Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Basketball and the Sunday Surprise
This past Saturday Vinny had his home basketball tournament. His team lost one game and won two…they took 5th place. The second game was very close all the way down to the wire and actually went past a first overtime to a ‘Shootout’ where Baraboo won! Very exciting! It’s really quite funny to watch these little boys…young athletes play this sport! Obviously, they want to win the game, but to look at them, they’re just happy to be on the court running up the court and back. Except for the banquet next Sunday, basketball is finished for another year. Brittany took Trevor, Vinny and Hope to the high school musical/play, Suessical the Musical on Sunday afternoon…Hope LOVED it!
Sunday morning we attended church (as usual) and we normally attend the 8:00 service, go to Sunday school afterwards and then head home. However, because of the daylight savings time adjustment, I decided to let the kids sleep in and we’d go to Sunday school and then attend the 11:00 service. So, as we get to church, several ladies greet me and tell me; ‘That was such a nice song Joni did!’ and not really thinking about it, and not having heard it, I just sort of nodded my head and let it be. After Sunday school, I rounded up the kids and we went and sat down for church. I noticed immediately that the choir was going to sing as the microphones were setup, and after the normal praise set (which the choir helped by singing the back up vocals), Joni Cross (one of our resident concert pianists and a composer in her own right) came to the podium and said that 2 days before Amy’s passing, God gave her the words to a song that she composed. She wrote each choral part, each part for the instruments and has dedicated the song to the memory of Amy S. Howard. Neither the kids, nor I was prepared for this. I remember in the fog of the days that followed Amy’s death, Joni had sent the words to me and said that it was her intent to dedicate the song to Amy’s memory. I had long since forgotten this, but all of it came rushing back as I sat and listened to the rich harmonies of the choir. Vinny and Hope were watching me for my reaction and I saw Brittany, tears streaming down her face, her head held low and Trevor, sitting next to me, obviously stirred, but holding his emotions in check. We were sitting in the second row, so I was close enough to the choir to see several ladies with tears in their eyes. They sounded SO beautiful. Thank you Joni so very much and praise to God for the gift and the words He revealed to you.
For the love of Amy – V
P.S. - I am slowly, but surely constructing the new blog and I would anticipate that I should be finished with it by next Monday…stay tuned.
Sunday morning we attended church (as usual) and we normally attend the 8:00 service, go to Sunday school afterwards and then head home. However, because of the daylight savings time adjustment, I decided to let the kids sleep in and we’d go to Sunday school and then attend the 11:00 service. So, as we get to church, several ladies greet me and tell me; ‘That was such a nice song Joni did!’ and not really thinking about it, and not having heard it, I just sort of nodded my head and let it be. After Sunday school, I rounded up the kids and we went and sat down for church. I noticed immediately that the choir was going to sing as the microphones were setup, and after the normal praise set (which the choir helped by singing the back up vocals), Joni Cross (one of our resident concert pianists and a composer in her own right) came to the podium and said that 2 days before Amy’s passing, God gave her the words to a song that she composed. She wrote each choral part, each part for the instruments and has dedicated the song to the memory of Amy S. Howard. Neither the kids, nor I was prepared for this. I remember in the fog of the days that followed Amy’s death, Joni had sent the words to me and said that it was her intent to dedicate the song to Amy’s memory. I had long since forgotten this, but all of it came rushing back as I sat and listened to the rich harmonies of the choir. Vinny and Hope were watching me for my reaction and I saw Brittany, tears streaming down her face, her head held low and Trevor, sitting next to me, obviously stirred, but holding his emotions in check. We were sitting in the second row, so I was close enough to the choir to see several ladies with tears in their eyes. They sounded SO beautiful. Thank you Joni so very much and praise to God for the gift and the words He revealed to you.
For the love of Amy – V
P.S. - I am slowly, but surely constructing the new blog and I would anticipate that I should be finished with it by next Monday…stay tuned.
# posted by Vince @ 10:06 PM 
