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Hallelujah!

3/27/2016

Hallelujah!   Hallelujah!   HALLELUJAH!!

Praise ye the Lord!

Hallelujah for new life!
Hallelujah for fresh starts!
Hallelujah for lifted burdens!
Hallelujah for forgiveness!
Hallelujah for healing!
Hallelujah for inner peace!
Hallelujah for life after death!
Hallelujah for Him!!

Jesus Christ overcame death and was resurrected, and because He lives, all of us will live again. Because He lives, not just on the third day, but THIS day, every day, we can find Him.

Wherever he walked, wherever He taught, wherever He healed, He changed everything then everything changed.

HE LIVES!

And because He lives, if we reach out, call out, cry out, He is here…then….now…always.   He is here during the good times, the bad times, the in-between times… No matter who we are or who we were, not exceptions, no lost causes, at all times, in all places, He lives today.

FIND HIM!!

The text above expresses my feelings but the writing is not mine.   I have copied the script from videos and animations found on lds.org.   The words are powerful; the videos are even better.    I highly encourage you watch them and promise that, if you do, it will make your Easter more meaningful.

And I encourage you to make your Easter more meaningful.

There is no more meaningful holiday because there was no more meaningful event in the history of mankind than the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact that He died and that He lives, the fact that He died for us, for you and for me, and the He lives for us, for you and me, is the most important fact that ever was. It changes everything.

Because of Him, we can live again...and not just live again but live now. He said "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10) Because of Him, no matter who or where we are, we can have joy and peace and we can have it now.

FIND HIM.

And when you find Him, FOLLOW HIM.

Then joy and inner peace will be yours.

Now.

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On Tour!!

3/20/2016

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Fancy bus with cushy seats and a foot rest, hotel rooms with comfortable beds, running [hot!!] water, and flushing toilets, meals prepared, served, and cleaned up after without any effort on my part, 117 high school students singing and/or playing on key, and me.      One of these things is not like the other….One of these things does not belong…..

Only I did belong and that was the beauty of it!    I went on a field trip that I was NOT in charge of with many people, most of whom I did not know, and I belonged—or at least I was certainly made to feel welcome—and I loved every minute of it.

Welcome to Roy High’s Choir/Orchestra Tour 2016!

It was a whole new world for me.   Being decidedly not-musical (I don’t even listen to the radio in the car unless Tanah forces me to), it really was new to me.   I cannot produce a pitch (I’m not even sure what pitch is), I cannot hear the difference between notes sung from the back of the throat and those forced out the front, and I certainly cannot pick out a tune and sing it without accompaniment.      But I can—I definitely can—feel the power of those who can do those things.   For the first time in my life, I was a part of that power and it was heady. The power of music—to unite, to invite, to uplift, to inspire—is incredibly real and I was incredibly blessed to be a part of it for four fabulous days.

Our first stop was an exchange with a choir group at Highland High. Their kids sang several songs, our kids sang several songs, and then they taught us a song and we all sang together.   I say “we” not because I sang with them but because I soared with them.   The feeling of oneness was intoxicating; it seriously filled me with joy and made me almost tipsy. I loved, LOVED it and felt very privileged to be part of it.

My feeling of privilege continued when we visited the University of Utah and then Utah Valley University. At the “U”, our girls’ chorus sang my favorite song (Weep No More) and then their choir sang an acapella piece written in 12 parts that left us speechless. At UVU I sat on the edge of my seat as their choir director gave our choir instruction.   I could not really understand what he taught them but I could totally appreciate his brilliance, energy and uncanny ability to hear differences in sounds that were completely indistinct to me.     Later I had a similar experience at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction.   The director’s talent and knowledge drained me of words and filled me with wonder.

Singing was not the only fabulous aspect of the trip.   We also hiked and audienced.   Friday found us on the trail to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park and Saturday we were in Devil’s Kitchen in Colorado National Monument. We audienced at the Hale Centre Theatre production of “Joseph” in Orem and at the Symphony in Grand Junction.   The Pharoah/David Bowie stole the show in Joseph and sleep stole my symphony experience.

The singing and hiking and audiencing were great but the best part of the trip was the people.   I had three different seatmates—(It’s not always the trouble makers who are asked to move)—all of them under 19 and all of them wonderful.   I roomed with Chick’s second grade teacher, Denise Call, and she was wonderful.   Bishop Bradford and Monica, his wife, were on the trip. They took me under their wings and that was wonderful.   The kids were wonderful; the staff at both hotels said they were one of the best, if not the best, group of teens they’d ever had.    The other chaperones were wonderful; Trent Bills taught me how to better use my camera and three men, at my invitation, told me I was lovely. [Story: When I entered the hotel lobby, clothed for the symphony, I said “When I dress up fancy my husband always tells me I am lovely. Who’s going to do that for me?” Three men in our group graciously obliged.]

Also gracious was Nina Doxey, the RHS choir director. Darling Nina (gorgeous with long blonde, straight, flowing hair and a petite figure who is member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and is refined, elegant, and cultured) called me (large boned farmer’s daughter with hair scattered towards all points of the globe who cannot tell a sharp from a flat) a kindred spirit.   We certainly have some things in common—love of books and of hiking and of our daughters—and it was wonderful to get to know her.

