Rule 19: You'll always want that one book

It doesn't matter if you brought a different book for each piece you are playing throughout the service.

It's going to happen. The pastor is going to say something in his sermon that very directly ties into a song for which you didn't bring music. A song you know you have in that one book.

You might drive back to your house between services to get it.
You might write the entire service off as a missed opportunity.
You might just pull out the hymnal and improvise on a wing and a prayer during the offertory.

There is no cure for wanting that one book.... (Unless you live across the street and can send a gopher to get it for you.)

Comments

The feeble struggle

November 1 marked All Saints Day, which many celebrated this past Sunday. Lutherans are in the End Times season of the church year, so many will celebrate "Saints triumphant Sunday" in the next couple weeks if they have yet to have that saints in heaven theme... And still many will not feel like celebrating. There's a whole group of people whose loved one died right in the middle of that season. Or who are about to die. Part of the challenge is that it's a day where you're supposed to be joyful. It's a day that is supposed to bring relief and comfort and peace. And objectively, it does. There is a peace that comes with knowing your dad's future (or now present) is secure. But there's a tricky thing about grief... As soon as you are "supposed to" or "should" feel a certain way at a certain time, you're pretty much guaranteed to feel the opposite. There actually are no "shoulds" in grief. You'll be happy...

Rule 10c: Seriously. Dou. Ble. Check.

There's a fun fact about this rule. No matter how many times you break it, you'll never learn. You'll get comfortable and forget to check which parts of the liturgy are actually in the bulletin. If you're lucky, your pastor will ask to do a quick run-through, and will point out all the missing lines you would have just played. But you won't always be #blessed like that. So just Double Check.

Rule 9: Pastors are friends...

Not food. When the Pastor starts super late after you've exhausted all your music and are 3 songs past the one you intentionally planned to be the last one... (Pastors are friends, not food.) When the Pastor skips ahead 3 pages right to a song that you don't even have open yet... (Pastors are friends, not food.) When he realizes 10 minutes later and goes back to the part he skipped, right to the song you closed because he moved on, and naturally gives you no warning ... (Pastors are friends, not food.) When he sends you the hymns on Saturday... When he changes the hymns... When he forgets to mention there's a soloist.... Just keep telling yourself through gritted teeth: we are on the same side... we are on the same side. we are on the same side. Pastors are friends, not food.

True confessions

Search This Blog