A day of joy

Today I woke up feeling hopeful for what the day would bring, and it has not let me down. I needed to spend most of the morning at church. One of the most awesome singing groups that sings at our church - the Crazies for Jesus - was the music. This is a group of African men that have harmonies like angels. They sang the old gospel song, "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, I'll Be There." I smiled the whole time.

The minister's message was around the book we're studying church-wide (and I'm doing with the Thursday night girls). As my sister-in-law said to me one time, "I can't always remember what he said, but I just feel good after he says it." That's how it was for me today. Since I attended both the 9 and 11 service, and since my minister doesn't read his sermon from written notes, I got a little different slant in each message.

I sat on a row full of people close to me - my sister-in-law, my husband, close friends, and...ta da...the prospective music director. I think he felt very welcomed.

After church one of the choir members came up to me. The choir has been circulating a growing list all week with the theme of what they want in a choir director. Evidently they got wind that we had interviewed someone and a few of them had looked him up on the internet. The person said that she could see that with his background we were going to have to resurrect the "lyrics police" and something in me went kerflooey. So after a long morning, I grabbed the minister for "five minutes" knowing that he and I were both hungry and wouldn't be able to think straight for long. You've gotten the message that I tend to go off (as the minister put it) half-cocked and he was able to help me calm down and put my thoughts into action that would have positive results. I sent the choir an email telling them that this interviewee was brought to us through some kind of intervention I didn't even understand and that when he comes to choir practice on Wednesday night I would like for them to leave their lists somewhere far away and welcome him with open hearts and closed expection.

I've tried to think why this is all so personal to me, and I know part of the reason is that his name came to me first and he seems so promising. But more than this I see incredible opportunities for all of us in the person of this talented man. And I hope that he will accept us. Accepting him is the first step.