Evelyn Ehlers and I performed this song to great satisfaction last Sunday. It had been a good six months since I'd gotten the chance to play and sing in front of a congregation, and it's always a rush to be able to provide a good experience like that. Music lubricates the soul. I spent a month's worth of morning showers practicing - this and that, ironing out that waver in the voice for a certain word, figuring out the right moments to breathe. Should I put more lung power behind this word, or that syllable, in order to draw out the most emotional message? Where to catch a breath? How to flow easily between sentences?
Typing all that reveals more artistry than I'd usually self-describe. Whether writing a song, singing or performing one, I can immerse in the adventure of mixing the elements together into something beautiful and harmonious. Like the painters and sculptors I routinely fail to appreciate, the details probably escape those who observe the finished product, at least in terms of being able to recall them. The impressions are more than enough - the captivated looks, the voluntary applause, the enthusiastic remarks about our joyful expression.
The next round looks better still - August 1, 8:00 and 9:30 services at Calvary United Methodist Church. The classic Hebrew hymn El Shaddai and the striking wedding song How Beautiful. I guess I'll be taking two showers a day for a while!
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