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...

Projects in my mind

At my church we are undergoing some exciting changes. Some affect the schedule and this will affect the music rehearsals, too. I'm not good about changing things but I love it when others take the lead and make changes for the better. Some projects in my mind for this year are to: go through all of the group files, type the song listings, then have Pastor check the songs he would like to hear for this year. Start two new ladies' trios with a different pianist for each one. Have one rehearsal per month at my house in my living room - because I have the best acoustics in town in there! Our theme for the year is "Homecoming Revival - Jubilee Year", so I'm looking for songs with that flavor for all of the choirs and groups. Bro. Koenig is doing a great job with the adult choir, so I just follow along. Amy Robinson is doing this with her piano students and we're doing a revival theme for our recital this year, Rudy Atwood will be the star composer. So, I'll do my best to keep up with this blog, maybe it will inspire me to finish the projects in my mind...

Take a Deep Breath and ... Go

Getting ready to start the new semester at Texas Baptist College. Even though it seems like the same thing, it is always new with new questions and hurdles as students register for classes. My goal is to remain cheerful and energetic and to not lose my composure. Today I will finish any household chores that need to be done, do some shopping, and mentally prepare for leaving my home life.
Praying that God will allow me to simplify my goals and schedule this coming year so I can be better at the things I'm supposed to do.

The Week in Music

Just wanted to let church musicians know what we did at the Longview Baptist Temple this past Sunday in the music department. John Robinson and Chandler Tolley sang "Ten Thousand Years" (found in More Songs and Hymns of Revival), Kelly and DeAnna Gray sang a new duet, "Nothing But the Blood", from Rejoice Music website, great song. Sunday night the JoySong Teen Ensemble sang two songs - "The Potter and the Clay" (Lillenas) and "It's In His Name" (Majesty Music). Although the first song is a golden oldie, it is new to this group of teens. Suzanna Jordan and Becky Lyons played a beautiful violin duet - "O Glorious Love/Oh How I Love Him". We had a new choir special last week - "We Preach Christ" from Lillenas music. We were really excited about that one. Hope all is going well in your music ministry! Remember that old is new if you've never done it before!

A Busy Day

Tuesdays are very interesting days. I do a little bit of everything on Tuesday. Church music meetings, two college classes, piano lessons, homeroom counseling at the college, and general organizing and office work. I think I walk a total of two miles between buildings and back and forth. There is never a dull moment and it has been a beautiful and cold day!