Singing!!

This past week has been blessed with lots of music-making!! There's not much change to report on Bob's health front, but there's been a lot of music going on. Both Bob and I are enjoying playing the piano almost every day. I always rise earlier than Bob and after I've been up for a while I "awaken him gently" with a few strains of a hymn arrangement!! Thankfully in his semi-conscious state he doesn't notice all of the mistakes!!

And then in the evening, when my parents phone to pray with us, Bob offers a musical "benediction" after the "Amen", as only Bob is able to do with his gentle, soothing touch. What a way to end each day!!

Interestingly enough, I cross-stitched a verse from Psalm 92 over twenty years ago that hangs on the wall above the piano which says:

"It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night."

And it is indeed good!!! What peace, joy, and hope fill our minds and hearts as we praise the Lord and make music to His name, replacing the anxieties and concerns that can overtake us.

Then on Sunday evening, we had a "Hymn Sing" at our church--a glorious 90 minutes of singing our hearts out. Jim Sawatsky, a friend for many years led the singing with such exuberance and giftedness, and another friend Marilee Congo and I joined Jim so that we had three parts helping to raise the rafters along with the over 50 people who turned up. Bob accompanied us on the piano--the perfect accompanist who plays so beautifully by ear and needs no music!! (I'm not biased as all!!)

Here's a picture taken at the "Hymn Sing".

Now, don't you all wish you could have been there???

Bob's at dialysis right now, where he has a four hour treatment three times a week. But he has a rest from chemo this week. He's also going to get a rest from ME this week, as I'm flying to Regina tomorrow evening for six days to help take care of our four grandchildren while Tim and Kim go to a Horse Show in Red Deer. Super-Auntie Barb will give me a hand in the evenings after work, and Tim and Kim will only be gone for half of the time.

Please continue to pray for my brother Jim who is in his final week of receiving radiation every day. He also had chemo all last week and he's really been feeling rotten--very tired and unable to keep much nutrition down. At the end of this week, he'll get a rest from this heavy assault on his body, and once the chemo makes its way through his system and he's sufficiently recovered, he'll have surgery. Dad and Mom phone him every evening to pray with him as well. We are SO blessed to have such a loving and supportive family who are trusting God with us for the strength, healing and peace that only He can give.

So . . . we keep on singing!!