Year Three, Day 105: Holy Manna: Praying and Playing Music for All in the Path of Hurricane Harvey

Today is Friday - Stats Day!


Drum roll...


Here are today's stats:

August  25, 2017

Current Mood:  6 (On a scale of 1 - 10, 1 being depressed, 10 being ecstatic!)

Weight: 179.4

Neck: 13"

Chest: 39"

Waist: 34"

Hips: 41"

Thighs: 21"

Calves: 14"

Biceps: 12.5"

Ankles: 8"

Here are last Friday's stats:

August  18, 2017

Current Mood:  8 (On a scale of 1 - 10, 1 being depressed, 10 being ecstatic!)

Weight: 182

Chest: 39"

Waist: 34"

Hips: 41"

Thighs: 21"

Calves: 14"

Biceps: 12.5"

Ankles: 8"

So, this week I did not lose anything in terms of inches, but I lost over 2 pounds! I'll take it!  Especially when I see how far I've come!  Look at my stats near the beginning of my blogging journey:

 May 26, 2015
Weight: 203
Neck: 15"
Chest: 47"
Waist: 41"
Hips: 48:
Thighs: 23"
Biceps: 14"

 I feel better now! I just realized my hips are the same size now as my waist was 2+ years ago!

But I must admit that I am tired today. I purposely made myself lay in bed this morning. Breathing slowly- in through my nose, out through my mouth.. I had racing, anxious thoughts. I was worrying about Hurricane Harvey until the wee hours. I have relatives in Texas.  In particular a cousin that was born in September 1961,  right after that last big hurricane, Hurricane Carla, that Hurricane Harvey is being compare to.  She has a beach house in the path of HH, but thankfully she and her family are safe at home much farther north! She was named after the hurricane.

My mother was pregnant with me, in Texas in September 1961. She remembers it.

"It was AWFUL", she exclaimed a moment ago on the phone.

I am praying for the safety of all living creatures in the path of this monster.

I am going to pause here and grab my hoop. Must get a hoop session in before it gets too warm!

brb...

Ok. I'm back. With an attitude adjustment! I love my morning hoop routine. And today was especially nice, because I did not need to hurry.

And while I hooped, I was struck with a fantastic idea!  I've been mulling over applying for a church pianist position. I feel the need to play more piano.  And I could use the extra money to save up for a car for grandbaby visits.

However, it has left my stomach in knots. I have a long history of feeling vulnerable working in churches. Especially as a musician. I won't drag you through the whole history, because frankly, it is too painful. And the second hand in my life clock is ticking away. 

I want to be always moving forward, progressing or at least enjoying the moment.

I have a few churches I enjoy worshiping at.  I eagerly look forward to studying the bible with my friends at Portland Bible Church every Sunday. I always learn something new, expend my soul and have lovely, pleasant conversations with the congregation.

When I am feeling the need for more solitude and soul searching, I head up to the Grotto for Mass, a labyrinth walk and some journal writing, prayer and contemplation in the chapel.

I also have a sweet church I work at as administrative assistant. The church is literally a 2 minute walk from where I am living. I have been invited to worship with them too. I didn't want to mix work with worship, but the pastor has informed me that she is designing her sermon around the "Little House on the Prairie" books in November. I will have to go to church there in November. Love Little House!

When I am in Salem, I can't miss a spirit-filled, adrenaline raising, musical, thought provoking, soul lifting service at Relevant Life! (Can you tell - one of my favorite churches?!)

And then my daughter, son-in-law and soon granddaughter all attend Living Hope in Vancouver. I have greatly enjoyed worshiping with them at their church. A large group of sincere, come as you are Christians with a dynamic pastor and a rockin' praise band!

And then there is St. Ignatius - where I have had many profound spiritual moments. Especially in the very small group prayer services that meet Saturday morning. But also, in a very dark time of my life, I attended the "Novena of Grace" at St. Ignatius in earnest, desparate prayer for a family member.  Nine days in a row. (Novena means literally "nine").

I do not want to lose these spiritual refuges.  

So as I was hooping this morning, it occurred to me that I can keep doing what I'm doing. Teaching, subbing with my chamber group friends, subbing occasionally at churches, administrative assistanting at the church next door, taking care of my grandbaby. 

And, for extra money to get me through teaching breaks I can reopen my fiverr account!

I have a decent cell phone now in which to take videos. I have lost weight, so I don't mind seeing myself on video as much. And a parent of  students gave me a digital recorder. 

I don't like recording on my electric piano, but I have access to acoustic pianos on Saturday at the church I teach at. And I can also use a piano at the Community Music Center.

Fiverr is wonderful. I can design my site to fit my schedule. I can make it clear that my recordings will take 8 to 10 days, since I will not always have access to a decent piano.extra money, at my own pace, with not much human interaction...score!

Most excited am I.

A solution!

But now I have to run and teach. My Day 71 video is still uploading. I"ll come back and update tonight.

I am back. Hurricane Harvey is now a Category 4 Hurricane. 130 mph winds. This is a monster! http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/25/us/hurricane-harvey/index.html

I sat down to practice after my last student today. I am working on an arrangement of "Holy Manna" by William Moore. Arranged for piano by Joseph Martin.  It is the melody for one of the oldest folk hymns published in America:
"Brethren We Have Met to Worship":

"Brethren, we have met to worship,
And adore the Lord our God;
Will you pray with all your power,
While we try to preach the word?
All is vain, unless the Spirit
Of the Holy One come down;
Brethren, pray, and holy manna
Will be showered all around.

Brethren, see poor sinners round you,
Trembling on the brink of woe;
Death is coming, hell is moving;
Can you bear to let them go?
See our fathers, see our mothers,
And our children sinking down;
Brethren, pray, and holy manna
Will be showered all around.

Sisters, will you join and help us?
Moses' sisters aided him;
Will you help the trembling mourners,
Who are struggling hard with sin?
Tell them all about the Savior,
Tell him that he will be found;
Sisters, pray, and holy manna
Will be showered all around.

Is there here a trembling jailer,
Seeking grace and filled with fears?
Is there here a weeping Mary,
Pouring forth a flood of tears?
Brethren, join your cries to help them;
Sisters, let your prayers abound;
Pray, O! pray, that holy manna
May be scattered all around.

Let us love our God supremely,
Let us love each other too;
Let us love and pray for sinners,
Till our God makes all things new
Then he'll call us home to heaven,
At his table we'll sit down.
Christ will gird himself and serve us
With sweet manna all around."

Here is a video of me practicing. I dedicate this to the safety of all in the path of Hurricane Harvey.

Happy Friday! :)

Talk to you tomorrow.

Pray for Texas and Louisiana and all in the path of Hurricane Harvey!




Love,

Zita