Justin....

I have been waiting to talk about Justin for quite some time - Now you have all met the many people in my life - Father Paul, Rafael, and of course Ted... but let me tell you a bit about Justin...

Justin is 27  years old and is pursuing the priesthood.  He currently is in his first year at seminary.  Justin is not your typical seminarian.. at least I don't think so.  Dont' get me wrong, he is a man of faith.. He truly is - but he is one of the funniest, most cynical people I have ever met.

I met young Justin over a year ago and it was love at first sight.  We hit it off right away - finishing each other sentences, thoughts.. it was hysterical. I do believe at one point, our Pastor was a bit jealous of our friendship - but that was ok. We would just end up making fun of everything and everyone.. very juvenile - but so much fun.  I felt like I was in high school.  People talk about having soul mates in their lives and usually they mean love and my husband is definitely mine, but Justin is another - not love - well not that kind of love.. it is definitely an unbelievable friendship that has blossomed over the last year and a half. When I met Justin he was in what they call "the house of discernment"  - this is the place where you go before you make the decision to go to seminary.  I would look forward to all the stories that Justin  - had to offer. They were always so colorful and hysterical.

Over that year, he spent a huge portion of it at the church where I work.  Learning the ropes of being in a church, running certain programs, being the beck and call boy.  Every weekend was a new adventure for him and I got to listen to it - all of it, the good, bad and the ugly. But every step of the way was so funny - I could not stand it. 

The things he does for Father Paul at church are hysterical - here is a little list of things he has done.

• clean the floor
• rearrange flowers
• wash chalices
• scrape wax off the sanctuary tile
• clear a cobweb from a light
• adjust the heat
• and yes, go carpet shopping

I need to tell you what it is like to watch Justin 'sing' at church.  His whole take on Music in church is quite interesting -  Justin won't admit it, but he likes the music in church - but he does not like the contemporary stuff - he makes fun of it.  I try to tell him that the contemporary music gets the kids more involved... and then he responds that he does not really like children or people for that matter.  I laugh - he is such a people person. But he will say almost anything to get a reaction.

So listen, Just got a text from Justin - I have to go - don't worry, there will be more on Justin in the future...

Peace out kiddies..

M

A wedding - huh? Part 2

So if you have been reading, I actually had to sing for the wed yesterday!  So I figured it being so close to Valentine's day, what the heck.....

And if you know me and my sarcasm -  you know what I am thinking...how much will the color red will be brought into the wedding theme - there are sooo many ways they can go with this.. and really, I was hoping for the best - really I was..

So let's get right to it- the men's  tuxes were a lovely black - with a white rose boutonniere - but they had those vest cumber bun thingies.. and what color were the vests.. yes, people, a deep red.  Now,  I am looking at them thinking, well I guess it is not that bad.. it could be worse.. they could have red bow ties on - but thank goodness they didn't. On an positive note -    The groom looked so handsome, in his classic black tux with classic white vest/tie and red rose boutonniere.  Classic.

Ok, now onto the bridesmaids - Now after seeing the the first dress come down the aisle - I was saying to myself.. "ok - these dresses are going to be lovely - deep cranberry redish.. similar color of dress to the vests - but then I realized that each bridesmaid had a different style of dress - and I totally get it - different shaped people, different dresses.. fine (sorry to all my bridesmaids.. but you did all look awesome)  but there is something about a strapless bridesmaid dress that just does not work for me in a CHURCH! Sorry - just did not look right - but I move on...  Then came the maid of honor - same color dress but with a white ribbon around the middle - I guess it was to tie into the brides dress - it just did not work for me. Then there were  two flower girls prior to the bride's entrance their dresses were gorgeous and so were they!

The Bride:  She looked beautiful.  All brides do.. Then I saw her shoes.... Red High Heel Sandals... yep. I said it  - it is out there in the universe.... I understand the idea of throwing a little red into the mix..as the white ribbon was thrown in the mix with the maid of Honor dress~ but red shoes.. wowie... it was something I have never seen - EVER -

The actual music consisted of  typical wedding songs, secular and sacred.. including, dare I say it.. yes .. The Wedding Song - between all of you and me - I just don't like this song.  Never have, never will - and the fact that it is still sung just reminds me of 1972 and everyone had long flowing sea foam green chiffon dresses on, while wearing  flower wreaths in their hair and the men with their long sideburns ala the Lawrence Welk show, Laugh in.. you get the picture- but I digress..I am thinking that  the person who plays for weddings at this church needs a wedding music makeover.. huh.. is there a reality show for that?

So now I am sitting there watching them get married.. it was lovely - truly.. - but the cynical side of me is thinking -  what happens to those who's marriages (God forbid) don't work out?  Valentine's day is ruined for them.  FOREVER - seriously, how can they ever get that feeling back?  It will never be the same and then you will end up like me..disliking Valentine's day.

