People

It's easy to think of the music ministry as music, but it's not, it's people! This is Suzanna Jordan, she's a great violinist, but more than that, she's loves people and serving the Lord. I enjoy practicing and playing for her because her music is not about making her look good, but doing her best for the Lord.
The whole purpose of our music is to point people to the Saviour, encourage, and to have a place for music lovers to serve. I can get buried in the files, catalogs, preview cds, etc... Sometimes, I can even feel discouraged if our music groups aren't as fancy as others - but that's not the point. The point is on any given Sunday at the Longview Baptist Temple we have a group of people with souls, feelings, and definite needs. Our job is to help each person of every age in those pews, no where else. Since we can only be in one church at a time, we have our niche! We are needed and we need our church people. Don't you know they love and appreciate having live music sung and played by their friends? That sure does simplify our mission. I wouldn't want to play for another group of people.

Panic into Peace, Jeopardy into Joy, Storm into Stillness, Calamity into Calm

Luke 8:22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
"Musicians are temperamental", you've heard said. For me, I tend to get into a panic because most of my work turns out in "public" for all to see, hear, and pronounce judgment upon. The feeling of living "on the edge" becomes normal, but it shouldn't be that way. Musician, "Where is your faith?". Jesus is there in our "boat" of life, right there, not worried. When the winds blow down and our boats fill with water we panic. You know, the mic wasn't on, the soloist forgot, you turned too many pages, etc... Jesus wants to turn our panic into peace, our jeopardy into joy, our storm into stillness, and our calamity into calm. Alright, before Sunday - take a breath, breathe deeply, apply faith, look to Jesus - - - - CALM yourself.

Students take over

I just got home from church feeling a little unneeded tonight! Well, not really. My students played for most of the specials tonight. DeAnna Gray and Annie Roche' played a beautiful duet of "Is Your All on the Altar?". I am so proud of these TBC music majors. They are well- balanced Christian Ladies, who are also a lot of fun to be with. My other "student" is Mrs. Amy Robinson. She has been practicing with our new young men's quartet and they did a terrific job singing "The Walls Came Tumbling Down" and "Satisfied". John David Matney, Matthew Duckett, Chandler Tolley, and John Robinson were also some of my music students. They are now the adults, that makes me....

Church

It's Sunday afternoon and we've just finished our every-other-Sunday roast beef dinner, minus mashed potatoes, just not the same - but the diet prevailed today. Mom went out with her Young at Heart S.S. Class, so it was just us five. We had a wonderful time and conversation - I treasure those times.
Church was great! Starting with Sunday School - I had twelve out of fourteen come to class today - what a blessing! We had a great time. We're getting ready for the Spring Campaign - "Let's Make a Deal" is the theme for our department.
The sermon was about serving the Lord in the spirit of newness, not the letter of the law - what a contrast. Jessica, Victoria, and I sang a new song for us - "It is God That Gives the Increase". We changed the last line to "while the precious seed is sown". Of course, since it was new, our church members sat stunned. Hard to sing when people are concentrating so hard.... Mrs. Duckett and her daughter, Amy Robinson sang, "The Saviour is Waiting", another new song for this generation. It turned out beautifully. The choir did "The Lord is My Shepherd" from Ron and Shelley Hamilton's "Worship Song" book. Although it is a calm one, it is still so heart touching. Nicole Koehn and Connie Vazquez played "And Can It Be?" and did a wonderful job. We are so blessed to be able to go to church, participate, and know we're coming home with a blessing.
Well, I may need to rest a few minutes to get my energy up for tonight. Choir rehearsal, men's choir rehearsal, church, meetings, TBC meeting, another rehearsal, and Easter rehearsal....God is good!

Musician's Prayer

DeAnna Gray, one of my students and friends, sent me this poem tonight. It is great! Worth framing!

Musician’s Prayer
-Ramona K. Cecil

God, please bless my music,
That it might glorify Your name.
May using it to serve You
Always be my aim.

Let it be a witness
To Your majesty and love,
And remind us that You’re watching
From Your throne above.

