Super Sorry Sunday: Let's Focus on Garrison Keillor

I am a big fan of the radio show A Prairie Home Companion. I love the music, skits, stories, and jokes. 

I always wanted to go see a live show up in St. Paul, but I never did, and then Garrison Keillor retired in July of 2016. 

I've enjoyed the new show with Chris Thile very much, but I've missed Garrison's voice and Lake Wobegon stories.

When I heard that Keillor was going to go on tour this summer with some of the regulars from A Prairie Home Companion, I asked Gary if we could go.

He wasn't interested, but he said I could go. I decided to splurge and get a front row seat in Sioux Falls (with Gary's blessing, of course).

The big night finally arrived. Before I left, Gary told me to just have a good time. "Don't let anything ruin your night," he warned me. He knows me so well. Sometimes I can get disappointed when things don't go the way I plan. 

I got to the Washington Pavilion and found my entrance.

Heading for the front row from Orchestra Right.

I was just about in the very center of the row and I sat there alone for a few minutes, just taking in the stage and the people milling around getting everything ready.

A self-conscious selfie before the fun begins.

Finally, more people arrived. The lights dimmed and the house broke out in applause as Garrison Keillor took the stage. He stood about ten feet from me and started telling a Lake Wobegon story. It was awesome!

In this picture, he's actually farther away - I didn't dare take a picture when he was right in front of me.

The time seemed to fly by as we heard music from Garrison and Heather Masse:

We listened to a funny skit about Dusty the Cowboy, with sound effects and other voices provided by the talented Fred Newman:

During the intermission, Garrison led a sing-along of old folk songs, patriotic songs, and hymns. It was fun harmonizing with such a big makeshift choir.

It was a wonderful night which I enjoyed immensely. 

I only felt a bit uncomfortable a couple of times. 

During his Lake Wobegon story he got a little graphic about a dating experience. 

In another part of the story someone lost their Speedo and flew naked above a lake while strapped to a parasail.

Probably the worst moment was during one of the songs when he asked us to sing along with the chorus: "I'm an aging, progressive democrat." I smiled, but I just couldn't open my mouth. (I hoped he wouldn't notice and have me removed from the theater.)

So, my Friday night was enjoyable...but I started to overthink it on Saturday.

When I told people I was going to hear him, most of them said, "Who?" ...and I started to feel kind of odd for liking a show no one had ever heard of.

When I told someone I had seen him, they commented about how political he was...and I wondered if it was bad that I liked him when our politics differ so much.

When I heard the graphic and naked parts of the Lake Wobegon stories...I squirmed a bit and wondered if I should be there.

When Gary teased me about being so excited that Garrison Keillor was "right there!" as I flung my arms in front of me to show how close he was...I wondered why I don't get that enthusiastic about other things in my life. 

So I couldn't write yesterday. I was mulling all of this over.

I haven't completely figured it all out, but I've been talking to God about it and I think He's okay with me liking Garrison Keillor and A Prairie Home Companion. 

It doesn't matter if other people have never heard of him. It doesn't matter if he's a democrat with different morals than me.

Now, I realize that anyone could take this the wrong way. I'm not saying that we should embrace anyone and everyone no matter what they say or do. 

We have to be careful to obey and honor God as we live for Him. We also have to try not to judge others for what they choose to watch or listen to. Maybe they get something special from a certain show or program that we don't understand. Maybe God will show them later that it is not something they should be watching or listening to. We just don't know. 

My faith is strong. I love my LORD. And listening to A Prairie Home Companion brings me joy. It makes me laugh, it introduces me to interesting musicians, it makes me think, and it has enhanced my life. 

It may not be for everyone, but I'm glad I discovered it years ago and was able to see Garrison Keillor in person.

"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4 ESV)

Is there anything or anyone you like that might seem a bit questionable to others? How can focusing on God help you to be discerning in your choices and have freedom to enjoy a variety of entertainment?

* Click here for a "Duane and Mom" skit from the 40th Anniversary Show (about 6 minutes long)

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Stranger Things

I started watching a show on Netflix recently. It kept popping up in my suggested shows and my daughter Allison kept asking, "Have you watched Stranger Things yet?" I usually hate scary movies and shows, but I decided to give it a try.

