Give Thanks in All Things – Part 2
In November, I took a semi-blogging break to quiet my spirit and be mindful of all things I am grateful for – big and small. I also spent more time with my family. It is mind-boggling to see things fall into place in an amazing way. I couldn’t have orchestrated them any better no matter how well I organized them.
In the second part of the Thankfulness post. I focused on two such amazing things.
The Glitz started 30 years ago. It’s the annual event for our church fellowship group. The purpose is to raise funds to gift the Christmas gifts to several of our class-sponsored missionaries.
We’ve tried to make the fundraising evening fun while doing the silent auction and verbal auction a pleasure. Until several years ago, class members signed up to set up and decorate a table of six. The rest of the members came in the event’s evening and joined hosts of the tables. Some people decorated their tables with the best China. We dressed up in the festive spirit. It was a glamorous evening second to the Christmas party. I decorated a table for many years.
Members offered game nights, breakfast, items to sell for the silent auction. More elaborate items, such as a weekend at a vacation condo, or a steak dinner at a restaurant, were for bidding at the verbal auction.
In 2018, I offered my book Songs of Heartstrings to sell and raised about $400. In addition, I bid for events and purchased silent auction items.
Because of the pandemic, our class didn’t meet in person for the last three years. On the night of Glitz, 2021, we texted or email to pledge our donations. I published my children’s book, Tina Lost in a Crowd, in April 2021 and offered to sell the book for fundraising. The first in-person meeting was right after the Glitz. The leadership asked me to bring in the book to pass around, let people look at the book, and make their orders.
People were excited about meeting in person again. The attendance at the first two meetings was very good. I had people order the book during the meetings. Again, I raised about $400. Yay! It benefits the missionaries, and many children will be reading the book this Christmas! How exciting! (The attendance slowed down after these two meetings because people were on the road meeting with families for Thanksgiving.)
I was thankful that people were enthusiastic about my book, even though some of them don’t have young grandkids. Several individuals told me they bought the book to give away as Christmas gifts to the little ones.
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My first performance of Messiah was when I was in Hong Kong. It’s my favorite Christmas music.
After I came to the US, I sang it several times in the 1990s.
I didn’t sing it again until 10 years ago. I’m currently a member of a Messiah group with members who have sung with the same group for 40 years.
Because of the pandemic, we didn’t perform in 2020 and 2021. I was somewhat disappointed. But I received a group email on November 21 about a Messiah sing-along in the following week. I was so excited. I called my friend who is in the Messiah group to give her the information. She wanted to go. We made the car pulling arrangement to Richard Nixon’s Library on the day of the performance. We sang our hearts out. One other friend joined us at the concert.
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What a wonderful way to start my Christmas season!
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The Showers of Blessings 
Thanks for all you and your community are doing to share the love, Miriam! Blessings to all! ❤ Sharing…
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Thank you for reading and sharing, Bette! ❤ ❤
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What a beautiful post, Miriam! Such lovely things to share with us. The Glitz sounds amazing and for such a wonderful cause. Missionary groups deserve so much recognition for what they do. Then, there’s your singing. Oh how I can appreciate that. I’ve sang in church since I was in grade school. I always had a rule growing up. If my grandmother asked me to sing a special, I could never say no. She passed a few years ago, but that brings so many sweet memories. I’m so glad I caught your post today. 🙂
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What a beautiful post, Miriam, and great part 2 of your thankfulness posts. The tables are beautiful and the auction sounds like a huge success. Congrats on selling so many books! What a lovely contribution to the church’s efforts. And I’m so glad you got to sing the Messiah again this year. It’s one of my favorites at Christmastime. Hugs to you and Happy Holidays. ❤
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We had lots of fun at this annual event, Diana! Our decorations of tables are getting simpler the last few years but are still enjoyable. I love listening to and singing the Messiah. So happy to have found out about this sing-along. Wishing you Wonderful Holidays! ❤
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Great post, Miriam. What a great example of using the money from your book in such a positive manner. A great role model for both your daughter and granddaughters. I used to sing in a choir, and I know how much pleasure music can bring to us. We aren’t taking life’s simple pleasures for granted.
