A Flower Surprise

Back when we got our first frost warning,  there were a couple of lovely geraniums growing in my garden.  I decided to bring one inside and invite it to live a little longer.  I put it in the sun room, thinking I might get a couple of more weeks out of it.

Here it is the last day of the year.  That first frost date was actually way back on September 18.  So over three months later,  that geranium is still living a little longer.   It is getting much colder in the sun room now, which is unheated, except by the sun,  which does warm up the room somewhat.  Still, it is 19 degrees outside today.

I certainly never expected that at this date, the last day of the year, I would still be enjoying the lovely geranium.

Thank you pretty flower, for your lovely surprise!

A Flower Surprise

Pink and blooming

on this gray and gloomy

day of December.

Still giving its

lovely flower self,

still living, 

long beyond my expectations.

So glad I rescued you

at the warning of that frosty night,

that you could still

be surprising me,

and bringing such delight!

December Day

Christmas 2014

 Tomorrow is the last day of the year.

I will probably take down the tree,

 and say farewell to these months gone by,

putting away Christmas,

to start a clean slate, 

ready for a new day.

I fully intend to watch it unfold

and live in the present moment,

aware and bold.

No marking the calendar,

or planning far ahead.

I will not try to accomplish it, or pursue it,

fashion it or do it.

It will come to me,

and I will gladly receive it,

whatever it may be.

I will be thankful 

for a cold day in December,

and every day that comes.

Signing Off

I have been writing this blog for the past five years, and I feel as if it is time to close it down.   I am glad that I have had some readers.

No doubt, with all my posts about "lying fallow" and "burning out", you have seen this coming.

I am moving on to something else, something new, though I have absolutely no idea what exactly that might be.   (if anything).

With all best wishes for a wonderful 2015,  for all of us!

God Bless,

Nancy

The Miracle of Cantata 2014

The IHS Choir, December 21, 2014

After yesterday's Cantata,  several people asked me:  "How in the world did such a thing come into being?"

 [It is really miraculous, considering the many participants, including numerous high school and college students.]

I appreciated the question, because it was fun to answer, and even gave me some new insights.

After we had created a couple of anthems,  Paulette and I sort of jokingly said to one another at about the same time:  "Let's write a musical. Let's write a Cantata." Neither of us can remember exactly who said what, when.

But I do remember that the seeds of the idea were planted in that way.  And I love a creative challenge.  Without telling Paulette I was doing it,  I started working on the narration and lyrics, around September 2013.   That was done within a few weeks.  When I had finished it,  I sent the entire, completed text to Paulette.

 Paulette went to work on it long before the 2013 Cantata was finished. One song at a time,  she got inspiration .  I now fully understand that each song matches the words, story content, mood of each piece.    When Paulette had created a song, I met with her to hear it.  The only input I had on the musical side of the collaboration, was sharing with her what I heard in my head as the melody for the theme piece,  "O, Lord, What's Happened to Christmas".   Otherwise,  no negotiations were needed on any other part of the musical content.   Paulette worked on the composing for six months.  By March of 2014, it was finished.  She then made a copy of the entire, completed Cantata. In early July, Paulette the cantata to Sue, hoping that it would be deemed worthy.

We didn't know what Sue would think or how she would feel.  It was rather presumptuous of us to preempt her musical selection.  Then Sue went through the entire Cantata, playing each piece, no doubt imagining and envisioning how it would all come together, and how she would lead the choir through it.  The work is musically challenging.

Finally,  Sue communicated to us that indeed the Choir would do our Cantata for Christmas!   After that, came a couple of months of rehearsing the songs, one at a time during choir practice.  Sue worked her incredible magic, as usual.

I had not experienced the entire collections of songs together, along with the narration,  until December 20th.  So moving for me! (Gerry had tears much of the time.)

Eight original songs.  At least 48-49 participants.  (I counted 48 at the Dress Rehearsal, but not everyone was there). Lots of instrumentalists, an organ, a synthesizer.  It was really incredible!

Here is what I have realized.

So, my giving the fully formed text to Paulette was a complete shock and surprise to her!

So, Paulette giving the fully formed, completed Cantata, words and music, to Sue was an unexpected shock and surprise!

All the participants offering this incredible work to the congregation was equally a surprise and delight, completely unlike anything they had ever heard.

Not at all unlike the original Christmas,  also an unexpected surprise.  God among us, fully formed, the most amazing gift of all---Jesus Christ--the perfect model for peace and goodwill among all God's people!

Merry Christmas!

Pre-Cantata Jitters

I don't know whether I am more nervous or excited.   This year's Cantata will be a really big event in my life. Paulette, my collaborator, says it is  'on the way to being her best Christmas ever.'  (There is just something thrilling about that creative process,  and watching it come alive.)  Her brother is even traveling from New Hampshire to share the experience.

Together, we have created a modern Cantata, which will be presented on the 21st.  Over a year ago,  I started with narration and words to songs---the bones. Paulette wrote the score,  the music--perhaps the muscle and blood and organs.  The choir director and the choir are bringing this new creature to life--putting skin on the bones and giving it breath and voice and movement!

 There are numerous instrumentalists involved, and soloists and duets.  I can't wait to actually experience it all happening. Paulette, who is the organist, gets to see the progress on a weekly basis,  but it will all be a surprise for me.  Oh, she played some of the songs to me along the way as she was creating them,  but I don't really remember what they sound like.  And I certainly have no concept of the cantata in its entirety.

Our Cantata is called 'O, Lord, What's Happened to Christmas?"  
Composed by Paulette Fry with Lyrics and Narration by Nancy Rehkugler.

After a couple of contemporary pieces, it moves into the traditional Christmas characters, and we hear a dramatic duet by Zechariah and Elizabeth,  solos by Joseph and Mary,  reflections by Mary.  The men from the east come in with a percussion section.

There will be approximately 39 Choir members,  8 original songs,  various narrators, assorted instruments and hopefully a really good congregation to hear it!

I plan to later add some post-Cantata reflections, after I have had time to process the whole experience.

A List-less Life

For years, I lived my life by the calendar.  The calendar would be booked several years ahead, sometimes, with conferences to attend.  With weddings at which I was scheduled to officiate. With trips I needed to take.  With graduations and a host of important life events.   Whatever was on the calendar happened.
And I would have lists, too.  I would make my to-do lists and check the things off.

Now, I find myself going into a new year without any projects, without any lists.  At first, that was a scary thought.

Having lived by a list of things to do,  a calender of things to happen,  projects to complete,  dreams to envision,  goals to accomplish,  over time,  that became a total way of life.

The other day there was nothing at all on the calendar.  I did have a rather long to-do list, though I generally don't even make those any more.   But because I did make that list,  I found myself pushing, pushing, to make sure I got it all done.   I ran about half a dozen different errands around town,  went grocery shopping,  did laundry,  etc.   By the time I needed to start making dinner,  I realized that I had not yet folded the clothes, and had stressed myself right into a headache!   I have not had a headache in years,  though I used to have frequent migraines back when I was working.

What I am discovering is that there is really a different way to live.  It is more in the moment.  I know what needs to get done in a day.  I can usually take my time.  If there is somewhere I need to go,  I do that.  I can fill up a lot of time reading on my Kindle,  or playing games on my Ipad,  or doing email on my computer.  I enjoying cooking and reading recipes.  There are a few TV shows that I enjoy.

Life can simply unfold, and will, even without a filled up calendar or a long list of things to do.
And that is a very lovely thing.

I could spend a whole hour just sitting quietly drinking my pot of coffee.   And  I do!

Now is the time to savor it all.  To reflect.  To be happy.   And indeed I am!