I'm only three episodes into it, and I probably won't ever be able to dump the dehumidifier at church again without turning on the light in the boiler room, but I have to say I really like it.

We don't have too many scary things happening at our house, unless you count the strange way just my right shoes keep getting a hole in the toe: 

Three, count 'em, three pairs of shoes ruined!

Maybe there's a tiny Demogorgon hiding in my shoes. (That's one of the monsters they mention a lot in the first few episodes of Stranger Things.)

Anyway, I've been kind of surprised at how much I like this show in spite of the creepy, scary aspects of it. There's just enough humor, mystery, and sweetness to keep me watching. It's interesting to see Winona Ryder playing a distraught mother who desperately tries to connect with her missing son by...well, I won't tell you that. Maybe you want to find out for yourself.

I've spent quite a bit of time pondering the first few episodes. (Is so-and-so really dead? What happened to Barb? Will Nancy ever wake up and realize her love interest is a total jerk? Sorry, I didn't want to have any spoilers in this post.) I'm looking forward to continuing as soon as I can get back to another episode. What will happen next? 

I've also found myself comparing Stranger Things to life. We never know what's going to happen next. There are plenty of scary things that happen to us, but there are also so many joyful, humorous, and sweet things that happen, too.

We need to move through life expectantly, thoughtfully. Not with fear (as so many characters in Stranger Things do), but with faith that God has us right where He wants us and He'll be right there with us, no matter what happens. The good and the bad are all a part of life. It's all part of our story.

If we strive to keep our thoughts positive and hopeful it will make such a difference in how we respond to every situation. Negative thinking will just ensure that we stay miserable and fearful. It's hard some days, but let's try to focus on the positive and choose happiness whenever we can.

"All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]." (Proverbs 15:15 Amplified Bible)

Do you look forward in life with hope and joy, or do you find yourself more negative and fearful? How can focusing on God help you to expect wonderful things from life, even if that includes difficult situations?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Joy

Some days you just have to choose joy. There is so much stress in this world. We have so many tasks and demands pulling for our attention. It can get to be too much and can make us anxious and grumpy. I get that way sometimes.

Well, today I chose a little joy. I started out this morning with the song "Taylor the Latte Boy" running through my head, so I just had to go to YouTube and watch it - twice, because it's fun to see how different people sing it. My favorite is by Kristin Chenoweth:

Then I happened to notice that there was a "Taylor's Rebuttal" song (sung by Ben Hensley). I had never heard it before and it was so funny!

This brought me quite a bit of joy. Such cute lyrics and a catchy tune. I was singing "Taylor the Latte Boy" all day long.

Then a little later I saw a video on facebook. Candace Payne posted a video of herself with a Chewbacca mask she bought at Kohls. If you haven't seen it yet, you really need to. The joy she experienced from such a simple thing. I don't remember the last time I laughed as hard as she does. That brought lots of joy, too.

https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/4k6d8p/oh_im_such_a_happy_chewbacca/


These things reminded me how important it is to choose joy. We will always have trouble, but we can have joy in the midst of it. It lightens our hearts and can encourage others around us. 

I don't want to make light of the terribly sad situations some of you may be experiencing right now. You may have no desire to hear songs about Starbucks baristas and watch a lady get hysterical over a silly mask. That's okay. Take time to grieve, but make sure you still choose joy in the midst of your pain. Find it in a beautiful spring flower, the smile of a young child, the hug your spouse gives you. Your happiness will come back in due time. 

For those of us with our regular life stresses, it's so important to choose joy. The tasks and demands will wait. Maybe taking some time to laugh will help us approach those things with a little more energy and patience. 

It couldn't hurt to try, right?

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22 NIV)

Are life's little stresses getting you down? Do you need a good laugh? How can focusing on God help you to find joy in the midst of stress?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Hitting the Right Notes

I played the keyboard in church last Sunday. I always get a little nervous when I do that. I have to practice quite a bit before I feel really comfortable with all of the songs.

We were gone all day Saturday (Happy 90th Birthday to Gary's mom!) and came home through lots of snow and bad roads. We made it and I ran through the songs one more time on Saturday evening.

