Outdoor Concert: Perhaps God

Last night the Christian Life Center in Kellogg hosted an amazing outdoor concert. Silver Valley Girl's family opened the evening with worship songs and the Crigger family from the Pinehurst Assembly of God church followed them. Above are my nieces Z2 and The Princess.They warmed up the crowd as people enjoyed a BBQ and a beautiful sunlit evening. This is Silver Valley Girl and my niece Kiki Aru harmonizing.
My brother-in-law PKR was the emcee, organizer, drummer, and vocalist.

The "main headliner" for the evening was my brother-in-law's sister Laurie Roberts. She featured the songs from her new CD entitled "Perhaps God", some from her first CD and a few new numbers. Laurie has composed most of her own gospel songs. She was accompanied by Tammy and Tim McMorrow as back-up singers and PKR as her drummer. Here is how she explains the title of the CD.
"Perhaps God refers to a story in 1 Samuel. Saul’s son Jonathan, finding himself greatly outnumbered during a war with the Philistines, says to his armor bearer: “Come let us cross over . . . perhaps the Lord will work for us, for the Lord is not restrained to save by many or by few.” And his armor bearer replies: “Do all that is in your heart . . . here I am with you according to your desire” (NAS, 1 Sam. 14:6-7).
Laurie is an amazing multi-talented woman. I first met her when I substitute taught in her sixth grade class when I was still attending college. Our paths have crossed throughout the years from being in the wedding of my sister and her brother to visits at holidays in Kellogg. Laurie is a high school English teacher now in Boise and I had the privilege of spending more time with her at the recent writing retreat we both attended that I blogged about a couple of weeks ago. It was awesome to work with her and hear other forms of writing she does along with her music lyrics. She did give us a mini-concert at our open mic time during the retreat so I knew I was in for a treat last night. It has been a pleasure to get to know Laurie on a deeper level recently. It was a spirit filled evening as she sang her original compositions and a beautiful arrangement of "Amazing Grace". Later The Princess and Z2 posed for their aunt. Erika, a prophetic artist painted this creation while listening to the music all evening.
Here is Silver Valley Girl and our mother Mary posing for me at the end of the evening. If you want to learn more about Laurie Roberts and her music go here.

No Power Part 3 :Reading by Candlelight

Last week I decided to spend some time reading poetry. I was pleased when the books I had reserved at the library all arrived Thursday. Another way to make the time pass is to relish a table full of candles and a stack of poetry books.
I had some volumes by Billy Collins, Mary Oliver, Ted Kooser, and Neruda. Because of the shorter length of text, poetry is very soothing to read by candlelight. The only sound around the the purring of generators around the neighborhood as people attempted to keep freezers going. This was a favorite I read by candlelight Thursday night.

Introduction to Poetry

I ask them to take a poem

and hold it up to the light

like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem

and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem's room

and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski

across the surface of a poem

waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do

is tie the poem to a chair with rope

and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose

to find out what it really means. Billy Collins

Straightening the Tree and No Power: Part 2

I am happy to report that the power came on yesterday about 2:30 p.m. Thanks for the many kind words of concern about our situation. Things are calming down up our way. Since I am away from home I was thrilled that JEJ got the wireless and the TVs working and stored food came out of the coolers without a hitch. I'll bet those clothes that were on rinse cycle when the power went out are extra clean now. JEJ decided Thursday evening that he could straighten the flowering plum back up that was leaning against the house. When you are without power you always need to project to help pass the time. The question as you look through the series of photos might be how many pets does it take to supervise the tree project? Of course I was the photographer!!Kit wanted to make sure the towline was secure.He rode on the top to help navigate the truck.

Foreman Finny and assistant Kit gave the thumbs up on the tree straightening project!With a brace now helping the tree to stay upright JEJ thinks it is straighter than it was originally.Shelby was pleased with a job well-done, but was glad her crew boss job was done so she could jump out and get back to being a dog. Lily stayed out the way, but gave her approval after the job was done from her post on the old dog kennel.McDuff guarded the hose just in case we needed to some extra water for the tree. What a team effort by all!