'Be anxious for nothing..." ~Philippians 4:6

Saturday, April 28, 2012

WELL DONE

When you began, or how long you've been at it may be of little consideration, and may garner little sympathy if you suddenly decide, out of frustration, anxiety, or weariness, that mediocrity or carelessness, in ANY part of it, is acceptable.
A teacher once told my classmates and me, "Anything to which you affix your name, should be done properly."
Purpose to do whatever you do well. Do it to the best of your ability- whether you think anyone will notice or not. Details will matter to someone whose opinion or evaluation matters more than your decision to ignore them.

Monday, April 23, 2012

THE WORTH OF MUSIC

























Congregations have long been tired of folks practicing on them. 

(One of the best things about television programs like American Idol was that it brought honesty back, even though, on occasion it was brutal. "I'm sorry. That wasn't good. Music is not your strong suit. Go study some more, and maybe we'll see you next year, but you will NOT be on the show.") 
We lie when we equate incompetence with humility. "At least he tried."; "God knows his heart." We just can't bring ourselves to say, "That's horrible!" Why should a congregation be subject to an ear-splitting recital each week? In a non-profit organization, it's okay to have reserves, but can't some of it ever be used to enrich the music ministry? I can't say it enough--places where leaders understand the critical role that music and music makers play have outstanding music ministries, and have no qualms about investing heavily to maintain them.
Congregations have ears. People want their money back if they go to a concert and the music is bad, or the sound is inconsistent. Why then, do church goers make excuses, post bloopers on YouTube, applaud mediocrity, and make a mockery of weekly convocations instead of endeavoring to employ skilled Levites? We shouldn't shun or discourage people for having the audacity to know what they're doing. "They're too professional". What? Huh? Why shouldn't the church be the place where a standard of excellence is found? That's why, in many places, tracks are played while dance ministries perform. There's no confidence that the band and singers can nail the nuances of the recorded music in time, or at all--and it's especially tragic when sitting in the pit, or in the choir loft are some of the very people who played their instruments on the recordings.

Each musician or singer has to decide: "Am I serving in a ministry out of the kindness of my heart, because I love it, and have the time to spare, or am I endeavoring to make a living? Anyone who takes on any task has to know, "Am I a volunteer or an employee?" People can only do what you allow. When you dare to point out inappropriate or unfair business practices, isn't it amazing how clueless people can be? When you have to remind people that you don't work for free, don't ignore their response. Notice whether they agree or are offended. African Americans should be the last people trying to make slaves of others, and expecting them to silently enjoy it. When anyone expects others to use their skills to keep an enterprise thriving, and see no need to fairly compensate workers, they have become no better then slave masters. Let their check be short or late, and see what happens. If someone can get something good for nothing, they'll keep trying.


