Sunday, March 9, 2008

Men, Part 2

This post is actually about Women's Day, but I like the "Men" title better.


International Women's Day was on March 8th. After my Saturday lessons, I celebrated Women's Day by going out and buying myself a skirt, so I could feel a little more like a lady. :)

In the evening I didn't feel like sitting at home, so I went to a free classical music concert featuring a piano/violin/cello trio playing Schubert and Tchaikovsky. It was very relaxing.

I got home and fell asleep before midnight (although I kept being woken up by text messages which had been delayed by holiday traffic). On Sunday morning I didn't have to rush because the guys at church had taken responsibility for worship and childcare, so I didn't have any rehearsing or set-up to do. In the metro people were still laden with flowers and gift bags. Apparently the holiday was continuing.

At church the men led worship and then we listened to a women-themed sermon which began with a poem about the ideal "Russian woman" who is all sweet and hospitable at home and then the next moment can be found out in the fields swinging a sickle. But the sermon was actually based on a different text, Proverbs 31. Biblical, yes. But attainable? I'm not sure which model of the "ideal" women is more realistic. :)


We were also treated to Psalm recitation, serenades, and other musical numbers. I made a little video (see the end of the post) with some excerpts. English-speakers should recognize the first song!




Another one of the songs was dedicated to the little girls at church. Most of the families have daughters. A few families have boys, but those families come less often, so it often seems like we have only girls! The guy who sang the song for daughters has a 3-yr-old. She and another 3-yr-old often roam around during the service. In and out, in and out, following after each other or looking for a "stray" parent. An endless loop. When the song for daughters began, they had been out in the hallway, but soon entered the room. They glanced at the wall where a slideshow had begun. "That's me!" one shouted, recognizing her photo. They both got up close to the slides, pointing and shouting with joy.





It was an "audience-participation"-friendly concert. At the end, we finally got to find out what was in those mysterious boxes, as the men passed out chocolate to the ladies. It was a good holiday.




Denis waves goodbye:






Our bachelors :)







Watch the video!









6 comments:

  1. Your bachelors are cute! I am trying to convince my daughter to go to Russia and find a husband. So far, she has balked.

    I love that last song on your video - "Ot chevo"... We have it on a tape we listen to in the car sometimes - and that is the song that always gets stuck in my mind -as it will today, I bet!

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  2. Ha ha! Well the bachelors read my blog, so hopefully they'll be flattered. :)

    I don't really understand the "ot chevo" song. You must know Russian well!

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  3. Задумался над твоим высказыванием:
    "Biblical, yes? But attainable? I'm not sure which model of the "ideal" women is more realistiс".
    Понял в итоге, что противоречие разрешается в 10 стихе.
    Поэма об идеальной женщине начинается с утверждения, что найти ее достаточно трудно :)))

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  4. "Итак будьте совершенны, как совершен Отец ваш Небесный." Мф. 5:48

    Всегда есть к чему стремиться!

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  5. Занятно, что об идеальном мужчине поэмы не составлено. Видимо, они встречаются еще реже, чем идеальные женщины :)

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  6. Вернее совет дан мужчинам потому что поиск-их! :) Но нам всем нужна мудрость.

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