A Night Out

I was treated to a rare night out this past Saturday. My brother is in Avon High School marching band. Avon has won the Bands of America Grand National championships three years in a row now, and since it is my brother's senior year, my Mom wanted my sister and I to see a show before his high school band career was over. My other sister is living in New Zealand, so she wasn't able to come, but I will send her a link to the video in this post:)

The finals were held at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indy. There were twelve bands in the finals. I was really surprised to see some of the themes of the different bands. The first band was an exhibition band that performed did a 7 deadly sins story. One did a show called Paranormal. One did a show with a girl being chased around by demons and there was a point where she was levitating on a bed. There was one called Evolution and one called Something Wicked this Way Comes where I was certain I saw the band form a pentagram in one part. Perhaps I was just seeing things due to the thin air way up where our seats were.

Mom got us seats on the 40 yard line and way up at the tippy top so we could see the formations really well. They were really the best seats for something like this, but a little too high for my comfort level.

Or perhaps I just look for this stuff more than I used to. I found it really strange that most of the themes were dark, humanistic (there was one celebrating geniuses) or witch-crafty. It is surely a sign of the times how the culture has turned into what it has.

Avon's show was called Iconoclash and it was a mixture of classical and popular music. It really was pretty cool.

I haven't been able to find any videos posted on the youtube from Saturday night, but I did find this one from about a month earlier. It is the same program in another venue, but not at the view we had. I'll try to find one and replace the video below.  Only the most devoted bank geek amongst us will watch an amateur video from a high school band competition, but I'll put it here for just such a geek.




I was in the color guard back in the day. I do believe that Avon's band has more members in it than were in our entire high school, so we didn't get to compete in these big-time events. I always really enjoyed it though, and this was a nice trip down memory lane and I don't really like to go there much.

I also got a new perspective on things that have been brewing here family and spiritual-wise. I need to work on love. I need to love people where they are and know that I was not always where I am.  I need to show the light that Christ has shown me without compromising Truth, although not knowing how to do that I need to pray for wisdom.  I need to remember the mess from which I was delivered and know that He always gets His own. It is not in our hands, but His.

1 Corinthians 13

 1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

 4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

 10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

 11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

 12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

 13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

I don't want to be a sounding brass, but salt and light. I don't want to be the relative that everyone avoids because she is harsh and judgmental, but one that is uncompromising, though speaking the truth in love. I pray that He will make me into such a person.