I was glad for the small crowd on Sunday morning because of the weather. I figured it might go better with fewer people to hear me play. Things went quite well until after the offering. I played a hymn during that time and then launched into the introduction to the Doxology. That's the cue in our church for everyone to stand up and get ready to sing. 

Suddenly - disaster! I was playing but something was terribly wrong. It didn't sound anything at all like what I was supposed to be playing. I'm sure the congregation wondered if we were going to sing a different song that morning. Well, after too many measures I finally realized that the previous song had about five flats and the Doxology has one sharp. I had continued playing most of the flats and that just didn't work. When I got to the song I finally had my mind wrapped around "one sharp" and everyone seemed to catch up to the Doxology after the first couple of notes.

It was really no big deal, but it was noticeable. I laughed and asked a couple of people if they liked my intro to the Doxology during fellowship time and they laughed along with me and one of them said she had seen me make a face so they knew that I had figured out that something was wrong. 

That little goof up had me thinking all week long. Now, I tend to think way too much about lots of things and that can be bad for me, but I think this time it was productive thinking. 

I thought about how I went through that time of deep depression some months ago and how negative I was thinking. It was like I was going through life with lots of flats, focusing on the negative and getting anxious about life's pressures and demands. 

I got the help I needed and started to feel hope again, but this time of transition doesn't always "sound" the best. I'm trying to look forward with hope and live a joyful life, but there are days when life is a chaotic, ugly sounding mess because I'm still "playing the flats" when I should be focused on the "sharps."

What we have to remember as we push through and overcome depression is that how we think will make a big difference in getting better. Focusing on the "flats" (I can't do this. Life is too hard. I'll never be happy again.) just keeps us stuck in depression and despair. Choosing to focus on the "sharps" (This is hard, but God will help me do it. Life is hard, but it's worth it. I feel sad sometimes, but I will feel joy again.) will help us feel hope and fulfillment. 

My intro was a mess. (You don't believe me? You can go take a listen at http://youtu.be/wsEDTZM7rLs  - the whole service is worth listening to, but you can also just skip to 46:54 and have a good laugh) The thing is, once I figured out that I was playing flats instead of sharps I changed how I was playing. I didn't play the whole Doxology with flats just because that's how I started out. No, I changed to the right notes and it sounded so much better. I'm going to try to keep that in mind in life, too. I don't have to keep repeating negative thoughts just because I've done it for so long. I'm going to try thinking the right way so that my life is beautiful and is full of joy and hope.

"Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." (Philippians 4:8 NIV)

Do you spend more time thinking about negative things or positive things? Can you see how focusing on things that are excellent and praiseworthy could help you live a happier, more hopeful life?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Hope

By now, you probably realize that this blog comes from whatever I'm dealing with each week. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Yesterday I was dealing with some ugly stuff again. I didn't want to get out of bed in the morning and I kind of moped through my day. Several times I had the thought "This is hopeless." I don't feel as bad as I did, but I don't feel as good as I'd like, either. I looked around at all that I could and should be doing and had trouble deciding just what to do. So I did a whole lot of nothing.

That's not a good way to spend the day, my friends. A little before supper I decided to do my devotions from "Jesus Calling." I read the devotional for the day and looked up the verses and was amazed to once again have God meet me right where I'm at and remind me of things I'd forgotten.

Here's what I read:

I immediately felt so much better. Of course things are not hopeless because I have God. A God of hope! As a Christian I need to cling desperately to that hope and let it fill me with joy and peace.

Now, that being said, there are times when we can't find hope. Sometimes depression causes chemical changes in our brains and it's almost impossible to find any hope. That's when we need to reach out for help. Medications and good counseling can get us back to a more stable emotional condition where we can find hope again and that hope will get us back to a place where we can feel joy and peace instead of sadness, anxiety, and despair.

If we're just having a bad day we can remind ourselves of the hope we have in God. Hope makes all the difference when we're going through a hard time. We don't muster it up on our own. We need to let the power of the Holy Spirit give us that hope so that it can overflow and encourage everyone around us.

Do you ever lose hope? How can focusing on hope help us to get through difficult times?