During my time at NDSU, I was a part of a Women’s Chorus – Cant emus. A big group of ladies voices that joined together to make something beautiful. Well, usually it was beautiful. We had a fair share of eye-brow-raising, ear-perking moments, but overall it was a lovely universal voice.
My choir leader was Charlotte Moe. A fun-filed, vibrant leader who was always pushing us to be our best. Not something, or someone that we weren’t, but our best.
Now, years later, there are things that have stuck with me that I get to use with my students.
One of those points came during our warm-ups. As we would stretch out our necks, our shoulders, and our vocal chords, Charlotte would emphasize how we shouldn’t look up without opening up our mouths. How having that extra tension on our neck muscles wasn’t helpful and rather harmful.
So rather than looking up with a clamped shut mouth, the mouth should be open – causing a look of Ah.
The night sky in Uganda is filled with crazy stars. Similar to North Dakota winter skies all the time. Out in the village, the lack of yard lights, street lights and home lights creates a perfect view of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere stars.
As we look up at the stars, I’m reminded of Charlotte’s teaching of How to Look Up.
And how amazing it is that the God who created my body and how it functions – Even made it good for me to Look Up with Wonder. With a mouth open in Awe.
O Lord, our Lord! How majestic is your name in all the earth! …
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic if your name in all the earth!
notesofanomad 