MTC #221 - The Payoff

There are payoffs for everything.
The payoff for completing a project at work is receiving a "job well done!" (and maybe monetary compensation if you work for a really great company).
The payoff for being a parent is seeing one of your kids succeed at something and remember what you taught them.
The payoff for diligent exercise is more energy and a healthier body.
The list goes on.

The payoff for hours and hours of extra choir rehearsals is performing in a concert. And this time, specifically, The Messiah concert. 

The choir and orchestra, along with four soloists, performed The Messiah this past week and though I wasn't able to enjoy the payoff myself, everyone that I talked to (performers and audience members) said it was a remarkable experience. Congregations all over the world were invited to not only watch the concert via live stream, but to sing along as well. To that end, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provided a downloadable PDF of the score along with instructions for how best to learn the chorus parts. At the time of this writing, the Concert has been viewed over 52K times and the accompanying chat shows people sharing their comments and appreciation from Australia, Chile, Peru, Mexico and various other countries. I think it was a success!

Tyler Nelson, on today's MSW broadcast

The tenor soloist who sang at the concerts, Tyler Nelson, joined the choir and orchestra on the Music & the Spoken Word broadcast today. What an amazing voice! As I wasn't able to participate in the concerts, it really meant a lot to me that I could see him perform today, and could participate in singing "Worthy is the Lamb Who Was Slain"--the powerful grand finale of The Messiah, which was the closing song on the broadcast. I'm thankful for such wonderful music that testifies of Jesus Christ, and particularly thankful for it during this time of the  year that we get to celebrate Easter.

Until next time, God be with you.

 

MTC #220 - Noticing

My View Today

It's been a very long week. I missed choir last Sunday, and then missed it again on Thursday due to a lung infection-- which zapped all my energy and definitely zapped all of my lung capacity. The old familiar saying that goes something like "You don't know what you're missing until you don't have it anymore" rang true on several levels. I couldn't go jogging; going up the stairs or moving too quickly caused me to be out of breath; and almost worst of all was not being able to sing. All of those things were replaced with moving around s  l  o  w  l  y, taking lots of breaks, continually catching my breath, and watching my whirlwind family life just swirl around me and not being able to be a part of it. In fact, my wife had one of her busiest weeks, and all I could do is cheer from the sidelines and wish I could do more to lighten the load. 

Yes, it was frustrating. But in all of my "moving slow" moments, I became thankful for a lot of things that before, I had taken for granted. I mean who, really, thanks God for being able to go up stairs without being winded? I sure hadn't until this past week! 

I went to choir this morning and sat in the balcony observing the choir rehearse and perform. It was nice to just listen, but like always, my heart was wanting to be singing. After the broadcast, I moved over to occupy the last row in the loft ready to try and sing as we moved into rehearsing for our Messiah concert this week. I was partially successful and felt encouraged. But I just didn't have a lot of breath during the sustained notes and realized I'd have to just do my best and be OK with my limitations for now. At least I was able to sing some of the notes.

So I guess the take home message is to be grateful for the little things and the things that you may not notice. I'm thankful for breathing. I'm thankful for breathing deeply. I'm thankful for normally having energy. I'm thankful for exercise. I'm thankful to be a very involved dad who loves working hard at home and with family needs. I'm thankful for singing and for being able to sing with the Motab choir. And I'm thankful for all the many, many people out there who struggle with much harder physical challenges each and every day. My week, or two, or even three, is nothing in comparison with those whose struggles don't ever go away. 

What blessing that you're normally not consciously thankful for, can you think of, (and be thankful for) today?

Until next time, God be with you.

MTC #218 - Lives on the Line

The choir was all abuzz about the weather, this morning. My carpool buddy Ben, and I, don't ever remember such a winter storm happening on a Sunday morning as long as we've been in the choir (4+ years). But happen it did. As we crawled along the freeway at 30-40 MPH, swerving this way and that, we felt deep relief as we finally pulled into the Conference Center parking lot. We only had 5 minutes or so to go get changed and up into the loft for rehearsal. But we thought that if there was any day that the choir leadership was going to waive the penalty for latecomers, it was going to be today.

With the weather the way it was, the Tabernacle wasn't too full, although there were more there than I thought there was going to be. The program went well and I think my most-loved song of the day was "The Morning Breaks." The comfort of knowing that Someone is guiding and leading us today--in a world where secular leadership does very little to help solve the ills of society--is a reality that I'm grateful for. And I'll be grateful for when I can finally go home.  " Jehovah speaks! Let earth give ear, and Gentile nations turn and live.
His mighty arm is making bare, his covenant people to receive."

After the broadcast, we continued rehearsing selections from The Messiah. Tickets for this upcoming concert "sold out" in about 15 minutes, though I hear there are still seats available at one of the watch-on-the-big-screen locations. 

Other than that, the speeding train continues moving forward for the Choir. There isn't too much to see out the train window for right now, but that always changes...often.

Until next time, God be with you.