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Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
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Dear Sister! My prayer for you today is that you have that you are not only encouraged today, but that you are also able to encourage someone. Ed and I had a full and blessing-filled Sabbath yesterday. Not only were we treated to some of the most beautiful music this side of heaven (more later) but we also went to a funeral. No, funerals are not at the top of my list for entertainment. I have not become "Maud" from the cult-classic film of the 70s that portrayed an older woman who went to funerals so that she could have a good nosh. And I hope I do not sound callous towards the grieving when I state that I appreciated going to a funeral. A kind and supportive workmate lost her father last week. She is a lovely person, a mom to her own four and a sort of open-house mom to other people's teens. She never flaps at having last-minute jobs pushed at her, or at receiving requests to do icky-ticky-poo computer jobs (in fact, she says she enjoys the challenge). She's a brick. I also know that she has been hurt in her life in a way that makes Christianity seem a less than savory choice. When I do an occasional broadcast of my particular faith journey (meaning I sometimes blather on about Church and Church stuff for whoever happens to want to listen) my friend usually continues with her typing. She might do a sort of raised-brow, pursed lip gesture that says, "Oh yeah? Whatever." I had not had the priviledge of meeting her Dad. I did, though, hear quite a lot about him because my friend spent time, almost daily, with her parents. Her father had diabetes and her mother has other health concerns. Her dedication and genuine caring may not carry the label "Christian" but she has been an inspiration to me. So, on May 20th, her Dad had a coronary and died. Her extended family converged on her mother's place, and they went about all the gruelling plans that go along with funerals. She came back to work two days later, saying that she wanted to be around people, and that her mom was well-taken-care-of. She shared that her Dad had talked to her just before the heart attack. He had told her that everything he'd wanted in life had been satisfied. He died in peace, and that gave her peace. Ed and I arrived at the Church about ten minutes early and I got a hug from my friend who thanked me for coming. I saw a couple of other workmates, but besides them, other than her children, I recognized no one. My friend does have a brother who is a Christian, and he and a sister talked about their father. They said he made his family a high priority in his life. When his job meant another move, he chose to leave the family in their home and commuted 3 hours to work and home each day instead. He fished not because he liked fishing so much, but so he could spend some leisurely time with his children and grandchildren. He blessed his family. After the service I thanked my husband for accompanying me (for after all, he didn't even know my workplace friend). We discussed how wonderful it is to hear about a man who had left behind the blessings that my friend's father had. In his book, "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" Steven Covey suggests that we imagine our own funeral eulogy as it might be delivered by our spouse, our children, our siblings, our workmates. Living with that eulogy in mind we might want to mend some fences, extend some kindneses, pursue that ministry that we know God has in mind for us. Ed and I also agreed that we wanted to take every opportunity that God gives to us to worship with people we care about... that includes friends who may never go to Church except for weddings.... or funerals. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On a happier note, yesterday also included a wealth of beautiful music by violin virtuoso, Naomi Burns Delafield, and her husband David, who accompanied her on the piano. The Delafields were the showpiece for the Canadian Union College alumni association's annual jaunt afield. Naomi is Aussi by birth. When she was 12, in 1988, she was chosen by the esteemed New England Youth Ensemble to tour Australia with them during their time there. As a professional concert violinist, she has toured the world and played Carnegie Hall six times. David is also a consummate musician, playing no less than twenty different instruments. He is a professor in the Outward Pursuits arts program at CUC, where Naomi teaches in the violin program. Naomi has quite a sleek and athletic presentation, and it comes as no surprise to hear that she is also very outdoorsy and a bigtime animal lover. This was their second anniversary weekend, which was sacrifice enough, but the fact that Naomi was recovering from a wicked cold, really made their smiling passionate music the kind of example of ministry that we all long to see. Naomi dazzled us from Sabbath School in the a.m. (when she played a piece written for her husband, very Celtic-laden and rich), with a classical piece during the Divine Service, to Vespers performance of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" (Listen to "Winter" and "Spring" on-line http://www.hypermusic.ca/hist/baroque4.html) and ending up with a toe-tapping Celtic concert that also included some "schmaltzy" romantic/dramatic music by other-than-Celts, and a requested ending of the Orange Blossom Special (with David simultaneously playing two flutes) and Turkey in the Straw. Listening to Naomi was only part of the pleasure. She has very long, thick blond hair that she wears skinned-back from her face. As she plays with her eyes closed we can see her feel and see that internal music in a way that only a musician could describe. Sometimes her brow is a scrolled vision of strain, and sometimes her face relaxes, with an ever-so-slight turning up of her lips and a raising of her brows. If you ever have the opportunity to hear the Delafields play, take it up! Please click here >>Feedback to give us some information about what you like or dislike about ANGEL CO-OP. We are also trying out a Parenting Forum (scroll to the bottom of the Parenting Page). If it is of value we will continue with it. Parents and Grandparents, please add your prayers, tips, funny stories, brags, wit, wisdom, suggestions. You don't need to register and you may use a pseudonym if that is more comfortable. Click on >>Parenting and scroll down. God Bless You!
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