St. Luke's Blogs

In elementary, middle, and high school, I was in the band and – let me tell you – I hated it. You see, when I was in 5th grade, all students were given the opportunity to choose between band or drama class. I wasn’t particularly interested in either. But my mom had other plans. I was given a clarinet and sent off to band. At first, I didn’t mind it. I was learning to read music and I had a lot of friends in band too. Then as we progressed into 6th &7th grade, I began to push back against my mom. It wasn’t “cool” and all-around I didn’t care for it because it required mandatory practicing and I was absolutely out on that…

The first musical I remember watching as a child was Annie. I did not see it on the stage, but on the big screen. It was the 1982 movie starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney, and Carol Burnett. I was thrilled to see a movie with music, dancing, and a good story that held my attention. Later, my parents bought a VHS copy ofAnnie. I am sure I wore it out. Since that time, I have had the privilege of introducing my daughters to Annie.

In the bulb, there is a promise
In the seed, an apple tree
In cocoons, a hidden promise
Butterflies will soon be free
In the dead and snow of winter, 
There’s a spring that waits to be
Unrevealed until its season 
Something God alone can see…

When I taught school, I used music to help my students remember things like “Days of the Week” sung to the tune of “Clementine”, and Months of the Year sung to the familiar tune, “Michael Finnegin”.  The song, “50 Nifty United States”, written by Ray Charles, helped kids learn all 50 states in alphabetical order.  My students also learned math facts through this technique, called CHUNKING.  When we put words and phrases with a familiar tune, it creates the framework for us to have easier recall.  Think about “The ABC Song”; children through the ages have learned the alphabet by singing this familiar Mozart melody…

This past week, Shaquille O’Neal, the famous basketball player and TV host, was in an Atlanta jewelry store. Shaq was shopping for himself when he overheard a young man asking the cashier how much he owed on the wedding ring he had been paying for over time. The young man had no idea how his day was about to change…

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress, to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from my birth;
    it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.

It has been six days since we gathered together and celebrated Easter. It was a wonderful day as people gathered to worship our risen Lord and Savior. It was especially nice because it was the first Easter that we celebrated together, in-person, since 2019. Since that day people have returned to their busy schedules. The stores have replaced the candy and baskets with their summer displays.  The demands of life have slowly begun to overshadow that beautiful day of worship. It is easy to see how quickly Easter fades in our memory as we move further and further away from that Sunday…

I appreciate that my childhood spanned the 60s, 70s and 80s. Mom and Dad passed their love of music along to me. As a kid, songs like “Sweet Caroline,” “Turn, Turn, Turn,” “Son of a Preacher Man,” and “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” filled the airwaves. Dad’s 8-track tape case was magical with everything from the Beatles to Charley Pride…

There are many songs that have changed the world, but there are few songs that were written with purpose of bringing relief to the world. In 1985, the country of Ethiopia was experiencing a significant famine. A severe drought had taken hold of the country and that, accompanied by oppressive governmental policies, brought a severe famine to this part of Africa. This directly caused the deaths of nearly 400,000 people…