Let's hope that this couple has a long marriage - and that it is full of love...

Peace out kiddies..

and Happy Black Monday

M

A wedding - huh?

I know.. I know...a wedding.. wait singing for the dead  Wed?  Well it kind of shocked me too - Weddings are so few and far between now a days and with Valentine's Day coming up, I thought.. what the heck..


The wedding is this afternoon - so stay tuned....

Peace out kiddies...

M

Jack Fitzpatrick -96

It started out like any other funeral request. Got the text from Beth, " Funeral tomorrow @10?" I respond with a quick "yep and thanks!"  So I get up the next morning, get my family off for the day and proceed on to the church.  It was a beautiful day - well beautiful for New York on a February morning after 25 snow and ice storms with mounds of snow everywhere, blocking people's vision in seeing other cars, but I am not bitter.. lol!  I arrived at the church exactly at the same time as Beth - our timing is becoming quite good! 

So we say our morning pleasantries, go into her office and start preparing.  Of course, the list of music is already decided before the service - so Beth hands it to me, I look it over - no worries.. we have done all of these selections before.  I get my folder and go out into the church

As I walk in I start setting up my stuff, I see one of the altar servers - Cindy.  Now she and I have become friendly because we both travel to the same place in Jersey in the summer.  She tells me a funny story about the ice cream parlor in town  - how they have a "summer countdown" counter out - I giggled.. too funny - then we both figure we had better get a move on and finish setting up.  I then take my psalm that I am to sing and put it on the shelf under the ambo (so I don't have to carry it with me)
- set the rest of my music up and then make the announcement to the congregation saying "as you can hear by the bells, the family has arrived and we will be starting shortly."  I give them the opening hymn number and step down thinking we had a few more minutes, but the Pastor started immediately. 

Now the deceased 'Jack' had an amazingly long life.  96 years.  I found out so much about him - how giving he was, how he always helped everyone.  I think my favorite thing was that he worked in a food kitchen well into his early 90's!  But you could tell he was loved deeply by his family - and it was evident that he made an impact on so many other lives, probably through his volunteering - because for someone who was that old, the attendance for the church was pretty full!  I guess we truly never realize how many lives we can touch throughout our own here on this earth.  The pastor made a good point in his homily about Jack - he said..

"Jack's life has not ended but has changed, and it is a mystery to us what happens next but not to Jack"  I felt very comforted by these words.  How do we know what happens next - Do we exist as balls of energy? Does our soul get recycled?  Do we have other lives that we will lead?

Believe it or not, I do ask myself these questions -

Do you?  Let me know...

Peace out kiddies..

M

Eulogy class

Ok, so I dont know what has been happening lately, but the eulogies at funerals lately have been soooo long!  I went to see my organist Beth at her church for a few funerals last week - and for the most part they were very run of the mill.  But.. of course there was one of them where there were words of rememberance given by the children of the deceased. Fine, no problem.  So the daughter gets up and talks about her Dad and how funny and smart he was - it was all very sweet.  Then her brother got up there. He had pages.. yes, pages of a eulogy - and of course he starts out, "I know Fthr Bob said to keep it to five minutes, well I will do the best that I can." You and I both know that he had no intentions of keeping it to five minutes -   Well, now it is 20 minutes later, I  am looking around to see what is going on. I look at the priest, he is trying to get the attention of the daughter so he can tell her to move her brother along - I look at my organist, she is so calm and collect - man, I love her.  Of course inside, I am laughing because I love to watch the reactions of those I am working with - this business is crazy.

But in the end, the son finishes and I see the look of relief on the priest's face.  I mean let's look at from the the side of the mourning. One can understand that when they have just lost someone so dear to them, of course it is hard to see them go.  They feel that this is the time to talk about what a wonderful life that this person had lived. But on the other hand,  the way to keep the deceased alive is to tell stories,  and keep telling them. This is the way to keep the memories alive and by doing that, they keep them alive in their hearts.   

 So now we are at another part of the service where there are many readings of those who are sick or others who have died.  Thedeceased brother was the one doing these readings  - and after the reading, he is still at the ambo (pulpit) and says - "And I would like to take a minute to talk about....." 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  I look at my organist - Beth is mouthing .. "oh no oh no" We had no idea this was going to happen - but it was short and really harmless.  I was thinking to myself - what is going to happen next?

He got off of the altar and the rest of the service went on as planned - I did notice that some of the responses I did sing a bit faster than normal - but it was all good.

If I can leave you with any advice  - if you are going to have a eulogy, keep it short - save the long one for possibly a reception after the funeral - everyone will be a little more relaxed and more receptive to what you are saying..huh..maybe I should teach a eulogy class..

Peace out kiddies...

M