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I write these lines as the old
year rapidly comes to a
close. December found me pre-occupied
with editing the first draft of my book, Measuring My Days, all the
while re-living a huge segment of my life as a semi-retiree. Reading the book
with little intermission, I
found the same theme that has given me purpose and meaning for living repeated
over and over, reminding me somewhat like the musical drumbeat in Maurice
Ravel’s orchestral piece Bolero.
For those familiar with the music, Ravel begins with a quiet repetition
of the same notes with the sound growing louder as it progresses. According to one review from the premiere performance, a woman was heard
shouting that Ravel was mad. When told about this, Ravel is said to have
commented that she had understood the piece.
Without disclosing the repetition of themes in my book, I will allow the
readers to discover the drumbeat for themselves with a tongue-in-cheek wish
that my composition will not drive them insane.
Draw here a smiley face!
Incidentally,
the musical history of Ravel’s Bolero,
initially composed for a ballet piece, has had a storied career with conductor
Arturo Toscanini giving the American premier directing the New York Philharmonic
on 14 November 1929. Toscanini would
later perform the work at the Paris Opera with Ravel in attendance. Ravel objected
backstage to Toscanini’s
upbeat tempo, to which Toscanini responded “it’s the only way to save the
work”. The back-and-forth became a cause
celebre which only served to make the piece more popular. Ravel’s music
would later became the title
theme for the 1934 motion picture Bolero starring Carole Lombard. One
reviewer claimed that Toscanini had made Ravel “almost an American national
hero.” 
“And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to His purpose. “
(Romans 8:28) “This
great promise has been an immeasurable
source of strength and comfort to Christians, especially during times of
trial. It is specifically directed,
however, only to those who are “the called”.
Recognition of them who are the called is best achieved through their
synonymous description as “them that love God.”.... That is, a true church is
composed of people who have been specially called by God out of the world
system, then joined together in a local church to fulfill the purposes of
divine calling.
God’s
call was strictly by grace, according
to His own eternal purpose! The means by
which God calls is the gospel: “Whereunto He called you by our gospel, to the
obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:14) No
wonder, then, we can know that all things
work together on behalf of those whom God has called, and who therefore love
God.” Henry M. Morris in Days
of Praise.
 “Have you ever wondered what language they
speak in
heaven? This is it. This is the
language of heaven. They will come from the north and the south
and the east and the west. They will
come from German, Spanish, Greek, and Syrian speaking countries. They will come
from all around the world and
will never have to sit down and go through the process of learning a new
language. In the kingdom of God,
everyone will speak the same language of which the keynote will be: “Worthy
is the Lamb that was slain to receive
glory and power and wisdom and might and honor
( Rev. 4:11). You will know
heaven’s language when you get there without having to study it - and you will
not speak with an accent.” A. W. Tozer, The Crucified Life.
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