Easter Is Coming!

Greetings all! Today is Ash Wednesday. At my church, we combine the activites of Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday into one day. What that means is that Children's Ministry sponsors a Pancake Supper every Ash Wednesday right before the evening worship service. So, today is the day when I decide if I'm going to give something up for Lent and if so, what will that be. Some might give up things like stress and worry (although that is not possible for those who are always stressed and worried about something. Others might choose giving up procrastination. I do not typically get stressed or worried and I've never been much for procrastination. So, I normally choose to give up something that I consider a weakness on the food/drink spectrum. I have always LOVED food. Sometimes I am stronger than other times, but this year I have decided what it is going to be....

Drum roll please....

CAFFEINATED DRINKS & CHOCOLATE!!!

I have given up both separately before, but never together. I don't really drink that much soda, but iced tea is a regular order at any restaurant. So, for the next 40 days I will either be drinking water, juice or decaf something. I can already tell you that Cafe Express has decaf iced tea and Fuddrucker's as caffeine free root beer. Chocolate on the other hand is something that I have EVERY day. Whether it is a cookie, cake ball, granola bar with chocolate chips...the list could go on and on. I crave chocolate on a regular basis. The last time I gave up chocolate, I kind of got addicted to skittles. So, no chocolate until Easter.

Now, I'd just like to share a bit about my experience with Easter over the year. For many years, I considered the season of Easter to be my absolute favorite holiday time. Of course, as a kid I LOVED the hunt for the Easter eggs and I still love a good Cadbury egg each year (Mom, I know what will be by my plate at Easter). But, as a teenager and young adult the meaning of the season was what was important to me. It is a good reminder each year of what Jesus went through and I don't know if I can adequately explain it, but I just feel more blessed around Easter. The sun shines brighter and the flowers are more colorful. Maybe it's just me. I looked forward to the sunrise service that the youth led at Flagpole Hill. I looked forward to the beautiful music that Easter brought in both contemporary and traditional worship styles. When I first came on staff at Highland Park UMC, Easter was a big to do. Each year, there was just one service for everyone at Moody Coliseum at SMU. It was beautiful. Now, it was on the verge of being too "showy" with big-named singers and a lot of pomp and circumstance, but for the most part it was just awesome! Also, because of just having one service and no Sunday school, that meant that it was one of the few times a year that we could actually attend a worship service. Thinking over all of the departments here at the church, I think that children's ministry is really the only department that doesn't get to participate in worship. During the 8:30 hour, we are preparing for what is coming. We offer Sunday school at both the 9:30 & 11:00 hours so we are working during those times. So, in the beginning of my time on staff here at the church, the only worship services I could attend were Christmas Eve and Easter. However, a few years back, we moved Easter back over to our church campus. That means, we have church services going on every hour and half our from 7:30 am-12:00 noon. We still don't have Sunday school. BUT...the Children's Ministry hosts a family worship which is in the form of a play. That is available for children 4 years old-5th grade and offered during two of the heaviest service times. For the children younger than that, we have childcare. People make reservations and our childcare staff works hard during that about 5 hours. Last year, more people showed up that didn't make reservations than did. I wanted to wear a dress because it was Easter. All year long at Sunday school we wear jeans and Children's Ministry t-shirts, so I just wanted to wear a dress. Then, one class ended up with 22 kids that we from 18-24 months and so I was in the classroom on the floor in my dress. Not practical. So, Easter for me is spent in a small square of hallways on the first floor that is totally enclosed with gray walls and crying babies. Don't get me wrong, I do love my job, but I really miss Easter.

Thanks for letting me share with you and for all who are able, enjoy the season!

Thank You For The Music...

I'm inspired to do sort of a continuation from my last post...or perhaps an addendum. Over the past month, I have made the round to lots and lots of shows. It all started with an amazing performance by around 60 special needs teens and adults through our Jesters program. Next came the ACT (Artists of Christian Talent) annual musical at Lake Highlands UMC. I was a part of those shows throughout junior high and high school so it is always fun to go back. That was quickly followed by our amazing children's choirs at Highland Park UMC and their version of Rescue in the Night. The kids worked so hard and it was a fabulous show. It just gets better each year. This past weekend started with ESPREE show. For those who don't know, ESPREE is the show choir at Lake Highlands High School. The year I spent in ESPREE will forever be one of the best years of my life. The weekend ended with the HPUMC Youth Choir's annual Dessert Theatre. This years theme included songs from the movies. It was so great and a great ending to the 2011 "Tour of Shows."

With all of that said, it brought me back all to all those years ago starting out with 5th Grade choir and participation in 3 talent shows, 2 children's musicals, 2 show choirs, 6 musicals, 6 dessert theaters, 5 auditioned choirs, and 14 choir tours taking me all around Texas, New Mexico, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Chicago, West Virginia, Missouri, Colorado and even Europe. There have been songs of every genre and loads of different languages. Through all those years and with all of the musical geniuses have been fortunate enough to know, I find myself blessed beyond words.

When budgets are maxed out, the first thing to always seem headed for the chopping block is some form of the arts. I will tell you all that no doubt...without the arts, I would not be who I am today. Music is still so important to me. I sing any and everywhere I can (which now is mostly the shower and the car). There is something about communicating through music that comes to me so easily. I truly feel every lyric that I sing.

So, with that said (be it long-winded), I would like to pay homage to some of those aforementioned musical geniuses. Since this is already long, I will introduce you to the players, where I experienced their leadership and a song that always brings back to my time within their leadership...starting from the beginning. (Some of these will be repeats from my previous posts)

Jan Baker-5th grade choir at Wallace Elementary-"This Song is For the Children"
Dana Effler-5th & 6th grade choirs at Lake Highlands UMC-"Babble at Babel" & "A Technicolor Promise"
*Glenda Casey-6th Grade RISD All-District Choir-"The Pledge of Allegiance"
Melanie Moore-7th Grade Choir at Lake Highlands JH-"Love in Any Language"
Melinda Cotten-b/w 8th & 9th Grade Pop Music Workshop-"Seize The Day"
Michael O'Hern-7th-9th Grade choir at Lake Highlands JH & 10th-12th Grade Choir at Lake Highlands HS
JH Choir at Lake Highlands JH-"Turn Around"
Limited Edition-"We Go Together"
HS Choir at Lake Highlands HS-"Benediction"
ESPREE-"Daydream Believer"
Dale Daniels-8th-12th Grade Choir at Lake Highlands UMC-"God Be in My Head"
Jeanette Ward (& the original One Heart)-"One Heart" & too many more to name them all
Stephen Eaves-Chanters & Chamber Choir at McMurry-"Lonesome Road" &"Praise to the Lord"
Conrad Bratton-Choir Director at The Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest-"My Eternal King"

The following are people that I don't necessarily have a song that stands out, but their leadership has blessed me along the way:
Cindy Frith-Voice Instructor 8th-12th Grade
Kari Gilbertson-Part of the LH Music Team
Lisa Cunningham-Part of the LH Music Team
Terry Berrier-Associate Choir Director at Lake Highlands HS
Mollie McCullough-Long-time Choral Director at Lake Highlands HS (left right before I got there)
Shelly Kennedy-College Voice Instructor
*Mary "Mama Mary" Pritchard-Staff Accompanist at McMurry
*David Davidson-Dallas Symphony Chorus Director
Chris Brunt-Staff Organist at Highland Park UMC

Those with a * next to their name means that they left this world much to soon and are greatly missed.

To each & every one of you:
Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing.
Thanks for all the joy their bringing.
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty?
What would life be?
Without a song and dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music;
For giving it to me!