The Message- From Amy

I haven't been blogging because for one thing, it's too dang hot up here and I can't come up with stuff as easily as Michael or Gordon (RLP). Maybe after the first of the year. Michael says my comments on his blog are too long, so I'm toying with the idea of doing some sort of "He Said/She Said" where I can comment on his blog or give my point of view. Anyway, I've asked Michael to post this for me.

First of all, thank you all for keeping us in your prayers. I'm amazed and humbled by your willingness to pray for someone you have never met and may never meet. I feel like I know all of you just from reading your comments.

I'm having another surgery on Tuesday... I'm sure Michael will keep you updated. So this Sunday is the last Sunday that I will be leading the musical portion of our worship service for quite a while. Our singing isn't our "worship time"... the whole service is worship, and when we sing we are worshiping God with songs of praise.

A good portion of our music team is going to be gone this Sunday. This means one of two things... we either find songs for which I have sheet music or we sing just hymns. As I sat in front of the computer screen trying to decide which songs to pick, I leaned back in the chair with some praise music softly playing and my feet on the desk. I closed my eyes and my mind started wandering.

When I was asked to lead music at Covenant, I said, after much discussion, "OK... but can we evaluate this in six months or so? I may not like it, or the church may not like me." That was five years ago. So... back to the wandering mind. I was trying to figure out what it was I loved so much about leading music at Covenant. I don't get paid. We have a modest budget. And I can't play any musical instrument (except for the accordion). Don't ask.

Again, back to the wandering mind. I finally realized what it was that made me absolutely love what I do. I have the privilege of seeing everyone's faces while we're all singing. I see a few young women with their eyes closed and smiles on their faces as they sing. I see a 10-year-old girl singing an old hymn and she doesn't need the hymnal because she already knows all the words. I see a man who was broken and close to hitting rock bottom when he first came to Covenant last year. The first few weeks, he would stand up, but he didn't sing. He just stared at the floor. He still doesn't sing very often, but now I see him with his eyes closed as he ever so slightly rocks back and forth to the beat of the music, a hint of a smile on his face, and his head lifted up as if he were soaking up the sun's rays. I see a huge grin on the face of a woman when we sing one of her favorite hymns. And I see Michael... his hands in front of him, palms facing up, as if he were saying, "please sir, may I have some more?" That's what does it for me. That's why I do this.

Thank you, God, for giving me the gift of singing... please accept my singing as my gift to You.

- Amy