The excellent thought I’m reflecting on as Saturday comes to an end.
Grateful I have so much to appreciate!
Good advice
Celebrating Jeannie
Jeannie’s birthday was last weekend, but we decided to surprise her with a little celebration during our music meeting today.
It’s such a privilege to work and to serve with this great soul, who has been a true divine friend for a couple of decades by now.
She also happens to have a dynamite smile! 😄
Practicing flexibility and acceptance
For a while now we’ve been planning to increase our Sunday service singing group to two singers on each part, for a total of eight in the group (woohoo!).
This was finally going to be the week…such anticipation!
Instead, we got to face a big dose of reality regarding the surging numbers of COVID cases in Nevada County, and realized that this is not the time to add singers. 😕
The plan is now on hold and we’re bummed…as are the others who are craving the opportunity to sing again.
But I’m concentrating on being grateful that so far we’re managing to keep live music happening for Sunday service, no matter how small the group has to be.
Have you met the metrognome?
All those hours, years, and decades spent listening to metronomes and it never once occurred to me that there would be such a thing as a metrognome!
But just look how much fun he’s having!
“Weeee!”
Mind officially blown…
…in the best kind of way!
We just finished an intense hour and a half meeting about what it means to really take the music ministry to the next level.
Wow.
Did I mention that it was intense?!?
My brain is barely functioning at the moment. I need some recovery time but then I expect I’ll be raring to get to work on this exciting new direction.
Making our brokenness into a song
Me: Hey God.
God: Hey John.
Me: Can you make me into a new person?
God: Nope.
Me: Okay – let me try again. Can you PLEASE make me into a new person?
God: Nope.
Me: Why not?
God: Because you haven’t tried being the person I created you to be yet.
Me: But that person is broken. I have so many holes in my heart.
God: So do all of my favorite musical instruments!
Me: What?
God: Make your brokenness into a song.
Thus begins yet another of John Roedel’s amazing writings. It goes on for quite a bit longer, but it’s well worth reading.
Another phrase that really spoke to me is:
I’m not a new creation
I’m an ancient song
I’ve been a woodwind
instrument of the divine all along
And:
oh my love,
take my hand
and listen to
hope turn my heart
into a flute
Okay, I’ll stop now, before I end up copying the entire poem into this blog post!
Cutting myself some slack
This is one of those days where I remind myself that there’s no “requirement” and no “standard” for what I write.
My commitment was and is to simply write something every day.
And when it’s been a super full Sunday and I’ve worked all afternoon, it’s perfectly fine to cut myself some slack and let this be what I write.
My work history
During my walk today, I found myself remembering a few of the extremely varied places I’ve worked in my time. And as I thought about it more, I decided it would be fun to try and list all the jobs I held over the years.
Considering that the very first job I ever did for pay (besides babysitting) was when I was 15, this list covers fifty years of working. Yikes! (I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few.)
- Orchard (I was 15 when I cut apricots for two or three weeks one summer)
- Educational research firm (coding questionnaires)
- Fabric store (retail clerk)
- Pizza parlor (took orders and made pizzas)
- J Paul Leonard Library at SF State University (shelved books)
- SFSU campus bookstore (shelved and stocked books)
- Dixon Landings; El Torito’s; The Cliff House; Joanne’s; The Courtyard; downtown SF espresso bar; etc. (food/cocktail waitress; bartender; barista)
- Development office at SF Conservatory of Music (data entry & administrative)
- Coordinator of volunteers (Unity Church)
- Manufacturing plant (side door attendant)
- Working for temp agencies (administrative assistant)
- Orchestras; recording studios; recitals; weddings; parties (flutist)
- Music stores, private schools, home studio (flute instructor)
- Bookbuyers used bookstore (clerk)
- Living Wisdom School in Palo Alto (school secretary; music teacher)
- Conversational English lessons (while living in Lugano)
- Development office at Ananda Village (clerical)
- Human resources at Ananda Village (assistant)
- Reiki Blessings Academy (administrative assistant)
Of course, there were years in there that I was doing music, or serving the music of Ananda in various places and ways, for very little or no compensation (otherwise known as “paying your dues”).
But it’s all good, because it all brought me to where I am now, getting paid to do the only thing I really want to do: promoting, championing, strengthening, performing, teaching, organizing, thinking about, directing, and pretty much living and breathing Ananda Music!
Funny, yet…not
I think this meme was the funniest thing I saw on the internet this week.
It was also completely sobering.
In fact, it took me a few seconds before I “got it” — not because I’m so slow, but because I couldn’t really comprehend the fact that we’re four months from the beginning of 2022!
**Shakes head**
I just don’t even have words for this.
Incredible lesson in never giving up
I found this photo, with the below description, on Facebook today:
In Bacoli, Italy [located in the Naples metropolitan area], there is a wild fig tree that grows upside down. It is located in the vault of ancient Roman baths, within the archaeological complex of Baia. Initially the tree grew above the vault, but since the roots compromised the structure, it was decided to cut the trunk. After a short time the roots that hung from the ceiling of the vault began to mutate, turning into branches. The tree still produces fruit.
What a lesson this tree has to teach!
Even when it seems like we’ve been totally cut off and all is lost, we can think outside the box.
Even if it means completely transforming ourselves in order to grow upside down, our lives can still bear fruit.