Drinking the Cup of Life

Bill, Bill's High School Band Director-Roger Bjorklund, Calvin, and Matt Gullickson--who is Roger's grandson. 

This is how we do it. 

Fajitas. Enough said. 

Bill's Photo at Thursday Musical

When in Rome--or Texas that is. 

Eastview Percussion Ensemble 

Joy for Joyflag

Calvin's Xylo Solo 

Senior Shenanigans

God Bless Texas

Or. . . "How I sold my soul to Eastview High"

Eastview Wind Symphony

My SAM helpers

Mary in the First Clarinet Section of the District Honor Band 

Blackhawk Middle School Band Friends

Graduation Day-waiting for the 141 kids to arrive

My devotion this morning was "Drinking the Cup of Life." By Henri Nouwen.

Drinking the cup of life make our own everything we are living. It is saying, "This is my life," but also "I want this to be my life." Drinking the cup of life is fully appropriating and internalizing our own unique existence, with all its sorrow and joys. 

At first I thought it was coffee and cabernet.

Congratulations to Calvin on the percussion ensemble concert and the wind symphony concert. Thank you to the Eastview band directors for giving him so many opportunities. I have a pretty strong faith in God's perfect ability to give us the right people at the right time. There are so many of those people in our lives but in this theatre it is Matt Gullickson. You have to know that four years ago I psycho mom cornered him at the very first parent night and virtually threatened him to do right by my kid since the whole reason we were selling our chauffeuring souls to Eastview was for this band program. I stand down. Each of those band directors has left it all at the table. Turns out the soul selling was mutual.

Did you know that Bill's high school band director is the grandfather of Calvin's?

Congratulations to Mary and her friends on a truly fine District 196 honor band day and concert.

We are not leaving any blank space around here. Our cup runneth over.

Congratulations to the piano kids down in Houston. What a joy it was so hear them play and give them ideas! I had an awesome weekend there, punctuated with eighteen hours with Casey.

Four days at home with laundry, SAM prep and concerts and weather predictions and then we fast forward to SAM Piano Graduation Day. There was much ado whether to cancel or not. I did not. And the weather held off until late in the day and about 85% of the kids made it to perform and receive their trophies.

There was amazing performing in all six recitals at Sundin Hall. I'm continually inspired by my colleagues. Spending the day working with them is nothing by joy and I'm just so thankful for our community. I was so proud of my piano kids. Performance is not always perfect but every child was poised and expressive and I'll take that above almost anything.

I love watching the teachers, students and parents at these recitals. We have different levels of experience and expertise and some teachers have different goals in their studios. What do we all have in common? The kids LOVE their teachers. You can see it in all the photos and hugs and post recital warm fuzzies. These Suzuki teachers have relationships with their families. It's so special. Congrats to all and thank you to everyone on the committee--we are a well-oiled machine and it was nothing but joy to put it all together.

Last night I went to bed at 8:30, which felt like 7:30 because of the time change. My cup was empty. Not a drop left.

But the cup will refill and be drained again. And, in two weeks it will hold a Hawaiian shave-ice in whatever flavor I choose. It's crazy right up to that moment backing down the jet way. I might have coffee and celery juice all over the floor (which it getting refinished while we are gone. . . ).

To everything there is a season and we knew this one was gonna be like a champagne fountain filling the little crystal fluted glass that is our life. It's overflowing between now and graduation. I'm owning it, but praying for each day to receive just the joy and grace and energy it needs. Coffee? Celery juice? Cabernet? Shave ice? I relinquish the cup.

Amen.

P.S. Check out Calvin's composition and his xylophone solo on my youtube channel. Also--Mary's Bartok and more studio videos will be uploaded soon!
Sara's Youtube Channel