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Musical Martha: Minding the Rest as a Church Musician
I have always struggled with Sundays. I have always loved keeping busy throughout the whole day—even on weekends—but the very structure of Sundays is set against this. As a musician and writer, I deeply enjoy my work and take satisfaction in doing it well. My love for productivity, however, makes Sundays a challenge. Before I…
blogger, busy, choir, church choir, church music, church musician, church organist, contemporary worship, liturgy, martha and mary, martha world, mary and martha, mary spirit, music blogger, organist, restless, restlessness, sacred music, traditional worship, worship, worship leader, worship pastor, writer -
Returning the Favor
Earlier this month—just as the air started to crispen with the coming of autumn—I heard a song that made me laugh with delight: “Land of the Living,” by Roo Panes. So rarely do I come across a song that is at once nostalgic and joyful, that I could not help but listen again and again.…
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On the Journaling Life: 10 Years and Counting
I have been journaling for over ten years now. My first entry from 2010 begins with the ever-eloquent “Arghhhh!” of a furious thirteen-year-old. I was apparently enraged by my seventh-grade math teacher, though I’m laughing now at the incident. It is hilarious that such a minor grievance propelled me into one of the greatest blessings…
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Midweek Rhythm: “Nearer, My God, to Thee”
Throughout college, I rehearsed at my church on Wednesdays. After a full morning of classes, I would hide away in the sanctuary to practice. Often, these practice sessions became restful, transformative, and worshipful experiences. As I settle into a completely new season of my life, it is comforting to return to this midweek rhythm. It…
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Rejoice, the Lord is King: Feeling Follows Action
Today, I felt like the human equivalent of an eye roll. I’m usually a morning person who hops out of bed and goes on a refreshing run before savouring a second cup of coffee. Today, it took everything just to get up and get out the door. After several months of intense stress, my body…
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Remember the First
Lately, my social media has been flooded with stories that present deconstructive re-interpretations of scripture. Easily skimmed, shared, and swiped away, the subtle influence of Instagram theology is becoming clear as more and more young Christians abandon doctrine and tradition to instead draw their convictions from social media soundbites. Although such posts may present genuine…
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Pride and Purgation
As I expressed in an earlier post, I have come to love Dante’s Commedia more and more through rereading. In a manner almost scriptural, he manages to address every aspect of human life and, as a poet-theologian, particularly the artistic life. My favourite of canticle is Purgatorio, which is perhaps a humorous choice for a…
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Extravagant: A Reflection on the Music of Dan Forrest
I adore playing the music of choral composer, Dan Forrest. An accomplished pianist himself, he knows how to fully engage accompanists, making them feel as if they are featured soloists and equal members of an ensemble rather than merely supporters. Even his simplest pieces cover the whole range of the keyboard and develop across glorious…
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Loving By Not Loving: On Intentional interest
The other day, I asked my dad to print my dissertation at his office. That evening, I found it neatly stacked on the counter and took it upstairs to edit without giving it a second thought. “I started reading your dissertation but you must have moved it,” my dad later told me. “It was really…
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Not Far From the Tree: A Secular Icon
Stickers cover the back of my laptop, forming a small collage of my personality and of the various influences in my life. In the centre glows an apple with a single missing bite. The choice of the Apple logo seems straightforward; it’s simple, appealing (pun intended), and recognisable. Further, apples represent enlightenment and erudition—consider, for…
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The Master becomes the Student: University Combats Expert Culture
Nowhere, AZ17 July 2020 As schools consider how to reopen in the fall, a revolutionary group of students are demanding not only health accommodations, but a complete change to education altogether—and Northwesteastern Arizona University is listening. One of Arizona’s lesser-known institutions, Northwesteastern University was fortunate enough to continue its ordinary teaching despite COVID-19 closures because…
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To the Friends Who Tell Me “No”
I’ve been thinking a lot about friendship lately. Even (and perhaps especially) in the midst of completely altered social norms, my friendships seem to be growing stronger. Despite distance, change, and time, my closest friends and I are continuing to care for one another. As I finished catching up with a dear friend last night,…
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