And, for four days, I was “Tanah’s mom” and that was the most wonderful part of all. No longer Mrs. Hislop, I was fully “Tanah’s mom” and I fully enjoyed it.   Several times I got teary eyed as I watched her. She is so much her own person and she is such a good, GOOD person. Beautiful, independent, fun (VERY FUN), and so talented and I am so, SO lucky to be her mom.

ROY spelled backwards.....

The UVU choir director identified Tanah by her pants....not that they stand out or anything..!!

Mr. "Nina"

Tanah and the Egyptian dancers at Hale Centre Theater-Orem

I loved having Bishop and Monica on the trip with me.

The Pharoah/David Bowie and my first seat mate

My favorite hiker

An impromptu concert in the "Kitchen"--AMAZING!!

My third seatmate and the reason I had a pot of hot (YUMMY) kale soup waiting for me when I returned home. LOVE YOU!!

Sitting on the "counter" in Devil's Kitchen

Lovely!! (BTW: Tanah is wearing heels and I am wearing Chacos. In real life, I am still taller--slightly!

Being "Tanah's Mom" was the best part of all!

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World Day of Prayer

3/7/2016

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Oh my lands! World Day of Prayer, sponsored by Church Women United (CWU) and hosted by the Roy 14th ward, was a huge success.

I was concerned (and hopeful) on so many levels.   I wanted to put on a good face for the LDS Church but did not want to dominate, to blow-away, to super abound.   The perception (sometimes correct) that the LDS Church unduly influences everything in UT was something I did NOT want to perpetuate. I wanted to impress the ladies of Christian Women United but I did not want to blow them away.

I wanted my sisters of the Roy 14th ward to meet my sisters of Church Women United but that brought concerns also.    I was concerned about taking my 14th ward sisters away from their families for three hours on a Saturday morning; family time is so precious.   I feared my sisters on the 14th ward would find the World Day of Prayer program boring or that they would be uncomfortable with the passing of the plate for donations (something we do not do in our worship services).   I worried that there would be too few Roy 14th ward sisters, which might give the impression that we don’t care, or too many Roy 14th ward sisters, which might feed into the whole dominance thing again.    Ahhhhhhh…………………!!!

Saturday morning I woke up at 1:00 a.m. and World Day of Prayer thoughts roused my mind to the point that I could not sleep so I got up and worked…..which was actually nice as I was able to make a dent in the task list that has been multiplying like cancer lately.    I planned to go on an hour bike ride @ 7, shower and prepare myself from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m., and prepare the church building from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at which time the ladies would begin to arrive.

I did not plan on getting a flat tire.

By the time Lance found me to rescue me (which is another manifestation of the Lord’s tender mercies: I did not have a cell phone with me, knocked on a stranger’s door to borrow a phone, gave Lance bad directions, started walking home, realized that Lance was not going to be able to find me because I had given him bad directions, started praying like crazy, was very pleasantly surprised when a car pulled over to offer help, was even more pleasantly surprised to find out the good Samaritan was my brother-in-law Chris, asked Chris to call Lance and tell him where I really was, and, finally, got in the car with Lance and drove home)….As I was saying, by the time Lance found me to rescue me, it was 8:39 a.m. and there was no way I was going to make it to the church to set up by 8:30.

A rushed shower and a cooked pot of rice later I arrived at the church where the heart-filling, Lord-loving tender mercies continued.   Members of God’s army arrived and went to work.    Lance set up chairs and tables, Sandy took care of signage and tableware, Pyper spread tablecloths and arranged centerpieces, Patti did the paperwork, Emma and Sara stuffed programs.

The ladies from Church Women United began to arrive and the blessings continued to come.   Ladies from the Roy 14th ward came and the room filled….filled with bodies and filled with the spirit of love.   The donation tub filled with canned food goods, the collection plate filled with money, and my heart filled with joy and gratitude.

My Roy 14th ward sisters, just the right amount of them, came.   McKenzie (recently moved from our ward) came back to play the piano, Michelle (who would have much rather spent her morning doing yard work) came and brought warm, homemade bread to share.   Janet brought Lurleena and Gabby and Kellie brought support.   Joanne, who had the opportunity to do a job that she loves and to earn money that she needs, found someone to take her shift so that she could come support World Day of Prayer.

My Church Women United sisters came too, just the right amount of them. Terri graciously ran the registration table, Doris shared her insights (and photos) about Cuba and about being a rape and domestic violence advocate, Jennie’s incredible voice led us in song, Pam’s passion for CWU inspired us, and Lillie’s love of Christ moved us. There were others there whose names I do not know but whose presence I appreciate.

The meeting went well too—not perfectly but with the perfect amount of humanity to make it real.   My Grace and Sara had reading parts as did many others.    After the first verse, we spontaneously joined Jennie’s solo, singing the song a second and third time to the accompaniment of maracas and bongos. My favorite part was Lillie’s benediction.   She is a woman who knows and loves Christ.

We potlucked afterwards. The food was plentiful—Relief Society women are not the only ones who know how to bring good food and lots of it—as was the conversation.   I was so gratified to see sisterhood. There was no “us and them” division, a phenomena commonly seen when two unfamiliar groups mix.   Ladies of all faiths sat intermingled at all tables, all eating and laughing together.

Glorious.   In the words of my dear friend Tammy (Lewis), it was a great way to “trash” a Saturday! Thank you Heavenly Father for sisterhood and for allowing me to share it with sisters of many faiths!

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Hallelujah!

On Tour!!

World Day of Prayer

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Hallelujah!

On Tour!!﻿

World Day of Prayer

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On Tour!!