Angelic Choirs

Veteran's Day, November 11, comes around every year.  Every year since I can remember I've celebrated my cousin's birthday.

Stopping through Spokane on the trek to North Dakota

My sophomore year of college, the George Fox Concert Choir, which I was a part of, had an amazing director.  He loved to arrange music.  He taught us this wonderfully fun and beautiful rendition of happy birthday.  I made a phone call to my cousin that November 11, surrounded by the choir and we all sang to her.  It was angelically magical.

This year finds me in North Dakota, her in Spokane, both of us so busy with five kids, pastorates, projects, time differences, and basic chaos that we can't even squeeze in a chat.

Nine out of ten...Timmy's missing

I did, however, manage to reach her voicemail.. I grabbed the four kids running about the house and asked them to sing happy birthday.  It was really bad.  Timmy attempted opera, and if you've ever heard him sing, you'll know that she probably could have heard it from here to Spokane even without the phone.

Noelle rapped, she's into stamping her foot really hard on the floor and head banging to everything.  Raleigh and Dawson did their part to add to the silliness, and of course I had to jump in, too.  I wish I had it recorded so I could embed it for you.  Sorry.  Just believe me that it was really bad and really loud.  My little cherubs still have opportunity for improvement.

It is a picture, though.  For all of my life I've been built into by many gifted, loving people.  Now I'm in a new place with a community of strong believers but much more opportunity to share what I've learned from others than I've ever had before.

I'm having to lean harder and harder into Jesus.  Trusting that He'll use me and help me turn the cacophony of wild birthday songs in my life into angelic choirs.

Look at those trees...sigh.....cousins playing one last time in Spokane before we moved.