Biblical Levites didn't barter or beg.
We have to be careful when we use Biblical Levites to support our apparent desire to keep musicians and singers broke. Biblical Levites did not have an on-the-job-training program. If they strayed from the script and did their own thing, death was a very real consequence. Their unique duties demanded a grown man's strength, so, if someone was under 30 years-old, they wouldn't have been serving in the temple at all. They were taken care of WHEN THEY SERVED, because EVERYONE understood, and THE LORD established their all-consuming role. Deuteronomy 14:27 reads: "...
And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own". However, Levites weren't lazy bums who sponged off of everyone else. David set up a division of labor. The eighteenth chapters of Numbers and Deuteronomy are often trotted out to defend the notion of paying leaders/musicians for their services. It really was okay for temple workers to eat what the people brought as sacrifices, but ONLY if and when they were actually SERVING. In 1 Chronicles 23 and 24, David divided everyone into groups, which really meant that the SAME priests weren't in place serving year-round like modern Levites do. Since the congregation's offerings were only gathered when there were sacrificial requirements and feast days, it's unreasonable to think that the Levites were just chilling and sponging off of the other tribes during the other weeks of the year. Numbers 35 and Joshua 20 lets us know that the Levites lived in cities, too, just like the other tribes. They didn't have an inheritance, but they did have land. They weren't just wandering around looking for everyone else to plant their crops or foot their bills. The "get a real job" argument would fly if modern day Levites only worked in the church for the same duration of time as Biblical Levites. The Levites must have had some other means of employment when they weren't on their two week-or so assignment in Jerusalem.
In the New Testament, like today, however, the Levites were in the temple ALL of the time! They literally LIVED there. Jesus wasn't exactly complementary to some of them in Matthew 23 and Luke 20. Just like today, some Levites were getting wealthy off of the congregation's offerings and thought they were entitled to them. According to 1 Peter 2:9, however, everyone is "chosen for the high calling of priestly work".
Hebrews 8 reminds us that we only have ONE high priest, and even he is a cheerful giver. If we literally look to the Levites, as the standard, then churches should have 24 groups of Levites (priests, musicians, and anyone else who does any necessary temple work) and each group takes turns serving. When you work your two weeks or so, you're compensated. The rest of the year, you work on something else to sustain yourself.
The same band and singers did not have to serve at choir and musicians rehearsal every week, and fifty-eleven services on the sabbath, Bible Study every Wednesday, Prayer meeting every Tuesday, and anniversaries and revivals, and explosions and extravaganzas, and any time the priest was invited to serve at another temple in, or out of town, and wanted the singers and musicians to accompany him (on THEIR dime).
The younger the exploitation begins, the more difficult it will be to re-educate a person. There is someone who will not hesitate to show a singer or musician just how much their skills are worth, and their humility will not suffer. We have a bad habit of deeming evil and worldly anyone who actually sees value in what we neglect or minimize. Imagine the grand orchestras that could be in place in every church if music was really a priority? Sometimes people try to make you feel as if you should be grateful just to be in their company, or a part of their organization. Where is the privilege in being able to say that you play at so-and-so's church if you're ALWAYS broke and can't pay your bills? We can't get mad when people realize that things like food, clothing, shelter, and time with their families are important and they earn a living elsewhere.


We advise people in abusive relationships to get out and never look back. We tell them that they deserve better. When they choose to stay, we don't admire and celebrate their patience and dedication. We see their bruises and shake our heads. If they do manage to get out and see the light, the abuser often begins to demonize them,("Oh, they weren't that good anyway") wonder why they left, ("Didn't we make sure they had water and store bought donuts in the choir room?) or try to get them to come back by promising that things will get better (Lets give them coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts).


We live in a country that prospered off of the free labor and skill of others, and used the word of God to justify and perpetuate it. What did Harriet Tubman say? ""I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves." Many singers and musicians have seen the light. They're discerning when to sow; when to volunteer, but they are no longer allowing themselves to be manipulated any longer. They don't need any more exposure. They're going where they are appreciated and valued. Pastor Susie Owens said it, and I didn't understand at the time, but I do now: "Celebrate those who celebrate you".
I didn't always feel the way I do today. I've added to many bus driver collection envelopes. I've paid to play. I've come home empty handed because the check wasn't ready, or there was no check to be had. I've gone to banks to cash checks that were drawn on closed accounts or accounts that had insufficient funds. I've incurred expenses that were greater than the compensation I received and was never reimbursed. I also boldly acknowledge that I couldn't have paid for the Music education I didn't realize I was receiving in church. Albert Walker Webb, Willie B. Allen, Thomas Reeves, Judge Williams, Sr., Juanita Mitchell, Lucille Warren Thornton, Louise Awkard, Crevante Proctor, Macaiah, Dale Talbert, Pat Barnes, Freddie Washington, Danny McCrimmon, Charlene Nelson, Kenny Spears, and Richard Smallwood were among the first musicians/singers I ever heard live. I don't know if they were paid or not back then, but they were faithful and skilled. They taught and sacrificed and--sounded just like the famous people on the records. The other thing is, unless there was some anniversary celebration, there was only ONE morning service...lol...I was an adult before I understood the way musicians are used, and the way the Bible is used to oppress the volunteer armies of our churches.