Our big news is that our son got engaged over Thanksgiving. I will have to wait until June of 2023 to officially have a daughter-in-law ass they want to get married in Custer National Park. Apparently, there is some type of venue within the park that is booked a long time in advance.
As I suspected, I got disconnected from your blog again, MIriam. I know this is just one of those weird WordPress things. It only takes a few seconds to get subscribed again, but it’s curious that it keeps happening.
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Christmas is the season I get solicitation for donation left and right. I’m generous but don’t want to be taken advantage of and don’t want to overdo it. I have some guidelines to steer me for donating to certain groups.
Diana said eventually she subscribed m blog through email so she gets my new posts in her email. I told you I subscribed my own blog and get unsubscribed many times. No worries, we’ll catch each other one way or the other.
I use several ways to track the blogs I follow. One is from Reader, click Manager, and click setting from the site I follow, and click “notify me” and “email me.”
I even bookmarked all the blogs I follow, have a spreadsheet of their names, check them once a week and mark them off. I really try because I can’t trust WordPress.
When my nephew and niece got married in Hong Kong, they planned more than one years in advance. Other than the booking situation as you described, they also considered the overseas friends and relatives who mad to make travel plans in advance.
I’ll send you an email with a question.
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Your voice is amazing, Miriam. Thank you for sharing this festive post!❤️
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Thank you so much for listening, Jill. I enjoy singing since I was a little girl. ❤
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It’s good to see you back, Miriam! Thank you for sharing the uplifting beginning of your holiday season with us!
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Thank you so much, Liz. I have a few holiday events lined up in the next couple of weeks, then we’ll fly to Portland OR to spend Christmas with my daughter’s family. I can hardly wait to see the grandkids. Will you be traveling for the holidays?
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You’re welcome, Miriam. I’ll look forward to seeing the Christmas photos of your daughter’s family. I expect there will be many books involved. My husband and I are staying home for the holidays. New Hampshire has the highest per capita COVID infection rate in the country right now, so we don’t want to chance leaving the state, even though we’re vaccinated and boosted.
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What a beautiful and uplifting post to begin this holiday season, Miriam! So glad you were able to sing. Singing was my passion years ago, one of the stories in my latest book tells all, so I know the feeling of exhilaration and what a song to be able to sing! You have a lovely soprano voice. Happy Holidays!
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Thank you so much, Lauren. I was drawn to music since a kid. My first favorite piece was the overture of Bizet’s Carmen. I had no idea of what it was. Opera became my most favorite music as an adult. Your book sounds more like my Songs Of Heartstrings, except yours includes the childhood and teen years. I’ll have to check out your book! Happy Holidays to you and your family!
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It sounds like music wrapped us both in its magic around the same age, Miriam. I had an alto/second soprano voice. I hope you’ll check out my book to find out more; the story is called, “The Way it Was.” 😉
Your book is on its way and I can’t wait to read it. And like anything that doesn’t get exercised, my voice isn’t what it used to be. The memories, though, sustain me, and so does music itself. Keep singing, and Happy Holidays to you and your family, also.
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I sang with the same quartet for years, Lauren. I had two friends who sang alto and did many singing together. What songs do you sing? I sing mostly hymns. I thought of doing Zoom singing with another friend who plays many instruments. She has a keyboard at home. The friend who sing alto is very busy with her music business and may not have time to have fun. We went to college together. 🙂
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I sang in the school choir and in smaller ensembles in h.s. and in college, singing solos in all, so secular music and hymns, too, except for outside of those choirs. I didn’t have the opera voice, and since I haven’t sung in years, my voice isn’t the same, just like anything you don’t exercise. 🙂 Singing will always be a passion from the past, but writing took over. Music, however, will always be a part of me. It’s great that you’re still singing. I do pluck around on my guitar now and then, though.
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such wonderful events to get everyone in the spirit of the season!
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Yes, I used to have many events lined up for the season. These two years are limited by the pandemic!
