Mourning to Dancing

This blog serves as a way to share my heart after losing the one I loved, Jody Moreing Frankfurt, to lung cancer. My hope is that as I learn to mourn her loss, that I will glorify God. Thank you for reading this blog! Please feel free to comment - it is a tremendous encouragement to me.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Sorting It Out



I am fellowshipping sweetly with my unbelievable bride today. Recently I prepped the guest closet to accommodate the things I have to keep for now. I assembled these wardrobe racks which I need to help the sorting process in the living room - and then set about transferring Jody's closet (batch by batch). I have been going through every single garment one by one - remembering as much as I can about it - touching it, emptying the pockets, breathing it in, holding it, buttoning it up and then sorting it to the appropriate rack. As I do that part, I follow a dear friends advice - I picture in my mind actually handing the dress (or whatever) to Jesus to give to Jody for me. It probably sounds crazy but it gives me a lot of comfort. And then I say goodbye to those garments in my heart - releasing them to Him.

The ones that I can't say goodbye too yet go into the guest closet for another time. Wedding dress; the hot little red number I gave her from Harrods when in London; a couple things we bought in Italy made in those towns; three dresses I just can't see anyone else in; her Jean Dress from Kiev, and a couple others that mean a lot to me personally - that sort of stuff. I've wept for hours - but I take breaks and overall feel an amazing strength from the Lord.

What can I say. It hurts. I hate death and I hate the enemy and I hate sin yet am riddled with it. Life, especially marriage - is not for sissies.

But I love my Lord for the sweetness of these memories. I thank Him for the healing I sense taking place - just to get me to this point where I could face this task. I thank Him for the closeness I have with Jody's sisters and family.

I still have to deal with the dresser - but today I glorify God for letting me accomplish so much so soon. Thank you for reading and for your prayers!

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Remembering Judy Wright Moreing


Remembering Judy Wright Moreing - Scott Frankfurt - 7-12-07

Mia, Jill, Kelly; Thank you – for such a lovely tribute to the composer of the songs contained in that medley; my mother-in-law Judy. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Scott Frankfurt. I’ve known Judy for almost twenty years. I was married to one of Judy’s beautiful daughters, Jody. In September last year, my beloved went to be with her Lord. He released her from a cancer battle and now she is in bliss, reunited with her mom and her dad, and the three of them are no doubt cheering us on as we remember our precious Judy Wright Moreing.

Before I share what is on my heart about Judy, I’d first like to say a word about what a privilege it is to be a part of this family. I can’t describe what an honor it is to be a Moreing “in-law”. I have always enjoyed the warmth of this family. When Jody introduced her long haired rocker boyfriend from LA to Jim and Judy, they reacted as if I had dropped out of heaven. Judy’s children and their spouses are among the best friends I have on earth. Our relationships are deep and cured with endless prayers. I love my nephews and nieces to pieces - Joanna, Stephanie and Katie, Chris, Danny, Jamie and Nate. What treasures all of you are.

There is so much spiritual and artistic excellence in this family, it’s overwhelming. “Fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree” – and so it is with Judy Moreing and her kids. What excellence and artistry we see in the Moreing’s, the LaPoint’s, and the Russell’s.

I was invited to speak about Judy from a musical point of view - and to share a perspective from Jody regarding Judy’s legacy of faith - and it is a privilege to do so.

Judy The Artist

I’ve been in the music industry almost thirty years and have interacted with most every type of artist and talent you can think of. Some are born with talent; Some learn it through hard work; Some are more savvy; some are posers with great business skills - but truly compelling artists ooze authenticity. They can’t help creating, learning, reflecting, reshaping - and thereby exhilarating and challenging their audience. Their art reflects their very souls. And these truly authentic, compelling artists, throughout history share an important charateristic. This characteristic allows them to expose their souls for all to see – and that characteristic is courage.

Judy Wright was precisely this type of courageous artist. Her talents hearken from a day when you actually had to have the discipline to sing, play an instrument, and get it right the first time with no mistakes - LIVE - before an audience or live radio broadcast or on a recording session. Not only that, but you had to be entertaining, witty, articulate and charming. In our day and age with all of the technology we use regularly in the music business, it is almost impossible to find such talent, such versatility, such comprehensive excellence. It hardly exists. But Judy was the real thing. She was courageous in her art – and courageous in every aspect of her whole life.

Music Biography

Judy, at a very young age, was sensational as she sang at the piano, or played the violin. Her talent wasn’t hard to recognize. In the 1930s she took first prize in a songwriting contest, which landed her a unique opportunity with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, one of the most famous big bands of the time. The Paul Whiteman Orchestra is particularly notable for introducing a little tune called “Rhapsody in Blue” with a little known piano player named George Gershwin. This orchestra performed Judy’s song!

