If you've been keeping up with my blog this month, dear reader, you know that one of the casualties of the Great Flood of 2010 was the Grand Ole Opry House. It won't be restored to usability for several months. But wonder of wonders, the world's oldest live radio show didn't miss a beat on the airwaves (so to speak)! See my post of 5 May for how the day after the flooding Cumberland River crested, the Tuesday Nite Opry took place in a former home of the Grand Ole Opry show.
Speaking of "homes", the Opry can now add another to its list. Friday and Saturday evenings the Opry was performed in the sanctuary of Two Rivers Baptist Church, right across Briley Parkway (and uphill!) from the flood-damaged Opry House. Listening to the two shows I kind of got goose bumps as I contemplated that I was listening to my favorite radio show at a historic moment indeed! "Eighth" may not be exact; it depends on whether you count the first two as one, since both were various studios of the new WSM radio station inside the National Life headquarters building.
Saturday for an hour before the Grand Ole Opry begins, "The Opry Warm-Up Show" is broadcast live on WSM-AM 650, with Mike Terry as host. He interviews a few of the performers who will be performing on the Opry, from the "green room" behind stage. For this on the Fifteenth, the choir room of Two Rivers Baptist Church became Terry's "green room". And the church's choir room really IS green, unlike the Opry House's!
Jeannie Seely was one of Mike Terry's interviewees on the "Warm-Up". Of course, they spoke mostly about our recent disaster here: the great flood. Jeannie's home had been flooded, and she spoke about her first return to the home and salvaging a couple of treasures from the waters, including her Grammy Award. She spoke about how so many other keepsakes, such as photographs were ruined, or if salvageable would still have elements from the floodwater which might induce sickness. Jeannie testified that hard as it was to let go of some of the stuff, she didn't want to live in sickness the remainder of her life. She summed it up by affirming that the keepsakes were the past and the past should not shadow the present and future.
I marvel at her intrepid, wise attitude!
Sunday -- Yesterday -- was Youth Sunday at my church, Eastwood Christian Church (Disciples). As with a year ago, a graduating high school Senior got honored, and there was a fellowship dinner after Worship. This year's honoree, Katie Burton, wrote a drama for the youth to do as the "sermon" portion of the Worship. Katie is one of my favorite "Friends" on Facebook, because she posts many positive messages concerning church and our upcoming events. So many times she expresses my very attitude of the moment regarding church!
After Worship and time for eating the fellowship dinner, Associate Pastor Michael Lehman got folk started off on saying things to Katie as our honored h.s. graduate. Katie's dad was the first up, and got very emotional -- you'd have tho't it was Katie's wedding! But bless his heart, he did move us. My own testimony was how I appreciated the postings on FB as expressing for me as well as her, and how I appreciated most, that "of all the good huggers in Eastwood, Katie is the best!"
And dear reader, yours truly is so very proud of Katie and all of our young people at Eastwood Christian! They're a major reason I'm so glad to be a member of this congregation!
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