Heart to heart. She knew how precious those moments are... close interpersonal relationships with people when two hearts are communicating. Deep friendships that transcend surface talk. Times when thoughts are communicated that melt and move the heart.
She remembered those moments when she was singing concerts of Joy and Praise with Janet and Jane. As she sang words of scripture that Jane had written into musical songs, her voice carried messages of Jesus' love. Jane Douglass White, her musical partner, had such incredible talent and ear for music. Jane could write melody after melody...always something new...always accommodating Janet's mezzo-soprano two octave plus range and sensitively setting the music to scripture.
What a rare duo they made. Jane, with her background as musical director of Broadway shows and composer of UNESCO'S trademark song of the 50s. Janet, with her classical music experience singing in Carnegie Hall, winning a NY recital, numerous performances in oratorio and recitals, plus off-Broadway productions playing Marion in Music Man, Bloody Mary in South Pacific and Nancy in Oliver. Unique combo of talent...one with Broadway and the other with classics.
Janet and Jane led separate musical careers until the Lay Witness Mission at their home church in Wyckoff, NJ brought them individually to surrender their lives to Jesus. It was then that they dedicated their musical talents to the Lord.
The first concert Janet and Jane gave was to the Women's Society at the First Presbyterian Church in Ramsey, NJ in 1972. The Holy Spirit fell on that performance and the women in attendance rose to their feet in raptured response. Thus Janet and Jane launched their ministry with repeated requests from churches, organizations, and national groups from all over the US and Canada, including traveling with Norman Vincent Peale with his yearly Thanksgiving reunions and conferences in Hawaii/Bermuda/Mexico City, as well as the Washington DC pre-Prayer Breakfast dinner, RCA General Synod, Women's Triennial, TV appearance on CBN's 700 Club plus multiple civic and private organizations.
Janet's voice coach from Juilliard School of Music told her to picture what you are singing. "Don't just sing a song, but visualize deep down in your heart what you are singing about." And Janet had taken that advice, memorizing music, not using printed copy, but singing from her heart. She early realized that singing with the music page caused a barrier to the audience, so she worked hard to sing every song from memory. And, oh, what a difference it made! As she and Jane traveled the country giving hundreds of concerts, the songs were repeated over and over again. But the music never lost its power. Audiences were moved to tears of joy as the sounds of music filled their ears.
Heart to heart. It was communication on a deep level so that lives were changed and committed to the Lord. As Janet remembered those appearances she felt blessed and glad God had used her.
At times the new music career proved a challenge. Here Janet was...a mother with four young children, and a supportive husband busy with his own profession as teacher and later as elementary school principal. Very busy lives! But both Janet and Dick realized the musical ministry was powerful and they worked to keep the family unit together. Fortunately Dick was school principal in their town so he could be home on weekends when Janet and Jane had to fly across country. And he was minutes away if the children needed him during their school days.
As their fame grew, Janet had to come to grips with ego. She began to understand how Hollywood messes up so many lives. A person cannot cope with public adoration and fame. It proved to her that people are not created to be worshipped. Personal egos distort and corrupt happiness and peace. Only God is to be worshipped! Janet found her family kept her grounded. Following a weekend of standing ovations, audience adoration, clamor for autographs and photos, Janet would return home to four children and a tired husband. The family would greet her, after the first hugs, by reminding her of their needs. "Mom, I need my wrestling clothes washed. I've got a meet tomorrow." "Mom, I can't find the top that goes with my new pants." "Mom, please help me with this problem. I can't figure it out and I need this assignment finished by tomorrow." "Mom, I really need new boots. The others are falling apart." "Janet, I missed you. Thank goodness you're home. I have a meeting early tomorrow morning." Yes she was home. And what was more important than singing before thousands of people? Her family!
Now, as she thought back over the years, she thanked the Lord that she had the marvelous opportunity of a musical ministry praising the Lord. But she also thanked the Lord for guiding and directing her to place husband and four children above all self-seeking fame.
Yes, heart to heart communication. Incredible experience when singing before thousands but priceless experience when cherishing that communication within the family.
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3: 16-17
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Sunday, January 5, 2014
A Story to Tell
This week two of their friends died.
Dolores died the day after Christmas of pancreatic cancer and Janet now knew of another cancer victim. Dolores's family in Connecticut phoned them and told them the sad news. Such memories. Dolores and her husband Dick were good friends of Janet and Dick starting fifty years ago. In fact both Dicks were lifeguards together at Spring Lake Park in Wyckoff, NJ. And Dolores introduced Janet to a wonderful chocolate cake which became the Weisiger family 'birthday cake'. Yes, wonderful memories and stories to tell.
Tom was a newer friend during the past four years. A tall man in height and a tall man of strong Christian faith, he always blessed others with a sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye. This week Tom graduated to heaven to be with his blessed Lord but left many to grieve his earthly absence.
Both Dolores and Tom had a story to tell and family and friends would cherish those stories. It made Janet realize we all have a story to tell and she wondered, was she telling her story? Would her story be told by others? Did her story answer some of the big questions in life.....? What is the meaning of life? Why am I here? What happens after I die? Do I have a purpose in the grand scheme of things? Is life just fun and games and then..poof!...nothing? Yes, she knew stories are important and she had one life, one chance to fulfill her purpose.
