The video project in the room of requirement.

Wow, that was fun. 

Last night I got to work on a little filming project for a medley of pioneer hymns that I arranged.  We've been up in Rexburg this week, hanging out with my my husband's family, and this is also where we went to college, at BYU-Idaho.  I've been trying to concoct a plan for how to get a video of me singing this arrangement so that I can share it with people for the 24th of July, but my list of assets doesn't include even a hay penny right now, so we had to get creative. Anyway, I found a student from BYU-Idaho majoring in communications who agreed to shoot the song, both of us viewing it as a free opportunity to get experience and share a message of faith. 

It turned out to be a bit tricky to nail down a location since all the best pianos on campus can only be reserved by real music department people (shucks, I'm a has been!), so we decided to meet up at a certain room in the student center that has a grand piano (that I was 70 % sure would be locked) and then just see what we could find.  We got there, and of course the room was locked.  A few other options in that building were being used by other groups. Okay.  I know this is going to work, but how?!

Well, I've been reading in Exodus about the children of Israel, and I have really been trying to be less whiny and murmury than they were on their journey.  You know, every time they run up against an obstacle of any sort (huge ocean in the way, no water, no food, etc.) they start to freak out and basically say, "Moses, why did you even bring us here?  It would have been better to be slaves in Egypt still, rather than die here in the wilderness."  Whenever I read their story, since of course I know how it ends, I think, "Come on, people!  Have a little faith!  God is going to PART the Red Sea, and he's going to rain food down from the sky for 40 years, so stop having a conniption.  It's all going to work out."  So last night, as I started to get anxious and wonder how and where we were going to shoot this video, I thought of those whiny children of Israel and caught myself before I started to complain. Instead, I said, "Okay, Lord. You have brought me this far.   We've got a website.  We've got a blog. We've got an arrangement.  We've got a message worth sharing.  We've got a camera, some mics, a lighting kit, and two people who want to share the gospel through music.  Now all we need is a room with a piano that we can use." 

I went back upstairs where we had been looking, but this time into a new hallway that hadn't been built yet when I was a student here.  I kept walking, and looking in rooms, and as I got to the last door,  I knew somehow: This is going to be it.  I opened the door to a room that said "Special Events," and then found myself in a room with 2 huge walls of curtains, a nice plant, and a gorgeous grand piano gleaming at me.  And it wasn't even locked!  Have you read the Harry Potter books? I totally felt like I was at Hogwarts and I had walked into the "room of requirement!"  Seriously, I imagined in my mind what kind of room we would need to shoot the video, and when I walked in, everything we needed was right there! 

So anyway, I don't mean to overdramatize the whole thing, but I really do believe in miracles, however small, and I know that God can plant ideas in our minds or give us power beyond our own to help us get through whatever obstacles are blocking our path.  And for me, in the moment of solution to the problems, I see the hand of the Lord and I know that He is aware of me. I felt that last night.  I think it happens more often than I realize, and I'm praying for the eyes to be able to see it.

This is what's in my heart about this whole project, and all of the other crazy musical adventures I undertake:

Alma 26:30, 35-37
30  ...and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.
35    Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.
36    ...for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.
37    Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen.


I'm excited to see how the video turns out!
I'll let you know when it's done!

Em