Entertaining Angels Unaware

The Sieberts brought two movies that have been a huge hit with our girls…"The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins". It's been great fun watching these classics with the girls and hearing them sing or hum the tunes throughout the day.

One of the first songs in "The Sound of Music" is "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" it's a great song the sisters at the convent sing about their "sister-in-training," Maria. When I look at these girls of ours at Casa Josef, I think that song suits them too. They are not a "problem" in the ordinary sense, but in the way they are so full of life and love and hope. As the song goes, "how do you hold a moonbeam in your hand? It's amazing to interact with them and see, first-hand, their beautiful faith. When life could have easily taught them by now to be disparing and woeful, they are, instead, girls ready to sing praise to God and share what they have been given. Not that they are perfect…just yet anyway. But, by God's grace, these little girls are growing up in the love of Christ in the safe harbor of Casa Josef, unaware that when we look at them, we see angels.

The lyrics of Rodgers And Hammerstein's "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria"

She climbs a tree and scrapes her knee
Her dress has got a tear
She waltzes on her way to Mass
And whistles on the stair
And underneath her wimple
She has curlers in her hair
I even heard her singing in the abbey

She's always late for chapel
But her penitence is real
She's always late for everything
Except for every meal
I hate to have to say it
But I very firmly feel
Maria's not an asset to the abbey

I'd like to say a word in her behalf
Maria makes me laugh

How do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means Maria?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!

Many a thing you know you'd like to tell her
Many a thing she ought to understand
But how do you make her stay
And listen to all you say
How do you keep a wave upon the sand

Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?

When I'm with her I'm confused
Out of focus and bemused
And I never know exactly where I am
Unpredictable as weather
She's as flighty as a feather
She's a darling! She's a demon! She's a lamb!

She'd outpester any pest
Drive a hornet from its nest
She could throw a whirling dervish out of whirl
She is gentle! She is wild!
She's a riddle! She's a child!
She's a headache! She's an angel!
She's a girl!

How do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means Maria?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!

Many a thing you know you'd like to tell her
Many a thing she ought to understand
But how do you make her stay
And listen to all you say
How do you keep a wave upon the sand

Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?