My Indiana Trip!

Wow, what a fun fun weekend.

Remember the song that turned into this video and this project?

Well, I got to go to Indianapolis and hear a stake youth choir sing it!  I didn't take nearly enough pictures, but I'll give you what I've got.

This is Marie.  

She's the one who had the grand idea.  She saw the video of me singing the song on youtube, and envisioned her stake youth choir singing that song, arranged for a choir.  So she facebooked me and asked me if I could change it from a solo into a choral piece and notate the music so her youth could sing it--and we talked on the phone and e-mailed back and forth to coordinate all the details and then finally got to meet face to face last Friday!  She did an amazing job directing and inspiring her choir to give it their all and do an incredible job. I love that woman!

So on Friday night, I went to the youth choir rehearsal and got to hear 90 voices bring the song to life!  Marie let me jump in and we worked together to smooth any rough edges and then I shared some thoughts with them about the song and  our connection to those who have gone before.  At the end of the rehearsal, I sang the solo version for them and then got to hug and chat and laugh with all those awesome youth.  It was so neat to feel their enthusiasm for life and for the gospel and for the song.  I feel like they really gave a gift to me.

Then, on Sunday, they performed it and I got to sit back and revel in what I felt like was a little miracle.
I've heard it said that "with God, all moments are present."  I caught a glimpse of what that means when I sat back and listened and realized that

THIS

had turned into
THIS

(double click on it for full screen view!)

(this was the rehearsal, not the real thing, which of course I did not record...)

As I heard those youth sing, all moments of this entire process were present for me.  The initial stages of writing the first version, the first performance, the idea to make a video, the process of shooting it, putting it on youtube, connecting with Marie, and then gradually piecing together how all the different voices would come into play and spending long hours notating and making revisions and notating and making revisions... All of that just became one moment--the same moment as sitting back and hearing 90+ teenagers sing what had before only really existed in my head. And in the end, whatever toil or struggle or frustration that was part of the road just sort of faded away into the beauty of the crowning event, and all I could feel was joy.

I think maybe I can look at my entire life that way.  I imagine that God views me like an arrangement in its early stages--with great potential, but a lot of rough spots that need to be re-worked and edited... But He will work with me patiently, for as long as it takes, and one day sit back and feel joy in seeing who I have become.  And in the end, whatever mistakes I made, whatever hard things I had to endure, will just fade away into the beauty of getting to be where He is.  That feels true to me.


So, in addition to some unforgettable musical moments, I also got to spend some time with several dear friends from the 4 years that we lived in Indianapolis.  We laughed ourselves silly and just got to re-connect and be together!

"Reserved for the Superstar of the Month"

How did they know to save a parking place for my friend Tiffany??

I love that she came and held my hand while we cried through the performance. 

 Okay, and let's just pretend that I also have a picture of Candace and Whitney and Ami and Marty and all the other awesome women that I loved loved loved getting to see!!!!!

And let's also pretend that I have a picture of me flying on an airplane all by myself--reading, and then napping, and not juggling 6 bags and 2 children.  :)  That was pretty fun.

So, that's my story.  I've got to go start plotting my next arrangement...  !!!