How do you like to sleep?

A nice restfull weekend was jolted away from me sunday. Imagine taking a nap in a warm wooden cabin in front of the fireplace, wrapped in a soft fleece blanket and slightly drooling. Just are your dream about going to see Grandma gets to the point where she's serving you a Squirt and some of Mr. Peanut's delicious cheese balls, all the while sitting on the back porch watching the birds eat from the bird feeder..

EEEEEEEEEEE....EEEEEEEEEE...EEEEEEEEE...EEEEEEEEEEE....

Everything outside goes dark, the Squirt is gone, the blanket you were sleeping on is ripped out from under you, and now all you have is bed head and a face full of drool.

Cursed alarm, how you mock me, and yet rule me!

7:47 am Sunday comes...well, let's just say that it actually comes earlier than stated. A quick whizz later and I'm ready for the shower. Finished washing and cleaning, wrapped in a towel, I make my way to church at 8:30am. Practice for my return to praise and worship music.

I have been out of the P&W for quite some time, and it's been a tired and lonely time. I miss singing songs about Jesus, His pending events, and the history behind Him. About a month back I met with Mica, our new music minister, and he asked if I would like to sing a song for the church just before Pastor Sparks begins his sermon. I said yes, and thought about how great it would be to sing a powerful and meaningful song. One that really ministers to me, and hopefully to those who hear it too. I picked the same song that Korinne and I sang as we drove out to see her cousins in Hillsdale. The song is Midnight Cry, originally performed by the Gold City Trio.

I dusted off the bookshelf, got through it, and thought how maybe this wasn;t the song that I should have chosen. Maybe there was something out there that could have been more meaningful to those in the congregate. As is was coming down from the staging area, Pastor commented how he really likes that song, and when he goes down south on vacation, there's always a man that he knows that sings the very song I will be singing, and he enjoys it.

Looks like it ministered to someone already!

I was looking for something to do inbetween the rehearsal and service. I just can not get awake enought. So I did what I would do if it were a Monday morning. I went and worked with the kids in their Sunday School class. Cliff and Heather were substituting so I just joined them. It was a good time seeing the dozen children in the class, and working in conjunction with Cliff and Heather. Afterward, I made my way down to meet up with Milks, who should be arriving any minute. Service start in 15 minutes, so I'm sure she'll be here on time.

Or not. We have begun the welcome music and I'm now sitting in the second row from the front. No sign of her. She'll be here.

She's here. One row back and on the end, but she made it. I even saved a seat on both sides of me and motioned for her to join me, but she looks to have settled in.

Plenty of prayer going on right now. More specifically me, I just want to honor God and bring glory to his name. Oh, we're having communion today!

After communion, I had to make a pit stop. I guess that it was poor planning on my part to consume 16oz of cranberry apple juice at 8:30 in the morning, at least my kidneys will be healthy as I sing. Healthy kidneys bring glory to God, right?

Oh, I'm so nervous.

We finished our final set of songs and it was go time. I felt really nervous about singing and as I was making my way up, Mica was still sitting at the piano. Usually that means he's going to say something about the person who will be singing. This time it was something along the lines of "...that smile can be quite decieving. But he has a great heart for the Lord."

That little blurb somehow gave me great peace as I was stangind there worrying. It took me all this time to realize that even if I stood up there with shorts and a tee shirt, as long as I was doing what God wanted me to do, then it didn't have to matter what I sounded like. I was more concerned with how I thought I would do rather than how God would hear it and be honored by my mere mentioning of His holy name.

At peace, but still breathing a bit skiddishly, I prepared to sing. Here are the lyrics to the song.

Midnight Cry
VERSE 1
I HEAR THE SOUND
OF A MIGHTY RUSHING WIND
AND IT’S CLOSER NOW
THAN IT’S EVER BEEN

I CAN ALMOST HEAR THE TRUMPET
AND GRABIEL SOUND THE CHORD
AT THE MIDNIGHT CRY
WE’LL BR GOING HOME.

CHORUS

WHEN JESUS STEPS OUT
ON A CLOUD TO CALL HIS CHILDREN
THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE
TO MEET HIM IN THE AIR

AND THEN THOSE THAT REMAIN
WILL BE QUICKLY CHANGED
AT THE MIDNIGHT CRY
WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN.

VERSE 2
I LOOK AROUND ME
I SEE PROPHECIES FULL FILLING
AND SIGNS OF THE TIMES
THEY’RE APPEARING EVERYWHERE

I CAN ALMOST HEAR THE FATHER
AS HE SAYS
“SON GO GET YOUR CHILDREN.”
AT THE MIDNIGHT CRY
THE BRIDE OF CHRIST WILL RISE.

CHORUS

AND THEN THOSE THAT REMAIN
WILL BE QUICKLY CHANGED
AT THE MIDNIGHT CRY
WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN
AT THE MIDNIGHT CRY
WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN
WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN.

The song was awesome. It was better than I imagined. The congregate seemed to enjoy it too.

I was well worth the torture that I put myself through. After service we took Alex with us to Fazoli's for lunch. It was a good time. As we entered I read one of their wall advertisments. It said employees in uniform with name badges get %10 off. Being the deal maker that I am, I went out to the car, put on my Kroger apron, and walked back in. The girls behind the counter took notice and when I stepped up to the counter the Manager said, "Sir, were you aware that you get %10 off your meal today because you are wearing your work uniform?" ...

Haha. What a deal!

We sat and talked with Alex. He's getting to the point where he wants to ask out girls, so he's working on all of his skills. (Knunchuck, Hunting, Computer Hacking) Milks and I talk with him and then we drop him off at home. Sit around and talk with is mother for a while, and then it's off to the BCP Godspell.

I dug out my buy1get1 half off coupon. One of the ones I got from Mrs. K. at the trade fair. Milks and I went to the show.

It was a good show. I know litle about the show itself, but what I saw I liked for the most part. The theme the cast chose was communicating through television, which translated well considering all of the crap that is on tv today. Highlights of the show were:

The Kontac..."Yur fired."

Snuffalumpagus get rehydrated and leaps into a 42 gal. garbage can, only to have it fall over with him in it.

Fear Factor.

The dancing seemed different enough that it looked good on stage, and should look good on the road too! Sound was decent, I just didn't like the voice effects at the begining. It sounded like someone talking into a shoe box. Music was lively and entertaining. Especially the vaudeville Jesus and Judas number. A good show. Afterward Milks and I stayed and chatted with the cast. It was nice to see them in action, and not having to try to put on a show myself.

Once the show was finished, we left. I took a nap before Seussical. I took a nap during Seussical. I was about....oh, 1/2 hour late. Well worth the sleep though. Seussical is just getting to be a sleeper for me. All I do is walk on stage, walk off, and sit on things. There's no real dancing for me, which I think sucks. Horton could do a lovely soft shoe tap dance or something. But to no avail.

I have also been contacted by Julie at Croswell, and there's a meeting for Fiddler Sunday, but I'll be doing a preview at the Maumee branch of the library and then off to a wedding.

Such a life! Oy!

See, I'm ready for Fiddler.

and a nap...