Grumpy Button

I have discovered recently that I have a "grumpy button".     It was so strange to discover that I have a button that I didn't even know that I have!

There have been a number of different things lately that have gotten my grumpy up and going.

A good friend insulted me.   The alarm clock woke me up too early.    I didn't get enough sleep.

On one day in particular, a number of things all happened and I realized that by the middle of the afternoon that I felt very very grumpy.

 I didn't remember previously having that kind of a grumpy feeling.  It had a physical manifestation,  settled in like a lump in my gut.  Grrrrrr---uuuummmmmppeeeeeee!

If I were a dog, I would have growled, barked.   If I were a cat I would have hissed and pounced.   If I were a porcupine, I would have gotten my needles up.

I was so stuck in there,  that it took me quite a while to shake it off.  I'm usually a very optimistic and cheerful  person.   I try to live an upright and upbeat life.

But I suddenly found myself surrounded by an overwhelmingly dark cloud of  negativity. (people)  So I was then negative by association.

And that is what made me grumpy.

Vase of Flowers

Today I am the recipient of these beautiful funeral flowers.  They were flowers provided by the family for the service at which I officiated yesterday for "Lee".  Receiving 'special occasion' flowers was often a wonderful "perk" of parish ministry.  Sometimes they were left at the church from weddings or other special events.  When I once tried to envision my "ideal perfect life",  it included fresh flowers every day.  I have certainly enjoyed more than my share!

"Lee" was a lovely gentleman who reached the ripe old age of 99 years!  Because he was an avid SU Orange fan until the bitter end,  the family paid homage with the orange and blue color scheme in this floral arrangement.

I cherish these beautiful flowers.  As I held them in my lap on the way home from church, I especially noticed the lovely intricate details of the blue delphinium, as if each one wore a special "fairy hat".

One of the tall delphinium branches got bent over in the transition to home. (I guess that symbolizes the SU loss;  and maybe even suffering from illness) In a way,  this makes me think that even in defeat,  there is still much to be appreciated, much beauty.

And even in death, resurrection!

Heavenly Host

My favorite Sunday of the year, Easter is about life and joy and defeating death.  It is about family and friends and music.  We enjoyed Easter music today that included at least six brass instruments. Those serve to lift the music up to another level.

As a non-singer, I have always been intrigued by musical harmony. I certainly know how to read music and play the piano, but I do not know how to read the notes and make my voice hit that sound!  That is a complete mystery to me!   I sometimes wonder if I had had lessons in chorus as a youngster if that would have made any difference.

I always equate musical harmony with heaven!  It is not that I think all choir members are saints.  I somehow doubt that.  But put them all together with a talented director and accompanist, and what you get is the closest I've ever come to experiencing the "heavenly host", as I imagine them to sound.

People have a tendency not to always get along.  They criticize one another.  They go to war.  They abuse. They bully and shoot and hurt in ways too countless to name.

But put peoples' voices together in musical harmony, and you have got something very heavenly.  There is just something majestic and glorious about the blending of male and female voices, sopranos, bass, tenor, alto, all singing their parts.

Today's singing included an antiphonal introit.  It included singing Handel's Messiah (pictured above).  Members of the congregation are always invited to join in, if they wish, and many do.

When one focuses on their part, and sings their note, the whole is infinitely grander than the individual parts.

I imagine that is the potential that God sees in humanity.  And I am confident that the potential harmony will become a reality in the next realm.

If nowhere else on earth, heaven is embodied in the music.

Happy Easter.  He is risen indeed!

Easter Bonnets

In conversation today at lunch with friends,  the subject of Easter bonnets came up----specifically how no one wears them any more.

 The friends we were eating with were remembering one particular lady who always wore a hat on Easter.

Then we came home and our daughter called, asking if we had seen her Facebook posting yet.

Apparently some folks from her church had the same conversation, only they had it long enough before Easter to offer a challenge to the congregation to wear their Easter hats to church this year.  Daughter thought that people would go all out and wear really "grand hats".   She took a picture of her dress, and took that picture with her to the store, carefully selecting hat decorations to match her dress.

As it turns out,  her hat was the grandest of all, and it was selected as the "first place hat."   I can see why!

All the colors in the dress are on display in the hat.   Notice the dove!  And of course, my favorite Easter symbol, the butterfly!

What a really great idea!  Way to go Viki!   Very creative!