Long Live the Maestro

My work routine can be extremely boring, which is why most of my team mates listen to personal radios. Since I operate a number of pieces of equipment, there are four of them posited in four different places. All cheap, flea market purchases, if I remember right.

Wearing earplugs all day forces some of us to crank up the volume. Thus, old hard rock blares at the folder and soft rock stirs the soul at the envelope press, while shipping may listen to Christian or sports broadcasts and I listen to Christian, news, talk, smooth jazz, or classical. Hector, one of the pressmen, plugs in his earbuds, so we don't hear his sports news. It must be shocking for a visitor to walk into the finishing department and hear Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor blaring in their right ear and Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze blasting in their left ear.


I ask myself, "Why am I the only one who grooves on Classical music?" Now that's an interesting term, "groovy." It sits on the shelf gathering dust, just like the records that gave it birth. Its current replacement? How about "Oooh, that bytes!" Slang changes --- classical music is here to stay.

There are still classical music radio stations! There are still aisles and aisles of classical CD's in the music stores. People still play orchestral instruments in real life orchestras. Even Stockton, CA, has a symphony orchestra! Composers still compose. Audiences still pay to hear them. They just don't utilize Mosh Pits, jump up and down and scream during the performances. It's not that they aren't emotional. Many movements bring tears and smiles. They save their yelling for the end. Kind of like many of us will do when we die and are freed from the sin and pain of this life as we enter the presence of our Creator and Redeemer.


God is the great composer of history as He "works all things according to the counsel of His own will." His encore will open with the theme, "a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away . . . and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Eternal bravos for ever and ever!


Note: Our three composers above are Edvard Grieg, Ludwig van Beethoven and Henry Purcell.

A Certain Sphinx

There are a number of Sphinx moths in California, all with different 'first names.' They range in size, shape and color, interestingly, or strangely, as your opinion divines.

I found this guy (or girl) on an iris leaf in the front yard after work. It looked like a dead leaf from 6' away while I was watering. But leaves don't flutter when they get sprinkled, so I took a closer look. It's markings were striking on it's 3" wingspan, and I hurried to get my camera. There was no need: this wasn't a butterfly! This was a half-asleep moth. But it was in the shade and the shots were pretty bad.

After dinner I went out and put it in a jar to identify it using the Internet. It's called an Achemon Sphinx, looking almost identical to the east coast version, the Pandora, which is greenish. The California version is brown, with black (dark brown) spots and pink secondary wings.

After I.D.ing it, I put it on the grape leaves in the back yard to get some better shots. I had to force the main wing out to get the lower wing to show it's pink color. In about 5 minutes, the little guy started fluttering his wings for about a minute, then launched into the air, flying slowly over the grapes on the fence and into (and beyond) the front yard again.



Just then, a small white butterfly scurried around the tomato plants and finally settled on a green tomato. You have to sneak up on butterflies, just like birds and dragonflies. I was only able to get one picture before it skedaddled.

Life is full of unseen beauty, ready to show it off before your very eyes.

Swings and Rainbows

The mornings are beautiful-
The breeze is cool.
Sprinkler spray drifts across the lawn,
Painting rainbows in the sunlight.

The empty swing is swaying-
I can almost hear the laughter.
I think you can, too.



Maybe there will be swings
And rainbows in heaven.
I think so. Do you?

Providential Mercies

Our hour at the Micke Grove Zoo south of Lodi was just ending. Angel and Barbara were in the outdoor gift shop looking for that one item that Angel couldn't leave without. I was waiting for them by the pond next to the entrance, watching gall wasps bouncing by the thousands at my feet.

Suddenly a popping that sounded like firecrackers increased to an explosive crack, and a 2 1/2 foot branch from an oak tree came crashing down 15 feet in front of me. It stretched from the park across the street onto the sidewalk, grazing the zoo entrance. One boy was hit from behind while his sister was scratched on her arm. Thankfully, no one was directly under it, or they would have been crushed. The boy was able to walk to the ambulance and seemed to be okay.

The crowd came running immediately after it happened, wanting to help and make sure no one was trapped. The park employees were especially organized and able to keep people away from the precariously hanging branch, care for the young boy and get help directed to the location.

We thank God that no one was killed in this accident. You can see the pictures HERE.

The New Forestation Frontier

It's the new architecture run amok in the city. They've taken the tree of the tropics and desert and used it as camouflage for a communications towers. Ditto the pine tree, Douglas fir, Italian cypress, and something that looks like a mutant avocado in the new plantings. All versions win a few points for disguising the obvious, but the despised palm tree is the worse choice here in northern California.

I took a picture of this one on Comcast property this morning on my Sunday morning walk. While exhibiting a glaring contrast to the conventional tower array, no one in their right mind will think it's a real palm tree!

The Word of God warns of those who are deceitful, especially those who say they are speaking for God, when really doing the opposite. 2 Corinthians 11:14 declares, "even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." The apostle Paul warns, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." The truth stands on a narrow line.

Be sure you know and understand what the true good news is: You were born under the curse of sin (Genesis 3). You will surely be judged for your sinfulness by a holy God (Romans 1). God graciously interceded on the sinner's behalf to pay the payment of eternal death for all who would trust His Son, Jesus, by faith alone (Ephesians 2). All who believe are adopted as sons and daughters of God, though once His enemies (Romans 5 and 1 John 3). All who believe will enjoy an eternity in God's presence (John 14).

Sounds like pie in the sky to most. But it is more like Jesus in the sky with glory! (Revelation 21)

Hope and Change

Ten years ago today a little bundle entered the world of order and chaos. Angel Carmel couldn't negotiate the sucking routine and had to tube fed for two months in the hospital. She's wolfed her food ever since and likes to take the biggest mouthfuls possible now. We'll blame those first two months when she probably felt starved! Hopefully, her first boyfriend will end the drama.

Angel is bent toward being normal in a world that is anything but. A bit tomboyish, which will be a plus in a few years. She's a real bone and rock collector now. We'll see what this morphs into as well. A geriatric doctor or nurse would be okay with me.

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

Papa

The Power of Love

If you don't see any other subtitled movie this year, be sure to rent As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me, a German film based on the true story of Clemens Forell [Cornelius Rost], a criminal prisoner of war in Siberia during and after WWII. An unrelenting will to escape and return to his family takes him on a surprising journey filled with poignant moments and extreme hardships. Great acting, music and emotional drama mitigate the frustration of reading subtitles.

You can rent this movie from Netflix or watch it online.