Jazz on Tuesdays--- D is for drums

If one read through my jazz posts one would feel I don't dig drummers. But I do. I do. But apparently not enough to give them shout outs.

When Chico Hamilton walked out onto the stage a couple years ago, I was wondering if he would be able to make it to his drum set. The man was well into his 80's and moving slow. But when he sat down behind the drums, the man was youthful. Not that he could drum as hard and fast as he could back in the day, but he sure could play. And he was enjoying himself, which is a requirement for playing:




Several years ago, Mosaic Woman (who did a great C about Canadian Content) bought me a drum for Christmas. One day I picked it up and said, "We need a lucky drum solo for..." It didn't happen often, but I continued the practice. Lately I have added it to my prayer practice. The drum sits next to the Chair of Contemplation and so at some point in my examen, I pick it up and said out some hope. And why not think of someone in need of hope and play a solo for them. Some of those vibes travel through my gut and keep going into the universe. I drum. I pray. I hope. It is one thing I can do for a friend, a town, a church, a country, a flock of migrating birds. If it was all that I did, it may not be enough, but it sure is a good start in getting God's attention.

herding cats

Inside I have to laugh at my friends who think it would be so hard to guide them through a Bible Study. They think they are unherdable (I like this new word), but considering the group I herd at work everyday, they are nothing (actually they are everything). No, this is not what I need. I do not desire keeping them "on topic" for I learn so much more to let them flow freely. Would I have learned as much about science fiction writers and their books on theology if I had spent the energy reigning them in to the topic? I don't think so or as one would say... Hell to the no! Is that what you say?

The topic was the Lord's Prayer. So I look at the clock and skip to the end, for I want to get their take on avoiding evil and/or the evil one. Since they want brief statements about the prayer---- an earlier reading annoyed two of the three greatly for being too long of an extensive to the Lord's prayer, and ironically sent both into much longer ramblings both on and off topic.

... so I tell them this, which the retreat leader had said last week at Wernersville,

"The goal of the evil one is to make us doubt that God loves us, and/or that we love God. It is that simple."

I think about all those years of not believing and how those thoughts keep flowing back.... "Only fools and stupid people could believe in God," the evil one whispers into my head many a week at church. Thank God for hymns and friends passing peace to fill me with the spirit to fight it off. But I want to be rid of these thoughts so I linger and ramble on when I pray these days.

Yes, I will take that opening to the prayer and sit with it and pray for God's kingdom to flow onto the Earth. I want to demand that the world is filled with peace and joy and hope and justice and love. I don't want to fly into the daily bread. I want to linger with my hope that I can be part of helping God's kingdom prosper. I want to be awed by a God that is capable of this and praise the God of all of us for it. I am in no hurry to get to the forgiveness bit. I will stop there too. But first, I want God and myself be real clear why I want to be fed, why I want to be forgiven, why I want to forgive others, and why I do not want to be led away from God. I need this and so I sit and shout silently to the Lord. "I want to be part of your unfolding creation, please, please give me the wisdom to see it and respond in a way that creates your Kingdom..."

I let my friend's ramble on and that is OK because... for until they comment here, but only until then... I have the final word.

Friday group 1-- a question

Spent time with two groups of friends last night... thoughts on the first.

Three of five have shared their stories at my monthly spirit group, when I jump in... shoulder first. My prayer life has been minimal. Holy Week was spent not following Jesus but being frustrated over my lingering cold and my shoulder taking a turn in the wrong direction. I think of those words that came to me in prayer when I first started OT... "You can heal."

We fall back into silence.

I am asked, "What do you need from God?"

When my OT asked me what I wanted this week, I said... "I want the pain to be gone."

Last night blind gardeners come to mind as I sit thinking about what I had been asked. So I talk about blind gardeners and I decide I don't want to ask God to remove my pain. I want the wisdom to garden with the body I have at that moment.

I say jokingly that I need my knee to hurt to distract me from the shoulder. How do I release this pain.... not focusing on it would help. Twice a day I am heating, exercising, and icing it. Twice a week my evening schedule is changed by OT appointments. My mind is filled by wondering if I can do that task or avoid that one.

The other day another thought floated into my brain. Another old injury that lingered. A massage therapist that released the pain. I need the wisdom to heal not just the hope that I can.

The group is over and I rise from my chair. Both my knees, which having experienced the earth while I planted onions at work, pop and crackle loudly as my legs straighten.

I wake in the morning, my shoulder no worse no better for the digging in the dirt. Knees seem to function. Thighs are sore. I can live with this.

and that is my desire.

...

ending avoidance, avoiding distraction

It is finished....

after weeks and weeks of avoiding, I finished the project without a hitch on the 9th, delivered it to the purchaser on the 16th. It was nice having it about for a week. Here are two views (click to see larger).





So what are the props to get them up to window level, you ask? On the right is my New Jerusalem Bible, on the left is The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. Not a professional photo shoot, but the only place in the house I could get shots of them side by side.





Speaking of avoiding, it looks like we are avoiding the Olympics this week so we can get back to our normal routine which does not include TV. Thus there is more sleep, more reading, more art, and even more time for silent reflection.

Last night I was taken to the parable about taking the log out of your eye before you take the speck out of your neighbors. At school, it is much easier to see the results of a student and staff power struggle, when I am not the staff and when I have admitted to doing the same. So when I see one and want to make comment, it is best to add in that I too have dug in my heels when it was just a matter of thinking I SHOULD have control over the situation.

Well, I have two weeks to relax and do some log removal from my eyes.