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Just the day before the other day a student asked me to help them find a book, online if possible.  Written by Peter T. O’Brien.  This was a commentary on Hebrews.  Such requests are always fun, especially when this is one of those students who is probably as smart, or smarter than me!

A quick search of Amazon found that I could buy a paper copy for upwards of $700.  That immediately intrigued me.  I looked for a full text of the book online.  Not much available on reputable sites. 

Then Google search kicked in.

A slight mention was made of a statement by the publisher – just a short blurb!  So I went to the publisher’s site and found out that less than a decade after publishing the book (and a hefty volume it was!), the company ceased publication.  The statement revealed that the author had plagiarized parts of the book – a hint of his apology is given.  And the book is no longer available (and no other reprint publisher is looking to venture into that territory).  Used book dealers are loving it!  The lowest price was in the $200 dollar range.  Higher ranges almost hit the $1,000 range.

Which makes obvious to us something that has been a whisper for years.  If you really want publicity or to become famous – either die or do something scandalous. 

We were discussing prayer the other night in our small group.  The operative phrase that I kept hearing was “When our prayers are amiss” – with the idea that we don’t get answers from God when we don’t pray aright!

Of course my mind went off on a tangent.

Here’s my new phrase:  “I would rather not have my prayers a-miss.  I’m all for having them a-hit!”

Now to figure out how to secure that thought and action!

There is a Greek word that has always troubled me.

Or more rightly, the transliteration of the word.

Hagios.  This is a word for a person.  Not to mix this up with all sorts of slang, or politically correct or even totally made up words for a person.  This is a word you might have heard two millenia ago.

Unfortunately the English language makes this word sound a little strange – almost derogatory.

What is a hag?  Which is what you first hear when you speak the word.  To most that is a dishevelled woman looking more like a witch than an upright society lady.  The ending “ios” sort of gets lost.

Now for the good news?  The word actually means “saint”.

Steve Mealey had a legacy.  Music could be you!  His teaching of band in the “middle of somewhere” was the inspiration of a premier of an exquisite piece of music.

As one of his students, Mr. Reece (the “proper” name for the current band teacher where Steve used to teach) said about the piece, that it was “commissioned for Big Band by Band Parents organizations and community members in Steve’s memory. Paul Suchan did a phenomenal job capturing Steve in this piece and transposed directly from recordings and videos of Steve. Vanessa Klassen did an absolutely incredible job performing the solo for this world premier!”

Thanks, Steve, for the great memories and the taste of music that continues to linger on.  Thanks, Vanessa, for your own heartfelt expression through the instrument that Steve loved – the clarinet.  And to the USask Jazz Ensemble and Greystone Singers, thanks for a concert that the “middle of somewhere” will remember for some time!