TCATS #316 - Remembering

If I'm honest (and I truly strive to be), I'd have to say that Choir has been a struggle for me for the past few weeks. 

It's been difficult to find the excitement. 

It's been easy to become cynical. 

It's been challenging to bring life and light into some of the songs we're singing.

It's been hard not to let out a long sigh in anticipation of going through yet another rehearsal full of the exact same feedback we get week after week. 

It's hard not to let the little things bother me and become annoyed at various things that are usually a part of every choir experience. Sometimes I even look at my watch Thursday nights and think "What? We have over an hour to go?" 

Yes, I know what you're thinking. Or at least what some of you are thinking. That I need to take a deep breath, readjust my perspective, and truly realize how many people would absolutely LOVE to take my spot in the Choir. But you know what? Sometimes it just doesn't work. I try and try and try and I don't make much headway. 

I still feel, in my heart, and when I pray about it, that I should stay in this truly grand calling for the unforeseeable future. I still have a work to do. I still have people to influence. Basically, God's not done with me being in the Choir....yet. So because I know and feel these things, I'm left with the task of trying even harder to get the love of this calling back. I've had that love for years and years, only occasionally needing to stave off the complexities of complacency. But now as I start year 7, the complacency battle has reached a new level. I need to attack it from multiple angles and it's going to take a lot of work. 

I've come to realize that the one thing that helps me the most in this battle is REMEMBERING. Remembering how I felt in year #1. Remembering the magic of each song and how I felt when I sang each of them for the first time. Remembering that people around the world are counting on me (which I believe is true). Remembering that there is growth and there are opportunities to improve with repetition. Remembering that I am far, far from perfect and to apply constructive criticism from my directors directly to me. Remembering those times that certain songs have touched me so deeply that I can't imagine my life or my testimony without them. Remembering that at least half of a good attitude is tied to gratitude. 

So. That is my plan. To remember. And if anyone would like to join me on my "Remembering Journey", I'd love to have you along.

Until next time, God be with you.

TCATS #315 - It's the Little Things

In preparing for today's broadcast, I was reminded of how important simple words or small phrases of words can be. This was because even though many of the songs we sung contained several verses and choruses of repetition, remembering the first few words of each of those verses were key in singing the songs accurately. For example, in the first piece, "Down by the Riverside", the key phrases were "Lay down my sword and shield", "Put on my travelin' shoes", "Put on my long white robe", and "Put on my starry crown." If you remembered those, you were almost set with the singing the rest of the song. For "Peace Like a River", it was just "faith", "hope", and "love". ("I've got faith like a river, I've got faith like a river...."  switching to "I've got hope like a river, I've got hope like a river...", etc). For "I'm Runnin' On", the phrases were "Ain't you glad," "Pressin' on", and "Won't turn back." 

The point is, singing these songs by memory became much easier (at least for me) as I just focused on remembering the small and simple "key words". Which illustrates an important principle in life: it's often the little things that mean the most!

From a religious point of view, this can easily be seen by faithful church followers reading the scriptures for a few minutes every day, or taking just a couple of hours to go to church each week, or taking a few minutes to ponder and pray each day. Those who do these things can testify that they make a big difference in being able to resist temptation and adhere to the way of life they are trying hard to live. 

From a simple humanity point of view, a smile, a "hello", sending an unexpected text of appreciation, holding the door open for someone, or simply treating each other with kindness and respect can go a long way in lifting the level of happiness in people. Much of life is filled with routines of repetition--like the songs we sang today. But what can make all the difference in more easily going about that day of routine is to interject the "little things". Little things that will inspire, uplift, and bring greater satisfaction for all involved.

My hope is that we don't discount the little things and have faith they'll make a difference.

Because indeed they will.

Until next time, God be with you. 

TCATS #314 - Calm Before the Storm

January is traditionally a "down" time for the Tabernacle Choir, and January 2020 has been no different. It's nice, really, to just go to rehearsal Thursday nights, prepare for Music and the Spoken Word on Sunday, and get to go home a bit early! It's simple. Even today's broadcast would, in my opinion, fall into the "simple" category. The songs we sang really weren't hard to sing (yes, they took practice, but they were all pretty familiar) and the whole experience just seemed to flow like honey.

Of course our director is telling us to really enjoy this time because the rest of the year will be back to normal (i.e. crazy busy) starting in February. And in looking at our calendar, he's absolutely right. There is an event to two I can't announce yet, but the ones that have been announced include an ACDA performance, an Easter Concert (singing "The Messiah" again), a special General Conference as announced by President Nelson, and a tour to get ready for in June. All of these events will take considerable effort to prepare for and extra rehearsals will start up in earnest very soon.

As we were about to sing God Be With You to our audience today, I scanned the individuals who had come to the Conference Center to see us and tried to figure out WHO to sing to. This is sort of my weekly routine I do. It's easier to do it in the Tabernacle because the people are closer and I can see faces and I get more promptings. But I found a guy who was sitting near the back, alone, and felt to sing to him. So I did. It's kind of funny, really, what goes on in my head when I sing to each of these people. I think that one day I'll get to meet them. One day in heaven, maybe, when all is said and done. I'll get to meet this rather large group of people, each one having attended at least one Music & the Spoken Word broadcasts, each one having been sung to. Chances are very high they don't even know they were sung too! But that would be cool, nonetheless.  

Until next time, God be with you. 

TCATS #313 - The Cycle Begins Again

Thursday night as Ben, Willy and I rode into the Conference Center for rehearsal, we planned on a few extra minutes needed to get our music from our music lockers at the Tabernacle. Normally we take the underground tunnel from the two buildings, but we were told that the tunnel would be closed starting Jan 2nd, and we'd need to travel above ground. So we did that. Then at rehearsal, President Jarrett stood and told us that the tunnel was actually still accessible! So we all took the tunnel back after rehearsal was over, glad to be out of the cold of the night. 

As I was getting my music, one of the choir leaders was giving all of the new choir members a tour of the various facilities underneath the Tabernacle. Signs were posted on how to get into their lockers, and instruction was being giving on various other things that they needed to know. As I looked into their eager, excited eyes, I felt very happy for them. And a bit envious too. Envy because I remember how exciting it all WAS! Am I still excited to be a choir member? Absolutely, but it's a different kind of excitement.  The new-ness, the "what's around the corner", the meeting of new people, the figuring out how things work, the realization of millions of people seeing me on camera....all of that is not a big thing anymore. And I genuinely miss it. 

That said, while the new people are starting their Tabernacle Chorale experience in preparation to join the Choir in May, the rest of us did the first broadcast of the year, today, and were told on Thursday about how busy this year would be for us. I had already known it would be busy looking at our advanced calendar for 2020. But as Mack reiterated that fact verbally, I realized more fully just how busy it would all be. Particularly with an ACDA concert and the tour coming up.

Thankful to be part of it all and as I thus begin my 7th year with this organization, I'm excited for the continued adventures I'll get to be a part of. 

Until next time, God be with you.