Monday, November 18, 2024 Various and Sundry Thoughts

I took last week off of writing blog posts. Why? I was feeling flat and uninspired, I guess. Sometimes when I feel that way, I need to write. Other times, I just can’t. I spent the week taking comfort in hymn lyrics like

“Soul, adorn thyself with gladness;
Leave behind all gloom and sadness.
Come into the daylight’s splendor,
There with joy thy praises render.”

and

“O Word of God incarnate, O wisdom from on high,
O Truth, unchanged, unchanging, O light of our dark sky!”

and quotes from Samuel Rutherford:

“I wonder many times that ever a child of God should have a sad heart, considering what their Lord is preparing for them,” and

“Send a heavy heart up to Christ; it shall be welcome.”

That’s the way to look for light when the sky is dark. Can I get an “Amen”?

I’ve had a few new subscribers lately (hello, if you’re reading this). My usual response to the idea of a subscriber who doesn’t know me is to wonder why on earth they decided to follow my blog. I never hear from them and sort of assume that they don’t read it, for which I do not blame them. My blog is so eclectic that it doesn’t really fit into any sort of categorical slot – you never know what you’re going to get, if anything. Thank you to those of you who do read it and who sometimes respond. I appreciate it!

And now for the topic o’ the day: a surprise message from my mom who passed away over a year ago. I’ve been listening through her CD collection of mostly classical music and recently decided to try out “The Chicago Principal: First Chair Soloists Play Famous Concertos.” Sounds like a winner, doesn’t it?

When I opened it up, it turned out there were two CDs. The second one was labeled with my mom’s shaky handwriting from her later years: “DON’T BOTHER.” I laughed out loud to see it. She had very strong feelings about many things, music being near the top of the list.

I’ve listened to the first CD three or four times: Mozart, Haydn and Schumann with oboe, trumpet, horn and four horn solos. Good stuff. I have especially enjoyed the Schumann piece featuring the four horns. But now the time has come to try the second one and find out what roused my mother’s musical sensibilities enough to put a warning on it. I’ll keep you posted!

I’ll probably delete this in the morning unless I hear my mom telling me “DON’T BOTHER.”