Because of my upbringing, to this day, I still feel some kind of way when someone hands me a check for doing something I would do for the sheer joy of it. Every time I would go to sing when I was a teenager, my father would say, "Your time is worth something". I finally get it, and know how to say, "Thank You". PEPCO, Washington Gas, Giant, and AT&T want cash, not flowers, bookmarks, or Swedish meatballs. Some people will use you until there's nothing left, and will expect--even demand something for nothing as long as they can get it. They'll even act as if they own you, and hold your working future in the palms of their hands. Everyone needs a recommendation every now and then. When people have power and authority, and they know it is respected or feared, that's when uneven, oppressive relationships form where musicians may feel they have no recourse except to continue being mistreated.

I believe with all my heart that God has and will continue to sustain me. He has never failed. I believe the Lord will lead you concerning when you should give of your time, talent and resources with no expectation of getting something in return. I've found that when I'm obedient in those times, the subsequent blessings are tremendous. However, people who are always expected to enrich a thing that benefits someone else, but with little or no return for their own labor, are called slaves, and the last time I checked, slavery was a no-no in America. 
Decide what you want to do with what you have been given, and by all means, know your worth.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

PRAY

It's unfortunate when the hero you were rooting for turns out to be the villain, and the villain you were SURE you'd correctly identified, has been quietly taking mountains of abuse and criticism, instead of vindicating him or her self and exposing the worst side of your hero. Sometimes there's more to a story than meets the emotional or hopeful eye, so you reserve your ( possibly libelous or slanderous ) commentary until you study the facts or are privy to the whole truth. There's no sense in being upset AND getting sued. When things don't add up, WANTING them to, or allowing someone else to do the work for you and tell you the answer, isn't sufficient. You STILL don't really know, so it would NOT be a good idea to pass on the information. You have to go back and see where an error was made. The error can be obvious, slight, or deeply hidden, but you have to find it if you want to be credible. You should also consider if ANY of a thing is really your business. It's natural for people, who feel they, or someone they know has been wronged, to take to the streets. The streets these days are twitter pages and facebook walls. In public forums, support for one side or another is garnered, but may not rectify the situation about which complaints/rants are made. Sometimes public venting just makes things worse, and reveals more than either party in a matter wants the world to know. Whether it is personal, or concerning friends or strangers, telling God about it is always enough if you really believe that He sees all, and rights wrongs better than anyone. He is already up to speed about everything any way, and knows how every situation will end. He is positively brilliant at working out circumstances that cause us to fret, doubt, complain and take matters into our own hands. We often delight in gossip, rumors and scandal. HE consistently delights in righteousness, justice, and peace. All the more reason why our concerns should be taken directly to Him, on purpose AND when in doubt. PRAY. It works.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

PEOPLE MATTER



Judas Iscariot is the perfect poster boy for scheming, despicable, selfish, greedy people--people who don't truly understand how their behaviors can backfire and further the vision and mission the very people they sought to destroy. He is the poster boy for those who, consumed with material things, power and position, forget how much people matter.

If direction is no longer clear, AND followers, workers, teams, etc., are lacking or have lost a visionary of integrity, "moving forward" can be two of the scariest words in the English language, inspiring apprehension, and an inclination to go in the opposite direction-- or risk going it alone in ANY direction. More important than personally knowing, working closely with, or benefiting from the resources or notoriety of a visionary, is to fully embrace their vision and work enthusiastically to bring their mission to fruition. Bringing blight or shame to it would never occur to anyone who has even a remote understanding of the mission, the vision, and the visionary's ethics, wants and wishes.
Any tangible thing that results from the implementation of the mission is never more valuable than the people who implemented it. No people? No mission, no vision.
What is in the heart and mind of the visionary is the difference between contributing to something mediocre, self-serving, and temporary, and something phenomenal, revolutionary, and lasting. It is so critical that visionaries are surrounded, not by opportunists, thieves, liars, bullies, cons, or those driven by jealousy and covetousness, but co-laborers, servants, even, who will not undermine the visionary, or usurp/alter the vision for their own purposes, thus destroying its integrity. Visionaries need those who will faithfully, unselfishly and diligently keep the vision, and all that it births, alive and well.
It is probably good that some visionaries are not witnesses to the dismantling/destruction of their mission and vision by those who never fully understood or respected either, or knew what their role in it was supposed to be. Even when a visionary dies, their mission and vision, if in the right hands, will go on. In the wrong hands it will become strange, scary, and deformed--void of it's former self, except for destructible, superficial attributes.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

