The Habit of Excellence

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. - Aristotle

Today, VIP was excellent. They sang well but more than that - they carried themselves with professionalism and grace. They truly fulfilled their role as music ministers. They swallowed their tears, focused on their work, and delivered some beautiful music. But the beauty, in my eyes, came from the way they executed their task... in the million and one details that they handled, without anyone even realizing it -- just as it's supposed to be.  That's the habit of excellence coming out.

It's no secret that there are high standards for VIP and meeting those standards is a continual quest. Today, those standards were in full view, from the second the choir entered the church until they filed out. For example, at the end of the service, the family left, followed by members of the congregation. VIP sat in perfect silence as the minutes ticked by and the church slowly emptied. Have you ever seen teenagers sit still and silent for a stretch of time? No one fidgeted. No one whispered. They simply waited. That's excellence.

As happy as I was at the music, I was also proud of the way they conducted themselves. And I think Jodi would have been happy, too. She was a huge supporter of VIP and would bring Adam to concerts when he was young.  

I was especially touched that several members of the Class of 2010 journeyed home from college to sing with us. But why should I be surprised? Excellence is a habit, and those guys have been practicing it for many years. They love Adam and VIP, and I think they'd do anything they could to help. 

What a gift it was to serve with ALL the amazing young men and women who make up VIP.

The Habit of Excellence

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. - Aristotle

Today, VIP was excellent. They sang well but more than that - they carried themselves with professionalism and grace. They truly fulfilled their role as music ministers. They swallowed their tears, focused on their work, and delivered some beautiful music. But the beauty, in my eyes, came from the way they executed their task... in the million and one details that they handled, without anyone even realizing it -- just as it's supposed to be.  That's the habit of excellence coming out.

It's no secret that there are high standards for VIP and meeting those standards is a continual quest. Today, those standards were in full view, from the second the choir entered the church until they filed out. For example, at the end of the service, the family left, followed by members of the congregation. VIP sat in perfect silence as the minutes ticked by and the church slowly emptied. Have you ever seen teenagers sit still and silent for a stretch of time? No one fidgeted. No one whispered. They simply waited. That's excellence.

As happy as I was at the music, I was also proud of the way they conducted themselves. And I think Jodi would have been happy, too. She was a huge supporter of VIP and would bring Adam to concerts when he was young.  

I was especially touched that several members of the Class of 2010 journeyed home from college to sing with us. But why should I be surprised? Excellence is a habit, and those guys have been practicing it for many years. They love Adam and VIP, and I think they'd do anything they could to help. 

What a gift it was to serve with ALL the amazing young men and women who make up VIP.

VIP to sing at Memorial Service on Sunday, Aug. 29

Ordinarily, I'd be writing you a cheery, "VIP starts in a few weeks!" message and while I cannot WAIT to see the VIPs and welcome our new members, my message today has a different purpose... Adam Kratz, a 9th grade VIP, lost his mother, Jodi, on Tuesday. A memorial service for Jodi will be held on Sunday, Aug. 29 at Friendship UMC at 2pm, and VIP will sing.

Singing at a funeral is not an easy task and tomorrow will be particulary difficult. It will require courage, grace, compassion, and incredible focus. And I know that VIP will deliver. I am grateful for the fact that nobody rises to a challenge quite like they do. Time and time again, this choir has demonstrated the ability to minister in every type of situation - and I know that they'll do it again tomorrow, even as our hearts break for Adam.

Thank you, VIP, for all the ways you support one another and use music to comfort a world that hurts.

VIP to sing at Memorial Service on Sunday, Aug. 29

Ordinarily, I'd be writing you a cheery, "VIP starts in a few weeks!" message and while I cannot WAIT to see the VIPs and welcome our new members, my message today has a different purpose... Adam Kratz, a 9th grade VIP, lost his mother, Jodi, on Tuesday. A memorial service for Jodi will be held on Sunday, Aug. 29 at Friendship UMC at 2pm, and VIP will sing.

