a glad soul
I had a good day, and a really wonderful evening. It's like, I feel like my soul is satisfied, or something. That sounds like a funny, "poetic" thing to say, but I don't know how else to word it. There was so much great music at church today, and good time spent with church family (and most of my immediate family, Mum, Dad and Derek :D)
Actually, I missed some of the great music because I was a little late getting to church this morning. I think when I came in, we were singing As the Deer (speaking of being satisfied...). And that was directly followed by Ancient of Days, and My Goal is God Himself (which is just such a lovely song I nearly cry whenever I sing it.) All three of those are beautiful.
After the service, there was a meeting for the people who make dinners on Wednesday nights (during the school year, our church has Wed. night "Dinner and Devotions," where everyone eats together and talks together; it's usually followed by a prayer meeting.) Last year I helped out with the nursery during prayer time, but someone asked if I'd be interested in helping with dinner this year, so I'm going to try it out (it's every 6 weeks instead of every-other, so I'd like to still do nursery too. I love those kids!!). One thing I'd like to do is plan meals that are more food-allergy-friendly-so rice dishes rather than bread or pasta, and so on. General healthiness and diverse flavours are also things I strive for... but I will need to keep in mind that my church has many older folks with set tastes, as well as picky kids, so I may need to reign in my creativity a little... Anyway, it's something for me to keep thinking about.
Then I went to my parents' for lunch and dinner. Mum called me last night, and I think her wording was "Would you like to help... us... eat lunch...?" I had to laugh :D Yes, I can help with eating. Always. As it happened, I helped make the food too. We had fish tacos with a fresh mango salsa and ooooohhhhhh it was so good. The mango was perfectly ripe and so delicious I couldn't believe it. I chopped up way too much cilantro for the salsa though (oh darn!), so I used some of it to make a regular fresh-salsa with tomatoes and garlic. It was also reeeally good~ (but spicy-hot! I only used one serano chile, but I think because it was raw it was more potent.) Actually, before making dinner (for lunch we just ate leftovers), Mum and I collaborated on a cherry pie! because...
Tonight at church was an event I'd been anticipating for weeks! Ψ-singing and π-eating! Since last September we've had a Psalm of the Month, and sang a hymn based on that psalm each week. Tonight we got together and had a festival of singing the whole year's worth of psalms, followed by an all-pie potluck. Singing and eating delicious food are two of my favourite things to do :D Our pie had a couple small disasters (the top crust fell into the filling and started to melt into it; mum salvaged it as best she could, but referred to it as "bride of frankenstein" and bemoaned its appearance for some time afterwards. and then the filling started to burble and ooze over the edge. also the filling was rather on the tart side, since we cut the amount of sugar called for in half. and then it was still soupy when we took it out of the fridge to leave for church. but happily, she was able to cut the pie before bringing it, and we stuck it in the church freezer during the psalm-sing, so it was mostly solidified when it came time to eat. and the tartness was a good contrast to other suuuper sweet desserts. so all was well!!)
The monthly psalm-singing has been a really cool thing, because, well, I guess hearing words put to music helps me understand them in a new, better way, and then when I go back and read those psalms, it feels like they're more familiar and close to me. For example, in December our song was not a psalm, but one based on Mary's words in Luke (the Magnificat), and somehow her feelings, of her own lowliness and God's surpassing greatness in what he had done and was doing for all of us... became so clear with the music (the song we sang is Holy Is His Name, written by John Michael Talbot-link is a youtube video). And then there was "Lord, Hear My Prayer" (you can hear a short sample at that link) based on Ps 102, which is just so achingly haunting and beautiful, starting with the first verse and our own weakness-"For grief consumes my strength like fire; my days as smoke pass swift away"-and ending with exaltation and praise to God. One of our pastors gave a brief talk about the psalms, noting how many of the songs we'd sung used the words "my soul"-how personal these songs are. He also talked about how the psalms are all praises, whether they are crying out in despair, or just weary, or is a jubilant joyful soul, or whatever state we might find ourselves in each day.
(An aside-I keep finding music lately in Amazon's mp3 section. And albums are only $9! That's so cheap!! (especially when I can find stuff by Japanese artists whose albums I'd otherwise have to import.) So... I may have just bought the album at the second link because I love that one song so much. But how can I go wrong with Celtic-inspired folk hymns?)
