Saturday, June 27, 2015

My transcript still isn't in.  I called Cal Poly last Tuesday and they'll send it out again.  Guess I'll wait a few more days then, heck, request it and pay again.  What's wrong anyways?  I confirmed that I have the right mailing address.  If I have to order again I'm putting a name on it so it'll go to an actual person at the Office of Admissions.

There is lots of activity on Father Jonathan's Facebook page.  He has a good point that the US should now separate civil ceremonies and religious ceremonies.  I imagine plural marriage is on the horizon.  I wonder if we'll see churches give up their tax exempt status.  The fields are white for harvest.

Last Saturday I finished a very good book.  I give it five out of five stars.  It's called "Teaching to Change Lives" by Dr. Howard Hendrick.  I highlighted important passages so hopefully I can pick it up for refreshment when needed.  This week-end I'm reading "The Secret of the Universe" by Nathan Wood.  Ray Stedman said it was a life changing book for him.  That he found it in a dusty corner of the university library and it changed his understanding of the trinity.  I don't think I can finish it in two days though. It's heavier reading.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Everything is in to SWBTS except my transcript.  Cal Poly cashed my check for my transcript request in April but no transcript arrived.  I called last week and they've mailed another one so I hope this one makes it through.

My daughter-in-law said if I get a phone that receives photos she'll send me pictures.  So now I super want a better phone.  But unfortunately I want an iPhone.  The one I want is $750.  Phooey.  But if I get an iPhone then I can use the free app that Zumba offers that makes your music sound like DJ club music.  With no breaks!  But I have to pay my Zumba yearly fee this month and Zumba rent.  Then I have to pay my Zumba insurance in August.  Phooey.

It's so hot.  It's been over 100 degrees.  Today is the official first day of summer.  Happy summer!  My favorite season.

I sang in church last Sunday.  That is, I sang solo and a capella.  It was extremely edifying.  The sound of my voice filling the whole church was, was, well how can I find the words.  We sang "Brethren We Have Met To Worship", an old hymn, words from 1819.  The four of us lined up on the stage, mics in hand, then Susan looked at me and said, "Anytime."  I looked down, not at the audience for fear that fear itself might overtake me.  I let the quiet be very full then I took a big breath, looked forward and let the lyrics fill space to break the quiet.

We each have snapshots of time embedded in our heart and mind, like a handprint in cement.  For a few seconds I was keenly aware of my voice reverberating inside the church walls, all the people seated, listening to the words come out of my mouth.  I'll remember it a long time.  

By the end of singing the second line I sensed everything was going to be okay.  In practice we all had trouble starting a new stanza together, so finally  I told Susan we must look at each other and then we can start a new stanza at exactly the same time.  It worked.  We looked at each other and we all came in together and in unison.  There is an old shapenote hymnbook, hymnal, called "The Sacred Harp."  The "harp" is the human voice.  Did you know your voice can be an instrument?

So anyway, I got three more compliments for last week at church today.  I think I want to do it again.  I'm surprised, so surprised, that anyone might like my voice.  It's very good to be 55, 56 next month, and still having a brand new life experience.

There will be an election here on September 22 because we collected enough signatures for a referendum.  Today I fear we will lose the election though.  The seniors here are not motivated it appears, are not aware of the senior center takeover by the City, nor do many seem to care.  It's most unusual.  Usually seniors are highly motivated voters.  And the newspapers do not help.  Bias exists and is showing in the publications, and we're having trouble getting our side out to the public.  Well, I have to cheer up and be more positive and do what I can do.  I don't really want to speak at the commission meeting Tuesday.  The politics behind the issue seems to cause the worst in people to come out.

Monday, June 08, 2015

Dreaming of the future.  Dreaming of being a seminary student.  Wondering why Cal Poly hasn't sent my transcript to Southwestern yet.  They cashed my check in April.

On Saturday I went and practiced singing with the choir director and pastor's wife who plays the organ.  I loved it.  However, the choir director gave me a microphone for the last song.  Suffice to say, he didn't ask me to sing with him after that.  Hahahaha!  I was perspiring under my arms a lot!  I was a little embarrassed to hear my voice very off key a couple times, but what can ya do?  I just kept on singin'. After all, Scripture says to make a joyful noise. It doesn't say a thing about singing in perfect pitch.

I was going to wear my new dress to church Sunday.  With my new wedge sandals.  But alas, I was not prepared for the investment of time that dress wearing requires.  So I got in my usual jeans and cowgirl boots and went.  I was late.

But I was in time for choir practice.  We had no teenagers for our class so we went to an adult Sunday School class.  It happened that they were starting a new book and the subject was "Accept Your Leadership Role."  We talked about how everyone is afraid to lead and we read Joshua 1:1-9.  I liked it so well I am memorizing 1:7-9.  ...Be strong and courageous.  And we talked about how before you do anything, pray.  But of course we know that.  But, do we listen too?  Often we talk so much we forget to listen.  Much like giving a man directions.  He's talking so much about how he can find his way that he doesn't even listen when you're giving him the directions.  Well, it was all women in the group so it made sense to us!

Every obstacle is an opportunity.

And so I sang in the choir for church for the first time.  It was wonderful.  The Sunday School lesson gave me the extra, oomph, for encouragement I needed.  If God is guiding you to do something, why wait.

After Zumba tomorrow I'm going to the City Commission meeting.  I'm on the email loop with the ad hoc committee and they are exceedingly well prepared for tomorrow.  I do hope it goes well.  I think they ought to select another building to house a visitor center for the Spaceport, but the City has hurriedly chosen to "repurpose" the senior rec center.  We have collected enough valid signatures for a referendum.  It seems the City is going to say the petition is fraudulent perhaps.  We'll see tomorrow.  They may try to say that people didn't know what they were signing but they did know what they were signing.  The man who collected the most signatures is quite vociferous and it would be a stretch to say people don't understand what he's saying.  The owner of one of the two newspapers in this community is also on the county commission and she did a one page political ad in her own paper and printed the names of all 265 petition signers.  It's quite unusual.  I've never seen the like in all my life.  This is an interesting little town. And they are encouraging residents to write a letter requesting to have their name redacted from the petition, but I don't think it's possible once it's been filed.  Anywho, come what may, I would like to see the rec center not to be changed to a tourist bus center/visitor center.  I think having been built by the WPA 70 years ago it ought to  continue to be used by the community for recreation.  The City moved all activities to the Civic Center, but it's kept locked.  A City employee has to come and open and close it for anyone who needs entry.  It's the oddest recreation center set-up you've ever seen.