Snowstorm, New Job, and Mozart

This morning was not my favorite morning.

A snowstorm dumped several inches of snow into Eastern Iowa, causing treacherous road conditions.

Schools were cancelled. Many events in the community were cancelled. But it happened to be the morning that I was starting a new part-time job at a clothing store.

So I had no choice. I had to drive on the snowy highway, even though I thought that I was going to die. (I have become so accustomed to this year and last year's bizarre, mild winters that I have almost forgotten what it is like to drive in the snow!)

Thankfully I made it to work. Though the first day of a new job is always stressful for me, I was able to endure it and meet some nice people. I had to shovel my car out of a snowdrift before I could leave the parking lot of the store (hurray for the little shovel that I keep in my trunk!), but I was able to make it home.

Ahh, my warm, dry, safe, cozy house! I felt so grateful to be inside, but I still felt traumatized from my morning. I searched for the perfect something to soothe me. And then I saw it: my book of Mozart Piano Sonatas lying on the piano. I sat down to play a sonata. And then another one...

Ahh, Mozart! What a wonderful old friend! I have been listening to more pop and country music than ever since I have been married, and I have neglected Mozart and the other classical composers. I love many elements of Mozart's music. I love his sparkling, precise articulations. For example, his two-note slurs grab your attention like a nurse pricking your finger with a needle, but then they float away like a gentle sigh. I love his beautiful melodies, especially those in the slower second movements of his sonatas. And perhaps what meant the most to me today was the complete confidence that Mozart always resolves his dissonances with tonality. He might use some jarring notes or harsh chords, but he never fails to conclude every sonata on the tonic chord. Everything is always all right in the end. It reminds me of how my sovereign God always works good out of bad. And it comforts me.

If you are having a chaotic day, listen to some Mozart. Yes, even if you are not a classical music lover.

   

Book Recommendation: Kisses from Katie

A couple of months ago, my brother Matt gave me a New York Times bestseller book called Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption by Katie Davis. I finished it several weeks ago, and it was a well-written, inspiring book. I have been meaning to blog about it ever since. So here I am!

Kisses from Katie is the autobiography of a Tennessee girl who decides to spend one year in Uganda between graduating from high school and starting college. During her year in Uganda, she teaches kindergarten to children in an orphanage. Katie falls in love with the country and the people and decides to stay. God opens doors for her, and she ends up adopting thirteen little girls and founding a non-profit ministry called Amazima that feeds, educates, and shares the love of Jesus with hundreds of Ugandan children. Katie writes this book at the age of 22, just four years into her experience.

My favorite aspect of the book was the stories about the many individuals whose lives Katie has touched. One of Katie's mottos is to "say yes" to the people that God puts in her path, one person at a time. Reading about the extreme poverty, filthy conditions, and starvation of many of these people made me realize how blessed I am as a (relatively) wealthy American. The book also opened my eyes to the needs of orphans around the world and informed me about a ministry that would be well-worth supporting. And finally, it made me think: am I living my life from an eternal perspective? Am I using my time and resources on things that truly matter? I would highly recommend reading Kisses from Katie, or at least checking out Katie's blog.

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

Soy No Water Chai

I have not blogged in a long time. I am still alive, though. Happy New Year, everyone!

All that I have to say today is please, if you never have, try a soy no water chai tea latte. It is a hot drink that will comfort and delight you this winter. Chai tea is delicious no matter how it is prepared, but there is something special about the combination of chai tea with soy milk. They go together like chocolate and peanut butter. They were made for each other. You have to try it.

Two of my little Sunday School students gave me Starbucks gift cards for Christmas, so I bought myself a soy no water chai this morning. Yummy. I have enough Starbucks money to buy myself a couple more drinks later this winter. Thank you, my thoughtful little students!