I don’t get on Pleonast much. I wanted to have a sound for what 5’s and 6’s feel like, so I wrote a line of sextuplets in the pattern they seemingly wished to go, over a line of quintuplets barely mirroring or having anything to do with it’s faster friend. It was a roulette, a drawing of sound from out of a hat; but the magical sensation in the air, from under my fingers produced, pleased me so much I thought I’d write in and say hi.
Now, happy at 2, Roy Harris’s Symphony no. 3 should see me to my dreams.
By the way, I read your post below a few days ago and had wanted to comment - I must have been called away.
I loved hearing from you and appreciated the thoughts. I met your grandfather once, but knowing Melanie and the rest of the Gougar's, he has passed down his knowledge to his future generations and his love for the word. Keep up the posts we love hearing from you.
I cannot imagine what that sounds like, and I believe it would be impossible for my fingers to produce it, so I guess I will just have to hear you do it some day. :)
Hello old friends. It’s been a while since I used this space. My hope is that all is well.
I have a little time still to post this on the appropriate date. When in Colorado Springs in July, and again in August, I listened to many tapes in addition to the studies my Grandfather, James L. Finney…92 year old with a very sharp mind held - I have to get this in; Bro. Finney is 92, and his mind is very sharp and still expanding, and he’s perpetually open to teaching and entertaining questions and discussions. He remembers commentaries he read in the 1940’s sometimes by the page number, “You want to know what page that’s on? 47,” he says with a knowing gleam in his eye. When he preached on “The Other Side” one Sunday morning in July, it was a new lesson he’d never preached before, and there he recited the close of William Cullen Bryant‘s Thanatopsis from memory; when he preached on “Relationships in Galations 3,” it was an old sermon he’d revised that week using the Rotherham bible . This was a week before he traveled down to Illinois to preach the next Sunday and visit with the brethren. This is in addition to the men’s class he holds at his house on Monday nights, the personal studies with Ron Bert (an amazing man, baptized into Christ not 3 years ago, full of the Spirit, full of zeal and enthusiasm, full of joy in the midst of terrible trials in his life, and ever increasing and abounding in all aspects of his walk in newness of life, a man I am thankful to God that I’m able to know) on Tuesday mornings, taking part in Buford Wrather’s study on Isaiah on Wednesday afternoons, teaching the Wednesday night class on Acts, and meeting with some of the men for lunch at the Village Inn on Fridays. 92 years old, constantly and earnestly contending for the faith, while strengthening and exhorting everyone around him to walk closer to God. How could I not be proud of him at this stage and relish every opportunity to use the resource of his mind?
Well this is not my point in writing to Pleonast. I simply want to get that in.
I am borrowing some of Bro. Finney’s tapes, many of which are his own sermons preached in Colorado, preached in Washington, NJ (which holds a special place in my heart, happy I was to be able to visit on a couple occasions while he was there), and Fairlawn, NJ. Others include Gardener Hall’s excellent lecture on, “The Lamb of God,” several of Melvin Curry’s lessons, and the very last sermon Harry Pickup Sr. preached, which was in Colorado Springs July 15, 1984 on the subject, “Where the Trail Leads.” He was especially interested in my hearing this.
Not two weeks after my Grandmother, Mary Louis Finney was killed in a car accident in Colorado Springs, January 18, 1993, my Grandfather, Bro. Finney preached with great emotion, “Coping with Crisis.” Then in his visit to the old congregation he once served in Fairlawn, NJ on Sunday morning, February 7, 1993 he preached this message again. For both of these I have the tapes. Preserved also is the lesson he preached that night in Fairlawn, stepping in for someone else who was to preach. The lesson was II Peter 3; he simply explained the chapter letting the words the Holy Spirit had written through the apostle Peter speak. Looking at a map, you’ll notice that Fairlawn is just a little ways across the river from New York city.
That was spoken February 7, 1993, when there was no concept that eight and a half years later the world would still stand, but would watch in horror as those two towers were toppled by evil, and with the other events of the day around 3,000 lives would be lost. Think too about Christ’s words recorded in Matthew 24, when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.
Similar to us, these people had no concept that such a thing could happen, but sure enough, 40 years later the Roman army came with force, and in Jerusalem, not one stone was left upon another which was not torn down.
There was a time in Germany that it was thought the Berlin wall would never come down. It was impossible. This was of course not long before the wall came down.
It is eerie and sobering, considering my Grandfather's mention, in his study on 2 Peter 3, of the Twin Towers prior to the events of seven years ago. If we put our faith in this world and the things of this world - and to some degree we do: when we drive across a bridge, we have faith we will arrive safely at on the other side; when we go about our business in our home or our work place, we have faith that the structure is supported and will not collapse - but if our faith is in the things of this temporal world, whether structures or philosophies of man, no matter how permanent they seem or feel, instead of the eternal God and his eternal word, our faith will fail just as assuredly as those structures fell.
Wow, David. I really enjoyed reading your post and just hearing from you again. It's been a while since I've seen you. Your grandfather is a very special man. It is remarkable that he is still able to do all those things at the age of 92.
I'll be in Florida on a tight schedule this weekend (not my schedule, and actual only part of it is tight...the good part...but limited transportation), in the Lakeland area and am looking for a place to worship Sunday morning. Plant City is within reach. Has anybody worshiped at the Plant City Church of Christ? Does anybody have suggestions for the Lakeland area and surrounding?
Thanks much,
Fin
p.s. I should go crazy and post a bunch of stuff one of these days.
Hi my name is Kaitlyn. I just came across your name on a friends blog. I go to the Plant City Church of Christ & it is wonderful, but if you are looking for a church in the Lakeland area there is Lakeland Hills Church of Christ. It is a wonderful church & the people there are wonderful.
Lol, funny observation.
It was the quartet that your...I guess "Uncle Joe" was in, doing tours across the country. Its a really need quartet. Jay Guyer, Howard Whittlesy, Buddy Payne, and Joe Finney.
SWEET! My mother was just telling me that yesterday or something.
We are planning to go up to Denver over some of that time but we totally need to see you!
Is your dad coming also? I've not seen him in a long time.
2:00 PM Sunday, January 27th, 2008
Wakefield Auditorium, Trevecca University
333 Murfreesboro Road
Nashville, TN 37210
David Johnson, violin
Nancy Los, cello
David Finney, piano
Nocturne for solo piano..................Michael Rickelton
Duet for Violin and Cello...............Franz Joseph Haydn
Kol Nidrei, Op. 47...............................Max Bruch
Intermission
Trio no. 2 in C minor, Op. 66............Felix Mendelssohn
Worth hearing.
I think you should come.
No really...come!
The Mendelssohn is the main feature, and it is a virtuosic tour de force...a fireball of furious energy with a marked transition from dark to light. At the glorious climax of the finale, is a surprise theme I'm sure will be recognizable to all. It is a truly special piece that's rarely heard.
I was just thinking the other day that I used to have a cousin named David who posted on pleonast semi-regularly, and I wondered what happened to him. And here you are! Welcome back.
