Quiet day

Hello again to everyone. Thanks for the expressions of concern after the last post. I'm doing fine - - just doing the hard work of slowing down. As always, Jamie has been supportive, and I'm encouraged by the new energy that I'm starting to feel.

A number of folks have been interested in the jazz prayers that I hope to write during the sabbatical, especially after seeing the manuscript of one tune from Monday. That particular tune is called "Turn Again," and it's a setting of Psalm 80.

I should explain: a "setting" in this context is not a melody that goes with the words -- it's a jazz composition that attempts to express some part of the text, yet without words. This is what I mean by "psalms without words." It's an attempt to think of instrumental music as a form of biblically-shaped prayer. You can view "Turn Again" as a PDF file by clicking here. To listen to the tune as a MIDI file, try clicking here.

Of course, there is no jazz improvisation yet. That will happen when I hand over the tune to some creative musicians and turn them loose.

I listened to four taped sermons by Barbara Brown Taylor today. I've also been enjoying her new book, which has the daunting title Leaving Church. It's a well-written memoir of how she has heard God calling her step by step. I can't find a decent mystery novel that keeps my interest (Dan Brown's Angels and Demons is just plain awful!), and Barbara's book is downright exciting.

This week I'll start traveling more extensively, and will try to keep in touch as I'm able.

All the best to you and yours,
bc