While not being overly confident, I would say after playing today’s service, I’m pretty much over the hump of being comfortably familiar with the organ, piano, and their order of service. Nearly always in the past, there’s been one hiccup or another which is always embarrassing. Playing their historic organ this morning was the most comfortable than it’s ever been. Thinking about it later, I believe my having not played it for about four months, gave me enough time to get over whatever nervousness I had building up within. I don’t know if in the past, the congregation noticed my fearfulness while playing it, but I certainly could. Hopefully after today, all that un-necessary anxiety will only be a fleeting memory of the past.
What I’ve found to be touching, is that nearly every time I play over at St. Paul, there’s either one or two members that come upstairs after the service and thank me for playing.
Most would just take it with the grain, but I’m still not used to being praised because for a great number of years I played the organ and piano at non-Lutheran church, as well as accompanied a number of various song-leaders while there. In truth, I’d say in all those years, I could count on one hand how many times someone came upstairs to say “Thank you.” I’m thinking now, there are too many people who offer their services to others and get little or no recognition. It’s sad because I’m a real believer in praising people for doing a good job, along with the extra things some freely do for others without ever expecting praise or pay.
If any of you have a few minutes to spare, please go on YouTube and search for Father Ray Kelly. I just happened to notice something written about him yesterday by one of our locals, so I investigated.
He’s likely in his 60’s, but he sure has quite a voice. His fame spread like wildfire after a video of him was taken during a wedding he was performing in Northern Ireland. The body of the church didn’t know he was going to be singing the “Hallelujah“. Believe it or not, I actually had tears running down my cheeks when listening to his absolutely beautiful voice. I still get the shivers when thinking about what I heard. There’s another one he sang which is also on YouTube which a favorite of mine called, “O Danny Boy.” Do look him up and decide for yourselves if his voice is as moving as I consider it to be.
Since it was breaking dawn this morning, and while on my way to the office, I noticed a small herd of deer in a field. I stopped and took the above photo. There were actually nine of them, but I couldn’t get them all in. There’s no question in my mind after seeing a herd of likely 30 or 40 of them in a field while driving between here and Clear Lake, we’re going to have a major population explosion of those giant rabbits come mid-summer. And to think, when I was young and working on the farm, I’d say I noticed at best, two or three in all those years, and they were always seen a great distance away. I think our State needs to have an open season on both the males and females this year to where their populations will be reduced to a manageable size. Just remember, you heard it from me first.
