...blessings abound

God's been making it very clear to me lately...
that He will bless my efforts of obedience to His will...
and will provide all of my needs...

but that I must pay out everything, holding nothing back...
if I am to receive all His blessings...
that includes trusting Him completely...
and dying to my old self...

Saturday, I had breakfast with my FFer buddies...
[former colleagues in teaching"]

I told them that God had been blessing me lately...
and as I cataloged all the blessings, big & small...
they were just blown away by the goodness of God...
and so am I...

whether it's seeing His "perfect timing" in the lives of friends...
or getting a big refund check in the mail[$703.86, baby...]
just as I had set-up a couple of large credit card payments...
[this should get me well into January's utilities & bills]
things are just,"happening"...

so far, so good...

I have prayed for God to put together, "His" choir for Lessons & Carols...
and He has... recently adding some important voices & spirits to the mix...
we sang the difficult, "Herself, a Rose", yesterday...
with only part of the group AND a cappella, to boot... and did very well...

we have a short rehearsal tonight, then the dress on Saturday...
I'm confident that it will go very well...
this music just blesses me so much...
I'm praying that it will likewise bless all the musicians...
as well as the congregation...

our Renaissance group's concert on Dec. 22, 2 days after L&C...
should also go well... the group has a lovely sound...
and the audience should enjoy it...

BTW... I have been relieved to learn...
that we don't wear make-up [thanks for the info., MM...]
it's not that I hate the idea of it...
if it's part of the costume, you wear it...

my concern was that I never wear it anymore...
so I don't own any...
and really didn't want to have to buy some...

I have also been informed that a comment could not be left for a post...
things seem OK here... at least according to Sitemeter...
I haven't done anything restrictive on this end...
if anyone else has a problem with a comment not going through...
try to let me know, if possible...

things here will be kind of busy for the next couple of weeks...
[at least, compared to my usual routine where I have LOTS of time...]
though I have come to discover that God will "make time"...
for anything that He wants me to do...

I'm going with Trumpetman on 12/17 to check out the church...
for the Ren. group dress rehearsal on 12/21, and the concert on 12/22...
we also have a rehearsal on 12/15...the last one at "chez Greenthumb"...
then on Dec.18, I'm "receiving" some Mudville Chorale music...
for storage at the church...

there are Lessons & Carols rehearsals, tonight, the dress on 12/19...
& the service on 12/20...
I also have an open house to attend the afternoon of 12/19...
north of Arhnoldtown...

of course, Christmas Eve has 2 services...
a 5:30 PM, with me leading carols at 5...
and 10:30 PM, carols at 10...
trumpet & choir, etc...

I have no plans for Christmas Day...
I'm sure that God will put me where He wants me...
as well as where He wants me to be at all other times...

after all, He is good, all the time...