Donna’s Blog

This and that

There’s this…….i wrote a new song last night.  We had finshed up praise team practice and i decided to hang around just to play a little bit.  i’ve recenlty written a new melody to “O God Our Help in Ages Past” and i enjoy singing around with that.  then i just started messing around on the piano with a new melody and some words popped into my head that might go with it and pretty soon, the first verse was done and i was already starting to sing the chorus.  i’ll never get used to how weird it is to feel like there is a song just waiting to be written……it’s like i get this sort of restless feeling….and i can’t leave the piano bench.  it’s almost like i’m trying to remember something….maybe a feeling or thoughts i had recently….and now it’s time for everything to stop running around and just come together in a song.  i’m sure there’s a better way to say that, just can’t think of it right now.

Then there’s that…..i found a new nail color this week.  it’s called “Berry Daring” and i really like it.  i liked it so much that i decided to wear it on my toes, too.  it’s probably the last toe-painting session cause pretty soon the sandals will have to be put away and the toes will be hidden under warm socks and shoes. (well actually, it stays pretty warm until November…..but sandals in November just don’t seem right)

Then there’s this……we have a game tonight.  we’ll get home around 11:30 and then have to be back at the school at 6:00AM to leave for a band competition in Alabama. We’ll get home from that trip around 2AM on Sunday morning!!  yikes!

Then there’s that……i’ve registered for the Write About Jesus conference.  I am so excited!  I missed it last year and promised myself I wouldn’t do that again!  I may actually go this year and just soak up the classes and not worry about entering the contest.  Contests just make me nervous.  and i when i enter them, it’s all i think about and i want to win.  so i’m thinking that if i go and don’t worry about taking a song with me, then i can really just enjoy the whole experience.  there are critiquing sessions where you can have a song be heard and critiqued but not worry about how it stacks up against everyone else.  i don’t know….still thinking on that one. 

The chorus room

When we walked in the door, we had to find our seats and be prepared to sing.

Ms. Sandefur meant business, but she could also be a lot of fun.

She was the chorus teacher at Gainesville High School and my favorite teacher of all time. 

Ms Sandefur believed that if you challenged kids enough, if you encouraged students to be more than they thought they could be, if you set a goal out before them…..they might just reach it.  She never settled for second best out of her students.  And believe me, she knew when we weren’t giving it our best.  She had a way of just looking at us, without yelling or fussing, but a look that said “you can do more than that, right?  you can sing that part a little better, you didn’t really put your best effort into that, did you?”

She believed that I could be a junior director.  She encouraged me to learn the music, to really study it and then to get up in front of the students and direct them.  Me…..in front of my peers…..holding this little stick and trying to get them to all sing, together!  She believed in me, way more than I believed in myself.

She paired me up with Mindy to sing a duet at a competition.  Mindy was like this awesome alto singer!  I thought Mindy was one of the coolest girls in chorus!  I couldn’t believe I was going to get to sing with her.  We learned a couple of songs, one of them was a song straight from the book of Psalms called “Lift Thine Eyes”….and went something like…”lift thine eyes, oh, lift thine eyes to the mountains, whence comest, whence comest, whence comest thine help.” It was the coolest duet song and Mindy and I ended up winning superior ribbons.

Once during class, Ms. Sandefur was trying to teach the students about how to ”approach a note” straight on.  When you were singing it, you shouldn’t come up under the note, or come down onto the note….hit it straight on.  She said she would give us an example.  Then she looked at me, asked me to stand up and sing an A for the class.  She played the note on the piano for me, i tried to not think too hard about what i was doing and just sing.  But the fact that she believed I could do it, made me believe it too.

The two and a half years I had in that chorus room were the best ever.  She signed my yearbook when I graduated, and I will cherish that forever.  

Gifts

 (If you’re not in the mood to grab a tissue, you might want to skip my blog today) 

God has given us gifts.  God has given me some gifts, God has given you some gifts.  What are we doing with our gifts? 

I am most deeply moved when I see people use their gifts unselfishly and for the benefit of others.  Take for example the show Extreme Home Makeover.  I always get teary-eyed by the end of the show when the family is touring the home and discovers all the love that was hammered into each board and painted in every stroke on each wall.  It gives me goosebumps to watch the workers give tirelessly of the their time and energy to build a home from scratch in seven days!  And they don’t just build a house, they help a family find their home again.

All because people are willing to take their gifts and use them to benefit others.

I saw that same thing displayed yesterday on a website called www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org.   

Photographers, using their gifts to help families capture a special moment in time with their child before he/she goes back to heaven.

I came across the website after reading the heartbreaking blog of a family that is going through that difficult time right now.  You can read the blog at http://conorbootheandgirls.blogspot.com

I went to the website and was so touched by the pictures and the stories I read there.  Through my tears, I just kept thinking how incredibly hard it is to even try and comprehend for a moment what these families must be feeling.  Really, there is just no way.  And then how amazing it is that someone cares enough to use their photography expertise to capture a brief, lovely, moment in time so that a parent may have a treasure to hold in their hands when their angel is gone.

