Margaret and I played for the funeral of a beloved Christian man from our church today. He loved music so much and never failed to thank us. This is what we played:
Precious Memories
Mansion Over the Hilltop
In the Garden
All Because of God’s Amazing Grace
What a Friend We Have In Jesus
Because He Lives
How Great Thou Art – congregation
Amazing Grace- congregation
Precious Lord – soloist
Softly and Tenderly for recessional
This afternoon Becky came to help me give Hazel a haircut and I’m no dog groomer that’s for sure. I have only a small clippers so that’s part of the problem. She got a very lopsided haircut but she also got a bath so she looks much better.
She’s pouting here because I won’t throw the ball.
Becky helped me fill water buckets, I fixed supper, went to choir practice and got home in time for the Iowa State game to start. They won at home against BYU. So much basketball this month – it’s the only good thing about the month of March.
To all of you who contacted me about Good Morning America tomorrow morning, thank you! Robin Roberts is in Iowa City to interview Caitlin. I gotta go to bed so I’m up in time to watch!
None of your pictures came through this week. Hope it’s just a temporary thing 😪. I so enjoy them!
Dee – try this – unsubscribe, wait a bit, and then subscribe again and see if it resets so the pictures come thru.
Thanks. Got them all. Listened to your music while I read my Bible this morning. Very Nice.
Thanks for posting the funeral, Mary; the music was beautiful.
Love all your hymns especially Amazing Grace. Last funeral I attended I did not recognize one song. It was not a young person that died so I expected hymns from my youth forward rather than “7-11” songs.
Love your Hazel she certainly expresses her feelings on her face. Don’t know what we would do without our fur babies!
Mary, Great song selection for the service!
Watched the interview wit Caitlin!
Was 6o here this Idaho morning, but no new snow!
Launa
I listened to your music at the funeral and it was gorgeous. I would also love having a CD of you and Margaret playing. It was beautiful.
I listened to Caitlin’s interview on Good Morning America via You Tube. She is a class act. I, too, cannot imagine she doesn’t get nervous. She really makes us Iowa proud in a good way. What a great example she is to so many. We need more like her.
I love all the songs you listed! I can appreciate some of the new songs but the old songs are so precious to me. We don’t use songbooks anymore, the words are projected on screens around the auditorium. We sing in 4 part harmony and I enjoy hearing the different parts. I agree with the “7-11 songs.”
Love the hymn list. Can you make a CD of all this favorites?? Do it while you can still play.
I saw the few minutes with Robin Roberts on ABC News last night. I would like to be that thin or nearer that than I am now.
You are a most gifted person Mary. I am thankful to know you. ❤️
Rhoda – oh my,thank you! I had a very ambitious mother who set my goals high – haha! A cd? Wow, how would I do that?
absolutely loved the hymns played at the gentleman’s funeral. How wonderful!
You did a great job on Hazel!–I think she looks great…so pretty and white…….
I enjoy Caitlin so much too…..so fun to see so much self -confidence……
Linda – and she says she’s never nervous! How can that be?
Hazel looks great!
Winter might here again tomorrow.
Mary, my husband’s beloved aunt passed away last month. The funeral was held in her church but the music was all recorded. They do not have an organist anymore or hymnals. The lyrics are on a screen for everyone to see. This is a small church in a small town.
I love all of those old songs and so did my Mom. I have such fond memories of singing those songs in church from childhood on up and I wish I could find a church where they are still played. Now it seems its all this “praise team” stuff where you stand and words are projected on a screen. Its fine if that’s what you like, but nothing like those beautiful hymns.
Barbara, there are still churches that sing these beautiful old songs! We do & we sing them Acapella, which is 4 part harmony & no instruments, just beautiful voices! Many of us read music & the others just follow along. We have a membership of about 200.
Alice – I’m curious as to why you sing acapella? No pianist? Everybody stays on key in 4 part harmony? Do you use a pitch pipe to get started? Who decides what key you’ll sing in? I’m sorry for all these questions – answer only if you wish.
Mary, I’m happy to answer your questions. The reason we sing Acapella is because there’s no mention of musical instruments in the New Testament worship, Old Testament, yes. We are careful not to add to the Scriptures, if that makes sense. We have a song leader who use a pitch pipe. I know immediately if a song is pitched too high or low. Many of us have some musical training. I started playing a flute in 5th grade, so 8 yrs of lessons + 4 yrs of marching & concert band. Also 4 years of chorus. All these lessons taught most of us to appreciate good music. I always quilt to happy music!
Alice – oh, how interesting! I think I should ask Brian about the musical instruments – what kind of church do you go to? Hymns generally are written too high for ordinary people so if you have a pitch pipe you can adjust that to make it so much easier to sing. If you have a musical background you must know how to count – good for you. I love to discuss this kind of thing – I learn so much!
Barbara – Amen to that. Thankfully, our church still sings hymns “out of the hymn book”. Such great words and messages in those old hymns. I never get tired of them.
Barbara – some of us call those praise songs 7-11 songs: 7 words sung 11 times. So boring.
I’m sorry for the passing of your church friend. I love ALL of the hymn selections you played and the soloist sang for his service. What a beautiful tribute of music!
Hazel looks cold to me in the picture. Lol! But I’m always cold so I can emphasize if she is.
It is wonderful to play for a man who loved music and also thanked you each time. Great hymns!
Hazel is delightful even if she does pout😹. It is going to be nicer today. It is my Half Birthday 🎂—something I think my mother invented😀. I will go to sewing group, run errands, go for my “ dog treat” walk, and then, we’ll go out to dinner😀. Fun day
Diane – Happy Half Birthday, Friend!
Thanks, Mary. 😀😀. We just ate out with our daughter and her husband. Girls are off to Costa Rica and NC for Sorung Break.
I have one son born on March 11 and one son born September 11. They wish each other half birthdays on birthdays.
Susan – that is so cool! You timed that well
That Hazel must be something else.
Dee- THAT Hazel IS something else! Haha!!!!
That’s a lot of beautiful music for the funeral. I play in a handbell choir and recently we played at the funeral of a music lover. It’s a wonderful gift to provide music at a funeral.
Janet – I told his daughter it was my pleasure and an honor to play for her dad’s service. Gus, the golden retriever who lives at the care center, sent flowers – they really enjoyed each other.
Beautiful hymns to hear. Our choir is dwindling and it’s worrisome these songs will be forgotten if churches are less attended.
Hazel looks fine but I’m sure it’s all hands on deck bathing and clipping that energetic ball of fur. Thanks for being a good sister Becky !
I’m so glad you played some of those great hymns. They are so rich, but they are being lost now. That man would have been so honored and pleased.
It’s good to hear that those bumps are merely cosmetic in nature.
Mary, I would have loved to have been in the audience to hear all of these beautiful hymns played by you and Margaret.