OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE MASTERY SERIES

Ahhhhh!!! I don't teach seminary anymore this year! Such trauma! : )

BUT I am still committed to studying and completing my scripture mastery video helps. I started out teaching Old Testament my first year of seminary and the genesis (no pun intended...or maybe intended)  of using video to help my students happened shortly after the first few scripture mastery verses were introduced. I realized that this new generation of MTV and texting culture needed something more relevant and 'hip' to help them memorize. I don't know if this is effective in the long-run but it has provided me nearly 4 years of engagement among my students. They LOVE memorizing their scripture mastery verses this way. So.... here's the first.

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Four years ago, the then seminary president, Nathan Camp, a gifted jazz saxophone player collaborated with me on a song that I wrote to introduce the seminary theme for the year which was based on the first 2 scripture mastery verses. The making of the song is an interesting story in itself. After a few days of pondering, it suddenly occurred to me that what I needed to start writing the song was a "hook". So one morning, I had a more specific favour to ask God...I needed Him to provide me with a "hook" so I can begin writing. After a few moments on bended knees, the 'hook' came to me...it was "make us one mind and one heart". I then hurriedly went down, sat on my piano and began to write the music with the lyrics. It only took 45 minutes to write this song after a prayer with an inspired, specific plea. I had never before written anything this fast...let alone lyrics with a melody. You can hear Nathan's saxophone improvisation midway into the song. Gail Bennett-deJesus, an actress/singer who plays the role of Queen Esther in one of the CES OT videos, generously and gamely recorded the vocals for us. My daugther, Hannah, plays the piano and my son, Jordan, provided the bass line.

This video was shown during a couple of seminary breakfast/morningsides. Please enjoy!

From Our Family To Yours...

 

 

 We had so much fun making this video! Thanks to son #1, Jordan who organized it and enthused everyone to join in. I've been wanting to do this for YEARS and he finally got it initiated. Because blogspot limits the size of the video file, the movie quality is much compromised. But I am sending the DVDs to friends and family.

I love that our family is close and enjoy each other's company. My sons married wonderful choice women who make life easy and joyful for me---as their mom-in-law. I so enjoy them and feel like they are true family. Personally, I've been so blessed. That's indubitable and my sons are amazing men who treat their wives with tenderness and thought.

My wonderful daughters are also simply amazing. They are who I want to be when I grow up. The young men who will marry them better have a good idea that they are the catch of the century. They are elegant thinkers and do much good work. They are kind, loving and tender. And as if being highly intelligent and kind weren't enough, they are both gorgeous creatures. 

So--enjoy this little piece. I had the best time editing the many videos we took. I thought it would be a feat to synch them but it was easy as pie. Maybe it's because I was just having the time of my time!

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