Our Björling

I woke up needing some sort of inspiration.
(Some days are just tougher than others)

Got out of bed and went directly to my computer.
I needed to hear something.
Something good.
Something sincere.
Something that can offer me a sense of security.
Something to shut out the negative drill that was running through my head.

Youtube.
THANK GOD for Youtube!

It brought me to links of Björling recordings.

How blessed are we to have such a voice that once lived on earth?
And to have the opportunity to hear him within one click?
My goodness...

All I can say is thank you Mr. Jussi Björling for all that you have done for music.
You have made it possible for us to hear, smell, see, and feel the way you do through your singing.

"The Lord will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged."

Singing makes me HAPPIEEE

Audrey Stottler's Opera Workshops are the bestEST thing that has happened to me since the golden age of Opera recordings.

It's our first week of summer workshop and let me tell you, it has just been the highlight of my year.

I leave wanting to sing more than ever. Isn't that AWESOME?

I want it...!
I want more!
Gimme, gimme, gimme!

It feels so good to be back singing again. 10 days is waay too long of a break.

Self-Reminder: Never go on a vacation without singing. EVER AGAIN.

Why not?

So many days have I just sat at home. Wondering and worrying over what steps I must take.

I repeatedly conclude those questions with...
" I don't know. "
And frustratedly bit my nails till the end of those day.

Why do I not know?
Well, because I have not done enough. I have not done anything.
What I do have is lack of courage.
And the ability to blame others.
Because I have just been depending on the vehicles around me to drop me off at places and pick me up whenever I needed them to.
I have done nothing to find out what I must do and want to do for myself.

My husband and I have come to realize that we must go for it.

Why not?
What's stopping us but ourselves.

It is such an energetic phrase, isn't it?

Why not?

The excitement that comes with it.

The only way to answer that question is to go out into the unknown.
Is it not our lives to live?
And our adventures to fulfill?
We were born into this world not knowing...
in order for us to have a reason to live--to know.
So why have I just been sitting here-
not really happy about not knowing..
not content...
dissatisfied...?

So, why not change that?

Right?

I have the passion, I have the training, I have some knowledge.

Why not?

:)

Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end...

Everything happens for a reason. Only God knows...

A chance of shower?

Not much to say but God is good.
Inside, I have so much that I should be freaking out about.
But I somehow am still able to keep it cool.

Fuhh...

Must be thankful for all that I have.
Must be thankful for this life that I live.

It's dark out. Might be a rainy night today.
Pull out your umbrellas...or not.
It's sometimes nice to get yourself drenched in the rain.

Refreshing.

One Step at a Time

I called Ma yesterday to wish her a very happy birthday.
She was so sweet. A conversation that should have been all about her became a conversation all about me and my stress load.

So much to do in such little time. So many decisions need to be made. So many options to think about.

Patiently, she listened. After I was done rambling, she said,

"One step at a time".

Not everything needs to be solved right now.

One step at a time.

God is in control.

One step at a time.

There is no need to fear.
Wipe away your tears.

One step at a time.

You are doing really well.

One step at a time.

Don't forget your priorities.

One step at a time.

Find your courage. Be on guard.

One step at a time...

It's all just a part of life.
Life's simply life.
Don't make it bigger or smaller than what it is.
Live it, smell it, touch it
know what it is.

One step at a time.

My steps may be small,
But I can conquer it all! =)

Doing the Right Thing

I am so tired, so exhausted.
I'm just trying to be right this entire time.
And what do I find in all of this...?
wrongs everywhere...!

Everywhere, I see brokenness in me.
Everywhere I reach, I find emptiness.

It's cost is priceless.
but yet, it demands every bit of me.
A piece of you.
A piece of him.
A piece of her.

Being right is like running yourself into a giant wall,
continuously.
Each time you hit the wall,
you feel the need to explain why you did so.
Sometimes, you even yell at the wall
for being a wall.

Soon enough, you'll realize...
"Right" was painful.
"Right" was sacrificial.
"Right" was stressful.
"Right" was tiresome.
"Right" was distracting.
"Right" was such a big waste of time.
There is no end to being right.
"Right" was so wrong.

I desperately reach out
for the shattered pieces.
Trying to make sense.
Too much noise.
Too many lies..
I can hardly concentrate.

I reached within myself.
Seeking the Truth.
There He is.

Finally, a place of quietness.
Sometimes, the "right" seems as if it is the most "wrong" thing to do.
And your biggest mistake, your biggest regret seemed so right at that time.

Our world is broken.

Truth is the treasure we must all learn to conserve.

We tell lies when we are afraid... afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger.
~Tad Williams

Truth speaks louder than words.

You don't need to explain Truth.

There is no fear in Truth.

Truth is just is.

I seek the Truth.

Mark Twain once said,
I can lie, but I won't.

Now I will say,
I can't lie, so I won't.