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This month's offering is a minor milestone for us as it's the final one for 2007. (duh!) Having now stated the obvious, I want to share a thought that seemed innocuous to me at first, but after reflecting on it, struck me as being a perceptive touch from a friend who wrote to me recently, after November's "deadline" was barely met,

"Congratulations on sticking to your monthly plan for a whole year now."

It occurred to me that I managed to get out some music in every calendar month this year *without* compromising my time with my family, church, and job. And while I did at times have to compromise on some *sleep*, I was able to accomplish this was only through God's grace and provision:

• By blessing me with a supportive, loving, understanding, beautiful, and musically talented wife and life partner Kirsten, who manages our household, our family, daily details, is choir director, background vocalist extraordinaire, my very best critical ear, and web site proof-reader/editor, God has provided me with more than I deserve.
  
  
• By blessing me with two wonderful daughters who love me unconditionally, but keep me humble in so many ways seen and unseen, God has provided me with fun, tenderness, and a mirror, while teaching me patience, responsibility, and perhaps providing just a small glimpse of what it must be like to be Him.
  
  
• By continuing to provide me with a great job through many periods of upheaval in other areas of my life, God has provided for me and my family, and has allowed me to have access to many cool electronic musical tools, toys, and gadgets that enable me to translate what's in my ears and fingers, to some files on a hard disc that people can download and listen to.
  
  
• And by placing me among the greatest group of friends and family anyone could ask for - many of whom I've reconnected with this year via this little forum and some of whom were featured here this year - who have been a tremendous encouragement all year, as well as contributing many bits of constructive criticisms and suggestions which have made the music and the web site better.

May I always remain thankful for and keenly aware of what God has done for me.


Those who know me best and know how much I love cold weather (NOT!) will appreciate the irony in the song selection, but I just fell in love with this musical arrangement since I first heard some buddies in college sing it and have always wanted to give it a try...

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