On Thursday night as we walked into the Tabernacle to take our seats for rehearsal, the large movie screens on either side displayed the following information:
Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra
2020 Tour
June 25 - July 16, 2020
Finally! We had been waiting for quite some time now to hear about where we were headed in 2020, and after some warm-up by Maestro Mack, President Jarrett thanked us all for coming and proceeded with the slide presentation. With cheers and clapping, the next slide (and future slides) let us know that the 2020 "Heritage Tour" will include 10 concerts at venues in six countries: Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Wales, and Scotland. You can read the official press release, HERE. I have a lot of mixed emotions and concerns about tours in general, but now the task at hand is figuring out what the Lord wants my wife and I to do, given a variety of factors that need to be weighed and considered. Some of these factors include the length of the tour (22 days), the cost of a spouse coming ($7500), and the events going on in our lives next summer.
In other news, today's broadcast was a Memorial Day Special and we sang an unprecedented number of patriotic songs to celebrate those who have lost their lives in defending our freedom. The broadcast was fast-paced and really demanded complete attention in going from one song to another. But it went well and Mack was pleased and as a bonus, I knew a few people in the audience--which always adds to the whole experience. My wife's cousin was in town (who currently lives in Costa Rica), and she brought her kids with her--including a "super fan" of the choir--her 11-year old son, Garrett. I had no idea he was such a fan until just a few days ago, and he was super excited to finally see the choir in-person. Afterwards, I met them outside the Tabernacle with a friend of mine, and presented Garrett with our latest CD "Let Us All Press On"--which included signatures of various men in the choir. He was stoked :)
Singing the patriotic songs today made me think not only of the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for my freedom, but also of the state our nation is in and how divided we are. It's a dismal thought. BUT, I quickly thought of all of the loving, kind, and tolerant people in my life and how grateful I am for them. I'm not sure about the the future of our "united" states, but I am sure that if we all keep trying to do our part by being civil, respectful, and kind, that progress CAN be made. It's up to me. And it's up to you.
Until next time, God be with you.
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