Never Give Up!!!!

Another production is over and there's a tremendous amount of relief in my spirit and body.

The shows were great; well performed and well received. I believe it was produced the best of any of the 15 productions we've done in the last 5 years. The set, sound, lights, and camera work was the best its ever been. The acting was very good and the singing was right on point. The reviews from all who attended were very good. A lot of lives were changed, renewed, touched and inspired.

You might assume that this is expected and it just happens.....But there's always an amazing moment in any production that never fails to appear - the moment I quit.

It never fails that at some moment in the 3 months of preparation of a major production, I want to quit (or sometimes I do quit just to start up again). This can run the gambit of casting issues, band issues, costume issues, set design issues, choir issues, sound issues, lighting issues, budget issues, personality issues.....you name it

I guess, in my mind, I don't think its worth it. Nothing is worth this or, maybe, I'm not the one who should be doing this. The hardest part is needing an instant answer for the hundreds of questions that hit me from all departments at the same time; the decisions that need to be made in a split second; the pain of seeing the clock run out and the rehearsals being quickly dissolved. Frustration sets in after all the rehearsals leading up to the performances because, my priorities are not being fulfilled.......I haven't figured out a way to be realistic with my expectations for the rehearsals.....setting me up for a big disappointment at the end of the night.

So really, I'm setting myself up to fail; thus getting more stressed and eventually quitting.

It seems that the 'stress' begins to manifest into my body. In the last year, I started to get hives on my arms and legs the week of the productions.. ..strange. I have no warning that these are coming; they just appear. In my mind, I'm not that stressed, but my body tells me different.
I JUST WANT TO QUIT!!!!!!!!!

The Hope:
One of the best things about me is my ability to visualize the future. I can work, prepare, and live in projects now, because I KNOW what the final outcome will be. I can see faces and hear stories years before they happen. In a way, I believe it is a sub-category of a prophetic gift. Certainly, not in the conventional sense of "gift of prophecy"; but it is true that, in some situations, I have seen the END RESULTS long before I even have BEGUN the writing process....before it even hits the paper.

I say all this because when I allow the Enemy to get into my head (first mistake); when I see failure and hurt and pain and it makes me lose it or give up - God reminds me of the 'original' vision. He gives me another dose of vision of what WILL happen at the end of the project. I see the faces and hear the stories. It makes me start again, with a fresh approach. Failure is not an option because I KNOW the end result is good... I know, it sounds weird, But this is my passage right now.

I guess I want to just encourage you; whatever you are facing never give up.....there IS AN END RESULT THAT IS GOOD. Ask God to help you visualize the end of the journey......its okay to ask questions and work out the problems - just don't give up; don't quit. Walk through those fiend walls, because your joy awaits on the other side.

http://presenter.streamingfaith.com/links/WinningInLife/The_Exchange.htm

John Adams... (part 2)

So, I have now completed the extraordinary 7 part HBO miniseries - John Adams. This is part 2 from an earlier blog I wrote about 10 things I didn't know about John Adams...... Here are 10 more things I learned about our Founding Fathers.

• John was an ambassador to England at the same time the Constitution was being written. This was one of the lowest times in Mr. Adams life.

• Jefferson and Adams had a huge falling out of their friendship while bitterly campaigning against each other for President.

• The White House was a decrepit place when the Adams moved in....roof leaks, no walkways from the outside mud.

• Adams kept all of President Washington's Cabinet members for the unity of the states.

• Adams hated Jefferson so much....he skipped Jefferson's Inaugural

• Abigail died peacefully in John's arms a few years before he died

• John Adams got to see his son, John Quincy Adams become the 6th President of the US.

• John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were both asked to attend the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence. Both declined for health reasons to attend. Both died on July 4th, 1826.......50 years after they wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence.

• John Adams thought he died before Jefferson...so his last words were, "Jefferson Survives". Little did he know, he outlasted Jefferson by several hours.

