Soundtrack to LiFE!

My Horoscope for today 
JUNE 1, 2011, says this...
"Make sure you hold tight to things that really bring you passion and purpose in life."


"MUSIC" is definitely something that brings me much passion and purpose, and is truly a common thread that connects so many people and things together in life. I was reminded of that this week while attending memorial services for a couple of special people.

3 guys who always put a SONG IN MY HEART!
My brothers, BOB and BRIAN,
with my grandson BEAU!

A family picture of me with my brothers,
my nephew Jeff and my cousin Darcy.

A great pic of my Brother Bob and his wife Arleen
(they are both quite often "Camera Shy!")

2 of my favorite cousins...
GWEN (from my dad's side of the family) and
DARCY (from my mom's side of the family)

My Aunt Frances meeting BEAU for her first time
A very precious moment for sure...
Frances is 92 years old, and so sweet!

Jana with my cousin, Dave's son, Mike.

Me and my cousin Darcy
I idolized her in my years growing up!

A family supper, following the memorial...
 Out for Chinese food.
Mike, my hubby Brian, and me

Last week was filled with so many uplifting celebrations and this week started with a couple more celebrations, and this time I was celebrating the lives of 2 ladies who made this earth a better place.

Monday I was out for a long over due walk with Shuffle, my dog, and had my ipod to play some tunes along the way. It is funny how the songs that happen to rotate in the "shuffle " of the ipod often dictate the "SOUNDTRACK" to my Life
 in that moment!
On this walk the first song to play
happened to be
"SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME"
Another  song in the mix of many that day was "PEOPLE" by Barbara Streisand, a real classic with such a good message to it, too!


Monday afternoon I attended the private family memorial to honor my 95 year old Aunt Jean who passed away on May 5th.
It was a lovely celebration of her life.

She was very involved with music and was an opera singer and pianist who did much teaching, performing and adjudicating of music festivals in her years of life.
She was a wonderful role model and inspiration to so many, myself, included.

Her youngest daughter, DARCY, and her one sister, FRANCES, were able to attend along with other special close friends  and relatives. Her God Daughter, Joan did an absolutely heart warming tribute to Jean filled with messages from her children and grandchildren who are scattered all over the map!

Jean's oldest daughter, DIANE, from Australia was doing a memorial service in her mom's honor over there as well.

Following the service a few of the family members met at Jean's favorite Chinese food restaurant called GENESIS. We ordered her favorite dish co-incidentally called the
"HAPPY FAMILY" in memory of her!
My mom always loved Chinese food, too, and this was really good food!

A hymn at Jean's service which summerized  her philosophy on life and was requested by her to be sung was called "GREEN HILL"
Here are the words to the final verse...

I know not where His islands lift
Their fronded palms in air:
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond His love and care.

Yesterday I attended another celebration of life .
My good high school buddy, Marg,
lost her mom last week.

Marg and I shared the passion for dance and she also owned a dance studio, just outside of Calgary for years. We also went on to being each other's bridesmaids at our weddings, too! Infact it was Marg that set me up on the blind date to meet my husband Brian back in 1973!

Marg's mom was a lovely lady and always involved in all 5 of her children's lives and activities in their growing years.

The final hymn sung at her service was JOYFUL, JOYFUL... often called ODE TO JOY.
I also had this song at my wedding...
AHHHH... the connections in
THE SOUNDTRACK TO LIFE!

The final line of it says this...

"JOYFUL MUSIC leads us sunward;
In the triumph song of life. "
Written in 1907 by Henry J. van Dyke

Last night my brother and sister-in-law Arleen, had some of the relatives over for a barbeque at their place... it was yummy!
 They always put on a delicious meal.

Today's song to kick off my day of babysitting BEAU, was the theme song to the
Ellen DeGeneres Show on TV which says...

"Let's have a little FUN today...
Let's give a little LOVE away!"

I pretty much start all my days with her show... so it is a good song to start every day with!

My brother Brian popped by for a little
"FUN and LOVE"
visit with Beau and me this morning
and after he left,
Beau went right to sleep!...
( I think Brian played him out!)

When days are seeming kind of long...
There's nothing better than a song.
It picks your spirits up so high,
And keeps you reaching for the sky!