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seemslike some things are slowly returning back to normal…
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Yes, I hope it will continue.
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don’t we all!
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You are just amazing, Miriam. You do everything I wish I would.
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It’s manageable because I pace myself. Would you like to join me in some events? 🙂
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It’s lovely to hear of all the charity and the obvious joy it brings to so many, both givers and receivers. Thank you for sharing this with us Miriam.
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Exactly, Peter! It brings joy to the givers and receivers. Christmas is a jolly time of the year. Wishing you and your wife a wonderful Christmas.
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Thank you Miriam and the same to you and your family.
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Thank you, Peter!
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What a wonderful uplifting post, Mariam, and an awesome way to start the Christmas season. I would love to hear you sing (I’m so glad you got to). I see from the comment above you have a video on YouTube. I’m off to see if I can find it.
Thanks for the lovely post!
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Just found it an played it, Miriam. You have a beautiful, soaring voice!
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Oh, wow, Mae! Thank you for seeking out the video! I’ll make a post and upload the video on my blog a little later!
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The Messiah sing-along got me into the Christmas spirit quickly even though it’s not as good as my regular group, Mae. It doesn’t have the tenor and bass soloists. It doesn’t have the trumpet in the orchestra. The last tenor solo piece “The Trumpet Shall Sound” always makes me feel like I’m in heaven. I can wait for next year to perform. In the meantime, I can listen to the CD.
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I love Handel’s Messiah. How wonderful that you got to perform it. (I wish I could sing. I’ve only ever played it on clarinet with my school band.)
Thanks for sharing all these blessings with us.
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I love clarinet, Staci. Do you still play? I only play piano at a beginner level. I took voice lessons for years and passed the grade VIII for voice and grade V for theory (British system) exams. My voice teacher urged me to learn to play the piano. A childhood friend became my teacher teaching me both.
It’s a blessing for me to continue singing Messiah. The lyrics speak to me deeper than reading a text. Thank you for the lovely comment.
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I don’t currently have the instrument, so I haven’t played in several years. (My niece ended up with the one I used in school, and I never got another.) I have a piano, but I’m a total novice. I started to teach myself twenty years ago, then life got in the way. It’s really more furniture now than anything else.
Your voice and theory grades (if that’s the right terminology) are seriously impressive.
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I have an electronic piano but the touch is similar to a “real” piano. I don’t play too much either especially when the fingers started having arthritis.
I just checked, Staci. It looks like Britain, Canada, Africa, Dublin use the same system and terminology. Passed Grade V, in theory, is the prerequisite for taking Practical and Performance exams in instruments and voice for Grades 6 to 8. I think passing the Grade VIII in the Practical exam can move on the teaching, voice, or instrument.
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You’re so gifted, Miriam. What a blessing.
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I know you’re gifted also in many ways, Staci!
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That’s so sweet of you to say. Thank you.
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You’re welcome, Staci.
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Thanks for sharing these snippets of your life with us, Miriam! 🙂
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Thank you for reading, Yvette! Christmas this year is not overwhelmingly busy because of the pandemic. I appreciate your comment. 🙂
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How talented you are, Miriam! Sadly, my singing is like caterwauling. I could clear a room in less than five minutes…At least I had/have(?)rhythm so didn’t disgrace myself on the dance floor! And we both know we can write….and how kind and giving you are too! Have a lovely Christmas and New Year with your family, and good luck with your book. Hugs Joy xx
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Thank you so much for reading, Joy! We all have different talents/gifts. Writing is a talent and yes, we can write. It’s beautiful to have the rhythm to dance. My sister was a ballroom dance instructor. She died of congested heart failure in January 2019. I haven’t tried dancing. I used to do well with aerobic but haven’t done it for years.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year. ❤
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So beautiful collection on table. All photos are beautiful. All photos are good look. I like. 👌🌷
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Thank you, Rajkkhoja! I’m glad you like the photos. 🙂 🙂
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Thank you so so much. Iam so glad. Beautiful black & white photo, which time it’s photo?🌷
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I love to hear The Messiah live, I don’t sing, but I can imagine how wonderful it must be to join in. The last time I went to a performance the soprano looked as full term in her pregnancy as Mary, but still sung beautifully. At one point she stood up to sing at the wrong moment, the conductor smiled and she had to suppress her giggles. A very human moment.