May others see Your beauty
In every note they hear.
And when they hear my music
May they feel Your presence near.

Oh, Lord, I ask for guidance
In everything I do,
And pray You’ll make my music
An instrument for You.

Grandmotherly Day

Today I had the privilege of taking my daughter to the store to register for her baby needs and baby shower. I'm a fill-in for her husband, Leonard, who is at Lackland AFB, in San Antonio, TX. He's waiting on his orders to go to Osan AFB, Korea. When I found out Victoria was going to be an air force wife I thought I'd never be able to see her as often as I would like. It has turned out a little differently. She has been able to live with us for the past six months and will be living in a duplex right around the corner from us. We'll be able to be with her for the birth of their first child - Kate, due June 23, and spend most of Kate's first year watching her grow and come to the church nursery. After Leonard's year at Osan, we'll be saying "goodbye" as they move to Juneau, Alaska - it looks like. I can't wait to go to Alaska...really! God does work all things for good, and I sure do love Him. Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Spirit Week, Pentecost, Easter, and Campaign Week 1

Photo: (Simmons Family Easter 1967) Our church and school know how to keep you busy! This week is TBC spirit week. We're starting the week on Sunday night after church - dividing into teams and having a spirit rally. Monday through Friday will be filled with activities and an abbreviated class schedule. Wednesday night we'll have meetings for all of the Soul-winning teams going to different cities for the Pentecost campaign. School will dismiss at noon on Thursday to give time for preparations. We're going to Baton Rouge and New Orleans, LA, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio! Hopefully we'll all get back by 3:00 a.m. on Easter Sunday.....I wonder what else we can fit into the week? Well, we'll have to have some top notch, well-prepared specials because Sunday is Campaign Week 1 of "Our God is Right", along with it being Easter....I'm praying, practicing, and taking my B-12 vitamins. Somehow, we'll all make it and have a wonderful and exciting Sunday. Praise the Lord! We've planned on the following: Strength and Beauty Ensemble singing "I Will Arise", Joy Trio and daughters singing - "Beyond the Cross", and the TBC Chorale Singing - "Jesus Never Fails" and "Last Blood". We'll do our part to be ready and pray for the Lord to work it all out. Which reminds me, Alyssa needs white shoes....

TBC Class

I'm teaching four classes at Texas Baptist College this semester. One of them is Church Music Administration. The class project was due yesterday. Needless to say, several droopy-eyed, slow-moving and relieved students walked into class with project notebooks in hand. They turned in some amazing work. The project involved planning, in detail, a church revival. Their themes were inspiring and usable. I can't wait to incorporate some of the ideas myself!!! After checking for all needed components each student presented their project, highlighting the major ideas. I do have to say that these students have a bright future serving the Lord and will help many churches.

Not on my "To Do" List

I am a planner. Not the ordinary type of planner, but the detailed, failure if I don't get it done kind of planner. I remember planning out my life at age sixteen. Yes, I would have a college degree by 22, be engaged by age 22, married by 23, a mother by 24, a homeowner by 25, a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th child, a fancy home owner by 35, etc... What a riot! Did I reach any of these goals, one or two by the grace of God.
Today, I am 46 years old. I have been married to a wonderful man for almost 29 years. Am I disappointed that my life doesn't match my plan. No, I'm not. Part of my plan meant that I would have an empty nest within the next five years. Well, my mom has lived with us for six years, she's 82 and will probably live to be 90 or more. My son-in-law joined the Air Force and my daughter is living with us until her apartment opens up next month, my 23-year-old daughter is still with us. She's teaching school and is a Type 1 diabetic, not safe for her to live alone. Plus, I have a ten-year-old daughter - the joy of my life. The Lord must know that I do well in a group setting!
Knowing how I try to plan the music department at our church, and it never really works, I should learn the same about my life. Every time I go to church I have a plan and I also have peace because I know if that plan doesn't work it's God's will that it be changed...why can't I do that about my life, my husband's, and my children's lives! I believe my new word needs to be "Peace" - I need to trust God's ways so much that I have indescribable peace...