TODAY


I learned/confirmed:
1. Check the weather report before heading out...or at least look outside.
2. Be grateful for friends who keep extra sweaters at work.
3. Be glad when you follow your first mind to grab an umbrella.
4. Red Velvet cupcakes are worth every penny.
5. Most DC cab drivers prefer meters.
6. A brisk walk does a world of good.
7. Bush's baked beans are a meal all by themselves.
8. Congress Heights Post Office staff are friendly and consistent.
9. Tax papers need extra postage.
10. Fair Trade raw cane sugar is good for everything that calls for sugar.
11. Either I'm too passive or some people are too aggressive.
12. April felt like February today.
13. I have much for which to be grateful.
14. It's never smart to ignore things you should stay on top of.
15. Sometimes you don't buy enough bananas. Sometimes you buy too many.
16. I must buy some canvases and paint.
17. Simplify. You don't need the boxes.
18. When you're sleepy, lie down.
19. Do now what can be done now even if there's time.
20. The free offer ends today. Order the prints...: )
21. I have no idea what the Loew's commercial was about, but the song playing in the background made me smile. Now downloading Alyssa Bonagura's "I Make My Own Sunshine".

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

BELLEVUE SKIES





Somehow, in the daytime, the sight of low flying planes is more fascinating than unsettling. The sound of the engines blend with the sounds of the city, and aren't nearly as annoying as they are around midnight.
I wonder what the residents of The Wingate Highrise see from their windows and balconies?
I'm not sure when the runway paving project at DCA will end, and the old flight pattern reinstated, but the skies over Bellevue have been awfully busy in the last year. Talking with a friend who lives near Andrews Air Force Base, however, made me feel as if Bellevue has been spared...sort of...: )

Monday, April 9, 2012

NO JURY GRAND OR SMALL


"The primary function of the modern grand jury is to review the evidence presented by the prosecutor and determine whether there is probable cause to return an indictment."
I think a great many American citizens interested in the life and death of young Trayvon Martin, have reviewed evidence presented by the media and determined that systems are either corrupt, broken, racially biased or in need of a major overhaul. Whether there is or is not a grand jury, many minds are already clear about what happened and why. Why law enforcement can't or won't see what seems to be obvious, is no surprise. Is it because this is America, or because of a law on the books that was borne out of frustration with violent criminals and their propensity to get away with their crimes?
An imposter in a pair of stylish shades through which she can see every litigant; who is not swift, but slowed by carrying the weight of bribes, lies, mistrust, secrets, and conspiracies, has tried to replace Justice, but real Justice never dies. No jury, grand or small can change that. Truth stands, no matter who is isn't telling it. Unfortunately, what we think may be spot on, doesn't always count or override existing law.
Individuals selected for grand juries aren't vetted for biases, so instead of being frustrated, maybe a sigh of relief is in order. Some grand juries aren't so grand, and could do more harm than good. There could have been a whole group of people who are sick of crimes committed by young Black men or who have been crime victims themselves. There could have been a whole group of people who fled one neighborhood for the safety of another and sympathize with others who have done the same. There could have been a whole group of childless, racist, unsympathetic, or fearful people. There's nothing saying that the people convened would have leaned in the direction that the majority of people favor.
Sometimes people are so accustomed to being wronged that they expect and brace themselves for it in every aspect of life. They don't ever look for fairness or justice in certain circles because it seems to always be elusive. Everything is viewed in terms of black or white. Every deck is stacked. Considering the past; considering very real, personal circumstances, sometimes it appears that they have a point.
I have to believe there's hope. Everyone has not decided to live dishonestly. Everyone is not vested in oppressing or denying others. Doing the right thing isn't a lost art. It's just important to be on one accord about what the right thing is, and be committed to doing it no matter what.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

HE LIVES


"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." -Matthew 12:40

"...They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, "Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?" Then they remembered Jesus' words." -Luke 24:4-8

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." -Isaiah 26:3

Thursday, April 5, 2012

THURSDAY THOUGHTS: NOISE IN THE HOOD


When you live in the city, there are some things you expect. 
There are things with which, you learn to live. 
Noise is one of them. 

