Lost in Translation

I am a Vocal and Instrumental Music Educator from Nebraska. I want to share a few observatons I have gained from my students along the way.

I recently began vocal lessons with a new student who is an exchange student from another country. It  is amazing for me to see the appreciation for music she has. She doesn't have the opportunity to listen to music on a daily basis as often as we do here in the United States. We seem to take the availability to listen to music for granted. We can listen to music any time we want. The various music styles are endless. 

I have been working with her on some Jazz pieces. One in particular was a song from her country. I asked her to sing a few songs for my students.  She sang one of her Jazz songs with one verse in her language and the second verse in  English. When she spent time with my school children she shared the meaning behind the words of the song. The students were mesmerized by her beautiful personality and music. They had so many questions for her about her country and loved to listen to her talk. It was an amazing experience for all the students involved.

In contrast I work with a student who transfered from another school  who "just isn't into music." that seems so difficult for me to grasp. She hasn't found the joy that music can bring to the soul. She coasted through her elementary school years pretending to sing. It has been challenging to encourage her to want to sing, and I am happy to say that I am seeing some success in this area.I am trying to create a safe area where she is free to be expressive with the music and no worries of anyone laughing. I keep telling the students "Sing with your heart and make music unto the Lord."

"Music is not what I do, it's who I am."

Dream Big

To dream big in this world seems impossible in this world. But with the help of God and within his realm we know that nothing is impossible. We are encouraged in Ephesians 3:20 to ask God for big things and make big plans. Our God can leave us in awe and wonder. We need to ask him for big things. In James 4:2 we are told we have not because we ask not.

When our wants and desires seem to big for us to accomplish we need to realize through Christ we have a way. We just need to ask him.

God doesn't call capable people, he calls those who are by nature incapable and seem totally over their heads to trust him, lean on him, and follow his direction. Lean not on your own understanding but trust in the Lord with all your heart.
Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding."

God is always faithful and with us and he will help us more than we could ever possible imagine.
There is no need that God cannot meet. He is loved and created us.

Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,"

James 4: 2 (The Voice Bible)
"You do not have because you do not ask God"

Prayer:
Father help us to be brave and bold in our prayers. Help increase our faith and give us courage to reach beyond our hopes and dreams.

Waiting... waiting .... waiting

We spend a lot of our lives waiting on things. Whether it be waiting in line at the grocery store, sitting in traffic, waiting for an appointment, waiting is a part of our everyday life.Think for a moment, do you like to wait? For all of us the answer is a resounding NO!!  I do not like waiting for things. I have to admit that I tend to be a little rushed and have difficulty waiting. What if we have to wait on God? Sometimes we pray and pray for something and even get to a place where we wondering how long must I wait?  When we wait on God while we wait we can be hopeful and expectant that he hears  all our prayers and is working for our good.

Please consider the following verses on this topic.

Micah 7:7 " But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation, my God will hear me." (ESV)

Psalms 130: 5-6 "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning." (ESV)

Isaiah 40:31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (ESV)


Isaiah 40:31 is an encouragement to spend time quietly waiting on God  studying his word, in prayer and worship. Spending time with him alone with him will restore us more than anything else we could possibly do. It will renew our hearts, minds, emotions, and bodies. God gives us the strength to face everything we need to do if we put our faith, hope and trust in him.