From If To Then, Part 3

 Inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere, small things and big things, obvious things and the not so obvious.  Regarding the song, From If To Then, forgive me for enjoying an amusing moment at your expense. I can just see the question mark on your face while you try to decipher the hieroglyphics on the 5 lines and black circles (notes and staff)  I have drawn for you.  These circles are my best friends in the music world. I call them my musical shortcuts. They help me get my thoughts down when I am too far away from my instrument of my choice-piano. Maybe I should have learned to play a harmonica...could have stuck it in my pocket. 

I've always had a lot on my plate, including practicing/studying the piano. Nothing to many of us. Children to raise, home to care for, jobs, church, school, so many things you can't put in order, but all things, though written last, are far from being last. 

And oh yes, that creative spirit, quiet but insistent, saying, "Write me down, I may not come again the same way. I may go to another soul who is listening, now!". In memorizing your new song, prioritize the highlights, such as the hooks, and the bridge, the melody, anything that will jog your memory of how the full song came you.  Don't let everyday life make you lose something precious to you or someone else. Just a word in a song can make someone think twice or turn their life around. My hint for you is not for the world, it's just for you. 

One of the old hymnist said, "Here's the invitation, whosesoever will"...Bye guys.

From Leap Over Walls Book by Lee Waire

From If To Then

 An auspicious celebration is surrounding the completion of a huge event. King Solomon has finished building the holy temple. In 2nd Chronicles, chapter 6 he prayed and dedicated the temple to God. He directed and asked God to forgive all sinners that confessed their sins. This holy place was to be one of worship and praise only; a place of God's habitation on Earth. King Solomon prayed to God in the midst of all his congregation, those who were natural-born, adopted,  and "believers".  This still rings true. How do I know? The Bible tells me so. King Solomon was given the privilege of building the temple over King David's desire to do so because King David had blood on his hands(1Chronicles 22:8).

8,810! There are 8,810 promises in the Bible! What you say! According to some calculations, we believers have a treasure of promises noted in the Bible. Children sing, "Every promise in the book is mine, every scripture, every verse, every line (from the song, Every Promise in the Book is Mine). Oh, excuse me, too old to remember a little Sunday School song? I haven't forgotten, and I bet you, I got you by a lot of years(smile) dear reader. Ok, Ok, maybe you remember the song Standing on The Promise (songwriter John Newton). If you haven't heard it before get a recording, buy a Hymnal, attend a Baptist church, or ask your neighbor.

Spirit usually sings any songs He wants me to write, so when this song came to me I got busy at the piano so I could keep it fresh in my mind, see 2 Chronicles 7:14, 

"IF my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin, and heal their land". 

What a promise! A contract! God promising me, (us), "I ought to be able to do this, I thought". Lord, I prayed, help me to hold up my part of the deal. I wrote the song, From If To Then in 1992. 

Just Doing My Job

Just Doing My Job is page 98 in the Leap Over Walls Music Book. I am using a new format, I thought it best to give you guys a heads up about my presentation this month. There is a reason for the change, I'll explain later. 

I have to look back at the copyright to write in the year that Just Doing My Job was composed. I was straightening some books on my shelf and I accidently dropped some of them. Attempting to pick them up, I reached for the nearest one and caused it to fall open. It fell open to a page titled, Just Doing My Job. I stared at the title a few minutes, thinking, "Where did that come from?". I hadn't seen that in the Table of Contents before. What was that chapter about? It was one page long and had nothing to do with anything I had been concerned with to any degree. But. Still the message intrigued me. I asked myself the question, was I spreading myself too thin? Raising children, working full-time, playing for several churches-with choir rehearsals, maybe occasional private lessons, etc. I know you have asked yourself  that question many times. Children of God often find themselves wondering what to do. Prayer is always the best answer. Whether you're starting a project, in the middle of a project or at the end of a project, God is your answer. The rule is, give your all, and let God give you the strength and the knowledge to do your job. And no ! Do not compare yourself to others, whose job may be to save one soul or many or maybe your own family. Maybe you are the only one that can fix Sunday dinner for a family whose parent is hospitalized or out of town. Do what you can do, as best you can do...Do your job. 

About me. Auntie raised me with a tongue in her cheek, a twinkle in her eye, and a birdsong in her throat. She belonged to many singing groups, and Gospel choirs. Uncle joined in and Mom, in her youth, played for many choirs. And so, I, by osmosis, was joined in, voluntarily or not. It was easy to roll with the spiritual punches.  It was part of my natural upbringing.  So referring to my change in format, my steps are slower, my voice scratches a bit, and my fingers stiffen when they want to--smile. However, nothing is lost in God. One door closes, another opens, so I am closing and opening all the time. We're always waiting for more voices to lift God's word with new music and praises.

