Joyful Noises

Lots of music going on right now

The next few weeks are going to be filled with music, both practicing and performing.  And while it's a commitment of time and energy, it is also one of the things I was born to do.  Mama always said when I was born I "came out singing"!  I have no memory of singing at my birth, obviously.  But I have been singing pretty much my entire life for as long as I can remember.

For the past few weeks I've been rehearsing with a local church to sing with them during Holy Week.  My friend who sings with them told me that they were looking for a soprano reinforcement for Holy Week services.  My first service singing with them was this morning's Palm Sunday service.  The choir is small but dedicated and I am enjoying my time with them.  This week we will rehearse on Wednesday for services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.  With my normal chorus practice on Monday night, it's going to be a full week.

Tuesday night is my college choir's home concert which concludes their annual spring break tour, and I look forward to hearing and seeing them perform.  Many of my music fraternity students are in the choir and they have posted tour updates on Facebook.  I was an 8-semester member of this same choir when I was in college, and memories of my own tour experiences have been flooding my heart and mind as they have shared theirs.  Giving up our spring break every year to go out on tour and recruit for the college might seem like a sacrifice to some people, but it never really did to me.  I got to experience such wonderful moments of musical and spiritual inspiration, strengthening the bonds of friendship, growing in leadership and service, laughing and crying and singing.

Always singing.

There have been times in my life when I have let my singing go for long periods, rationalizing that I didn't have the time/energy/inclination to do it.  After Mama died I didn't sing for a long time.  My heart was not in it.  Before I knew it, 11 years had passed since I'd sung with my chorus!  I am so grateful that they took me back and let me sing again.  It's an honor I hope never to take for granted.

More music follows Easter, with a ladies club meeting I have been asked to do a program for on that Wednesday, dress rehearsal on Saturday for my chamber group's annual spring concert on Sunday, as well as a solo in both services before the chamber group concert.  The week after that is rehearsals for the big chorus's engagement performing the Verdi Requiem with our city's symphony orchestra.  That is a 2-night gig, but I am only singing the first night because the second night, 2 of my music fraternity students are performing their junior/senior recital and I don't want to miss that.

What an abundance of joyful noises I get to be a part of, either by singing or by listening!  And what a blessing to be able to do so.  I will pray for the strength and energy to do all of this while maintaining my day job and trying to eat healthily during the crazy rehearsal and gig schedule.  God is good and will take care of me.  He always has.

Psalm 13:6---"I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath dealt bountifully with me."