Singing at a funeral is not an easy task and tomorrow will be particulary difficult. It will require courage, grace, compassion, and incredible focus. And I know that VIP will deliver. I am grateful for the fact that nobody rises to a challenge quite like they do. Time and time again, this choir has demonstrated the ability to minister in every type of situation - and I know that they'll do it again tomorrow, even as our hearts break for Adam.

Thank you, VIP, for all the ways you support one another and use music to comfort a world that hurts.

An Overdue Update

Hi VIPs!

Yes, I am alive and a-ok in Russia. I'm sorry for the lack o' updates!

When I last wrote to you, I was in Orel with the Team. We were having a grand time, getting to know the good folks at Millenium UMC (sister church to Trinity UMC in Prince Frederick) and then the smog hit... and a State of Emergency was declared both in Vorornezh (the area we were heading to) and in Moscow... the text messages flew... and the questions came... and decisions had to be made about what we would do.

It was a group leader's nightmare. Thank goodness for Rev. Charles Harrell and his solid leadership! In the end, Charles opted to go with Plan A and made no changes to the schedule. Our contacts in Voronezh assured us that the camp was safe and the air was clear, and under the circumstances - that seemed like the best option.

My heart went out to Charles as he analyzed data and processed the options and listened for God's direction. It was an incredible lesson and as painful as it probably was for Charles, I'm glad for the opportunity to watch a veteran mission leader wrestle with an incredibly tough situation.

We worshipped with Millenium UMC on Sunday and then headed to Voronezh. On Monday, we started our work projects -- spackling and painting! One team painted and wallpapered a house, while another spackled and painted a ceiling in the conference center. The paint was oil-based and phew - those fumes were something.

I got another lesson, this one in healthcare... Karen hadn't been feeling well since the Team arrived in Moscow and she finally agreed to go to the hospital. So, off she and Charles went with translator in tow. Karen is fine now and had a great experience at the hospital. Seriously! She was in and out, and apparently had a dreamy doctory and some helpful medicines. We should all be so fortunate... I have never had to take a VIP to the hospital and while I pray I never will, I'm glad to know how the process works.

More info to come...
H.

An Overdue Update

Hi VIPs!

Yes, I am alive and a-ok in Russia. I'm sorry for the lack o' updates!

When I last wrote to you, I was in Orel with the Team. We were having a grand time, getting to know the good folks at Millenium UMC (sister church to Trinity UMC in Prince Frederick) and then the smog hit... and a State of Emergency was declared both in Vorornezh (the area we were heading to) and in Moscow... the text messages flew... and the questions came... and decisions had to be made about what we would do.

It was a group leader's nightmare. Thank goodness for Rev. Charles Harrell and his solid leadership! In the end, Charles opted to go with Plan A and made no changes to the schedule. Our contacts in Voronezh assured us that the camp was safe and the air was clear, and under the circumstances - that seemed like the best option.

My heart went out to Charles as he analyzed data and processed the options and listened for God's direction. It was an incredible lesson and as painful as it probably was for Charles, I'm glad for the opportunity to watch a veteran mission leader wrestle with an incredibly tough situation.

We worshipped with Millenium UMC on Sunday and then headed to Voronezh. On Monday, we started our work projects -- spackling and painting! One team painted and wallpapered a house, while another spackled and painted a ceiling in the conference center. The paint was oil-based and phew - those fumes were something.

I got another lesson, this one in healthcare... Karen hadn't been feeling well since the Team arrived in Moscow and she finally agreed to go to the hospital. So, off she and Charles went with translator in tow. Karen is fine now and had a great experience at the hospital. Seriously! She was in and out, and apparently had a dreamy doctory and some helpful medicines. We should all be so fortunate... I have never had to take a VIP to the hospital and while I pray I never will, I'm glad to know how the process works.

More info to come...
H.

Pictures from Russia

Red Square

Me in front of St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Bail's Cathedral

Shopping mall by Red Square - for the VIP shoppers. :)

Moscow Train Station

Arriving on the train in Orel

Love it!

