Sometimes in life, it's not about choosing between right and wrong. Rather, it's about choosing between something good (even REALLY good) and something better.
Today I felt like I had one of those good and better choices to make in deciding whether or not to participate in Music & the Spoken Word. My decision definitely had nothing to do with wanting to sing Christmas songs because I really love to do that. Rather, it had everything to do with the fact it was Christmas Eve! I thought of how good it would be to finally sleep in on a Sunday morning, to make breakfast for my family, to sit with them during our one-hour church service, and to get to actually watch a program of music and spoken word instead of being in one. And best of all, I'd be able to watch my beautiful wife accompany the ward choir on her flute (I haven't been able to see her perform for months now, due to choir-related commitments). It all sounded so lovely. So GOOD, right? I even prayed to know what to do in the hopes that perhaps God would indeed, say "Ryan, you deserve to stay home from your choir obligations so that you can be with your family and support your wife with her performance."
The answer? Well although it sometimes is the better choice to stay home, unfortunately, in this instance, He did not say that. Instead he helped me realize a BETTER choice, at least this time, was to go and fulfill my calling. Not despite it was Christmas Eve, but because it was Christmas Eve--a day in which many of His children traditionally make it a point to seek out a worship service to participate in. And for some, even, it may be the only worship service they attend all year long.
So, just in case that worship service involved watching or listening to Music & the Spoken Word, I sang.
Just in case someone was surfing YouTube and came across our broadcast, I sang.
Just in case someone hit the seek button on their radio and "by chance" tuned into the broadcast, I sang.
Just in case someone needed to feel uplifted and buoyed up by the Christmas spirit, I sang.
And for dedicated listeners and those who were counting on a live performance of the Choir today, I sang.
I thank my fellow Choir and Orchestra members, along with all of the staff and stage crew, for their good examples and their sacrifices in singing/playing/working today. I thank my wife and family for their understanding. And I thank a God who is kind and patient when I sometimes would choose good, rather than better or best.
To each of you, a very Merry Christmas! And just in case you missed today's broadcast and would like it to be a part of your Christmas Eve, you can find it HERE. (It includes one of my favorite Christmas songs--Wexford Carol)
Until next time, God be with you.
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