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It’s always the highlight of the year to perform Handel’s Messiah. I listen to the CD at home or attend the Messiah concert also. Oh, that soprano moment must be interesting. When we sing, we try to remember the order of the music pieces without making noise by turning the pages. I could see standing at the wrong moment. In a concert, the audience doesn’t have to clap at the pause, but some people who may not be regular concert-goers clap at the wrong moment.
How are you doing, Janet? Wishing you a wonderful Christmas! ❤
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Okay thanks Miriam, just had my last chemo session and looking forward to Christmas.
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Good to hear that, Janet. What a great timing to welcome Christmas! Do you have any bad side effects?
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I think food tasting awful has been the worst! Fourth round was not good, but oncologist reduced the dose. It is reassuring though how quickly one can feel normal by the end of each three week cycle. And of course I know I am just one of many who has had this experience and I am much luckier than some.
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I remember my experience during the four cycles of chemo and two surgeries, Janet.
It’s wonderful that you’ll have time to recover from the last cycle before Christmas. You have a lot to celebrate. I’m happy for you.
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Thanks Miriam, I am sure we all want to enjoy this Christmas after the past year or so.
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We spent Christmas just the two of us last year. I missed seeing my daughter and grandkids for Christmas. I’m glad we’re going to see them this year.
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What a beautiful and hopeful video , the tables look amazing, especially yours.
You and your friends and class have done so well raising money for charity. Lovely photos.🎶🎶 I wish you a wonderful Christmas. 💜💜💜
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The Glitz is always fun, Willow. It gives us a chance to be fancy and dressed up. The bidding is exciting also. Thank you for your comment. Wishing you a Merry Christmas! ❤ ❤
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Thank you Miriam 😊😘😘
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You’re welcome, Willow! ❤ 🙂
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What a beautiful collection of tables with exquisite china. I especially appreciated when you said that “you took a semi-blogging break to quiet my spirit and be mindful…”. Every day is a day to give thanks! Hugs!
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Thank you so much for reading and commenting, Rebecca! I could make many many posts of my thankfulness list that I made in November, but I’ll keep most of them in my treasure box. I put something in this treasure box every day. You’re right. Every day is a day of Thanksgiving! ❤
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🤗🤗🤗
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Hi Miriam, what a lovely idea to raise money for charity. I am so glad you got to sing this year. I have watched a video of you singing and you have a most wonderful voice.
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I thought so, Robbie! This is the time of the year to do that. Many people feel depressed during Christmas and some major “family” holidays. It’s hard for some to see many families happily gather around exchange presents. I donate to the missionaries, also to the inmates’ children through a program called Angel Tree, also another program called Good Samaritans. Good Samaritans asked to “fill a shoebox with $25 of gifts,” and they sent them overseas.
I’ll be posting that video when it gets close to Christmas. In fact, I did that because one year when I posted about my Christmas concert, you mentioned that you would like to hear me sing. I had this song in mp3. A month ago, I used PowerPoint to put the images and lyrics together, then I uploaded the mp3 to save it as mp4. Then I uploaded it to YouTube as a video. It’s all because of your inspiration, saying you wanted to hear me sing!!
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Hi Miriam, I am glad I inspired you to share your singing. You have such a wonderful talent. I look forward to hearing more.
You do a lot for your community, Miriam, and that is a wonderful thing.
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I didn’t think of saving the recordings, Robbie. It happened that one person in that choir saved some for himself and I was the soloist of the concerts.
I did have some recordings saved but I sang in Chinese.
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I am sure the Chinese sounds lovely.
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I may pick a song or two to make videos with English translation of the songs in Chinese. I want to leave something to my daughter and grandkids to remember me.
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That would be a wonderful gift to them, Miriam.
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I know my daughter would like it, Robbie.
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