our nerves, or our bowels, would survive. I secretly wished I would slip on the ice and break my arm.

     On the day of the performance, the choir bowed their heads while Dad offered a simple prayer that went something like, “We are just humble children who want to do our best on this joyous occasion. We have diligently practiced, putting in many hours privately and together. Please send angels who can buoy us up and fill in any gaps, that those who have come to worship the birth and the life of thy Son, Jesus Christ may feel of Thy spirit.”

     Well, we did receive a miracle that day. Our choir of thirty five members sounded like a host of heavenly angels and Mom and I didn’t miss a note. What ecstatic joy we all felt as we played the last booming chords exactly together. For a moment the choir stood silently in awe while Dad, who was limp with emotion, stepped from his little raised podium and sat down, wiping the tears from his face with his folded handkerchief. “Mom whispered, “Lewy, LEWY … you forgot to have them sit down again!” (This was something he often forgot to do and the choir members had threatened to remain standing until he got back up and sat them down.) He stood and turned to face the patiently waiting choir members once more and opened the lapels of his coat to reveal a sign he’d pinned to his stiffly starched, white shirt that read, “You may be seated.” (My Dad never failed to bring a smile to people’s faces and this was no exception.)

     It was a marvelous experience for a teenager and one I think of every year when I pull out my box of Christmas music. Thank you Mom and Dad for always believing in me and pushing me to reach beyond what I think I am capable of.

Like this one makes me remember the song “Look for the Silver Lining” …

As sung by Judy Garland

Look for the silver lining
When e’er a cloud appears in the blue.
Remember somewhere, the sun is shining
And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you.
A heart, full of joy and gladness
Will always banish sadness and strife
So always look for the silver lining
And try to find the sunny side of life.
So always look for the silver lining
And try to find the sunny side of life.

From beneath this next cloud you would think there is nothing but blackness … but above the cloud … there is blue sky and hope!

And this big cloud is so magestic floating right above our little town.   I felt like I could reach up and have a piece of it in my hand.   It must have thought we were a good little town because it left us a thoughtful gift of moisture as it journeyed on its way to Blanding.

The lesson for me?

In spite of our problems there are things we can smile at.We need to remember to “Be of Good Cheer”.     Good cheer permits us to rise above depressing or difficult circumstances. It is the sunshine when clouds block the light.

I purchased her latest book,  What a Friend We Have in Jesus, with a gift certificate I received for Christmas.   If you follow this link you can hear an interview with her … she is eighty years old or older.     I love her voice and her steadfast faith.     She always makes me feel I can make it … I can achieve … I can reach goals … I can do better.     She is so positive and cheery … if you haven’t read her books and you really want to be uplifted I heartily recommend every single one of them!

We are in difficult times as a nation.    The economy and the employment issues are big and have a big impact on families.   It is easy to become overwhelmed and fearful but that’s not the way we’re supposed to feel.   Trials aren’t new … they are just different.   We need to gird up, exercise our faith, and continue to be happy through our service to others and, I believe, our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.     If you feel yourself getting down … find one of her books, get a nice crisp apple, curl up under a nice warm quilt, and enjoy.   You’re bound to feel better.

These are the Southern Utah grandchildren tonight at the piano recital.  I was so pleased with how the five oldest girls bravely performed on the piano and for Steele’s job of being our announcer.   Aren’t they all beautiful in their pretty Christmas dresses?   And doesn’t Steele look handsome?

Steele didn’t want to take piano lessons this year.  He said it “isn’t my thing right now.”   We decided he is such a good talker and comedian that he should be our announcer and he didn’t let us down!  I had typed out a script for him and he’d practiced it but when he got up there and started one paragraph he started it and then said, “Wait, I don’t want to say that.”  I said, “You are the announcer you have to say what is on the script.”   So reluctantly he read, “A year ago these girls didn’t even know how to play the piano and now they are so good I am proud of how hard they have worked and how well they play.”    Then he happily went on to his first joke.

                                                                                                                This little sweetie liked the candy table.   I love her beautiful red curls and sweetness.   She was so sweet during the recital.  She was sitting on my lap and the next one younger got jealous and she gave up her seat and sat beside me!   She is like that.

Grace played three songs.  The first was Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater … why is it a Christmas song?   Well, doesn’t everyone love pumpkin pie?   She also played Joy To The World and Away In A Manger.   Kerra was kind to sit by her and help her with her music.

Chloe had her song completely memorized!   She played Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer.  Each of the girls stood before the guests and introduced themselves and told what songs they would be playing.   They all did it so well!

