The Heart of a Wellston (OK.) Tiger:The first Wellston band EVER(that I know of)

This past weekend I returned to my hometown with several family members for the Alumni Parade.  This also invoked a trip down memory lane.  The town does look different than it did in my days of growing up there and attending Wellston Public Schools.  Certain stores are gone and  there are a few new ones but for the most part the people are the same.  They are still down to earth, kind and caring.

The marching band brought back so many fun memories.  I was a member of the very first band ever at Wellston Public Schools.  The first band was started the year I was in seventh grade.  I became a part of the woodwind section with the clarinet being my chosen instrument.  Actually it was the directors choice for me. I wanted to play the flute but I guess he didn't like the way I couldn't get noise much less a note to come forth from the instrument.

We were a concert band.  I was reminded by a friend, Cathy, that we did march once down to main street and back but I am thinking that I must have missed that day because I don't remember it.  I do remember a day  in high school that we marched around a field near the school, on a Saturday but we never marched in a parade.

Susan, another friend and fellow clarinet player reminded me of our first ever band concert.  Many parents, friends and neighbors were there as we embarked on the road of becoming a school band.  The music was going along pretty well until the squeak.  Yes that is right. The squeak!  Now normally a squeak is not that big of a deal unless you are me and Susan. We laughed and we laughed.  We thought it was so very funny.  As the squeak happened I did not move the clarinet from my mouth.  Oh no, I was laughing through the clarinet and as the sounds reached the ears of those in the room  there was an explosion of  laughter.  Not so funny the next day!  I am not sure if the director talked to Susan but he gave me a lecture that I still haven't forgot. He told me that I had better not ever do that again or I was dead meat!(or something similar) I  think it was probably Susan that squeaked but I am sure that she will tell you that it was me.  Don't listen to her!!

One thing that I learned from that experience was that if you squeak you just keep going! Oh sometimes you might point toward the flute or saxophone section but you just keep playing.

My life is just like a clarinet squeak.  The squeaks are my mistakes and sins.  I even point at others sometimes after a squeak.  Sometimes I even laugh but then I hear the voice of God.  It is not a lecture telling me that I better not do that again.  He knows that  the squeak of sin will happen again.  It is not a lecture of how I will be dead meat if I don't stop squeaking.  The voice comes with a calm peace that woos me and reminds me of how my life should look.  The voice of God reminds me of His love and of His knowing of my sin.  His voice reminds me to not blame others.  His voice is forgiving and loving and reminds me of when I joined His family!  He reminds me of where my hometown will be!  One day I will join Him and my Savior for the best Alumni parade ever!  I will march in that parade!

Will you be there?

Romans 3:23

New International Version (NIV)

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23

New International Version (NIV)

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 3:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.