Healing Music

Prepping for back to school in a new town has been an emotional process for me this week.  I am so thankful for the music that heals my soul and brings back proper perspective when things start falling apart in my mind.
Three of my favorite passionate endeavors are education, music and family history.  This week I visited each of my children's schools
since I was told in March that all new students had to wait to register until August.  I worried then that waiting would mean last pick of classes for my older kids but was reassured by the counselor that they save classes for new students.  Everything went wonderfully smooth at the Elementary and Middle School. But I was pretty disheartened at the High School when we were now informed that although fall registration has not even begun, all of the AP Classes are completely filled, no Honors courses are available, the electives specific to Rebecca's major are also filled and the school places higher priority on all of the existing students first.
I couldn't hold back the tears as we walked out of the school.  Rebecca, my 4.0 over achiever had high hopes of saving thousands of dollars by earning a scholarship, taking more college level classes and is now faced with the choice of taking online AP courses (socially isolating), settling for less challenging classes w/o college credit or possibly switching to a smaller high school where she knows no one.
Later that night as I contemplated and stewed over the possibilities, I listened to the calming music playing on BYUI radio and felt an overwhelming feeling of peace.  I thought of patriarchal blessings.  The words of a scripture came into my mind.
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-7
 I know things happen for a reason we often don't understand, but God can see the bigger picture in our lives and knows the end from the beginning.
I reflected on how if I had gotten what I wanted in college (becoming a music Major)  I may not have chosen to serve a mission, benefited from specific family science courses that have helped me as a mother, or crossed paths with my amazing husband!  But it sure was devastating at the time when I was told no.

Today in church I again felt at peace as I listened to a beautiful cello/piano duet of "Consider the Lilies of the Field" and thought of these lyrics.
"He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky,
And He will feed those who trust Him,
And guide them with His eye."

This evening I was once again blessed with perspective as I played through the treasure I found last night at the Deseret Industries - a piano music book filled with all of the songs from the album "Shepherd Moons" by Enya for just $1! Her music soothes me and reading the inspiration behind some of the songs was equally inspiring
How Can I Keep from Singing - a Shaker hymn that reflects their simple lives and joy in living
Angeles - Angels can comfort and help us in our time of need
Evacuee - a song inspired by a young girl who had been and evacuee during World War II, separated from family, but hopeful of reuniting

Tomorrow morning we head back to the school for official registration and even though things might not work out how we like, I'm feeling more blessed by the perspective that it will be okay and it might end up being even better.  Less stressful classes may mean more time for family and social connections, more time for specific ACT prep, more time to earn money at a side job and perhaps other hidden blessings if we just do everything in our power and trust the rest to the Lord.