How Music, Money, and Meeting the Plane Made my Day

Have you ever experienced post-Christmas letdown?  I certainly have had it this year—I think from ongoing fatigue combined with our underlying stress level.  I spent a couple of days feeling tired and kind of grumpy—without even really being aware that that was how I was feeling.

 

We’re planning a talent show for New Year’s Eve.  Originally it was just an idea to provide my little kids with a piano-recital experience, since I as their piano teacher don’t provide a recital.  Then we found some fabulous Christmas music for strings and piano and started adding things and practicing them.  We played the prelude for church the week before Christmas, and Ann suggested that we should take our show on the road to a nursing home somewhere as long as we had so much beautiful music ready.  Yesterday afternoon we went with my girls (Jared had just had some dental surgery and got to stay home and play video games with Josh) and played our music for a room full of nursing home residents.  It was really an amazing experience.  My musical ability is very moderate, but every now and then I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to ride on the coattails of real musical talent and experience something amazing.   The music we made together was truly beautiful.  I listened and I played and I felt filled by the beauty of the sounds.  The music swirled around in my mind for the rest of the afternoon, along with the gratitude I felt for having been able to share it.

When I arrived home the mail had come.  I looked through the envelopes without opening them, noticing with surprise that there was an envelope from each of Russ’s siblings.  It took me a few minutes to remember that Russ had said that his siblings were going to cover Jason’s mission expenses next month.  Later I opened the envelopes and saw that each check had a short note of love and encouragement with it.  What are the odds that all 4 would arrive on the same day?  The impact of receiving all of them at the same time was significant. I felt so warmed by their concern for us.

Last night I left for the airport about 11 to pick up Cindy Lynn and Mahon.  I had assumed that because I was so tired that I would bring them home and go right to bed.  Instead, we sat at the table and talked and laughed (as only truly tired people can) and talked some more.  I love having them here with us.  We were uncertain for a few months if they were going to come after Christmas this year—even before Russ was laid off he had to take days off without pay and we didn’t have much extra money.  I finally decided that it was really important to me to have them here, and bought the tickets—just weeks before Russ was laid off.  I was so glad that I already had done it—it has given all of us something to look forward to.  Talking with them last night (really early this morning) finished my day off in a wonderful way.  Instead of tired and grouchy, I felt filled by music and service, loved and cared for by Russ’s family, and excited about the week ahead of us with Mahon and Cindy Lynn.  Still tired, sure.  But much, much happier…