A Choral Director's Death Glare

Seriously, THIS is THE BEST meme I've seen to capture the sentiment all of us choral directors feel when you've been over a piece and maybe even the cutoffs (maybe even a few times)  and someone sings through a cutoff. LOOK UP! HAHA! I found this on FB and shared it and it was confirmed by a startlingly large, yet unsurprising number of my singers that this is indeed my look when this happens!
    

On the way to Salt Lake City!

I'm on my way to Salt Lake City this morning to attend the national ACDA Leadership conference. I'm thrilled to get to go! As president-elect for the state of Louisiana, there is MUCH I have to learn! This training will address some things I've needed to learn for a while now and be helpful forever! Things like meeting organization, bylaws, procedures, etc. Then, there's all the "choral-ness" and meeting new people which is always awesome! I bought the Gogo airplane internet day pass because I'm actually NOT sleepy today.....yet. :-) I also wanted to try out blogging from my iPhone and it looks like I'll have to add links and tags later as it's not user-friendly ----> if one can even do it from the Blogger app. I'm trying to blog more lately. I love it very much, but during the year it's hard to keep up. I have SO many thoughts to write down though, so expect to see many, and varied, posts! 

Here's my current view: "I've looked at clouds from both sides now..." HA!   

I had some tea which made up for the airport PJs not having coffee this morning. Initial descent into Dallas DFW so gotta go, but more from SLC!

Sunrise of the Soul

  

Sunrise of the soul! This is exactly what I feel is happening in my life right now! It's SUPER EXCITING and a bit scary too. Sometimes the butterflies are a-fluttering in excitement and sometimes they're raging a bit fearfully. I feel a bit like I've been living a foggy life....in a manner of speaking....always searching, always unsure of some things...etc. I am quite sure I will continue to live that way and even dare to presume it's sometimes a part of the human condition - to live foggily. (I want to add here that I actually love fog! It can be beautiful!) On some fronts, I am finally feeling like I am seeing the fog clear and in a very joyful way! I FINALLY feel that all of the longings, yearnings, and old tuggings are starting to get stirred up and simmered on a grand stove. I can see that something tasty is being prepared. It's a good feeling because I've been hungry for it all my life! I feel like I'm able to feel God's presence more clearly in my life for the past four or five years and mostly the past three years and even more so the past sixteen months and six months! I have this wonderful life and most things seem exactly as they should be so I'm quite happy, loving, my jobs, and absolutely loving living in New Orleans! I get to sing for some fantastic people, I get to conduct choirs, judge festivals, travel, participate in fun diocesan events, and more. Why then, do I feel like fog is lifting? Why NOW? Well, for many years now, in Milledgeville at First Presbyterian and here at UNO and St. Paul's, the pull to being more involved in ministry has resurfaced. There's a whole spiritual autobiography I've written twice which I won't share here (right now), but suffice it it say that I feel strongly that the pathway is clearing and I am becoming more aware of how God is working in me, my work, and my life. I'm not sure what the outcome of it all will be, but I am trying to stay open to the possibilities and follow where God leads - and trying to have an open heart and mind. I've been in spiritual advising for about a year now and I LOVE IT! It's helped to sort some things out, to consider new ideas and directions, and help me begin a journey to mature into a more sacred life. The best news of the day - God's with me where I am and he's not done with me yet! :-)