• Out of all the Founding Father's of our country, John Adams still has no monument, nor has he been put on any currency, or statue in our capital. John Adams is one of the reasons this country exists......and he's been utterly forgotten, until now

If you missed this wonderful event, HBO has just announced the release of the 3-disk DVD on June 30.
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/John-Adams-DVDs-Announced/9243

John Adams...(part 1)

Okay.... so I've only just seen the first half of the wonderfully insightful HBO mini-series John Adams, but I love it immensely. Here are 10 things I didn't know about one of our Founding Fathers, the remarkable John Adams.

• John Adams, being a man of law and who felt deeply this new country must abide by the law to be a sovereign country, successfully defended 8 British soldiers, whom accidentally killed 5 Bostonians. (This was before Independence)

• It was John Adams who persuaded General George Washington to help Massachusetts's cause and fight the British soldiers, which later propelled Washington to become our first President.

• Adams was separated from his wife, Abigail, for half of their first 14 years of marriage. (Due to their farm being in Massachusetts and he being needed in the Congress)

• Abigail raised 4 children alone, on a Massachusetts farm with no slaves....only a few hired hands aided her.

• John Adams and his son, John Quincy, went to France right after Independence Day to beg for more NAVAL assistance to help fight the British. He, along with Benjamin Franklin, was our first Ambassador. (This was after the 14 years of marriage)

• John Adams sent his son, John Quincy, at the age of 14 to be a secretary for a diplomat in St. Petersburg, Russia. JQA stayed in Russia until he was ready to go to Harvard at 17.

• While John was away, Abigail made her and her children take a vaccination of small pox. They had to put the blood of a pox victim into their own bloodstream; which gave them the pox, but they could control it better and not die.

• John Adams was fired by Congress as the Ambassador of France, and later became the Ambassador of England (thankless job, indeed)....all while the Constitution was being written and enacted.

• Adams got deathly ill in Europe and almost died....Abigail would soon join him in France, leaving her children to someone else.

• John Adams had a crazy bad temper and was solidly stubborn; however, Abigail, knew just how to tame him. He responded very well to her in an age where men thought women of little worth.

After viewing the next half of the mini-series,
I'll see if there are 10 more things
I didn't know about Mr. John Adams and continue this game.
This mini-series was based on the acclaimed biography,
John Adams, by David McCullough

Joy in the Journey

So tonight is my weekly choir rehearsal and I gotta tell you, I love the rehearsal process. No matter what I am working on, the rehearsals show you what is inside of you and (if you are in charge of a group) your people........... How far do you want to go?......... How good do you really want to be?........... All of it, you find in the rehearsal process.

The performance is the reward.....but the rehearsal builds you,
molds you, creates you.

Never dismiss the times you gotta practice....I mean, greatness is not gonna come by osmosis. God is not gonna feel sorry for you and just let you be a success without the sowing. Its against His nature. Sure, He gives special blessings on some.....but those people still MUST work for it.

At the same time, enjoy YOUR JOURNEY.........don't compare yourself or your walk with anyone else's. You are finding out things about yourself which will create the person/ performer/teacher you will become.

No matter your age, accomplishments, experience, there is Joy in the Journey to be found ...........embrace it

What are we doing here?

So last night I had to give one of those"speeches" to our worship team.....(unity, being kind to one another, attitudes, etc)... Needless to say, it is the worst part of being a worship leader: the pruning. I mean, its hard when you know you are personally being pruned in certain areas of life and now you need to address issues and stop some behaviors in your group..... so why am I in this position? Why has God enabled me to this kind of ministry? I'm a musician; not a schoolmaster. I'm an artist; not a policeman. I'm a lover; not a fighter. But there comes a point where you see too much evil needling it's way into your group and you got to stop and say......HEY, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? As a leader, you have two choices. Ignore it or Confront it. I've ignored things for too long....it's time to confront and do away with the little things before they become too hard too handle. In my opening remarks last night, I read from Ephesians 4. These passages say it all when it comes to being a part of a team; regardless if you are a part of a church or not.

[I] ...beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Always keeping yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together in peace. We are all one body, we have the same spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.................Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

- Ephesians 4:1-4; 29-32

May God Help Us