Music of the Dance

For roommate night, we enjoyed the Northwestern College Faculty Artist Series, and heard Flutist Michele Frisch and her ensemble with Harpist Kathy Kienzle, the 'Bell Alma Duo, perform a wonderful show. Operatic, ballet and dance music by long gone composers was re-invigorated and sometimes re-arranged for flute and harp (with special guest viola). It echoed through Nazareth Chapel and inspired the words below...and we topped off St. Patrick's Day night with Shamrock shakes. Bravo!

Mario Broeders, Three Pieces for Flute and Harp

Marble blushes

with the thought

that marble's maker

should be sought

sold, traitored, hung.

Marble's maker crushed

and life re-begun.

Serge Prokofiev, Morning Serenade (Aubade) from the ballet Romeo and Juliet

I sing in the morning,

I dance,

spring up though one sleeps

veiled in cold death.

Through her window, does her heart beat to my song?

I am greatly distressed,

she does not join me,

'ere long,

never to join again.

Aram Khachaturian, Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia, from the ballet Spartacus

Led down long and dusty path, minutes left.

Longing, violence awaits.

These hands shackled,

oh but to- would it be better?-

I shudder the thought but fear your fate

my love, my love.

I see her no more
and quietly plot

stoic face until my jailer rewards himself with a draught,

and slashed, his head

hangs, where is she stayed?

Find her I must- help!-

Cloaked, with bribe money spent,

and another fool lays dead.

And my beloved in my arms,

we are fled.

Alexander Glazunov, Petite Adagio from the ballet the Seasons

Blessed bliss of seasons turne

Forgotten not the summer lark song,
Along side a frost-bittten burn,

Which winter's shade shall spurn,
Then, wings to spring and mark,

summer's fern.

When autumn komt,
Ich weiss nicht vergessen,

Red leaves and crisp air press in

to escort the frost, the ice, the snow

the clouded sky, the north country blow,

for surely waiting brings blessed fruit,

and from deepest sorrow shoots happy root

All bourne from Creator's lute.

Joseph Lauber, Quarte Danses Medievales, Op. 45

Such a clarion call

to beauty's spell

a chill in the air

yet spring's blossom smell

assures self of hope

'neath the March of snow;

of life beyond death's hold,

of a perish-less frame beyond this decay,

of unstained garments beyond this day's pains.

M. Roesgen-Champion, Danse Rituelle

Silver wand,

mirth maker.

Golden bow,

earth shaker.

You hum and resonate,

you call and herald fate!

(Is this not heaven, endless tunes to praise His name?)

Manuel de Falla, Spanish Dance No. 1 from the opera La Vida Breve

Her heart, broke.

She died.

I hope he carries that

grief all the days of his life.

Wo to the man

Happy 100th Anniversary of International Woman's Day! Last year I attended an event for International Woman's day the theme was on women and water. This year the theme was 'women and hunger.' I attended an "Interactive Hunger Banquet" sponsored by Oxfam. I went with two great friends and even saw previous professors and my old boss!

A highlight was hearing a Haitian farmer share her passion for self-sufficiency related to food. Jacqueline doesn't want handouts, she wants partners. She wants Haiti to be independent from Foreign aid. I was struck by how crazy it would be if Canada or England had many workers across Minnesota giving us grants and providing food and medical services. What are the effects of dependency, when capacity isn't built for locals to do it themselves? It's just deeper spirals of dependency.

Jacqueline started a farming cooperative that works together to take care of each other and improve the land. (And this is SO NEEDED for a nation such as Haiti- the statistics are unfathomable).

The broader plea was for women to be at the center of any food solution (as primary food growers and preparers.) Leaving women out of that discussion is disastrous. And often, due to lack of education and political powers that be, women aren't in the discussion.

The Hunger banquet was interesting. We (along with the majority of other young folks) were in the 60% "poor" group. We sat on the floor and ate a meal of unseasoned rice. 25% of the "middle class" sat in chairs and ate a meal of beans and rice. And 15% of the "rich" ate at tables and had salads, bread, and pasta. We literally left the banquet hungry*! But the impression was made. We are among a privileged who live in abundance. And I am grateful. I want to live in a way that recognizes this- that isn't gluttonous, but strategic. And I want to serve in a way that empowers farmers like Jacqueline- I want my nation to give aid in that way- and doesn't trap people in cycles of dependence.

