light bulbs

so recently I got a new marimba. it used to belong to THEE Gordon Stout (always a legend, former teacher or not). It's a Malletech roadster- the dream marimba I never thought I would ever be able to get. Hey, some people dream about cars, I dream about marimbas. I'm not kidding. When I see an exceptionally large house I think about how many marimbas you can fit in it...

ANYWAY I was driving the other night and thinking about marimbas and how one might explain the awesomeness of Malletech to the average lay person. Malletech is the cadillac of all marimbas. it's clearly the best. Leigh Stevens' attention to detail is unparalleled by ANYONE, let alone other marimba designers/manufacturers. The precise language I used in my head rang a bell and caused something to click the way it hadn't in the past.

I was thinking "it's the only way" as far as the best quality in marimbas goes. Gee, what else is the only way? Jesus maybe? ahhhh I see. the only way to achieve your perfect sound, and the only way to eternal life...I get it. It's not a matter of intolerance or superiority, it's just a matter of knowing what the right choice is and hoping you can help others to see that.

I pray this perspective helps you when sharing "the way" with others.

In the hands of God

Hello world. I'm sorry I haven't written lately. I hope this post will be worth the wait :-)

My song for the day is "Feelin Good" I reccommend both the popular Nina Simone
and Michael Buble http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edwsf-8F3sI versions

I was recently reminded of this song by a movie I watched for a foreign film class called "The Golden Door". It was very good, and about Immigration.

Anyway, I'm "Feelin Good" because I'm feeling Christ's Peace in a very active way in my life right now. Graduation is imminent and I am neither wishing my time at IC away nor dreading it's end, but I am complacent with the pace time is taking. I am also very much at peace with whatever will happen post graduation, regardless of how little I know about it. JK reminded us graduating seniors that while it seems to us that we're about to step off a cliff into the vast unknown of the "real world" he assures us it's more like a curb. Much safer as long as you look both ways. My dear friend Mike loves to remind me that the easiest way to make God laugh is to make plans for your life. I'm not saying I don't have general directions I'd like to head in, but I Prayerfully consider options that are placed in my path and at peace regardless of whether or not things go my way.

I have already had a prospective job turn me down, and while it was sad because it seemed like a place I would have been able to serve God through music, I know it means He's got a better plan. Now I am facing another prospective job for which I have an audition in the morning. It's a good location and a wonderful fit with my beliefs and utilization of my musical gifts. It's only part time, but because the location is so close to home and I have so many connections here already I feel confident I will be able to piece together a living. While I don't want to get my hopes up too high it's clear God has led me here, for this audition if for nothing else. I have met some wonderful people in the congregation already and am madly in love with the Organ. I feel so blessed to even be able to audition on it. After my 5 hour practice session this morning I named it George. Also when I took a lunch break I decided to sit down and read one of the books they had on a library cart in the narthex. God had a message for me and I read it on the first page of Max Lucado's book about Grace. It was so important I took a picture. I'll include it in this post. ANYWAY...

Here's the difference between making the college decision and stepping off my curb into the real world. I was terrified of choosing the wrong college for the longest time. It just seemed impossible to find all the colleges I could possibly be a good fit at. Eventually I just gave up and said "ok, wherever God takes me is where I go" which is how I got to Ithaca (Ok, Gordon Stout was also a big part of that, but hey, God took me to him...) and now I have the wonderful assurance that God has taught me how to make decisions and consider everything with prayer.

Proverbs 2 says: ¹ My child,^a]">[a] listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
² Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
³ Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
⁴ Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
⁵ Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
⁶ For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
⁷ He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
⁸ He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.

⁹ Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
¹¹ Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.

Proverbs 3 says: ⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

I think that says it all. If we seek God's wisdom and understanding he will grant us that sense which we need to make a decision that follows His will. All the while of course asking God to light your path.

Please keep my future and the future of all graduating seniors in your prayers that we may seek God's will in our next step off the curb.