Kerra and Faith played two duets, Jingle Bells, and Angels We Have Heard on High.   They did so well to stay together and keep the timing right!    They have really practiced hard to do this as a surprise for their parents.

Faith played a Christmas Medley of: Good King Wenceslas, We Three Kings of Orient Are, I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In, Go Tell It On The Mountain, and The Snow Lay On The Ground.   Like all the girls she was poised and did a fabulous job.   It just thrilled me to see what all these girls have learned in just one year!

Kerra played Up On The House Top, and My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music.   She has been very helpful to her younger sisters in helping them practice at home.    All the girls have been helpful to each other and very encouraging.   It’s nice to see them excited for each other without any display of envy or jealousy.   They just all wanted each other to do well.

Kaitlyn played I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, O Little Town of Bethlehem, What Child Is This, and Oh Come All Ye Faithful.  She really pushed the last few days to perfect the hardest of these, which was O Little Town of Bethlehem and she did a great job on it!   She is on her 3rd day of wearing contact lenses.

Afterwards everyone enjoyed cookies and punch and the performers gathered around to receive their surprise from Grandma.   It was a fun Christmas program.   I can’t encourage people enough to do whatever it takes to provide music lessons for the children.  It helps their confidence, their self esteem, and how well they do in their school studies.   You will never regret the effort or sacrifice it takes.

This is my seven year old grand daughter, Luca.   She is awesome!  I wish I could have been there to see it in person but I am so grateful for technology that lets me share this way!

The first time I watched this movie was during the afternoon when the babies were napping.   Lynn had rented a VCR and The Shining and watched it the night before while I took the kids out trick or treating.   He thought it was one I would want to see even though it was rated R, since I actually enjoy psychological thrillers and a certain level of terror.  I got so engrossed in watching it sitting all alone in my big, quiet house that when the phone rang beside me I screamed.    It happened to be Lynn and I started to bawl and  begged him to come home.  I was really that scared.

Of course, now that I’ve seen it three or four times it has lost some of its fright factor, but not that much!

Goodnight ….

(snuggles under blanket and sinks deeper into the lazy boy chair)

Considering the status of my throat and ears I wonder if I could just crank up The Three Tenors   (“O sole mio” is one of my very favorites) sit right next to the speakers.   Actually, that’s not such a bad idea … not the sitting right next to the speakers part … but listening to them while I recline on the sofa and recuperate.      My guess is that with or without opera I have 5 days to go on this cold and tell you what, my sinuses are telling me in a loud voice what they’ll do to me if I try to sing opera.. 

Speaking of The Three Tenors,  oh how I wish I’d gone to their concert a few years back when they were in Las Vegas.   I love this rendering of “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.     Now I will never be able to hear the three of them in person, together.   Their CD’s and DVD’s are some of my prized music.   I will miss Pavarotti.    Already, just after writing this and listening to their beautiful voices I think I’m on the mend!    Oh, you might also want to listen to this tribute to old blue eyes.   (Ahhhhhh …. Sigh)

He has almost completed writing enough songs to put out his first album.  He is the entire band, orchestra, and singer … and composer.   I think he has a lot of talent.

The first link to Mr Joe Saltzman … the one I originally had in my post yesterday (which has since been corrected) … was a different Mr. Saltzman, who was kind enough to check out my blog, quickly realize my mistake and send me an email. Thank you Mr. Saltzman for letting me know! (Your web site was nice … even though I admit it was technologically a bit over my head, which is probably what threw me off … I’m thrown off easily with high end technology.)

Technorati Tags: What’s My Line?, Joseph Saltzman, Joel Saltzman

Here is the Introduction:

Nellie is a co-dependent angel who has yet to pass off the training requirements to become a full fledged angel. She has far too much bounce and enthusiasm for her 150 years but also has unresolved issues in her own life she has yet to face before she can advance. She likes to solve everyone’s problems but her own and provides way too much chaos for her heavenly supervisor, who likes things to run smoothly and by the book.

When her great, great nephew dies of a heart attack at a young age and leaves behind a wife and four children, Nellie is distraught when the mother has to take two jobs to barely make ends meet. The children are often left in the care of Gina, her oldest daughter who is fifteen and angry that so much responsibility has been placed on her. Things are quickly getting out of hand.

Nellie manages to coerce her grumpy heavenly supervisor, Horace, to allow her to return to earth for three months but is under strict orders to obey three important rules:

1. She may not tell anyone who she is or where she is from
2. She must always tell the truth
3. She must, under no circumstances, use heavenly powers

Of course, Aunt Nellie crosses her fingers and promises to keep every rule … but are they promises she can keep?

Technorati Tags: Writing a first book, getting ready to publish