The Gift of Music

This week has been another busy week! Wait...I think I say that about every week! Truly, though, this week has been busy. We live an hour away from our church and the school that I teach choir at, and we have driven there every single day this week, and we will drive there tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday! I will have spent approximately 16 hours on the road this week! That is CRAZY! However, I have really, really enjoyed the week. I have had the opportunity to help prepare our high school choir for a competition tomorrow. I have watched them blossom this week. Our practice today was amazing, and they sang from their hearts! I've also been able to work one on one with many of the students as I've helped them prepare for their personal performances in the competition! Tomorrow is the big day - competition day! The best day of the entire week because I have the opportunity to listen to individuals and groups sing all day long and give them comments to help them become better singers. It is so neat to see the improvement in the students from year to year! I am excited to hear them tomorrow!

My little Miss E also has her piano competition on Saturday. She has been practicing these two songs since Christmas and is doing quite well. The songs must be memorized, and that is the reason for so much practice. She is looking forward to playing. Mommy on the other hand gets so nervous for her that I almost throw up. I'd rather perform myself than have her perform! I guess I can empathize too well with that nerve thing that comes with performing! Thankfully, she is at that age where she doesn't get too nervous yet!

I am so thankful that God gave us the gift of music and that we can use it as a tool to give Him praise. I am also thankful that our school participates in a Christian competition so that we can sing music that has a true message. Our choir is singing an arrangement by Dan Forrest of "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross." The message of that song has become so beautiful to me as we have practiced it over and over. I love the words, "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!" You know that you are singing a meaningful, Spirit-filled song when after practicing it for several months, you are still brought to tears with the words you sing! For some reason, it struck me anew today that NO ONE has ever given his life to save me from anything - no one except for Jesus. NO ONE has ever loved me so much as He has!

I pray that God will use this song tomorrow to speak to many hearts in the room, but most of all, my own. I pray that I will give my soul, my life, my all daily to the One who showed me such an amazing, uncomparable love.