Good morning! Foggy. Still. Peaceful. The angel of dawn has again arrived with the beautiful gift of this day. A view of a green man flying “to eternity and back” in the background. This little green flying man controlled by a little Whose-it dressed as a Spiderman. Moments of life so tempting to desire to stop. To pause the sand timer. Realizing the grains running through this moment are grains that are gifts from our Creator. Gifts to notice. To slow down in our minds the picture as the sand passes through. I read this week that in 1853 Henry Steinway sold his first American-made piano. He came from Hamburg and his first sale was of a piano in a cast-iron frame. Below are some of my favorite music quotes followed by a beautiful poem by William Woodsworth on the power of music and poetry to ease the mind at night. The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. Johann Sebastian Bach One man gets nothing but discord out of a piano; another gets harmony. No one claims the piano is at fault. Life is about the same. The discord is there, and the harmony is there. Study to play it correctly, and it will give forth the beauty; play it falsely, and it will give forth the ugliness. Life is not at fault. Author Unknown I listened, motionless and still; And, as I mounted up the hill, The music in my hear I bore, Long after it was heard no more. William Wordsworth When the music changes, so does the chance ~African proverb Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. Maya Angelou, Gather Together in My Name Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try. Mary Kay Ash If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. Albert Einstein Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. Berthold Auerbach Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us. Martin Luther Music is well said to be the speech of angels. Thomas Carlyle, Essays, The Opera He who sings scares away his woes. Cervantes Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought. E. Y. Harburg When words leave off, music begins. Heinrich Heine After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music. Aldous Huxley One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words. Johann Wolfgang vonGoeth The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Music is Gods gift to man, the only art of Heaven given to earth, the only art of earth we take to Heaven. Walter Savage Landor And the night shall be filled with music, And the cares that infest the day Shall fold their tents like the Arabs And as silently steal away. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Day Is Done Are we not formed, as notes of music are, for one another, though dissimilar? Percy Bysshe Shelley Music that gentler on the spirit lies, than tired eyelids upon tired eyes. Alfred Lord Tennyson The Day is Done by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The day is done, and the darkness Falls from the wings of Night, As a feather is wafted downward From an eagle in his flight. I see the lights of the village Gleam through the rain and the mist, And a feeling of sadness comes oer me That my soul cannot resist: A feeling of sadness and longing, That is not akin to pain, And resembles sorrow only As the mist resembles the rain. Come, read to me some poem, Some simple and heartfelt lay, That shall soothe this restless feeling, And banish the thoughts of day. Not from the grand old masters, Not from the bards sublime, Whose distant footsteps echo Through the corridors of Time. For, like strains of martial music, Their mighty thoughts suggest Lifes endless toil and endeavor; And to-night I long for rest. Read from some humbler poet, Whose songs gushed from his heart, As showers from the clouds of summer, Or tears from the eyelids start; Who, through long days of labor, And nights devoid of ease, Still heard in his soul the music Of wonderful melodies. Such songs have power to quiet The restless pulse of care, And come like the benediction That follows after prayer. Then read from the treasured volume The poem of thy choice, And lend to the rhyme of the poet The beauty of thy voice. And the night shall be filled with music, And the cares, that infest the day, Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs, And as silently steal away. Thank you for letting me enter your Thursday again. Thank you for coming over to our beautiful store. If you need a place to go from your own songs, enter our world for a few minutes. We will hand you coffee, books, a smile, a moment in your day to be handed friendship. Tonight we have the opportunity to write the epitaph of the moments of today into stone. Will we have moments worthy of inscribing? Will will take the time to listen to some music? To listen to the pauses in the music? To notice the little helicopter leaf floating down? To call someone just to say hi that we usually only send notes to? Take moments to do what will give us a memory when we have only memories? Today. Our beautiful gift. Let us show our Creator our thanks by noticing what he’s handed us with his gentle hands. Glancing to the heavens or dropping mentally to our knees. The peace that passes any human understanding is promised us. Susan ________________________________________ Latin for this week: Musica Donum Dei – Music is a Gift from God.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 14:14:54 +0000
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