Go Karting in Russia!

Go Karts

Everybody jump!

Outside an Orthodox church

Coffee shop

Me & Vlad the Translator

Pictures from Russia

Red Square

Me in front of St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Bail's Cathedral

Shopping mall by Red Square - for the VIP shoppers. :)

Moscow Train Station

Arriving on the train in Orel

Love it!

Go Karting in Russia!

Go Karts

Everybody jump!

Outside an Orthodox church

Coffee shop

Me & Vlad the Translator

Sunday in Russia

Hello VIPs –


It’s Sunday morning here in Russia and what a weekend this has been. An update will be coming soon to our team blog. The team and I are all well, and I have come to really appreciate the ways that God is using me. Not what I expected (at all!) but an honor to serve in a different capacity.

I will hoepfully have time later today to share some pictures of my Russia trip so far, including my (thankfully smog-free) visit to Moscow! I was only in Moscow for a day and have spent the rest of the time in a smaller town called Orel. I’m not sure if VIP will make it here but I hope you’ll enjoy the photos!

I’ll also ask you to pray for the safety and health of our Team. Moscow and Voronezh are both under a State of Emergency in response to wildfires and dangerous smog in the region. We are safe and we’re keeping an eye on the situation and will adjust our plans as needed. This is all incredibly bizarre and not typical of a Russian summer. The average August temperature in Moscow is 63 degrees, but this year, temperatures have been well into the 90s on most days.

Praying for cooler weather in 2012… :-)

Love,

Holly

Sunday in Russia

Hello VIPs –


It’s Sunday morning here in Russia and what a weekend this has been. An update will be coming soon to our team blog. The team and I are all well, and I have come to really appreciate the ways that God is using me. Not what I expected (at all!) but an honor to serve in a different capacity.

I will hoepfully have time later today to share some pictures of my Russia trip so far, including my (thankfully smog-free) visit to Moscow! I was only in Moscow for a day and have spent the rest of the time in a smaller town called Orel. I’m not sure if VIP will make it here but I hope you’ll enjoy the photos!

I’ll also ask you to pray for the safety and health of our Team. Moscow and Voronezh are both under a State of Emergency in response to wildfires and dangerous smog in the region. We are safe and we’re keeping an eye on the situation and will adjust our plans as needed. This is all incredibly bizarre and not typical of a Russian summer. The average August temperature in Moscow is 63 degrees, but this year, temperatures have been well into the 90s on most days.

Praying for cooler weather in 2012… :-)

Love,

Holly

Russia Update!

You know you’re on a Mission trip when all the days blur together. Many exciting things are happening this week. One of the hallelujah moments: I was reunited with my luggage only 36 hours after it went missing. Hooray!

Back to the exciting things… here’s some the cool stuff I have done:


Visited the Kremlin

Seen The Nutcracker in Moscow

Visited an art gallery and a military history museum (guess which one of these I preferred!)

Enjoyed coffee from the Russia version of Starbucks (as Scott Dean would say – WOW!)

Toured an Orthodox Cathedral (and I wore the required scarf… which made me remember the infamous “Packing Video.” Before we come to Russia, we need to watch the section on How to Tie a Scarf. Haha)

Watched fireworks as the city of Orel celebrates its version of Independence Day on Aug. 5

Had a LOT of good food.

Ridden a ferris wheel.

Saw a sign on a shop in Moscow that said “Mary Flora.” I kid you not! I couldn’t get my camera out fast enough to snap a picture but when I return, I am definitely going to try and track down this place.

Played charades with a Russian family, and (with my team) did a litte singing and dancing. We even taught them the Cupid Shuffle.... ah, American culture.

And then there’s the VIP logistics stuff. I have:

Been practicing my Russian!
Started mapping out our itinerary, paying close attention to the effects of jet lag

Been examining just how we’ll keep the choir hydrated – they don’t sell bags of ice in Russia so we may all have to get used to drinking lukewarm water.

