Sing Noel

Tonight was the last night for Sing Noel. It is our stake's annual Christmas program/concert for the community. Each night is a packed house. It is always a phemonenal concert. Along with the choir, piano, organ, there is string ensembles, brass sections, etc. The church is decorated all over. The chapel is transformed. Risers, stages, etc. are brought in. Professional lighting and sound equipment are used. Christine sang again with the YW choir. They have a primary children's choir also. The YW did a difficult number from the Carribean complete with clapping and stick percussion. It was amazing. The whole thing is captivating, but the last numbers crescendo into goose-bumps! The whole group of 225 people come together for the Hallelujah Chorus and a special arrangement of O Holy Night.

Good job, Christine and thanks to everyone who worked so hard for many months to put this together.

(church was very good today. Christine had a really hard time waking up this morning. She is really fighting this cold thing. So I stayed home with her and had her get in a hot shower to see how she would feel after that. Got some food in her and a cold tablet and she rallied. So we changed our clothes and headed over to the church and got there in time for Sunday School and RS/YW. So glad we did. The SS lesson was one that made you dig deep inside and see just how I was doing with prayer. I could be better. It was about the brother of Jared and his humility, faith, and the 'formula' he used for praying. The word choice in the scriptures is interesting. They don't use the word pray. The word 'cry', 'inquire', are used, indicating a lot of effort involved in talking to God. I've read these chapters my whole life. I learned new things today. After finally arriving in the promised land, they knelt on the shore and sang praises to God. Okay, this is a scripture story. But if I liken it to me, I might have been inclined to stretch my legs, run around, get some 'space', have a bath, especially after 344 days of being on a boat with no windows, strolling decks, and for sure I would've been seasick 24/7. So in my 21st century life, do I sing praises to The Father during and after I've been on 'the storm tossed seas'? Not usually. The mortal me asks for it to be easier, be taken away, fixed, be quick. Oh, yes I do ask for help to get through whatever it is, but the phrase: singing praises, implies so much more. So a lot to ponder and act on. Kim K. and I turned to each other and decided we need to do some major singing!)