Church Muse
About "Muse Moments," formerly known as "Church Muse"
When I was growing up in the First Presbyterian Church in Warsaw, Indiana, I seem to recall a newsletter with the name of the "Church...
Search
Church Muse
- Sep 20, 2020
- 2 min
“Smizing” when you don’t feel like it - Charles Chaplin’s “Smile” sung by Nat King Cole
As a little girl, whenever I was feeling blue, my mom would say, encouragingly, “If you smile on the outside, it’ll make you feel better...
6 views0 comments
Church Muse
- Sep 6, 2020
- 3 min
Dealing with Heartbreak - "It is Well with My Soul"
The text for the hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul" was written by Horatio Spafford. Though a prosperous lawyer, he fell on difficult times....
24 views1 comment
Church Muse
- Jul 26, 2020
- 3 min
"No Man is an Island" - John Donne
This week, Marty and I are happily vacationing in northern Wisconsin, graciously hosted by dear friends who have a house on an island on...
47 views0 comments
Church Muse
- Jul 10, 2020
- 3 min
"A Passionate Friendship" - Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms
I think it’s time for a love story. My music offering today highlights two amazing composers who shared a deep love, yet never married....
64 views0 comments
Church Muse
- Jul 2, 2020
- 2 min
Keeping it light - Flute Clock Pieces - Franz Josef Haydn
It has been awhile since I posted anything, and it’s because there has been much weighing heavily on my heart that I have been at a loss...
46 views1 comment
Church Muse
- Jun 24, 2020
- 2 min
In Paradisum - In Paradise - Gabriel Fauré's Requiem
Today Marty and I lost a dear young friend to cancer (only 51 years old), Ryan Anthony. I had posted a performance of him playing,...
25 views1 comment
Church Muse
- Jun 20, 2020
- 2 min
Father’s Day“Ich bin der Welt Abhanden gekommen” - from “Rückertlieder” by Gustav Mahler
This post comes from different facets of my soul, beaming brilliantly together like a rainbow prism from leaded glass. And they are all...
50 views0 comments
Church Muse
- Jun 6, 2020
- 2 min
A Hymn to Heal Our Nation - "Agnus Dei" by Samuel Barber
For one of my earliest posts, I chose two of Sam Barber’s songs, “Desire for Hermitage” and “Solitary Hotel,” which seemed to mirror our...
13 views1 comment
Church Muse
- Jun 2, 2020
- 3 min
"Amazing Grace" - Celebrating our Differences
As I know you probably are, too, I am terribly troubled with what is happening across our country right now, and coupled with the...
15 views0 comments
Church Muse
- May 26, 2020
- 2 min
“Somewhere” - from West Side Story
As a student, I learned that to write a good story, a reporter must ask - and answer - the five questions in his or her piece: who, what,...
37 views1 comment
Church Muse
- May 20, 2020
- 3 min
"In This, Our House" - KKH and C, S, N & Y
Since we are all staying in our houses, if we are fortunate enough to have one, I thought it would be fun to share two songs about...
11 views0 comments
Church Muse
- May 15, 2020
- 2 min
We Need Each Other - “People” - Barbara Streisand and Jennifer Lopez
Like all of you, I’m staying at home as much as possible. I make an effort to keep up with constantly changing details as the scientists...
10 views0 comments
Church Muse
- May 10, 2020
- 3 min
"Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” - arr. Ann Ker Hall/Kelly Ker Hackleman
Okay, I got another inspiration from the small screen… We’ve been watching “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” It’s a very unusual show. If...
14 views0 comments
Church Muse
- May 4, 2020
- 3 min
"Take a Minute" - Chopin’s Minute Waltz, Op. 64, no. 1 and Mazurka in f minor, Op. 68. no. 4
A few nights ago, we found ourselves in our usual place in front of the tv, and decided to rent a movie instead of binge watch a show....
27 views0 comments
Church Muse
- Apr 28, 2020
- 3 min
Friendships - “Sometimes” by Henry Mancini - The Carpenters
It would seem that during this time our friendships would fall by the wayside because we cannot see each other. But even though we have...
403 views0 comments
Church Muse
- Apr 23, 2020
- 3 min
In Celebration of Earth Day - Clarity - Claude Debussy’s "Clair de Lune"
We have learned that there are some positive ripple effects to our staying at home, because of what we’re NOT doing. Besides not...
37 views0 comments
Church Muse
- Apr 19, 2020
- 3 min
Finding Balance - All Star Brass - “Nice and Calm” and “Sway”
Even in the best of times, I struggle to achieve a balance in my life…balance between work and play, calories and activity, wake and...
71 views0 comments
Church Muse
- Apr 16, 2020
- 3 min
“Inventing Outside Your 'Bach's'” - J.S. Bach's Inventions
When I was in grade school, I remember being assigned a short story called, “Necessity is the Mother of Invention.” As a kid, I thought...
43 views0 comments
Church Muse
- Apr 11, 2020
- 2 min
Darkness into Light - "When Jesus Wept" by William Billings
Easter is the most important day in the Christian year. The week preceding Easter tells the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection....
25 views0 comments