You get used to ambulance sirens, and police sirens (the annoying whoomp-whoomp-WHOOMP and the clucking-chicken-on-steroids sounds, seem to be new).
There are car horns of all kinds, motor vehicles speeding, screeching brakes, sounds of impact, sanitation trucks, motorcycles, all terrain vehicles, lawn mowers, weed whackers, construction machinery, and buses (that announce stops). 
Every now and then, the birds sound as if there's conflict in Birdland, and their songs aren't as sweet. 
There are dogs, big and small, barking at squirrels and people. 
There's the occasional helicopter scanning the terrain for the latest hiding/fleeing criminal. 
It's not pleasant, but one deals with it.

On the other hand, there's imposed noise. 

It's getting warmer now, and with car windows open, and tops down, drivers insist that you, too, enjoy their favorite song(s). 
It's not required that you be the car with them, or walking down the street as they pass by. You're in your house or apartment behind bricks, wood, mortar and glass (trying to flee from the muffled, repetitious, sometimes profanity-laced drivel that is passing as music these days). It sounds good to the driver, and for some reason, drivers believe they are doing a service to everyone by demonstrating the power and might of their stereo's bass. 
You can see the defiance and arrogance on their faces. 
They WANT you to look. 
They want you to say something. 
They have a right to play their music as loudly as they please, they reason, but they don't seem to care that they're riding through a residential neighborhood where, maybe, senior citizens, exhausted employees, sleeping babies, or studying children live.

There are the occasional loud people, who yell out of windows what they forgot to say when the listener was next to them. 
There are those who can't wait until they are closer on the sidewalk to the people they want to talk to, so their shrill voices pierce through the peace like a sledgehammer. 
There is the gleeful sound of kids on the way to, or coming home from school; the person/people yelling for the bus to wait; political motorcades complete with PA systems. (I wonder if it occurs to them that no one understands a thing they're yelling as they cruise through the neighborhood?)

If you live near a park, like I do, there are the impromptu picnics and permitted events, complete with unreasonably amplified music that lets you know your rattling windowpanes are useless. 
The noise goes on for hours into the night. Even if it WAS your favorite music, it would still be inappropriate in it's rudeness. 
Residents now know that they either have to reluctantly join the noisy picnic/event, find earplugs, or flee the area altogether until such time as the police are authorized to enforce noise ordinance laws.

Do people just not care how what they do or decide affects the lives of others? Somehow, the whole idea of exercising one's rights is missing a piece. When you infringe upon the rights of others, you have gone from exercising your rights to being an abusive, thoughtless bully. 
People with no voice, or who are too fearful, discouraged, or frustrated to use it, are usually the recipients of the bullying. If they dare to speak up, they're usually reviled for complaining, given unreasonable alternatives, or ignored altogether. 

Does a community have the right to enjoy peace and quiet?

Finally, there's noise, the level of which is, apparently, nearly impossible to regulate or abate: AIR TRAFFIC. 
Specifically, the late night variety is the worst offender of all. 

Yes. Planes have to fly somewhere, but when the decision is made to re-route them, it can be a bit of a shock for people who have enjoyed a reasonable amount of quiet in their neighborhoods. 

For almost a year, my neighborhood has endured a nightly show. Somehow, it's not so bad during the day. You sense the rumbling as if a monster train is approaching, but it just blends with the rest of the city sounds. In the words of Dr. Seuss, "it starts in low and then it starts to grow", but then as quickly as it came, it's gone, and the quiet resumes until the next plane approaches. 
At night, however, and into the wee hours of the morning, the noise is extremely unsettling. It is amplified. It has a presence. It's alive--all the way LIVE. There is nothing to buffer it. There's a sense that something humongous is barreling down on you, and you just can't get out of the way.