Now - even before MTV - being gorgeous doesn’t hurt you as an artist! Judy had the goods their too. She reigned as Indiana's "Tomato Queen" in 1939. Let’s face it. She was a babe. Jody and I have a favorite photograph of her which hangs in my studio. She is in high heels, a gorgeous formal black gown, hair back, smiling, eyes glittering - while pretending to be on the phone. Jody and I had great laughs as I would playfully tease that I married her to “get to Judy”.

In the 1940’s Judy went pro. Her touring career began with the George Olson Band who was a popular and prolific Victor recording artist; and later she toured with the Henry King Orchestra and married band mate Bobby Borger. With the Henry King Orchestra, her career grew to the point of going out on her own with a quartet named "The Three Punches And Judy". They played great venues including the Cirque Room at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.

Then, tragedy struck. Judy lost her first husband Bobby to cancer. After this heartbreaking period, KNBC radio pursued and featured Judy on her own radio show. It was called "Judy's the Name" where she once again hooked listeners with her voice, her violin and charm, and she became known as "the Sweetheart of San Francisco." With her career in full bloom, she fell in love with her beloved Jim Moreing and was married June 28 1946. She retired from touring and became a most excellent wife and mother. But even amidst the busyness of being a wife and mother of five, the courageous artist in her would not be held back.

A Radical Life Change

At the age of 48, Judy surrendered her life to Jesus Christ. Among the new fruit in her life, she began composing songs that reflected her faith in God. This led to a self produced full length album. You see, a true artist will create based on that which is most profoundly affecting their own soul. The compositions "Rivers of Living Water", "I Can Do All Things Through Christ" and "I Must Keep My Eyes On Thee" reflect exactly that. We hear Judy’s soul.

Thank you Judy, for having the courage to share your artistry, your soul, with all of us.

Legacy of Faith

Now I’d like to share some thoughts about Judy’s legacy – and I’d ask you to indulge me as I do so from the vantage point of her daughter, my wife Jody.

Jody was just like her Mom in that she started in music at an early age. They both excelled in their craft; they both played instruments, sang, composed, entertained; and they both came to know Jesus Christ later in life and they both allowed God to completely reshape their lives and their art. Judy was Jody’s worship hero.

Jody’s perspective regarding her mother was publicly shared in a talk Jody gave to a group of women a couple years ago, assembled at Grace Community Church. It’s priceless in that it simply and accurately describes Judy from the perspective of a daughter who was profoundly influenced by her mother.

So – if you will indulge me, I’d like to share a portion of a tape so you can hear the words from Jody’s lips:

(PLAY THE TAPE)
I want to tell you about my worship hero - my mother. At the age of 48 she became a Christian, at 51 she had a stroke and as a result lost her speech and was paralyzed on her right side. But this handicap never kept her from being first and foremost a worshiper! God was her highest priority. Judy was always up before anyone else, at her little table with her bible open working on her lesson, painstakingly, writing with left hand (was right handed); memorizing her verses with her “new voice” slow and deliberate. But you know what? That woman glowed – and she was incandescent – incancescent in the A.W. Tozer sense - who said that we should fellowship daily with the Lord to the point of incandescence. That had a tremendous impact on me.
(END OF TAPE)

And that faithfulness had a tremendous impact on me and everyone that knew her. That was Judy. I hasten to add, that was Jody too. I lived with it every day. That’s the real legacy – a legacy of faith.

On a personal note, I believe (on a biblical basis) that saints who have gone on to heaven are aware of events on the earth – and likely are part of that cloud of witnesses who cheer us on to better our spiritual walk with the Lord. So if I’m right, I’m happy to address you directly Judy!

Thank you Mom, for modeling so much courage in life, authenticity as you pursued your art, integrity before your family, your husband, and most of all your Lord. Thank you for dropping a bomb of faithfulness into the lives of your children – who now exhibit your legacy of faith in their art; and their rich and deep spiritual lives.

I think it is profound that many years ago, Judy and Jody were in a recording studio together recording “I Want to Walk with Jesus”. I believe that moment was an earthly echo of a future heavenly reality, possibly, literally taking place at this very moment as they “walk with Jesus”.

[Addressing the family…] One day soon, we too, believing, will walk the streets of gold together.

Judy, I like to imagine that you and your daughter have been doing some co-writing for the King. I am certain that no song has sounded sweeter.

May all of us be as authentic, as courageous, and as faithful to honor our creator like our beloved Judith Wright Moreing has.