Cinema Paradiso

Yo Yo Ma, courtesy of the Boston Symphony

Keith Lockhart, courtesy of the Brevard Music Center

Chris Botti,courtesy of chrisbotti.com

Two of my favorite musical artists are Yo-Yo Ma and Keith Lockhart. They are not only incredible musicians (is there ever a doubt about their talents?) but they also serve to bring back delightful memories of family outings when our girls were little.

We first heard Yo-Yo Ma live at Carnegie Hall when Lauren was six. It was an afternoon children's concert that Mr. Ma is in the habit of giving to extend music education to the young. I remember watching Lauren, her big eyes taking it all in, glued to his performance and his easy banter with his young audience. On the way home on the train to Connecticut, music to her parents' ears, she told us that she would like to learn to play the cello like Yo-Yo Ma!

When we lived in Winchester, Massachusetts, we would regularly take the girls to performances by the Boston Pops, with its effervescent conductor Keith Lockhart. His energy (and youth at the time) so captivated our girls' imagination. Those were such memorable family excursions, not only of the performances themselves, but the exploration of the magnificent city as the four of us made our way across town from where we parked our car at the Public Gardens to Symphony Hall. How precious were those family times, and how gracious of God to allow us such happiness.

I now leave you with this soulful rendition of Cinema Paradiso (please click) by Yo-Yo Ma and Chris Botti together with the Boston Pops and conductor Keith Lockhart. Although Chris Botti is not part of our family collective memory, he has become one of my favorite artists, since first hearing him on a PBS special. He has unequivocally altered how I look at the trumpet and jazz! Enjoy!

There is Never Loneliness

Photography by A. Monaco

"Where a people prays, there is the church; and where the church is, there is never loneliness."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)

I am living the beauty of Bonhoeffer's well-crafted statement with the onset of my double vision condition. For the past few months, I have not only experienced the closeness and intimacy of God’s presence, but the love and support of His people - from the women in my small group in Dallas (whom I’ve met with for weekly bible study and prayer the past eight years), to my new friends at the church we worship at when we are in Chicago, to old friends from high school and college Christian fellowships, church friends from our Connecticut and Boston years, as well as friends from seminary and my daughters’ school…they all pray for me (most of them quite ardently) and those nearby come around to provide my husband and me with delicious meals, give me rides, do my grocery, or just to check up and chat.

The common thread connecting me to all these dear friends is our union in Christ. I know that sounds awfully “theological” but I can’t think of a better way of phrasing it. It is indeed our connectedness to Jesus that first brought us together and it is He who binds us together. They love and support me because they first love and have been loved and supported by God.

I am never alone because God is with me and He surrounds me with His people who prays for me, and loves and cares for me.

1 John 4: 7=11
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix

Painting by Gerard van Honthorst (1615)

It's my husband's birthday today. He so enjoys going to the opera. Since we can't go to one at the moment, here's Olga Borodina singing the moving aria Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix from Camille Saint-Saëns' opera, Samson and Delilah, to commemorate his birthday. And Elina Garanca giving an equally moving performance of the aria.

Happy Birthday, dear! Enjoy!

Heaven and Contentment

Painting by John Constable, "Haywain"

I was listening to a sermon by English preacher Thomas Watson (1620—1686) recently and was struck by this statement: A contented Christian carries heaven with him, for is not heaven where we repose in God? (paraphrased) This got me thinking about contentment and heaven.

Being contented at the end of the day does not lie in our circumstances. We could be the smartest, or the prettiest, or the richest, or the healthiest person in the world and yet be discontented. Contentment lies however in knowing that no matter what assails us (and as I grow older, I realize that life sadly does offer up many blows and disappointments) we can turn to someone who can defend us, provide for us, and carry the load for us. Remember when we were little, how we had few worries because our mom and/or dad took care of everything? And when we had a scrape, they would fold us into their arms and bandage the wound with tenderness? My parents are no longer able to offer me that kind of comfort and security but God can and does so with greater power and tenderness. Power and tenderness may be polar opposites, but necessary qualities to offer peace in the midst of difficulties. God folds me tenderly into His arms, covers me securely in His bosom as He powerfully turns life’s blows into songs, allowing my cries to slowly turn to sniffles and eventually to quiet rest. The greater power lies not in fending off sorrow but in turning sorrow into joy. The greater evidence of tenderness is visible not in smooth sailing but turbulent hours of life.

