intense day @ church

so today was rather intense. i mean i have had long days at church but today, i was involved in numerous things that required my participation, so yeah..

11am. practice with the kids, together with adult musicians. we were going to have combined worship. the kids have had several practices, but the first with the adult musicians. they were excited. and yeah, hard to contain their enthusiasm - they were squeaking into the mics. laughing and fooling around. maykyihan was the "disciplinarian" so that was good. we managed to get through prac.. with me stuck on when to start the song (i'm really so bad at this!)

12:30pm. lunch. yummy! there was A LOT of food. for some reason unknown, the grp who prepared the food today cooked way too much! anyhows..

1:15pm. worship. i was lead singer (only adult vocalist). went well! i paused in between to share the story behind one of the hymns we were going to sing, and sort of allow the kids to prepare to switch over. albert & kaycie who sang initially were gg to play piano & flute respectively for the hymn while andrew had played for the first song. but when i was done, almost in tears - the story quite emo - i turned around to see the kids still in the same position. argh! haha.

1:35pm. worship ended. i asked if anyone wanted to dedicate any songs for future weeks. only one person got back to me at the end.

3pm. pack up. keep chairs. mics, mic stands, instruments, wires.

3:30pm. prac for offertory. i get so nervous the key that zach played yesterday night sounded different for me. sheesh. he prays. God, You're not looking for the best musician or the best vocalist. You just want us as we are.. and we start again. i could sing that same key. hmpf.

3:40pm. prac for offertory part II. this time in the sanctuary. a few pple start coming in. we sing the whole song through. i still miss my cues to sing - i am the only vocalist. i sing a word wrong. sam says he needs to do the verse again. he's not playing b/c he is nervous.

3:50pm. we pray. and pray we did. really hard. heart still beating fast.

4pm. worship starts. i get distracted trying to get the tune right in my head. i pay not much attn.

4:30pm. congregational prayer. the cue to get on stage - let's give our tithes and offering to the Lord. we get on stage. i sing off one beat in the middle. zach manages to cover it.

4:33pm. we sit back down. it's over. lol. i'm still nervous. pat takes the stage and talks for the next hour. i try not to fall asleep. it was a good sermon. delivered very well. just long.

5:30pm. service is over. we take up the invitation by the worship team to join them for dinner. i get the center stage when they asked if we were all international students (everyone but me working.) we talk abt teaching - this lady who does sign language interpretation is also a teacher!

6pm. back up in the sanctuary. worship begins.

6:30pm. congregational prayer. the cue to get back up on stage. this time, it's better. more confidence. i see pple in the congregation smiling at me. there were 2 asian ladies. they just smiled from ear to ear. i don't know what it means, but i feel happy. =)

6:33pm. scripture reading.

6:35pm. i help mark pack his violin and we leave.

~phew. end of day. i made it!! i shall leave the remaining parts out. keep me in prayers as i continue to serve in the Lord!