Pavane

P

avane. The word pavane simply means song. I’m not sure then why so many classical pieces with the title of Pavane are so beautiful. If it’s just a song...

Here’s an example. This is Pavane pour un infante defunte or Song for a dead princess. Ravel wrote this song for the funeral of the princess at the request of the king. It is a hauntingly beautiful piece and I have loved it since I first heard it almost 30 years ago (thank you Dr. Ellsworth).

So I was pleased to see the most recent video by The Piano Guys, Titanium / Pavane, mixing David Guetto’s Titanium with Gabriel Fauré’s Pavane. First, listen to Fauré’s Pavane:

And, finally, the Piano Guys with Titanium / Pavane:

Where would we be without music?

W

hen I was in college—about a hundred years ago—a professor inadvertently introduced me to a fantastic musical group called the Sweet Comfort Band. I loved their music, and especially loved the lead vocals performed by Bryan Duncan. Bryan later went on to a solo career in the 90s, but has been doing his own radio show for the past couple of decades.

Until now...

Today I saw that he has a new album out... and you can listen to it here with this awesome embedded music player below! Cool, eh?

I hope you enjoy it. It’s good stuff!

Worship In the Park - 2012

It’s fall!

and time for New Hope Bible Church’s annual Worship In the Park. This is a special event for us. This will be our third Worship In the Park. The first one was our first week attending New Hope Bible Church. And we have come to love this church.

Instead of gathering together to worship God in our church building, on this day we gather in a community park just down the street from our house. After the church service we have a huge picnic and fellowship with each other for a few hours while the young kids play on the playground equipment. It’s a great time of fellowship, praise, and worship of our great God.

I had the privilege of playing with the worship team last year. There’s something very special about playing worship music in an outdoor setting. But because our church has three worship bands I would not be playing again for two more years. Until I got a call from our worship leader last night. This year’s band had already practiced and was preparing for the event when the bassist’s pregnant wife went into labor (Congratulations!). So Jesse called me to see if I’d be willing to play with the band tomorrow.

I have been greatly blessed by God to be able to play with the great musicians he has brought to this church. I was so pleased to be asked to play this year and am looking forward to tomorrow’s event. Here’s the worship set for tomorrow morning:

No One Like You

The Power of Your Love

Rise

Forever Reign

One Thing Remains

Wrap Me In Your Arms

With Everything

Preparation for the upcoming elections

This quote is out of context, but it’s fun anyway:

Ecclesiastes 10:2
A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left.

Of course if you take verses out of context you can prove anything. Here's one that proves the existence of Santa Clause (KJV only):

Zechariah 2:6
"Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD"

Cold-hearted orb...

Breathe deep the gathering gloom
Watch lights fade from every room
Bed-sitter people look back and lament
Another day’s useless energy spent

Impassioned lovers wrestle as one—
Lonely man cries for love and has none
New mother picks up and suckles her son
Senior citizens with they were young

Cold-hearted orb that rules the night
Removes the colors from our sight
Red is gray... and yellow, white
But we decide which is right

And which is an illusion

Leaning hard on God

Wow!

H

ave you ever seen those karaoke machines they sell at Wallmart and other retail stores? They’re pretty cool. They do a pretty good job of removing the vocals from pre-recorded music and if you have actual karaoke discs and MP3s, they will even display the words on a screen so you can sing along.

But most people are not quite as good as this girl who decided to try out the machine in this retail store... Wow!

Oh well... it was fun while it lasted. Bet you wish you had come to see the video earlier. :-)

Got endorphins?

I posted this a few hours ago, primarily to remind myself that I need to focus on my health and keep exercising, even when it’s storming outside (which it is right now). But then I got a great comment from Dixie, a fellow blogger from North Carolina. Here’s her comment:

Hugging boosts endorphins also. Which makes it really great going to a church where everyone gives hugs. Thanks.

[Dixie’s blogs: Artful Blogger | DC RELIEF]

LOL! Gotta love it!

Proverbs 16:1-4

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

Help me, Lord, to know the good and the right... and when I understand the correct path, to walk in it. My plans will end in disaster. Your plans will be established.

S

eptember 11! Yesterday we remembered the terrible September 11^th attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the foiled attack that ended up crashing in the Pennsylvania field. That attack—11 years ago yesterday—was a terribly difficult time for our nation, but showed how strong our nation was at the time. I hope we would show such strength and determination now.

The sunrise coming up over Washington, DC,
as seen from my office

Yesterday was a beautiful day, much like September 11, 2001. The cool air and a beautiful sunrise I noticed through the office window made me head out to the Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge. I needed the exercise and wanted to enjoy the beautiful morning.

Walking back to my office I noticed that many of the office buildings had hung very large American flags to honor those fallen on that day. It made me proud—similar to the way I felt shortly after the attacks. God has greatly blessed this nation. It is time that we the people turn back to him.

Key Bridge over the Potomac River

Rowers from Georgetown University practicing on a very steamy Potomac River

The Deloitte office building in Rosslyn, VA