"Gooses in the Mist" - The Goose Report Feb'07

Tom, Dick and Harry and the rest of the gang have returned. When the Lake froze over at the beginning of February, they disappeared. It's been deadly silent at night. But because the Lake is now thawing due to the warmer weather, they are back and as loud as ever. I have to be honest and say that I definitely did miss them. It was nice to open the kitchen blinds and see our fine feathery Canadian friends waddling through the thick fog of this morning. When I got in my car to head to the office a few of them flew overhead. Have you ever sat and listened to the sound of geese fly? As they fly the flapping of their wings makes a really pretty sound. It's too bad that in most cases their sqwaky annoying honking overpowers the beautiful hum that comes from their wings.

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

My book of the weekend was Jim Cymbala's Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. I've had this book for over a year just sitting on my bookshelf collecting dust. I can't believe that I didn't read it sooner! What an incredibly convicting book on the power of prayer and what can happen when we let the spirit lead. I could hardly put the book down.

Just before I left to go sing as a guest soloist at a church here in town I read this passage:

To every preacher and every singer: God will someday ask, "Did you bring people to where the action could be found . . . at the throne of grace? If you just entertained them, if you just tickled their ears and gave them a warm, fuzzy moment, woe unto you. At the throne of grace, I could have changed their lives."

Talk about timing! I was so convicted and suddenly terrified to sing. How could the simple piece of music that I was about to sing, possibly take anyone to the throne of grace? Why would God call me, a mere speck of dirt to such a responsibility? How is it that I have equated success as an artist with those warm fuzzy moments that Cymbala speaks of. I only had a half hour to pull myself together before I had to leave. As I prayed desperately for God to use my performance to His glory, He quietly and clearly spoke:

"You, Andrea McNeil, can do nothing to bring people to my throne. How could you possibly think that You have anything to do with it? It is I who will lead them. It is only My truth, My Word, My sacrifice, My grace, My mercy, My forgiveness, My Son, My Spirit and My love that will draw them to My throne. Faith in Yourself is not required. The only responsibility you have is to put your faith and trust in Me. Now go and sing in faith."

And I did as I was told. How it went? I'm not sure.

Julia's Tutu

tu·tu - (pronounced too, too)

a short, full skirt, usually made of several layers

of tarlatan or tulle, worn by ballerinas

(and little divas in training:)

Valentine's Eve

What does a house full of beautiful single women do on Valentine's Eve?

Why we sit and eat chocolate from little heart shaped boxes of course.

The Love of God

The Love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

and reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints' and angels' song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

(Hymn - F. Lehman)

Tc=(5/9)*(Tf-32)

It's freezing cold here. For the past few weeks that's as descriptive I've been able to be when it comes to describing the weather. Whenever somebody here tells me what the temperature is outside, it means nothing to me because it's always in fahrenheit. My car has a thermometer that reads the temperature in centigrade (which makes 100 times more sense than the fahrenheit scale!:), but I won't have my car back until the end of the month, so I finally gave in this morning and looked up the formula for converting Fahrenheit into Celsius. Wow it really is cold out there!! -32C. Makes sense why we were bundled up so well before leaving the "foy-UR" at the Chestnut house last night. :)

tears

This seems to be a real season of tears for me. In the past 8 months I've probably cried more than I have in my entire life time combined. I'd say that since I decided to do this internship I've probably cried enough tears to fill a few oceans, and today being no exception. I'm at the point where I really wouldn't mind going a few days without shedding some tears, but things just keep coming up and it's like all I know how to do is express how I'm feeling by crying. I cry in my office, I cry in my bed, I cry in the shower, I cry while I'm singing, I cry at church - I'm like a leaky faucet that won't turn off, and it's rather ridiculous. I'm thinking of calling the waterproof mascara people and offering to be their teary eyed test subject. At the very least I may get some free make up out of these uncontrollable leaks.