teaching

In the past few days, I've discovered for myself that teaching something is vastly different from just doing that something well.

How exactly does one convey how to be musical? It isn't something that can be taught. If you mimic it comes out manufactured. I'm sure by now my brother thinks I'm kooky or wrong in the head or something.

How do I show him that rubato isn't formulaic? It doesn't work like math!! AAHHHH!! Stop moving your body! Don't slow down before every other beat! Don't rush the eighth notes!! NO! You're marching again!

Of course it doesn't help that he thinks I'm scolding him when in fact I'm trying to help him.

And you know what the problem is? The problem is he's naturally musical, but he won't apply it!!!

I sound really hyperly angry, but I'm really not. I'm just really stuck trying to figure out how to help him.

lunar eclipse

for you all who read this before the 20th is over, there's a Lunar Eclipse tonight. I mean, it's already happening. Full eclipse at 10:26. fyi.

my time stamp is absolutely off, so don't tell time by that.

unashamed

I came upon this verse in 1 John 2:

(NIV) 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. [emphases added]

(The Message) 28And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we'll be ready for him when he appears, ready to receive him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives. [emphasis added]

(CUV (Traditional)) 28 小 子 們 哪 ， 你 們 要 住 在 主 裡 面 。 這 樣 ， 他 若 顯 現 ， 我 們 就 可 以 坦 然 無 懼 ； 當 他 來 的 時 候 ， 在 他 面 前 也 不 至 於 慚 愧 。 [emphasis added]

There are two things that really stood out to me: one is that we should be confident and unashamed when we stand before Christ when he comes again. The second thing comes before in the verse, but it's actually telling us how to be confident and unashamed. Continue in him. Live deeply in Christ. 住 在 主 裡 面. I like the Chinese version, because it literally says we need to live inside Christ.

I'm glad today, because I know that Christ is my Redeemer. The one who makes me blameless and pure when I cannot do so on my own. The one who testifies on my behalf in front of the great Judge.

I'm also glad because our grand piano finally arrived! Beautiful, though rather out of tune. I'm extremely relieved that the movers got it safely up our [apparently] narrow stairs!

definition: Do Hard Things

Per Art's suggestion, I've decided to link you to the Rebelution's definition of doing hard things. It's much more fleshed out than my attempts to define it. And they are the ones who came up with the whole idea.

Yay! Now I can finally blog regularly. I was stuck, very stuck, trying to write that post. Believe me, I started at least five times, on paper, on Word, on blogger. Maybe someday I'll post some of my thoughts.