A night at the Bowl

Tonight at the bowl 14 year old prodigy Miclen LaiPang

performed Medelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor.

Such a thrilling performance.

The entire audience of 4,000 spontaneously got up on their feet and loudly cheered him.

He made his hometown debut. Although he won the Young Artist Award a couple years ago and he's been in many recitals around town, this was his introduction to the public.

I got to sit in the front row with his family.

His mother is a piano teacher friend of mine

and his beginning violin teacher (when he was 3 years old) is another friend.

In addition, the symphony performed Beethoven's Eroica Symphony,

my favorite of Beethoven's symphonies,

and Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.

The program was co-sponsored by the Maupins, a wealthy family in our church, in appreciation for the children's programs of Micah House !!! So they and Micah House both got the beautiful small crystal statue given to sponsors. How cool is that! So Micah House is becoming more known in the community.

And my students who were there found me and came over to say "hi." I always feel like an absolute queen when that happens.

Volkswagon #1 and #2

Forty years ago we bought a new Oriole Yellow Karmann Ghia, but not a convertible like this internet picture. Loved that car. But we had two accidents in it and just after Roxanne came along we opted for a larger car with a stronger frame: a family car. Drat! But that sporty car has a special place in my heart because it represents my somewhat carefree youth.

Now thirty-five years later I'm back in a Volkswagon: a Jetta. Germans still make the best cars. I had no idea it was so luxurious for a working woman's price: leather seats that heat. Believe it, I never thought I could rate leather seats, let alone ones that heat! Bluetooth that connects automatically to my phone in my purse, so when my phone rings I just push a button on the dash and it comes through the sound system, hands-free. There is an IPOD connection so my favorite classical and worship songs come through the stereo sound system. How do they THINK of these things?!? I'm going to be rockin' down the highway singing praise songs to the Lord. And it seats 5. Steel gray with black interior. It reminds me of a tuxedo, so when I wear my evening gown, I'll be in a cool car. Ü ber cool in every way. I am soooo thankful.

I believe I'll give a special thank offering to the Lord for His goodness to me.

Happy Birthday, Tom

My dear husband has his birthday today. Sixty-eight. Gracious! How did that happen? He teases me that I'm kissing someone's grandfather. That's been true for some time, but I don't like those new numbers. He'll be retiring later this year...a new phase of life.

Gotta dance!

Can you believe it???

Tom and I are signing up at the local junior college

for a Swing Dance class.

Specifically, Ballroom--Swing--Salsa.

My mother would roll over in her grave!

I wasn't allowed to dance and it took years after my marriage

to finally realize that her fear that dancing might lead to sex is now a good thing.

Ready..... Set.....GO!

Yesterday I found out from the Missions Pastor that I can go ahead with plans to teach ESL (English as a Second Language) at Micah House in September. The goal is to teach 2 hours each morning Monday - Friday, September through May. So much to do:

--continue to pray for guidance from above (several have been praying this would happen)

--form a steering committee of all the recently trained ESL teachers to plan details together

--find out who will commit to teach: the ideal would be to have two teams of two teachers--one team teach Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the other to teach Tuesday and Thursday.

--prepare the room

--decide on curriculum, order and begin making lesson plans

--get poster announcements made and publicize

--work on finding grants to pay teachers and subsidize needy students

--find an Events Coordinator who will intentionally plan events where Christ is presented to the students in some way

My personalized Jam Labels for canning jar lids.

Stoneyfield Farm--yep, that's me.

Stoneyfield is for all the rocks

we've dug up in the backyard.

Granted, my "farm" is very small,

but I like the name because I missed

my calling to be a farmer's wife.

My family seriously does not comprehend

my desire to own chickens!

I always wanted my home to have a name

like those manors and cottages in England,

so Stoneyfield Farm it is.

He is Faithful

Yesterday in Los Angeles, my student accidently took my directions home with her when she left with her parents. I had no idea how to reach the freeway. Fortunately it was still light outside in the evening. After a quick prayer as I drove alone several blocks around the deserted industrial area, I "accidently" found the freeway onramp. Well, it looked accidental because suddenly there was the sign. God doesn't make fun of us for such prayers...like they're not important enough to ask.

State Music Teacher's Convention

Today was the first of 4 days of the annual

Music Teachers Convention in Los Angeles.

I only went one day--didn't want to drive every day

nor stay there and miss my birthday celebration.

I'll miss out on my first President's breakfast.

Oh well, it's not worth a 60 mile drive.

My student, Charisa (Ka-RIS-sa) Marron was invited

to play her composition (music & lyrics) at one of the two

student-composer recitals at the convention. She did a great job.

After the recital they played "games" doing some on-the-spot improvisation to depict some aspect of Robert & Clara Schumann's life then a musical description of some type of bug (the audience had to guess which bug: butterfly, cricket, beetle, etc). They did really well, and I thought were very brave to compose impromptu in front of an audience!!!

Reminds me of a joke:

Archeologists were digging up Bach's grave for some

scientific reason and when they looked inside they were

astonished to see Bach furiously erasing his music.

"What are you doing!?!?!" they asked.

"I'm decomposing!" he answered.

Don't get me started. That reminds me of several others....

Helen

Today was the Memorial Service for Helen Elliott, a long-time friend. She was 84.

She and Hulbert attended our wedding 43 years ago.

I just loved her. She always had a beautiful smile

and an easy laugh.

She loved the Lord with all her heart.

She took the neighborhood children to Sunday School.

She was an excellent cook. I learned to make

home-made caramels-- inspired by hers.

She fished and hunted with her husband, Hulbert.

She was church pianist at Faith Bible after I left.

She raised 5 wonderful children.

I will miss her, even though I didn't see her often

these past 20 years.