Sunshine in my Soul...and in the sky

(A few delights from our day.)

Last night when my bread wasn't rising fast enough for me to knead it and get it baked before sundown, I thought I would roll it out and make breadsticks. To that end, I had it all smoothed out on the largest of all my tiny counter spaces, olive oil and herbs sprinkled over the top.

Just moments before I started the slices that would make the whole into bread sticks, my husband came in the room and said,

"Oh, are you making pizza?"

Well, no. I wasn't. But why not? It sounded good to me, too. And it has been a delicious edition to two meals now. And I think next time we make beans in the crock pot, I'll plop in a few whole potatoes so that we can have "baked" potatoes with our beans.

This morning at church a woman approached us. "Which one of you plays the piano well?" she asked.

It has been a while since I've heard this question much, but I'm about as accustomed to it as I am to drinking water or going for a walk. We both play the piano well, in fact, and yes, one of us could easily step in since you don't have a pianist today. Oh, yes, I suppose the other of us would be willing to help lead the singing as well.

No, we don't begrudge anyone, or think how bad they must be at planning ahead. I've been that planner on many occasions, desperate for someone, anyone, who could play, and I know well not only the feeling of being asked to help at the last minute, but also the great feeling of relief when someone says that beautiful word, YES.

I looked over the notebook she handed me. Just hymns. No problem. Then there was the one praise song--a little more modern and a little less easily in my fingers. I've played every hymn in the hymnal (try it sometime--it's great fun), but some of the newer ones in newer books...well, they're composed a little differently than four-part hymns according to the voice leading rules in counterpoint or the common practice era. (Enough said.)

In my mind, I read the music, singing and playing it silently. I do this several times before I realize I've played it before. Ten to fifteen years ago. With the pastor's wife at the electronic keyboard next to me. It's a nice song, and it's still floating around in my mind this afternoon:

"Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come."

I've never had anybody ask me to fill in for a sermon, although sometimes I feel like I learn enough from my Bible study during the week to do it if necessary. They ask me to play the piano quite often, though, and I'm glad I can do what my hand finds to do to be useful, to let the congregation praise and pray together to the God I serve and love.

This afternoon, we'll do as our friend songleader suggested--get out in the sunshine. The rest of the week may bring snow and cold, so we'll take our forty degrees while we can have them. For the rest of the winter (as always, whether the weather outside is rain or shine), we'll be relying on the Sunshine in our souls for light.

P.S.

If you're looking for good reading, we haven't been able to put Escape from Death down. We're like a couple of little kids...maybe just one more chapter?