Tears

I was moved to tears twice this past week. I am not one who cries often, but there are things that move me to tears, and it happens when I least expect it and sometimes it catches me off-guard. While there was plenty of reason for tears watching football games on Saturday, that was not the cause of my unexpected eye moisture. There were other events, including Pastor Jay Shailer's ordination (a wonderful, moving service) and time with family and friends, and a great kick-off to our youth events for the year, but these didn't move me to tears. No. Instead it was a song and a child.

Last Wednesday, my wife and I traveled down to Cincinnati with friends to see The Piano Guys in concert. I have mentioned this group in previous blogs. The group consists of a piano player and a cellist who play both classic and contemporary music, often blending the two together with precision and beauty. As a former cellist (I played from 4th grade through high school, and a little in college) I have always loved cello music. I have been a fan of cellists from Pablo Casals and Yo Yo Ma to the cellist in the 70's band Electric Light Orchestra. It was a couple years ago someone sent me a video of Piano Guys and I was hooked.

The concert was just the two guys on stage with a grand piano and three cellos which were used at different times for differing sounds. The cellist also had foot pedals that provided different sounds from his instruments, and a foot drum to boot. The different cellos were a traditional cello, a carbon cello, and an electric cello that looked like a piece of black metal bent to look like the outside border of a cello. The group has made dozens of videos, and incorporated several of them into the show as well.

I had a flashback during the concert. I remembered learning to play the cello, with pieces of tape on the neck of the cello to teach me where my fingers were supposed to be. That was the first step. Later as I advanced to more difficult music, it was time to learn different positions along the fingerboard to play higher notes and different sounds. This is a talent I never felt I mastered. I would try to get close, then try to listen to see if I needed to adjust my fingering to make the note sound better. A good vibrato would help as well - wiggle around the note til you find it!

What amazed me more than anything else was the precision and clarity of the music, especially from the cellist. His ability to play that instrument, moving along the fingerboard with ease and confidence gave me the pleasure of hearing beautiful sounds I have never heard before. And when they played the song "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables in honor of all who serve in the military and their families, the tears came. Here is a video of the Piano Guys. I can assure you, the beauty of the song on this video was just as lovely in person as it is here.



There are many things that show us the handiwork of God. Music is one of them, is it not? Thank you God for music!

The second occasion for the tears to flow was at the baptismal font to celebrate and welcome Ella Christine into the Body of Christ - the family of God. I was doing fine until I took Ella into my arms to share God's peace with her, and introduce her to the congregation. In my arms I was holding a blessing of God, whose life was given as a gift from God. And at the font, the promises of God were given to her. What a blessing it is to be the one who shares this message and is the one who administers the sacrament.

There are many things that show us the handiwork of God. The beauty and joy of new life is one of them, is it not? Thank you God for life.

I learned from my Dad that tears are not something of which we should be ashamed. It is a part of who God made us to be. Than you God for tears.

Peace,

Pastor Charlie