I was the only Soprano that showed up to Choir practice today. AND we were learning a new song!
"No pressure," said the pianist who is also my good friend, Kayte. Then she snickered.
Then I snickered to show I wasn't nervous.
But I was nervous.
The choir conductor used sing for the MO TAB! THAT'S SLANG FOR MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR! MAYBE YOU'VE HEARD OF 'EM?! No pressure, indeed.
So... the choir conductor who is ANOTHER good friend of mine was gonna hear me ALL ALONE trying to make heads and tails of a BRAND NEW SONG I HAD NEVER SUNG PREVIOUSLY BEFORE IN MY LIFE... mostly...because it was a lovely arrangement of As I Have Loved You... but the notes were DIFFERENT!
Don't worry. Flying colors, my friends. I sang with flying colors. I slipped and dipped and bobbed and weaved my way through surprising flats, unannounced key changes and unwelcome sharps. I did us proud ya'll. I did done us proud.
I actually sound like a grown up when I sing church hymns. I'm all serious and everything. Except for when I offered to do an interpretive dance. Then everyone chuckled at me and my joke.
THEN at church (after choir practice and Sacrament meeting and Sunday school) I had to teach a class of six year old children.
That's what those Mormons have me doing these days.
After the children have been sitting in church for TWO HOURS I am handed these children in a hand basket for HOUR NUMBER THREE! They are bouncing off the walls. And so am I.
I am enclosed in a small, windowless room with eight little ones. I am expected to TEACH them something.
Today I taught them that Jesus loves them. He loves all the children. Even you. Even me.
"Jesus said, Suffer the little children to come unto me," I said in my sweetest sing song voice.
"SUFFER?" said a confused child.
We played Spin The Bottle.
I made them all sit in a circle with my empty water bottle in the middle. The bottle was spun. The child with a bottle pointing at them got to say what Jesus has done to show He loves them.
Some responses include the following.
"He gave me eyeballs."
"He gave me a birthmark on my face. I like it because it makes me special."
"Did Jesus ever have to go to the bathroom? Where did he go? Did the multitude follow him?"
"I love rhinos the best."
"I wish hippos were white. Like me."
One of the boys began rolling about on the floor and kicking his feet in the air. The other boys followed his example.
I too rolled around on the floor and kicked MY FEET and then I sucked my thumb and asked for a bottle and warm milk and a big juicy steak and my blankie.
I love kids the best of everyone. They say it like it is. They do what they want and I want to be one when I grow up.
And that was my Sunday edification.
I am happy to serve where I am planted.