Giving of a gift without counting the cost.  Giving of your time and treasure because you know it didn’t begin with you and it shouldn’t end with you. 

Sweet Sixteen

I woke her up this morning with a kiss on the cheek.  My little girl is Sweet Sixteen today!  She had a smile on her face like she does most mornings….but that’s Karlee.

I was reading through the journal that I started keeping before she was born.  I remember the days when Ben and I would talk about having children.  I even wrote a journal entry on how much I wanted to have a little girl.

She was so precious when she was born and I remember holding her and being overwhelmed with love and at the same time, being overwhelmed at the responsibility that was now ours….this little life was on loan to us…..an angel sent from heaven for us to raise and take care of!

Karlee has been nothing but a joy to our lives.  Watching her grow and become a young lady has been extraordinary.  

When she was two years old and would toddle over to the piano, stand on her tipey toes and reach for the keys, I could only dream that maybe one day she would sit down and play it.  Oh boy….can she play it!

When we would sing songs together in the car, I could only dream that one day she would want to sing for Jesus.  Oh boy, can she sing for Jesus!  And when she does…..if you’ve seen her….you’ve seen the glow on her face.

When she hugged my neck as a child, I could only hope she would be loving to others.  And she is!  Karlee extends her friendship to everyone…without discrimination……and I love her for that.

She is on the journey to becoming a woman and there are still dreams I dream for her.  I have no doubt that whatever God has in store for her….she’ll find it and live it to the fullest! 

Phone a friend

Sometimes a voice on the other end of the line can help bring perspective.  Sometimes a voice on the other end of the line can bring encouragement.  Sometimes just having someone on the other end of the line to listen is all I need.

I was having one of those moments on Saturday.  I usually like to navigate through my problems by myself.  I’m actually not the kind to chat on the phone for hours with friends about problems, or anything else.  I’ve just never been that fond of the phone.  Now you can come over in the afternoon, sit on my back porch, have a cup of coffee….and yeah…we’ll chat as long as you want and solve the problems of the world……that’s a whole nother story.  

But Saturday, I decided I needed to phone a friend.  I was doing some running around town and the whole time my mind was dwelling on a situation.  I was actually getting a headache just thinking about it.  I had stewed about it and not gotten anywhere.  About that time I was pulling into the Wal-mart parking lot, so I decided to park the car, make a phone call and get another perspective.

Let me just say here how thankful I am for friends.  Everybody needs three or four friends around them that they can trust and rely on to be good listeners and to point out the truth when it seems to be hiding!

I was glad I made the call. With friends, it doesn’t take long to get to the heart of a matter.  In fact, it’s pretty amazing that friends can listen to the ”part of the picture” that I’ve been dwelling on and help me step back and see the whole thing….maybe from a different angle that I hadn’t even noticed before.

I should have phoned earlier.  I probably could have saved myself the headache!!       

The Waffle Hips

After the football game on Friday night, Karlee wanted to know if I’d take her and her friends to the Waffle House.  So at 12:30 A.M. I am having coffee and eating a waffle the size of a plate, loaded with butter and syrup.

It was delicious.  But 24 hours later, I swear I can see it on my hips!

The Norton Orchestra

Karlee started playing the flute in 6th grade.  I was amazed at how quickly she learned to play it.  School starts in August and by December, the 6th grade band was ready to perform at the annual Christmas concert.  A group of kids, most of whom had never picked up an instrument before, sat on the stage and played Christmas selections….and you could understand what they were playing!  It was so neat to see her on that stage, playing the flute like she’d been doing it forever!! 

This year Paige is in the 6th grade band and chose the French Horn.  I am totally intimidated by band instruments, but especially the french horn!  So again, I was so amazed at how quickly Paige has learned to play.  The other day the band teacher asked Paige to play a note for the french horn players so they could hear what it was supposed to sound like….she was so excited!  She had been working on playing a “g” an I guess she got it!  And yesterday, she said the band teacher asked her to play something in front of the entire band class.  Pretty cool!

I went out to the practice field yesterday afternoon to watch the marching band practice.  Karlee was excited because they are learning to do a scatter drill……that’s where the kids run all over the field and then end up in a perfect formation!  They are playing a song called “Big Noise” (i think) and it sounds really cool.

It’s so neat to see how far they’ve come since band camp in July.  They have been working hard on their program and have their first competition next Saturday.

This band stuff is pretty cool.  It almost makes me wish that I had chosen band instead of chorus in high school!

