Tuesday's Musical Notes - "She's Got A Way" (Billy Joel)

Welcome to Tuesday.  Today's Notes are really important.  Please forward or share Today's Musical Notes with as many people as you possibly can.  Ignore the writing or grammatical errors that usually exist and focus for a few moments on the content of what I am trying to express.  

Tuesday's Musical Notes has on occasion taken the opportunity to honor a musical figure who recently passed.  Today is one of those instances where we honor someone we consider a musical great.  You may or may not have heard of her, but my guess is that in your life you will have the opportunity to encounter someone who has been influenced by her.  She passed away after courageously battling pancreatic cancer last week.  

I have a friend.  Someone whom I met about 15 years ago.  Her name IS Retha.  While our opportunities to interact where limited, she instantly considered me, like seemingly everyone she met, more than an acquaintance.   We were introduced at an Arkansas Baptist State Convention event called Praisefest. She immediately engaged me in conversation regarding some of the folks in whom we had common knowledge, even though she looked very busy.  Looking back at that brief encounter, I realize, that being introduced to new folks is truly a gift. As Christians, we should make the opportunity to meet as many folks as we can.  We should celebrated and fellowship if they are followers of Jesus, and we should use the opportunity to present the Gospel of Jesus if they are not.  Even if that introduction is casual by its nature, there is always the potential for lifelong encouragement and friendship.  15 years, later, I consider Retha a sister in our salvation, a friend whom I could call on, and an example to my children (and need I say thousands of other children who were under her mentoring, even if they didn't know it).  And today, I honor a friend who went to be with her personal Savior, Jesus, last Thursday.  It can easily be said of Retha...

"She's Got A Way" by Billy Joel from the 1971 album Cold Spring Harbor

 

Retha Kilmer was a teacher, an accomplished pianist, a mentor, and a friend.  She lived her life based on a calling.  She followed the example of her Savior Jesus in that she served others at every opportunity.  She had an impact on thousands of students and parents alike as she dutifully led her choirs throughout the 23 years she was at Malvern High School.  Her summers were spent coordinating camps for artistic students who wanted to investigate the calling on their lives.  

While there are many others who can say much more to elaborate on this wonderful lady, I can join with them in saying she was my friend. A friend I did know well enough to see in differing situations.   I was blessed to see her "evil" twin Reesa only a couple of times in our times together.  Even during those more intense moments, she was lovingly guiding someone in the right way...with just a little more emphasis than was her norm 

It was obvious that she was an incredibly organized person.  That was evident in the way Retha led several "arts" events for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.  It was obvious that she loved to experience the arts in a variety of ways, whether it was being the Assistant Camp Director for PraiseWorks, or leading a Handbell Convention.  

The best thing that can be said of Retha was that she was a follower of Jesus and made Him the Lord of her life.  She believed that He was born into this world to redeem her, as well as every other individual in the world, of the sin that so easily ensnares us.  She believed that redemption came in the form of the crucifixion of Jesus, His resurrection 3 days later, and His ascension into heaven 40 days afterward.  Because this is her foundation, Retha followed the example of Jesus as she went about serving folks in the best ways she knew how.  

Everyone who came into contact with Retha could say with the apostle Paul,  ^"Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God’s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears."   Philippians 1:1-3   The Message Paraphrase

Her work continues...

Retha Kilmer was 54.

"Home Free" title track from the 1990 album by Wayne Watson

Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy