Merry Christmas!

As time may not be found in the near future to write a Christmas post, I decided to take a break from wrapping gifts and do it now.


However, what to say regarding Christmas in this post has yet to occur to me. Oh well, I'm just going to go with it, and perhaps inspiration will come.

Christmas is a glorious time of the year. The atmosphere of it is fantastic, all cozy and bright and warm and fuzzy and colorful...The adjectives are endless.

Christmas trees aglow, fires crackling in the hearth (Or in our case, the wood stove), packages all wrapped up in green and red paper and tied with a bow, snow-covered trees, hot cocoa with marshmallows, and time to sit and contemplate the mysteries of life. Like how they should spell 'marshmallows' with an E, since everyone pronounces it 'marshmellows' anyway, and mellow is totally the mood you're in when you drink hot cocoa, so it would have a double meaning.

Anyway, this usually would be the time when I'd stop and be like, "But you know all those things are nice, but the real reason for the season is Jesus". Which is totally true. People saying 'Happy Holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas' kind of annoys me. Also, people being all like, "Well, he wasn't even born on December 25th" kind of annoy me as well. I mean, it's not about celebrating his actual birthday, it's celebrating the fact that he was born at all. That he, knowing what his future would bring, came down to earth as a baby, to save us, the sinners. To grow up to be nailed to a cross by the people he came to save. But then, he had VICTORY over the grave! He overcame death itself! And he's coming back again, riding on a white horse. How awesome is that?!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life"--John 3:16

Merry Christmas.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

There's something so final about finishing something.

After months of practice, rehearsals, and preparation, our choir preformed the before-mentioned Christmas Cantata.

And it was a success.

Maybe not a complete success, like absolute perfection, due to some technical difficulties, but all things considered, it was quite nice. As for my solo...well, it was, to put it simply,


INCREDIBLY FANTASTICALLY AMAZINGLY UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ahem. Or so I've been told. By numerous people. Like, a lot of people. Tons. Anyhoo, after the two performances, we had some dinner with my friend Jessica at a local Mexican restaurant. And right now I'm watching the Tye Tribbett 'Stand Out' concert DVD. Oh, and if I'm not allowed to say that because of some copyright thing, I'm totally sorry. Please don't sue me.

Okay, yeah so this may not be as philosophical and literary as I said it would be, but honestly, compared to the highlighter-and-fingerless-gloves analysis that was my last post, this is like Plato. So what exactly should I make the point of this post? I suppose I could head towards cheesyville and talk about what I've learned through this latest Cantata experience. Well, that sounds like fun, so here it is:

The Elite List of Things Learned by the Author Through the Act of Singing a Solo in a Christmas Cantata and Singing in a Christmas Cantata in General and Other Such Things:

• Well, I learned to stand up straight and sing through my diaphragm. Which totally requires more effort but also totally works better.
• Not to a wear a turtleneck when standing closely together under hot lights in a building full of people. And especially not to wear a sweater over the said turtleneck.
• That in cantata's and in life, there will be a times when you are recruited to do something, and other times where you recruit someone to do something. But usually more in cantata's then in life will you be recruited to assist a little drummer boy in putting on his costume.
• To know you're part so well that you can do it calmly even in the midst of chaos.
• You never know who may be in the audience who could get you a record deal. ;)
• Always smile. Even though you may not know it, someone is probably watching you.
• Be strong and courageous. Speak positive things into existence.
• Don't scratch your nose when you're being videotaped.
• Don't scratch your nose during you're solo.
• Don't scratch your nose when you think people aren't looking, because someone totally is.
• Don't scratch your nose. It just makes things easier.
• Be proud of yourself when you do awesome.
• Do awesome.

Well, Tye Tribbett is over and it's 11:11. Make a wish.