Getting ready for worship...

For some bizarre reason I could not go to sleep to save my soul last night.  We returned home to Pittsfield rested and renewed - it felt so grounded to be back in our house - but sleep was just not part of the picture.  So I read some histories of Canada and a new Montreal mystery before finally crashing at 7:30 am this morning.

After forcing myself out of the sack at 10:30, I spent the next three hours editing and reworking my text for our "Spirituality of Jazz" Sunday.  Nothing major, but I hadn't looked at my notes in two weeks and as poppa says to his son in "A River Runs Through It," do it again - half as long (I didn't quite hit that ideal.) Tomorrow's the first time back at worship in two weeks and I needed to take this time to reconnect with the scripture and songs. 

Then it was over to the Sanctuary to set up the sound system for the band because I want us to be close together when we do "Take the A Train," "Birk's Works" and "Killing Me Softly."  We're going to do some real improvisation tomorrow so we need to be able to hear and encourage one another - and be near enough to give one another cues, too.

Di wrote a great summary of worship tomorrow at our band's blog:  check it out if you are curious @ http://betweenthebanks.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/the-spirituality-of-jazz-worship/  And please join us for an important time at worship, too @ 10:30 am if you can.

Jazz teaches us to listen—carefully—to the music, to each other, to where the Spirit is leading us together. Jazz teaches us to wait—receptively—until we are moved to add our unique sound to the mix. And jazz gives us proof that by listening and waiting and trusting, something beautiful will indeed grow from that tiny seed of inspiration. That insignificant and broken thing we call our Self can join with other insignificant, broken selves and create a garden of sustaining beauty.

Blessings to you all... rest well.