IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC

Soul music!

I have a title and a picture but now I need some words. Hopefully they will come by morning.

Morning has come. The raccoons have come and eaten their crunches. Yes, we gave in they destroyed our pond again and now they chase each other around on the roof. Dad took a look up in the attic just to see is there were any creatures up there. The quiet was music to our ears.

I am finishing my book "Blue Like Jazz". I think it would be a good book for any body with lots of questions about religion. He is a young man who goes through different stages in his faith. He is a loner and a writer. At college he sets up a confession stand not to hear confession but to confess all the sins of Christianity. Right now, we are faced with the abuse of priests and the abuse of the power that did not deal with the problem. The healthy thing about confession is that you then can start a new beginning.

Christianity has been too intellectual and now the mystical brings out the spiritual that people seem to want. We all like different music and different styles of worship. At times I like to be able to respond to the music when I worship and lift my hands in praise and pure joy! Young people do this at their concerts and it invigorates them.

Worship is entering into a state of wonder and of grace. Don writes about the false gospel; "that there was no magic in it, no wonder, no awe, no kingdom life burning in my chest." I love the times that I would leave the comfort of my bed and go off to worship with a small group at a sunrise service. I can never see the sunrise without feeling a sense of awe in the beauty and splendor.

"There are things you cannot understand, and you must learn to live with this. Not only must you learn to live with this, you must learn to enjoy this."

Easter has reminded us of death and it is all around us. Even in families were we struggle to be real and to keep in touch and to keep love alive; love sometimes dies.
There is grief and loneliness. Tears come to our eyes in unexpected moments and sadness clouds the beauty of the light. Even at church a hymn or a worship song can bring the tears to my eyes. The little choir group at Colebrook is made up of people I truly love and I feel blessed be their singing. I do not know the young people at Grace Point Church that lead the worship but as I see their enthusiasm I feel blessed.

Our music expresses our deepest feelings of love and of loss; joy and pain. It is all apart of who we are and who we hope to become. I enjoy being with my family and I love listening to what they have to say. I am glad that receiving and giving love strengthen us all!

Jazz music may have been invented by the first generation freed from slavery. There is emotion and everyone sings the song the way they feel it. It is okay to lift up your hands and close your eyes. Music awakens in me a sense of awe! of freedom!