Leontyne Price

God means for us to rightly use what He gives us.

Today's post is about a woman I never met, but who made an indelible impact on my character, by the sheer focus of devotion to what she called, "the voice," the beautiful gift God gave her. I heard her sing once in person, saw her on television, and have recordings (33 rpm) and CDs of her music that have given me great pleasure for many years.

Her name is Leontyne Price, the great soprano, the first African American singer to achieve international stardom in opera. Hear her talk about her background and "the voice," on this video of an interview with her in 2008 when she was 81 years old -- you won't believe she's 81 - you. will. not. believe. it.

Born in 1927 in Laurel, Mississippi, Ms. Price was encouraged by her parents in a desire to sing which was born in her by seeing a performance of Marian Anderson in Jackson, MS, when she was a child. She studied at the famous Julliard School of Music. You can read about her here. She received personal training from Florence Page Kimball who was mentor, teacher, and friend to her. It was Kimball who taught her the secret of caring for one's gift so that the gift could actually last a lifetime. She thought of the approach as singing out of her "interest" instead of her "capital." There's something profound in that concept.

Let's say your gift is teaching. You cannot live your whole life through that gift. You cannot teach 100% of the time and not begin to fray the gift at the edges! Price knew this about her voice. She refused roles when "the voice" was tired - and she learned to know her limits. Her gift had to be nurtured to thrive.

She taught me this: A gift of God must be tended to let the glory shine. Yes, you can squander a gift for a time, but then, well, life catches up. So if God has given you a wife or husband who loves you, a talent for speaking,or leading a team, hands of mercy or skill, the mind of an engineer or the heart of a farmer - shepherd the gift.

Leontyne Price values "the Man upstairs" and one of Ms. Price's most memorable performances was sung after her performing career had ended, at a Gala honoring Richard Tucker in 2001, at the age of 74. She sang a difficult acapella rendition of "God Bless America." And the orchestra members stood as she sang. I hope you will take the time to enjoy this God-honoring performance by a woman, true to her art, who honored her gift.

"Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him." Psalm 33: 1

Operation Tomodachi

There is great nobility in the willingness of the United States to share our resources in service to people around the world. Today you can be mighty proud of what you are doing in Japan in teh relief effort known as Operation Tomodachi.

In an article in The Mianichi Daily News (an English language news source from Japanese newspapers) you can read all about it. Our U. S. Navy and Marines are fast, deliberate, confident, and competent servants of the Japanese people today. They can move more boats, helicopters, food, water, and the sons and daughters of the people of America, to any place on earth faster than any other country on the planet. And they do.

People around the world know that you can walk up to a member of the U. S. "relief forces" and be safe. I remember a man saying to me in France once, "We knew if the U.S. was going to fight, it was over for the Germans. We also knew once it was over you would help us rebuild Europe." And we did.

Now the people of Japan are receiving hope as after-shocks and additional earthquakes keep moving the earth under their feet.

There are people in our country who talk about America as if it is their run-down rental property that needs major rehab and overhaul -- political trash talk on a grand scale.

Those people have not spoken to the woman with the baby waiting for the water, or the guy with family stuck on a roof, or grieving people with vacant eyes just wanting some moment of reassurance.

Thank God we have not all given up the soul of a land founded on Biblical truth nor have we forgotten the great message of America: that all people everywhere have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Even when the earth is shaking.

Don't fall into the cynical trap of thinking that what is in our country's best interest is to "hole up" and revert to isolationism. Not so. We are right to serve, defend, and protect our unique conviction that hope and care for people around the world is worth the cost .

Whether fighting or feeding people, no matter where they go, your hand is the hand that a U. S. soldier extends. God bless the men and women of the armed services of America today and every day. Praise God for their purpose.

Anaiah Rucker, Hero

On March 16th, Anaiah Rucker was released from Children's Healthcare center in Atlanta, GA. The day before, I saw Anaiah Rucker on the television in my hotel room in Waco, TX and looked into the 9-year-old eyes of a hero.

Camry, Anaiah's 5-year-old sister, would not be alive today if Anaiah had not saved her life on a rainy Friday morning three weeks earlier. The girls were running across the road to reach their school bus. At the last minute before impact, Anaiah saw a truck coming toward them, and, at the risk of her own life, pushed her sister to safety.

Anaiah would have died there, because she had stopped breathing. But the schoolbus driver, Loretta Berriman, another hero, stopped the bus and ran to Anaiah, performing CPR and Anaiah started breathing again.

Both children were hospitalized but Anaiah took the brunt of the force of the truck. The truck driver was not charged in the accident. Anaiah has already had five surgeries. She had two broken legs, broken neck, and lost a kidney. Her left leg was later amputated.

The community of Madison is responding with help for Anaiah. A simple search revealed the news that the community is responding. One of the first gracious acts was putting a wheelchair ramp painted her favorite pink and purple.

"I love her more than anything," Anaiah said, looking into the camera, crying. She loves her Camry more than anything. Even her own life.

As I looked into Anaiah Rucker's eyes I was reminded of this word from Jesus, "This I command you, that you love one another." (John 15:17)

God bless Anaiah Rucker and give her the support from her school, community, and family that she needs to thrive.

Chuck Swindoll on Purpose

Chuck Swindoll said from the pulpit today (paraphrase...couldn't write fast enough), that the most important test of one's theology and morality is what one does about and for the weakest among us.

Today was a day to celebrate our special needs ministry at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, TX. It's a great ministry to special needs folks from child through adulthood, who have all types of needs (physical, emotional, mental) and to their families who care for them.

We have this ministry on purpose. People come to Stonebriar CC because we have it and they need it. They are welcome, whether they are members of our church or not. You can read more info about the special needs ministry at http://www.stonebriar.org/.

I think God puts certain weaker ones in our path and waits for us to notice and do something that needs doing. The first challenge is to notice the Sent Ones, of course, since artful dodging is a skill easily perfected. The second is to remember there must be something we are to do because, after all, look Who sent them. The third, to do what we can do, whatever it is. I love Elisa Morgan's little book, "She Did What She Could," for focusing on the "what we can do" part.

God has some purpose in mind. A Sent One is not a problem. A Sent One is a gift.