MORE POT LUCK 9/21/09

THE PREACHER'S WIFE!
Upon my first visit to the church where I learned to love the Lord, I met 'the preacher's wife'! Unlike the movie where the preacher's wife and the preacher are having problems communicating and need the help of an angel sent from heaven, this preacher's wife was already an angel as far as I was concerned.

Her daughter, Iona Kay and I became friends and have remained friends since the 4th grade. Because of Iona Kay and our friendship, and the fact that her mother was the preacher's wife, Mrs. Ellett became a woman who I had much admiration for. She would invite me to go along
with her and her daughters to visit her mother and father. Sometimes we would go to her familiy homes in Newport Beach & play in the bay, Huntington Beach and a place near Loma Linda & Redlands were we would play in the orchards. Such an adventure for a girl like me!

I know that I was a chatter box! I know that I was always under foot. She was loving and kind to me and I know this family thought since I came from such a large family, that I needed their attention. Actually, I loved their attention and always wanted more.

Mrs. Ellett was a piano teacher. She let Iona teach me how to read notes. Many times when we were alone, she would give me my own mini concert. Even thought it required a lot from her, whe would stop and play 'Moonlight Sonata'. To this day, this classic is one of my favorites. She had many students but she found time to form a double trio. The six girls that were chosen to be in this group were in the 6th and 7th grade. Although Carol was a little younger, she could sing just as good as the rest of us. We learned three part harmony and even sang on TV once.

Mrs. Ellett would arrange for our singing engagements and the name "The Harmonette's" became known within our community. We sang at our 8th grade graduation and were still performing throughout our highschool years until our Junior year. One of the girls married that year. It was hard for her to want to continue because she now had other things to do and to think about and eventually became pregnant. Her mother refused to let her stop! She told me about the problem and I suggested I would be the one to quit and then she could stay home with her new husband.

I didn't know until many years later how much I had hurt Mrs. Ellett. Sometimes we do things for the right reason that turn out not as good as we thought it would. If I had thought it would have hurt as much as it did, I wonder if I would have felt that sorry for my friend, to quit. Hind sight is always 20/20! However, it was getting close for the rest of us to be pursuing different avenues.

The word sonata is a musical composition written for the the piano. Many times when we see a bright full moon we are amazed by how bright it shines and how it can aluminate the earth. That is how I see the Mrs. Ellett of my youth and my growing up years. A bright moonlit sonata composed just for me during a time I needed musical encouragement. "Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. The latter do it out of love." Philippians 1;15-16a I believe that Paul is saying that when we encourage and uplift others we do it out of love and goodwill. "Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also the interests of others." Philippians 2:4 It is better when we do this in Christ! Who is your 'moonlight sonata'? Who encouraged you? I became a soloist, a choir member, a choir director, a church pianist because Mrs. Ellett encouraged me by teaching me stage presence; to stay on key and to take a chance. She would say; "Oh Janie!" And then go on loving me. Jane Ann Crenshaw 4/29/09