I love you a lot,                                                                                                                                              Lee

What's Dysfunction

 

I grew up in a dysfunctional home but there are things and people that kept me together throughout my lifetime, one being music. I hope that the music that The Lord has helped me create has strengthen and helped others, I know that the music making process has helped me work out challenging times in my life. Looking back, I want to thank special family members who made my rough times better, often giving me support and everything they had. A place I want to acknowledge is the library. Since I was a young girl, the library has provided me with books and materials that has opened my eyes to the world around me, showing me what I can do, where I can go with God's help.

I appreciate all of this, I just want to say thank you.

Just to give you an update about the Author's Fair last month, it was fun and we had the opportunity to connect with various authors in the Union NJ area. We learned that our book, Leap Over Walls Music will be included in the New Author Collection at the new Union Public Library that will be opening up next year! 

More growth coming for Leap Over Walls Music...Stay Tuned.

Hey Everybody!

(Sing song!) God is  blessing

God is blessing,

Everyday, Every way,

and so I keep  on ringing, 

and in my soul, I keep a singing.

I still here, in His care!

Can't help it,

He's so good to me--

Me and mine will be joining with the Union Public Library, Union NJ

Saturday May 13, 2023

11AM to 1PM 

Come, share my God's dreams for all of us--

Guidance, peace, posterity, health, what you need! He's got!

Be there, See you!

 

Knocks, Blocks, and Rose Gardens

 I told myself I have nothing to say. Myself said to me, "Then why do you write?". The voice within me said, "I must speak, if I cannot sing, then I must speak. For much has been given to me, and I cannot keep it to myself". The old Gospel singers used to say, "I got to run and tell somebody else". And so I'm writing to you about the goodness of the Lord in my life, cause' I can't keep it to myself. 

"A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify. A never dying soul to save, and fit it for the sky" (written by Charles Wesley 1762). 

I wrote My Inner Room years ago. After a few performances I recorded it and filed it in the Leap Over Walls Record collection. To my dismay, when I wanted to air it, I could not find it anywhere. I later wrote about it, without the recording, in my blog May 14, 2020. The lyrics and the music are, however,  included in the Leap Over Walls Book of Lyrics (Which was published in 2005). Sadly, I found out I never recorded it as I thought I had. To me, not recording this particular song was a personal knock to my own collection because it would have been the last chance to be recorded by the original singer (My choral friend who has since passed on). I intend to record it for you as well as for me. So, right now I have a song but not a singer☹. 

My prayer would be to join up with others, an ensemble, who agree with God that His music should be heard and His payday will be their reward. 

Speaking of lumps and bumps, here's a quickie note about yours truly. This past month has been well spent with the Lord (as all time is well spent with the Lord). But, this time was exceptional. My songs, like old friends have come back to visit me, to remind me how great is the faithfulness of God. How closer than a brother is Jesus. Well...I fell down in the house and...I couldn't get up. I wasn't unconscious, I didn't stumble. I guess I just had nothing else to do, so, I fell down. I  couldn't believe I was falling, but down I came. Boom! Certainly glad I was not by myself. My kids struggled valiantly to get me back on my feet while I just as valiantly reassured them I was ok, that is, I felt ok. After being settled in my favorite chair, with my favorite heating pad and my analgesic rub in my favorite places, a couple of pain pills took over the ouchy spots. The family quieted down, and except for a few furtive questions (many, many) about how I felt, I was quietly allowed to enter my Inner Room.

My Inner Room, where healing balm, spiritual meditation, praise to God for being with me as I fell, and for cushioning the hard wooden floors. For having his healing angels in attendance, and touching where I could not touch, for catching and cradling a non-cradling surface. I allowed myself a brief pity party (2-3 minutes). 

Each day I've grown better and as Gene Autry used to sing..."I am back in the saddle again". You youngsters may not recognize this Western old star (Look it up in your FYI file). But, getting back to blocks in the road, here's a few thoughts on that, to encourage you to keep the faith and don't let anything hinder you from doing good. That's what these falls, trips and disappointments are all about. That's their intention, to stop you. Why? You must be doing something right, something God wants you to do, to complete. If God sent you, you must be equipped to do it. So march soldier! Don't let nobody, nothing, no situation, no blocks in the road, real or imagined, slow you down. So your dream may come to a grind, but not to a halt. Keep the squeals in the wheels until the Holy Ghost grease the road.

References: Galatians 6:9                                                                                                                                                  I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, song by Lynn Anderson

Happy Easter, Love to all,                                                                                                                              Lee

Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum

Like the little drummer boy, may your giving be the best you have to give. May your Christmas season be loving and kind. May God grant you salvation, health, and great joy as we remember Jesus His son, the One He sent to save us all. 

See Last Christmas Post, Sing A New Song, It's Christmas Time.