Today communication takes various forms....talking in person, by phone, email, twitter, facebook...all about people and their lives. But Janet knew communication also takes place through attitudes, actions, looks, facial expressions, activities. Our lives tell stories in so many ways. So what was she communicating?
She knew she had a wonderful story to tell and she could not ignore it. Jesus had been real to her since 1971 but He had continued to make His presence known in subsequent years. Had she told everyone she knew? Did her life constantly shine with the presence of Jesus? When did her story begin?
She remembered back to 1970. She had been invited to sing at a huge womens' denominational meeting in Cleveland, Ohio. The featured speaker was Millie Dienert from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Janet sat in the front row and after singing her solo, sat and listened carefully to Millie's story. She still remembered how her heart was moved as Millie shared what it meant to "put God on the throne of her life". Janet heard words about the Lord that she had never heard before. By the end of Millie's speech, Janet had tears flowing down her face. She approached Millie to thank her and could hardly speak, the emotion of being touched by God's spirit overflowing. Janet left that conference convicted that her life must change so that God was "on the throne".
A few months later, in 1971, she sang at another denominational gathering and was led to attend a workshop entitled "Lay Witness Mission". As she entered she tangibly felt an atmosphere of God's love permeating that room. She was astounded that regular, normal church members showed such love for each other. She found out that this change had come upon them because they had recently experienced a Lay Witness Mission in their church. Janet got excited and without hesitation concluded that her home church had to have such a mission. When the mission weekend took place at her own church, people from other churches came and told their stories of how their lives had been changed by Jesus. There were so many in her church that had never heard that before. Then during the Sunday morning worship service, those in attendance were invited to come forward and give their lives to Christ. Janet and Dick did not hesitate. They stepped out and knelt at the front of the sanctuary. They looked around and were amazed that three quarters of the church came forward! A miracle! An historical event! All because ordinary people shared their stories of a life changing moment of surrendering their lives to Christ and putting God on the throne of their lives.
Yes, a simple, profound story. Janet knew that she didn't control who heard her story and who responded to the Holy Spirit's call, but what was important is that the story of Jesus in her life be told again and again and again.
"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." I John 5:11-12
(My dear reader...what is your story?)
Dolores died the day after Christmas of pancreatic cancer and Janet now knew of another cancer victim. Dolores's family in Connecticut phoned them and told them the sad news. Such memories. Dolores and her husband Dick were good friends of Janet and Dick starting fifty years ago. In fact both Dicks were lifeguards together at Spring Lake Park in Wyckoff, NJ. And Dolores introduced Janet to a wonderful chocolate cake which became the Weisiger family 'birthday cake'. Yes, wonderful memories and stories to tell.
Tom was a newer friend during the past four years. A tall man in height and a tall man of strong Christian faith, he always blessed others with a sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye. This week Tom graduated to heaven to be with his blessed Lord but left many to grieve his earthly absence.
Both Dolores and Tom had a story to tell and family and friends would cherish those stories. It made Janet realize we all have a story to tell and she wondered, was she telling her story? Would her story be told by others? Did her story answer some of the big questions in life.....? What is the meaning of life? Why am I here? What happens after I die? Do I have a purpose in the grand scheme of things? Is life just fun and games and then..poof!...nothing? Yes, she knew stories are important and she had one life, one chance to fulfill her purpose.
Today communication takes various forms....talking in person, by phone, email, twitter, facebook...all about people and their lives. But Janet knew communication also takes place through attitudes, actions, looks, facial expressions, activities. Our lives tell stories in so many ways. So what was she communicating?
She knew she had a wonderful story to tell and she could not ignore it. Jesus had been real to her since 1971 but He had continued to make His presence known in subsequent years. Had she told everyone she knew? Did her life constantly shine with the presence of Jesus? When did her story begin?
She remembered back to 1970. She had been invited to sing at a huge womens' denominational meeting in Cleveland, Ohio. The featured speaker was Millie Dienert from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Janet sat in the front row and after singing her solo, sat and listened carefully to Millie's story. She still remembered how her heart was moved as Millie shared what it meant to "put God on the throne of her life". Janet heard words about the Lord that she had never heard before. By the end of Millie's speech, Janet had tears flowing down her face. She approached Millie to thank her and could hardly speak, the emotion of being touched by God's spirit overflowing. Janet left that conference convicted that her life must change so that God was "on the throne".
A few months later, in 1971, she sang at another denominational gathering and was led to attend a workshop entitled "Lay Witness Mission". As she entered she tangibly felt an atmosphere of God's love permeating that room. She was astounded that regular, normal church members showed such love for each other. She found out that this change had come upon them because they had recently experienced a Lay Witness Mission in their church. Janet got excited and without hesitation concluded that her home church had to have such a mission. When the mission weekend took place at her own church, people from other churches came and told their stories of how their lives had been changed by Jesus. There were so many in her church that had never heard that before. Then during the Sunday morning worship service, those in attendance were invited to come forward and give their lives to Christ. Janet and Dick did not hesitate. They stepped out and knelt at the front of the sanctuary. They looked around and were amazed that three quarters of the church came forward! A miracle! An historical event! All because ordinary people shared their stories of a life changing moment of surrendering their lives to Christ and putting God on the throne of their lives.
Yes, a simple, profound story. Janet knew that she didn't control who heard her story and who responded to the Holy Spirit's call, but what was important is that the story of Jesus in her life be told again and again and again.
"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." I John 5:11-12
(My dear reader...what is your story?)
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