A bit cold in these parts…

Here in Maryland we’ve been experiencing some frigid temperatures, knowing what I do about honeybees, I’m not too worried them they should be fine. Today we reached a high of 4F, with the windchill bringing the temperatures well to about -15 F. In our area we received about 6″ of snow, other parts of Maryland received 11″ and some said they got more.

Because of the weather, the past few days, work  (along with my daughters school) has been closed but yesterday I did get a request to come in before the winter storm hit our area. There was some computer work that really needed to be completed and so “essential personnel” made it into work. I worked for about three hours and left right when the snow started falling. Perfect timing, right?

You would think with the extra long weekend, I would have been knitting, weaving or sewing, right? None of that happened! Instead, I spent a lot of time with my daughter.  In my down time I was practicing on my Native American flute. Today, I spent about three hours practicing on my Native American flute and even branched out into sheet music. Since I can read notes following along isn’t an issue.

Finlandia, Op. 26 is a symphonic poem by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. It was written in 1899 and revised in 1900.

He later wrote a stand alone song from the above symphonic piece which you can hear me playing in the clip I’ve included below. You can catch the part I played (in the above song) at around the 6:07 mark. The song, “Stille meine Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen” aka “Be Still, My Soul” is one of my favorite hymns. It was originally written in German in 1752 by Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel it was later translated into English by Jane Laurie Borthwick.

While playing the above song, I immediately thought of this passage from Scripture…

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my soul, which You have redeemed.

Psalms 71:23

New American Standard Bible

I still have a long ways to go, but I can see improvements each time that I do play my flute.

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.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.