Ordered dessert, waiter said they’re out of ice cream, (literally) ran to Giant across parking lot. Problem Solved!

“

I have one last thought, which is that it really makes a difference what we say. The words that come out of our mouth. I learned this from a woman who survived Auschwitz, one of the rare survivors. She went to Auschwitz when she was 15 years old, and her brother was eight, and the parents were lost. And she told me this, she said, “We were in the train going to Auschwitz and I looked down and saw my brother’s shoes were missing. And I said, “Why are you so stupid, can’t you keep your things together for goodness’ sake?” – the way an elder sister might speak to a younger brother. Unfortunately, it was the last thing she ever said to him because she never saw him again. He did not survive.

And so when she came out of Auschwitz, she made a vow. She told me this. She said, “I walked out of Auschwitz into life and I made a vow. And the vow was: I will never say anything that couldn’t stand as the last thing I ever say.”

Now, can we do that? No. And we’ll make ourselves wrong and others wrong. But it is a possibility to live into.

”

– Benjamin Zander, “Classical music with shining eyes” on TED.com (via hsinpeiandkeith)

Recent group ride around Glen Rock, sunny thoughts for a rainy day.

Playing a gig in Palmyra today. #christmas #music (at Palmyra First United Methodist Church)

I was recently asked to provide some music for a Christmas candle lighting and memorial service for a grief support group my parents joined after the loss of my sister. I chose to sing “Jesus Saves” by Travis Cottrell accompanied by myself on piano. I also decided to read an excerpt from an excellent article titled “Christmas Is ror Those Who Hate It Most”. 

There was one problem though, in this sentence:

Jesus was made to be like us so that in his resurrection we can be made like him; free from the fear of death and the pain of loss. 

It takes on a whole new meaning, however, if you do not properly enunciate one of the words in that sentence, and I didn’t. I corrected myself, but my dad caught it. 

Oh my…

I mention this, not to make light of an otherwise profound statement, but I believe God has a sense of humor. It’s important to laugh at life sometimes as well as ourselves, and perhaps at that moment I needed some levity.

But next time I say the word “resurrection” in front of people, I’m going to be a lot more careful. I guess that’s what I get for trying to do two things at once, or as I like to say it’s one of those ways God keeps me humble.