Symphony

This 2011 post still brings a song to my heart ...

"Last Friday night I attended a concert at the Austrian Embassy with The Beloved's Mum and sister. For an hour the Mendelssohn Piano Trio took us to Spring in Vienna through an outstanding performance of Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert. It was breathtaking. Together the piano, violin and cello conjured every emotion. At times complementing, at times echoing, at times competing with each other; yet always creating beauty.

And then, the Lord spoke.

"Listen to each note. Hear how it is pure and beautiful in its own right. Now hear how it plays with the other notes - each sure of its place on the staff, not needing to be any other note, just itself. That's how I see my children."

"Now see how each note and each bar and each phrase combine. At times these bring joy and lightness, calm and peace; at times pathos and darkness, distress and unease; but always beauty. It is just like the moments and events of your life. Tonight, you don't fear the mix of those emotions, in fact you're delighting in them, experiencing their beauty. How much more beautiful is your life! Fear not daughter for your life is a symphony! "
A symphony has been defined as an 'elaborate instrumental composition in three or more movements, similar in form to a sonata but written for an orchestra and usually of far grander proportions and more varied elements' (dictionary.com). So there it is. My life with all its ups and downs, was, and is, and will be even more breathtaking than anything written by Mendelssohn, Haydn, Beethoven or Schubert.

So, come Great Composer and write your Symphony that is me ...... hold no note back!"

Turning ... again

I LOVE autumn - a previous post from 2012 says it all:

"Autumn has arrived in Virginia. The leaves are turning heads with their golden, brassy redhead shows; urbanites have decorated their steps with a myriad of pumpkins and gourds; and the industrious squirrels are running the fences and highwires with their cheeks stuffed with acorns. There's a comfort in Autumn that extends beyond our sweaters and boots. The heady carefree days of summer holidays gives way to familiar routines and faces and we settle back into belonging. Equality arrives as we hide under oversized woolens and eat stews with Octoberfest beer and pumpkin lattes.

At this time of year the natural landscape creeps indoors and pulls up a chair. Our design and culinary palettes become infused with muted orange fillings and golden crusts with bursts of purple to remind us of His royal presence. This season is less Hallmark and more His Mark. For me, Autumn is the season when God shows off the most. Though to be fair the still-life of winter, the resurrection of spring and the glory of summer, are all pretty spectacular too, but I digress.

At the start of a new year (come on, we all know the year starts in September!) nature begins with turning, falling, harvesting and dying. The sunflowers that pointed the way to the Son now bend their heads in reverent submission. What once provided shade and shadow leaves us exposed to the elements. The land surrenders its precious crops as we shore up our storehouses for the barren months. And the chrysanthemums give us one last hoorah before disappearing into the deep blue silence of winter.

I wonder if this changing landscape can provide pointers for reflection on our inner landscape as the new year begins?
As the leaves fall .....
Like Adam and Eve in Eden, what have we kept hidden under leaves of control, pride, arrogance, striving, people-pleasing or fabulousness that we are ashamed off? What liberty would come if those leaves fell and we were metaphorically naked before God and man?

As the Harvest is gathered ....
What did we sow our time, energy and resources into earlier this year that is now ready to reap? Which relationships have borne great fruit and which yielded a poor harvest because they weren't in the right light?

As the flowers die ....
Which promises and dreams must retreat to hibernation, and which issues is it time to let fall to the ground and die? How do we still see beauty in barrenness and hope in bare twigs? Can we believe for spring?

So, when the dappled light of the low Autumn sun beckons us outside to kick the leaves and feel the cooler breeze, let's truly let the outer landscape inside."