Wondered about any uniform adjustments we’ll need to make... IF we sing in an Orthodox Cathedral, I’m not sure if the lack of sleeves on our black dresses will be problematic. (Shrug shopping, anyone?)

Been on the lookout for fun things that VIP will like (ballet, a Moscow amusement park, and karaoke… I’m still looking for mini golf!)

Purchased Russian coloring books for VIP (seriously, many of the VIPs like to color!) I also bought the cool banner that says "Welcome" in Russian.

Talked at length with a Russian Presbyterian minister (quite a feat considering he speaks no English and I speak no Russian…)

Scouted out cell phones and data services that will keep us connected on our trip

Walked and talked a LOT with a fantastic translator named Vlad about our language needs. Vlad rocks.


On a whole other level, I’m experiencing life in a group when you’re not the director and you’re new to the group. I find myself experiencing things on this trip, and remembering conversations I’ve had with VIPs over the years and thinking, “Oh, this is what he/she was talking about.” It’s like this lightbulb goes off and for the first time, I know exactly how they feel. I'll try to give you a few examples in my next post. 

Know that I'm doing well and thinking about the VIPs constantly. I miss the VIP crew and am counting down till September when rehearsals kick back up again!

Love,
Holly

Russia Update!

You know you’re on a Mission trip when all the days blur together. Many exciting things are happening this week. One of the hallelujah moments: I was reunited with my luggage only 36 hours after it went missing. Hooray!

Back to the exciting things… here’s some the cool stuff I have done:


Visited the Kremlin

Seen The Nutcracker in Moscow

Visited an art gallery and a military history museum (guess which one of these I preferred!)

Enjoyed coffee from the Russia version of Starbucks (as Scott Dean would say – WOW!)

Toured an Orthodox Cathedral (and I wore the required scarf… which made me remember the infamous “Packing Video.” Before we come to Russia, we need to watch the section on How to Tie a Scarf. Haha)

Watched fireworks as the city of Orel celebrates its version of Independence Day on Aug. 5

Had a LOT of good food.

Ridden a ferris wheel.

Saw a sign on a shop in Moscow that said “Mary Flora.” I kid you not! I couldn’t get my camera out fast enough to snap a picture but when I return, I am definitely going to try and track down this place.

Played charades with a Russian family, and (with my team) did a litte singing and dancing. We even taught them the Cupid Shuffle.... ah, American culture.

And then there’s the VIP logistics stuff. I have:

Been practicing my Russian!
Started mapping out our itinerary, paying close attention to the effects of jet lag

Been examining just how we’ll keep the choir hydrated – they don’t sell bags of ice in Russia so we may all have to get used to drinking lukewarm water.

Wondered about any uniform adjustments we’ll need to make... IF we sing in an Orthodox Cathedral, I’m not sure if the lack of sleeves on our black dresses will be problematic. (Shrug shopping, anyone?)

Been on the lookout for fun things that VIP will like (ballet, a Moscow amusement park, and karaoke… I’m still looking for mini golf!)

Purchased Russian coloring books for VIP (seriously, many of the VIPs like to color!) I also bought the cool banner that says "Welcome" in Russian.

Talked at length with a Russian Presbyterian minister (quite a feat considering he speaks no English and I speak no Russian…)

Scouted out cell phones and data services that will keep us connected on our trip

Walked and talked a LOT with a fantastic translator named Vlad about our language needs. Vlad rocks.


On a whole other level, I’m experiencing life in a group when you’re not the director and you’re new to the group. I find myself experiencing things on this trip, and remembering conversations I’ve had with VIPs over the years and thinking, “Oh, this is what he/she was talking about.” It’s like this lightbulb goes off and for the first time, I know exactly how they feel. I'll try to give you a few examples in my next post. 

Know that I'm doing well and thinking about the VIPs constantly. I miss the VIP crew and am counting down till September when rehearsals kick back up again!