So what is heaven? It is in short a place of rest in God. An atheist would not want to be in heaven for the very presence of God (if there is such a being) would irk him horribly. A self-directed person would also not care to be in heaven for he would rather rule in his own domain and control his own destiny than rest in arms of God.

If heaven is a place where we repose in God, then hell is but a place of restlessness without God.

A person can indeed carry heaven with her, just as she can easily carry hell. Which then are you carrying this day?

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

A Good Daughter

Painting by Mary Cassat

It has been a long time since my last post. I have traveled across the world and back, and aged some during that time. My daughters have asked that I be more consistent with my posts (it's encouraging to know that they do read what I write, although they don't necessarily listen to what I say!). Perhaps this should be one of my new year resolutions (posting regularly, that is); but we know how resolutions go!

Two things have preoccupied me since my last post--my mother's health and care and my own health (eye issues). Both circumstances have opened my eyes (yes eyes) and heart to God's power, mercy and kindness. I could write pages declaring His goodness and lessons learned, or more appropriately, lessons being learned. Perhaps writing them down would keep the lessons learned from being forgotten. I think forgetfulness is one of mankind's greatest weaknesses. No wonder God keeps reminding us "to remember!"

One of the things I pride myself in is being a good daughter (as well as being a good wife, a good mother, a good friend, etc, etc). It is a good thing to try to be good in all that I am and do. But even a good thing when self-centered and self-focused is sin because the root of all sinful acts is focusing on self, putting ourselves at the center. Even when I do good things, trying my best to be a good daughter for example, it is often all about me. I went to Singapore and supposedly took "good" care of my mother for a couple of months. My sister-in-law and I worked hard to find an excellent caregiver for my mother. I was barely back in the US for a month before the caregiver decided to quit and we were left with nobody. On top of that, I was struck with double vision that prevented me from going back to make things right. I felt guilty most of all (self-inflicted guilt as well as guilt inflicted by others) for a good daughter would not leave her mother in a lurch. I cried out to God, supposedly in humility, but honestly I was also upset (how could He pull this from under me?). But God is gracious for in spite of my attitude and lack of true humility, He came to my mother's rescue. With a whole host of people praying, we hired a new caregiver (sight unseen) and hoped for the best. Yes, I hoped for the best because I didn't think a good replacement could be found without my being involved! Well, I'm happy to report that I am indeed dispensable in this process as the new caregiver is turning out to be better than the one I picked out and trained! I get no glory in this, and am still regarded by some as the irresponsible daughter who did not go back when she was needed.

I am learning that God loves my mom a whole lot more than I, and can take care of her quite well with or without me. I have a responsibility towards my mom, and when God calls for me to go back and be with her, I must heed. But in the meantime, I am to stop fretting and be amazed at how He, and He alone, is orchestrating her care and how He has gathered her in His arms and carrying her in His bosom (imagery taken from Isaiah 40:11).

Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:23-24

Chopin

I just spent the morning listening to Chopin. The music makes this gorgeous fall morning even more breath-taking. All's well when there are Chopin's nocturnes and concertos!

Here's Mauritzio Pollini, my father's favorite pianist (other than his grand-daughters) playing Nocturne no. 8 op. 27 no. 2 , offering salve for the soul!

Don't you just love this nocturne and Mr. Pollini?

The Two Sides of God's Mercy

Photography by A. Monaco

I had an "ah-ha" moment last night about divine grace and human responsibility when reading Tim Keller's book, Ministries of Mercy, The Call of the Jericho Road. One mind-boggling teaching of the church for me is how we are saved by God's grace but yet called to work out our salvation. In this book, Keller is not so much addressing this difficult concept but rather the Christian's responsibility of extending justice and mercy. However, as a good theologian, before he addresses what we are to do, he reminds us of what God has done.

Here's a paraphrased version of the passage from Keller's book that provided that "ah-ha" moment for me:
When God's grace first comes to us, it comes unconditionally, regardless of whether we deserved his mercy toward us. His mercy is 'unconditional' in that God calls us with the gospel before we show any interest or desire of him (Romans 3:9-18), while we still have no regard, respect for him or care about him. But though God's mercy comes without conditions, it does not proceed without conditions! God demands our cooperation in how we grow after we have been touched by his grace. Why? Because he loves us and we can only be happy if we are holy. God cannot leave us in the condition he found us. He therefore demands our co-operation with his mercy. We must give ourselves to studying the Bible, to spending time in prayer with God, to the practice of the truths that is taught in the Bible. If we do not, we will not grow.