The Musical Dispensing of Myth

For pretty much my whole life, I have believed that I could not sing. A lot of factors played into that, not the least of which was my own certainty that I could not sing my way out of a paper bag. Add to that a family myth that says NONE of us can sing (so not true, we ALL can, it's just a matter of having something to sing about and wanting to sing) and well, I've spent most of my life enjoying other people's voices and shushing my own at every possible opportunity.

Well, guess what?

I can sing.

I can sing a really good alto line.

After three years in the choir, I've nailed the Cantata for tomorrow's worship. "A Tapestry of Light" is a lovely Cantata. It is not an easy one. Our wonderful director admitted the other night after practice that she had not anticpated the amount of work it would take to get this one done - but she also added high praise for all of us. We've got it. There were definitely a few nights when that was really in question. The weeks were ticking away and we were quickly discovering that "Hey, this music is NOT easy!!!!" Ack!!!

Thursday night I was feeling like a bag of wet sand after a two day fight with my head, overwhelming nausea, and exhaustion....but there was just no way I was going to miss our final rehearsal.

We made it through, start to finish, with excellent solo work and narration, plus a wonderful team effort.

Wow. This is a beautiful piece of music.

Someone asked me recently if choir added to my work/stress at this time of the year. My answer: "Absolutely not. Choir is not 'work' in any way - choir is on my own time, not work time - and it has become one of the best parts of the Christmas season."

In my first couple of Cantatas, I kept it pretty quiet. I knew the part but didn't have the courage to sing out.

Tomorrow morning at Little Church on the Corner, our amazing Director will lead us through a powerful worship of praise.

And I'll be in there with the altos, singing my heart out.

Because I can. Because it is good to sing praise to God. Because God is good.

Praise be.

"Nollaig shona" (Merry Christmas in Irish Gaelic, apparently) :)

May your heart sing this Christmas!