For the last year or so, late night flights headed to Washington Reagan National Airport have been flying directly over the residential neighborhoods of Bellevue and Washington Highlands in SW DC, Forest Heights, Maryland, and Arlington. On or about 10:30 PM, the air parade becomes more noticeable. The latest of flights (or earliest depending on your attitude ), thunders through at close to 2 A.M.

I don't know whose idea it was to change the flight path so that it sends planes over populated neighborhoods. I don't know who, in order to justify the action, honestly thinks arriving planes aren't as loud as departing ones.

I fly frequently, so I do understand the need for safety, especially when it comes to infrastructure that is overdue for repair or replacement. It's not my patience with the project that is wearing thin, but the resulting noise. My patience is being tested and extended. As each month passed last year and the noise increased, I didn't want to see it all as a racial or economic issue. I didn't want to think that somewhere in a conference room, people concluded that Ward 8 wouldn't mind, didn't care, weren't informed, didn't deserve consideration, or wouldn't have the political muscle necessary to speak up for itself when the noise became unbearable.

I decided to enlist the help of Google maps to see whether another alternative was viable. I am neither an aviator, surveyor, physicist, nor engineer, but I just wanted to see if up above my head ,and the heads of my neighbors was the only way. 
Why couldn't the jets fly over the old Oxon Hill Farm, SE/SW freeway, cruise over the Potomac and hook a quick left to the runway? Did they HAVE to fly directly over residential areas-- and so low that you can almost see what movie the passengers are watching?

After locating runway 15/33 on the map, then locating my condo community, I used a straight edge and saw the perfectly diagonal line. I see that someone, who probably isn't affected by the noise, had to make a decision. Was it tough, well thought out, and agonizing, or was it quick and cavalier-- in a manner that further demonstrates how Ward 8 and the quality of life there is viewed? 
All of that aside, in order to glide smoothly onto runway 15/33 with no turns, or circling, pilots flying planes coming in from the south probably prefer to fly over Bellevue.

I know now why it seems as if I could touch the under belly of each jet. It makes sense now why, every night, I hope and pray I don't hear a tremendous explosion. The jets are flying extremely fast and low. You can see them coming as they fly over Eastover Shopping Center, and they really do look as if they're coming right at you. Even if you're not glued to your window, you can still see the flashes of light, and the looming shadows. Even with headphones activated, the roaring and rumbling noise of the engines rip through the night air, and you can literally FEEL it. Every time I see a new crack on the wall or ceiling, I wonder.

Noise is inconvenient, but one person's noise is the sound of progress to another. When I fly into DCA, or when anyone does, I would love to know, and I'm sure that other passengers would too, that pilots can land smoothly and safely with as little maneuvering as possible. 
To ensure it, that means repairs and construction and that means noise.

It's almost May again. It's been almost a year since I read the first article forewarning area residents about the noise. It's been 3 months since I read the last article indicating that DC Representative, Eleanor Holmes Norton's office was made aware. Apparently, between May and December residents spoke up. Facetiousness aside, I honestly do believe that the resolution of the complaints was that SE/SW DC would bear with the lion's share of the noise. On some nights, I've counted up to 12 incoming flights.

One can appeal to others for understanding and mercy, I suppose, but as of last night, the answer seems to have been, "No. Remind them that they live in the city. Tell them to stop their whining and get over it, or move. They'll just have to deal with the noise until the work is done."

Hopefully, runway 1/19 will be brand spanking new very soon, and the big birds can give sleep deprived Bellevue a break. 

Here's to progress, and pillows and headphones, and warm milk (and Nyquil if you fancy it).

http://www.arlnow.com/2011/05/17/dca-runway-work-may-direct-more-planes-over-arlington/

http://www.arlnow.com/2011/12/21/scaled-back-airport-construction-hours-may-relieve-neighborhood-noise/

http://www.mwaa.com/reagan/3925.htm

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/late-night-flights-over-southeast-dc-and-forest-heights-md-causing-noise-for-residents-121911

http://www.norton.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3088:norton-asks-faa-to-revisit-late-night-flight-policies-during-construction-at-reagan-airport-&catid=2

http://www.metwashairports.com/reagan/2544.htm