I think Oxfam's work, especially on a political/policy level is important. But this talk encouraged me to keep moving towards working with development and bringing real change to people's livelihoods. Perhaps with Food for the Hungry or ECHO, or Care of Creation... groups that are combining the daily bread we need to conquer hunger with the deeper, spiritual bread we need to be truly satisfied.

*Note: We also promptly used our blessed resources to buy frozen pizzas and french bread and chocolate and feast together :)

O, You lead me to waters

Your heart,
headwaters
of mercy.

Source, unseeable,
unsearchable depth.
Breadth.

This origin of love, generating living waters.

Overflow, cascade, oceans.

Amongst-for-within, and without,
Covering.

Inspired by Sunday's Sermon (John 7:53-8:11).

Learning & re-programming

I’m learning right now that there isn’t a right answer for some things. (Particularly related to monitoring and evaluation tasks within project management.) There are better and worse ways, but, generally, not black and white “right or wrong” ways. Really? You mean, I just have to do it? And probably mess up? Because there isn’t a formula, or written procedure? Srsly? Yup.

And I’m being reminded that adults don’t have the answers. I am an adult now, and have been legally for 8 years. But there was still some college age “expectations” I could slide by under. Graduate school has raised the bar—you can’t get away with the same stuff (like not reading your assigned readings) by just wearing the college student label. Now I’m watching my dear friends get married, have children, and have more children. And they are still just like me- they haven’t magically received this adult instruction manual, or better yet, a lightning-bolt-word from God (At least that I know of!)

It’s just so different than I thought things were when I was a kid. I am the first-born, the rule-follower, the over-achiever, the do-it-right booooo-ya girl. And I’m finding that this doesn’t matter that much? That these constructs I’ve lived by are obsolete?

[CTRL+ALT+DEL]=Re-programming.

These two realizations are kind of complimentary paradigm shifts. Tectonic plates are breaking and re-connecting synapses in my brain. Pretty wacky. Pretty wonderful. So I’m sharing my mind-blowing process, as I try to gather up the pieces again. Has your mind been blown by something? Have you had to re-program? I’d love to hear about it.

V. Day

A Valentine
When I said I surrender all
I didn't know what 'all' meant
it meant what I knew then,
not what I know now,
not what I will know.
But it was earnest,
even while being nascent,
and I mean it again, today.
Right now.
I mean to surrender
this heart in love to You, my lover.
Your love crossed me,
Found me,
Your Love calls me,
Washes me,
and will not forsake me.
Past and Present and to come,
You are.
So take this heart in surrender,
in this moment and forever tether,
Sweet Savior, Precious Treasure!
Awed, in Love, wed to my Valentine
Shepherd, friend and King,
ever by my side.
Ever mine.

Never, never.

What sin, that lurks in each of us,
far grosser,
far deeper,
far more perverse.
So long, to keep hidden,
To keep hidden,
In darkness.

Even those who are forgiven,
temptation bitten
struggling, strangling,
the cords of lust.

I can't bear this weight
I can't calm the gate
The flood of the reprobates
And Their vile complaints
Now that the light has shown,
revealed the hidden state,
Oh will you still me forsake?

Never, never.
Tied to an unbreakable tether.
To a Wretch as I,
An amazing grace did fly,
Toward the neediest,
dirtiest child,
to me, to me.

Abba, such destruction and heartbreak we bring on ourselves and others. Please draw near to his family now, in unspeakable shame and sorrow, and comfort them with your peace.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

From Lost to Love

Oh for,

The love,

The love of, oh for

Oh for, the love of

The love of God

The love of God

The love of God.

I fail, I fall, crippled heart, beats too small

Not large enough, to carry this

Grief and burden,

Father, brother,

Entire city

Lost.

Cycles of

Worship, yes, hope in being washed by holy rivers, in ascending mountains, in ringing gongs, in visiting shrines,

all for a good work, to keep the law ardently.

Yet I see nothing but that

I am a good law-breaker

I am a terrible seeker,

A Truth wrecker

Critic and side-stepper.

Fresh and salt-water, flowing out of this mouth.

White-washed tomb, hypocrite who spouts.

Oh, forgive,

Oh forgive,

Me.

I turn, repent, only to do it again. I turn, repent, and repent again.

And there is forgiveness. And there is hope.

At greatest price, Jesus Christ made a way.

Blood money- He paid.

My debt, he paid.

Thank you.

Life and all, I owe, joyfully, and lovingly.

It is well, with my soul.

Conscience cleared,

burden borne,

debt paid, stains washed.

It is well!

[Inspired by seeing my own faults, seeking hope and forgiveness, and the Vimeo linked to the blog's title. Highly recommended.]