The really awesome thing is to see my kids fall in love with something that is my heartbeat….and that is music.  Whether they are singing it, playing it or listening to it…..they both love it.  I wonder how much of that was ”born” into them…..is their a musical genetic gene you can pass on?  Cause it really feels like that sometimes……like when the girls and I are in Wal-mart w/ a thousand other shoppers and yet we can still name every tune that is playing on the Wal-mart speakers.  Or we can be in mid-conversation in the car and stop and sing our favorite line to a song that is playing on the radio and then go right back to our conversation!  And I see it especially when Karlee plays the piano every morning before school….it’s like therapy or something. 

So true.

Space Day

So if you’re still with me….it’s day three of creating my “new days” for my calendar!

Tuesday was not as successful as Monday….in that I didn’t totally complete the task I gave myself to do.  It was perhaps a little crazy to think I could completely finish a book in one evening on top of doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms and running three miles.  But I did pick up the book I had been reading and read the next chapter…..”Receiving God’s Intimate Counsel”.  It was loaded with a lot of great things and so I need to read this kind of book slowly…..not my typical speed reading.  I want to digest it carefully so that I don’t miss anything.  So I refused to hurry and finish it on Tuesday just so I could report back to you that I did.  It was more important to just soak it in. 

So I guess I should have called that day…..”Complete at least one chapter of the book you have been wanting to finish”!

On to today…..today is going to be about that space under my bathroom sink that desperately needs attention.

  This is not a picture of my space because this one is way too organized!  The space under my bathroom sink has become a free-for-all.  And really, the only reason I’m ready to clean out and organize a little is because I am completely out of space.  There isn’t room for one more shampoo bottle, one more box of tissues or one more curling iron. 

Every morning that I open it up, I think about needing to clean it out.  It probably wouldn’t take that long.  So I don’t know why I’ve been putting it off.  I guess I’ve been waiting for that “I can’t wait to clean under my cabinet” mood to hit me.  I tell myself I’m going to LOVE it when everything under the sink is organized….right?  What’s the saying?…..a place for everything and everything in its place?…….

Then why, once everything gets put in its place, does it only take a matter of weeks and it all seems to get disorganized again?

So what space is driving you crazy?

Happy Birthday, Paige!

Twelve years ago today, you came into the world knowing exactly what you wanted.

You decided you needed to be born on the 19th.

I wasn’t due for another six days, but you decided to come on anyway.  In fact, I barely made it to the hospital because you were in such a hurry.  I arrived at the hospital telling them I thought I was in labor. 

“Is this your first baby, Mrs. Norton?” (translation….how do you know if you’re in labor you idiot lady)  No…it’s my second. 

“O.k., well let’s get you checked in and see what’s going on.” (don’t get your panties in a wad, we’ll take our time, we’re professionals, we know what we’re doing)

Thirty-five minutes later you arrived….just in time for the doctor to walk into the room and catch you!

You knew at two years of age that you loved to dress up and be the center of attention.

You knew at five years of age that you could be a leader and that others would follow.

You knew at seven years of age that Jesus lived in your heart because you asked him to.

You knew at nine years of age that you wanted to grow up to be a children’s pastor because you felt the Lord calling you.

You knew at eleven years of age that the Lord had total control of your life because you turned it all over to him during a powerful revival service.

I know that I am amazed every day at the talents and gifts I see the Lord developing in you.  I love your servant heart and your willingness to give to others.  I love your eye for detail and the way you never settle for second best.

I am so proud of you today, my sweet little princess.  My Paige-boo.  My big girl.  Always mama’s baby.

Happy  Birthday!

Finish a Book Day

It felt so great to finally get a frame for my picture yesterday that I decided I would try to cross one more thing off my list.

I don’t usually start one book before I finish another one….but over the last few months I happened to find several good books that were just begging to be purchased and read.  I reasoned that none of them were that long and so i would be able to finish them.  But what happened was that when I was in the middle of book one and bought book two, i had to go ahead and start book two cause i couldn’t wait to read it, and then I didn’t want to put it down and go back to book one, and then i found book three and had to put down book two so i could go ahead and start book three…..etc.

So now i have several books that need to be read and i’m feeling overwhelmed with my stack of books and wonder if i’ll finish any of them.  And it’s bugging me because the books are really good and i really do want to read them. 

That’s why i’m glad that today is “Finish a Book Day”!  No more excuses, no more picking up a whole stack of books and wondering where to start.  I am going to grab my “Waking the Dead” book this evening after work and i am going to finish it.  I was so inspired after the first few chapters that i can’t believe i ever put it down. 

it’s based on the scripture that says, “Jesus said, ’I am come that they might have life and have it to the full’”. 

The opening sentence says “There are few things more crucial to us than our own lives.  And there are few things we are less clear about.” 

It grabbed my attention and i made it through page 108 before I got distracted with book number two!  I was on chapter six, “Walking with God”.  Sounds like a good place to pick it back up!