Love,
Holly

The Official Russia Blog

Looking for more Russia info? The Team Blog is: http://blagodot.blogspot.com

I'm just one of the writers on the Team Blog so when I am writing, there may be some overlap between some of the posts and the VIP blog. :-)

The Official Russia Blog

Looking for more Russia info? The Team Blog is: http://blagodot.blogspot.com

I'm just one of the writers on the Team Blog so when I am writing, there may be some overlap between some of the posts and the VIP blog. :-)

Here I am, Lord, in Russia!

Greetings from Moscow - breakfast is AMAZING and the hotel not only has a white baby grand in the lobby, they have another one in the giant breakfast room with a piano player! And would you like to know what he played? Well, we began with a lovely rendition of "Younger than Springtime" before transitioning into Britney Spears, "Oops, I Did it Again."  Seriously.

So, I know you're wondering - what's on the breakfast menu?

Standard breakfast fare - toast, fruit, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, omelette, bacon, cereals, coffee, tea, juice, water, ICE


But also - crepes, a GIANT dessert table, a chocolate fountain with fruits and macaroons for dipping, spaghetti and meatballs,  pizza (though not the traditional American kind), vegetables, cheese and meats, vegetables stuffed with cheese and things, and all sorts of foods that I can't identify but looked really good.  

People said "Oh, the food in Russia isn't good" but I am telling you, folks, I have never had seen such a breakfast spread.  I took pictures and will post them as soon as I can.

All of this sort-of makes up for lost luggage, record-high temperatures, and un-air conditioned rooms.

In other news - I am enjoying the daily devotionals and am grateful for the ways that God is working. This morning's message was about being united in community. Sound familiar? Courtney led us on a similar topic on our first night of Choir Tour 2010!


We have a songbook and sing a few tunes during devotional. One of today's songs was "Here I Am, Lord" -- and how could I not think of VIP? Here I was, sitting outside in Moscow, hearing VIPs singing their version.

Already, God is... reminding me in some very visible ways that when we think we have nothing left, we discover that we have everything we need in him. It's hard to put into words, but I think I came to Russia with this agenda for VIP and a game plan in my head about what I needed to accomplish. And God just takes that plan and says, "Nope. I have something else." What else can I do, other than sing, "I will go, Lord, if you lead me."

Here I am, Lord, in Russia!

Greetings from Moscow - breakfast is AMAZING and the hotel not only has a white baby grand in the lobby, they have another one in the giant breakfast room with a piano player! And would you like to know what he played? Well, we began with a lovely rendition of "Younger than Springtime" before transitioning into Britney Spears, "Oops, I Did it Again."  Seriously.

So, I know you're wondering - what's on the breakfast menu?

Standard breakfast fare - toast, fruit, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, omelette, bacon, cereals, coffee, tea, juice, water, ICE


But also - crepes, a GIANT dessert table, a chocolate fountain with fruits and macaroons for dipping, spaghetti and meatballs,  pizza (though not the traditional American kind), vegetables, cheese and meats, vegetables stuffed with cheese and things, and all sorts of foods that I can't identify but looked really good.  

People said "Oh, the food in Russia isn't good" but I am telling you, folks, I have never had seen such a breakfast spread.  I took pictures and will post them as soon as I can.

All of this sort-of makes up for lost luggage, record-high temperatures, and un-air conditioned rooms.

In other news - I am enjoying the daily devotionals and am grateful for the ways that God is working. This morning's message was about being united in community. Sound familiar? Courtney led us on a similar topic on our first night of Choir Tour 2010!


We have a songbook and sing a few tunes during devotional. One of today's songs was "Here I Am, Lord" -- and how could I not think of VIP? Here I was, sitting outside in Moscow, hearing VIPs singing their version.

Already, God is... reminding me in some very visible ways that when we think we have nothing left, we discover that we have everything we need in him. It's hard to put into words, but I think I came to Russia with this agenda for VIP and a game plan in my head about what I needed to accomplish. And God just takes that plan and says, "Nope. I have something else." What else can I do, other than sing, "I will go, Lord, if you lead me."