Tag Archives: singing

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Not quite the Partridge Family, but at least we are faithful……..

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Tonight Puddy and I once again are out on the back porch, this time not listening to K-Love, but to specific music that I enjoy singing to on Youtube. Music is an important part of my life, and it often lifts me up or centers me in times when I need both. Tonight I have been listening and singing to “Days of Elijah” and a few other tunes. I enjoy all types of music but to sing, I particularly like contemporary Christian and praise music.

Ironically, I am not the musician in my family…everyone else is. I play no instruments at all, whereas Scotty plays everything……..guitar, piano, drums, and trumpet. Steph is an excellent guitarist and pianist. Amanda could play a saxophone if you put it in her hands, and Ben pounds on his highchair (and tries to hit his siblings guitars)! All I have is my voice.

Oddly enough, I have spent my entire life shunning even that. I remember in 8th grade my music teacher, Mrs. Guard, calling me “the boy with the golden voice.” Yet I thought it was “uncool” to sing, and made sure everyone knew I was an ice hockey player……singing just seemed so weak. I was put into Cadet Choir in my sophomore year against my will and I complained as if they were cutting off my arm. I was the grandson of an accomplished bass singer, and my great grandfather an accomplished chello player, yet to me singing just not the image I wanted as a tough young high school boy.

In truth, I never gave it up, though my taking it on myself took me far from having a golden voice. I am now more honestly labeled the “middle-aged man with the mediocre voice,” but I enjoy it nonetheless. Music is still with me, it’s just now with me with many deep regrets.

I am reminded each day however, that it is never too late to begin anew. In fact, the Lord gives us opportunity to do so every day….okay, in truth every moment, even now. I may never recover that golden voice, but it shouldn’t stop me from making a “joyful noise” to the Lord. And if I never take it any further, at least it serves me well.

It has been a good night….full of music, or fond memories, of joy and of hope for the future. Scotty and Steph, and even Amanda joined me mid-blog, with two guitars, no saxophones, and lots of fun…praise God!

I best get to bed while I am way ahead! Goodnight my friends and God Bless! I hope your day was every bit as good, if not better than mine!

Fr. Tom+

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And the Lord said. “let there be music!”……

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Times have certainly changed. I would have never considered 10pm late in younger days, but now it is. I now love sitting out on my porch looking at the trees and the sky wondering why I wasted so many years not paying attention to the beauty of God’s creation all around me, and of course listening to music while I do. As I reflect upon it, it’s no wonder why I am hard of hearing now. Now I like the nice, easy-going contemporary Christian music. But when I was younger and not paying attention to life I was more of the loud and hard variety of listener. I can still sing it all, but in truth, I like the deeper, lasting meaning over all the teenage angst I used to sing about!

So after listening to all the CD’s I have about 100 times, and attempting to connect to all the radio stations I can reach in my car, (but apparently not out on my porch), I was finally able to connect via the Internet to K-Love.com, which is a network/ministry I love to listen to that has stations all across the country. It has been an important part of my life (as have stations such as 98.7 and 97.9 here in central Indiana…and the former 93.9 that Cumulus made into a goober station) but K-Love you can reach from anywhere on the Internet, and I encourage you to give it a try.

Christian radio is different from regular radio, in that it not just gives you something to listen to, but it inspires you and can strengthen your faith as you listen to it as well. People often ask me about my own personal habits, and I confess that Christian radio is a big part of them. If you haven’t listened to it before I encourage you to give it a try!

Okay, enough of sitting out here. I am tired and I am sure my neighbors are tired of all my singing. Nite my friends, and God bless!!

Tom+

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The return of the 10………

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Today the ten players we dropped off at Northwestern for the Best of the Best Lacrosse Camp returned, and it was easy to see their transformation. Last year the two who went, my Assistant Coach’s daughter Maddi and my daughter Stephanie, came back much better players, yet they said they felt like fish out of water there because everyone was so much better. What a difference a year makes! This year, the ten shared that they were “deeply disappointed” that they lost by one goal in the championship game of the camp session (how did they develop that much???) and our goalie who also went to the camp, Jessica (we call her a Rock Star in goal) was named the top goalie of the whole camp! We are seeing some amazing transformation right before our eyes and now they want to get out and practice SOON even though our regular season begins in March of 2009!

It’s so cool! In a day and age that we see so much confusion and angst among teens, it is refreshing to see such positive focus. I am relatively new to the sport of lacrosse only having been an Assistant Coach one year and a Head Coach this past year. But in all my years of coaching (which there have been many in other sports) I have not seen such quality athletes or such enthusiasm. If I could just get them to stop singing loudly in the van when we travel I would say they would be just about perfect. But if they keep playing well and getting better, I may just wear earplugs and count my blessings.

Anyway, that’s about it for my post today……I just wanted to give a plug as a proud father and coach. Tomorrow is the day we are celebrating Ben’s first birthday, so I have a bit of work to do. (His actual birthday is Monday) But I wanted to post before my wife put me to work as pre-party labor.

Goodnight….and God Bless.

Tom+