So... I think I didn't express everything I wanted to very clearly. But right now I feel refreshed and glad. I want to keep this feeling with me all week! I'm so thankful for the music leaders and everyone who shares their talent musically (and in so many other ways) at my church.
Actually, I missed some of the great music because I was a little late getting to church this morning. I think when I came in, we were singing As the Deer (speaking of being satisfied...). And that was directly followed by Ancient of Days, and My Goal is God Himself (which is just such a lovely song I nearly cry whenever I sing it.) All three of those are beautiful.
After the service, there was a meeting for the people who make dinners on Wednesday nights (during the school year, our church has Wed. night "Dinner and Devotions," where everyone eats together and talks together; it's usually followed by a prayer meeting.) Last year I helped out with the nursery during prayer time, but someone asked if I'd be interested in helping with dinner this year, so I'm going to try it out (it's every 6 weeks instead of every-other, so I'd like to still do nursery too. I love those kids!!). One thing I'd like to do is plan meals that are more food-allergy-friendly-so rice dishes rather than bread or pasta, and so on. General healthiness and diverse flavours are also things I strive for... but I will need to keep in mind that my church has many older folks with set tastes, as well as picky kids, so I may need to reign in my creativity a little... Anyway, it's something for me to keep thinking about.
Then I went to my parents' for lunch and dinner. Mum called me last night, and I think her wording was "Would you like to help... us... eat lunch...?" I had to laugh :D Yes, I can help with eating. Always. As it happened, I helped make the food too. We had fish tacos with a fresh mango salsa and ooooohhhhhh it was so good. The mango was perfectly ripe and so delicious I couldn't believe it. I chopped up way too much cilantro for the salsa though (oh darn!), so I used some of it to make a regular fresh-salsa with tomatoes and garlic. It was also reeeally good~ (but spicy-hot! I only used one serano chile, but I think because it was raw it was more potent.) Actually, before making dinner (for lunch we just ate leftovers), Mum and I collaborated on a cherry pie! because...
Tonight at church was an event I'd been anticipating for weeks! Ψ-singing and π-eating! Since last September we've had a Psalm of the Month, and sang a hymn based on that psalm each week. Tonight we got together and had a festival of singing the whole year's worth of psalms, followed by an all-pie potluck. Singing and eating delicious food are two of my favourite things to do :D Our pie had a couple small disasters (the top crust fell into the filling and started to melt into it; mum salvaged it as best she could, but referred to it as "bride of frankenstein" and bemoaned its appearance for some time afterwards. and then the filling started to burble and ooze over the edge. also the filling was rather on the tart side, since we cut the amount of sugar called for in half. and then it was still soupy when we took it out of the fridge to leave for church. but happily, she was able to cut the pie before bringing it, and we stuck it in the church freezer during the psalm-sing, so it was mostly solidified when it came time to eat. and the tartness was a good contrast to other suuuper sweet desserts. so all was well!!)
The monthly psalm-singing has been a really cool thing, because, well, I guess hearing words put to music helps me understand them in a new, better way, and then when I go back and read those psalms, it feels like they're more familiar and close to me. For example, in December our song was not a psalm, but one based on Mary's words in Luke (the Magnificat), and somehow her feelings, of her own lowliness and God's surpassing greatness in what he had done and was doing for all of us... became so clear with the music (the song we sang is Holy Is His Name, written by John Michael Talbot-link is a youtube video). And then there was "Lord, Hear My Prayer" (you can hear a short sample at that link) based on Ps 102, which is just so achingly haunting and beautiful, starting with the first verse and our own weakness-"For grief consumes my strength like fire; my days as smoke pass swift away"-and ending with exaltation and praise to God. One of our pastors gave a brief talk about the psalms, noting how many of the songs we'd sung used the words "my soul"-how personal these songs are. He also talked about how the psalms are all praises, whether they are crying out in despair, or just weary, or is a jubilant joyful soul, or whatever state we might find ourselves in each day.
(An aside-I keep finding music lately in Amazon's mp3 section. And albums are only $9! That's so cheap!! (especially when I can find stuff by Japanese artists whose albums I'd otherwise have to import.) So... I may have just bought the album at the second link because I love that one song so much. But how can I go wrong with Celtic-inspired folk hymns?)
So... I think I didn't express everything I wanted to very clearly. But right now I feel refreshed and glad. I want to keep this feeling with me all week! I'm so thankful for the music leaders and everyone who shares their talent musically (and in so many other ways) at my church.