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Jessie, Aka "RantMom"
with a picture of the farm
where she grew up |
Grieving sucks, okay. If RantWoman were not frazzled enough by news timelines, there is always RANTMOM to keep one awake.
Saturday was 3 months to the day since RantMom departed to other realms. RantWoman had an in-person gig that went well, thanks be to God, despite RantWoman giving in at 2:30 am to waves of RantMom battering any attempt to sleep.
Then yesterday was one month to the day since RantMom's memorial. RantWoman unintentionally spent the night before on an all-night YouTube news binge and had a lovely walk in balmy weather before breakfast. RantWoman was basically a zombie all day.
Today is #EarthDay so bless us all with too much to say and a sort of ragged reflection that is half annotated playlist from the memorial, half tribute to all kinds of things, and half just attempting to ride today's waves of whatever is going on.
As for the playlist, there is a site called something like Hymnary that has a ton of interesting info but RantWoman wants some audible experience opportunity. Hence links, and sometimes several per hymn.
This list is only the ones RantWoman remembers; Little Sister contributed some other suggestions which RantWoman will look up. The RantSisters did well about each other's preferences. Plus neither one of us wanted Amazing Grace. If Little Sister had wanted Amazing Grace, RantWoman would to have the drums from RantMom's church that she did not entirely relate to as part of worship. The whole playlist and modern renditions is a bit of a timewarp and in several cases RantWoman has vivid memory of considerably more old-fashioned renditions. But this is YouTube.
RantMom, basically tone-deaf herself, was unflagging in her support of RantDad's music. Music has always been part of the backbone of RantWoman's experience of God. YouTube is quite the fountain of musical performances, though in a couple cases RantWoman notes that it seems to be fashionable not to perform some verses.
Now the playlist
In the prelude. Who one earth puts perfectly lovely hymns in the prelude? Little Sister. That's who.
RantWoman wanted For the Beauty of the Earth on the hymns list partly because it is lovely and simple, partly because we also had it at RantDad's memorial.
Asterisk about European song festival tradition andsinging of hymns as resistance during Soviet times.
More overdone than RantWoman is used to but ....
RantWoman does not remember the other hymns in the prelude or the first hymn, a requested solo from the music director at Little Sister's church because he sang it solo over li-ve-streamed services during the #Pandemic
There was another hymn and then Little Sister spoke.
Next,
RantWoman decided to stop at one version.
A favorite from Baptist Sunday school but also a lead-in to RantWoman speaking about she and RantBrother inheriting RantDad's congenital cataracts. It never occurred to RantMom that thick glasses should interfere with expectations about making our beds, doing dishes, and other chores.
Also a bit about God at work in the form of others from her church in Billings who also had, um, challenged adult children.
Then before an invitation to others to speak a hymn about the People of God. RantWoman is not familiar with the tune and might have preferred something more inclusive than just Jesus. But RantWoman was grateful for all who attended regardless of faith.
Next, after many memories, especially of how RantMom made newcomers feel welcome at her church or in her retirement communities:
with cello
with choir
LOVE THS VIDEO. It's long and the story speaks deeply.
Then Pastor Jane spoke.
There is a whole thread about RantMom and PastorJane and #COVID
Pastor Jane also elegantly dispatched emotional landmines about RantBrother who, as Pastor Jane put it, RantMom just had to hand to God.
And in the postlude, again all instrumental
two other hymns RantWoman does not remember and How Great Thou Art. RantWoman in general has heard too many way too dirge-like renditions of How Great Thou Art but the Google says that is where a verse about "Bread of Heaven...Feed me til I want no More " can be found.
The bread of heaven part is important because of MANY frustrations about RantMom not wanting to eat, trying to feed herself, and other details that tore at RantWoman's heart as she read about a weighty Friend's parallel journey out of this world.
still no feed me till I want no more.
a gorgeous view
RantWoman has other #EarthDay reflections and of course more, more, more reflections of RantMom but this is what RantWoman has to offer today.
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What's left of RantMom
in her new home
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