Be Still My Soul

It was Sunday, and I was actually early for church. Someone else was sitting in "our row" (first row, left side), so we sat in the middle of the chapel. I knew our ward was noisier than most (there are about 200 Primary age kids, 4 nurseries, and almost weekly baby blessings), but this week the noise and a darkness felt like it was closing in on me. I did not think I could sit there another minute, so I began to pray. In the mean time, Sacrament meeting had started (although I did not realize it). I was ready to walk out, when the organ began to play "Be Still My Soul". Peace and the words of the hymn filled me, "Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side; with patience bear thy cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; in every change He faithful will remain. Be still my soul:  thy best, thy heavenly Friend thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end."

Fast forward a few weeks, I had an appointment that I really wanted to be on time for, but our son needed to go  to a neighboring city and I was the only one who could take him. Summertime in Utah equals road construction, usually there are signs of it, but on this day it was at almost every turn (literally).  I got our son where he needed to be, but with every road back to I-15 under construction there was no way I would be on time. I slowly made my way to my appointment and prayed that somehow I would be on time. It seemed impossible so I called to say I would be late, no sooner had I spoke the words did I hear, "We just tried to call you, to ask if you could come a little later."

The Lord does hear and answer our prayers, and give us peace; for which I am eternally grateful.

Singing with a Legend

In May I went to Mississippi to shoot the first portion of my documentary (An Ordinary Hero) on my mother who was Civil Rights Activists in the 60s. She was very active - or at least enough to be attacked by mobs, have her life threatened by the Klan and put on death row in the most notorious prison in the country.

While there I had the priviledge to meet a lot of amazing people but probably my favorite was meeting Rutha Harris. Ms. Harris was one of the SNCC Freedom Singers and a voice I grew up hearing all of my life on old vinyl records. She sang old Civil Rights Songs and what are known as Negro Spirituals.

One of my favorite songs is "Oh Freedom" a Spiritual with the phrase "And before I'll be a slave I'd be buried in my grave and go home to my Lord and be free." After being introduced by my mother I took the opportunity to ask if I could sing with her right there in the hotel lobby (I would never have the chance again so I might as well go for it, right?).

So, here's me, a little starstruck, singing with Rutha Harris: