The Struggle of Daily Prayer
I have a confession to make: it is a struggle to daily be in the Word and prayer. It is not for lack of resources — my bookshelves have a number of good devotionals and prayerbooks. The issue is my sinful self can always find leeches that suck the time out of the day.
Rather than wanting to feast on and be spiritually nourished in Word and prayer, Satan entices us with “worthy” opportunities to occupy our day and distracts us from the good things of God. I’m reminded of the traditional reading for Compline – “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith.” Sometimes the roaring is more like a sweet purring.
Easter Joy!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! A blessed Easter to you all.
“Joy to the Heart” by K. Lee Scott is one of my all time favorite Easter anthems. (The piece starts 39 seconds into the video). After that, you’ll find an Issues Etc show with Pastor Will Weedon discussing the piece and an organ setting of Christ Has Arisen, Alleulia (LSB 466).
Swan Song for the Piano?
“The future [of the piano] in American culture is uncertain.” That was the headline of an article that caught my eye this weekend in my local newspaper. The full version is available via the LA Times website. This is a slight departure from the usual blog posts on music as it relates to worship, but I thought it interesting nonetheless.
Not surprisingly, with all the diverse activities and technology available to kids (and adults), piano lessons and playing isn’t always at the top of the priority list. For many, the piano is merely a piece of furniture. Alas. Playing the piano is a lifetime activity that promotes mental agility, dexterity, and is a source of relaxation and stress relief.
Move-In Complete
I flipped the proverbial “switch” on Tuesday evening and the new lutherankantor.com site was live in a matter of nano-seconds. When you have an opportunity, drop by for the blog warming party and let me know what you think. It’s still a work in progress, but I think it’s been spruced up a bit. If you haven’t done so already, please update your bookmarks, feeds, links, and whatever digital files you might have hidden away that get you to the Lutheran Kantor blog.
Enjoy!
Back to Blogging
I received an e-mail today from one of my friends and blog readers asking if I was still blogging. Yes . . . it has been over a month since my last post and it does seem like blogs come and go. Yes . . . I plan on carrying on with the blog.
Prelude to a Blog
My prayer is that these posts might be an edifying resource for church musicians, pastors, and others who have an interest in Lutheran worship and theology. Come along on the journey and see what transpires.
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