Whirlwind Weekend

We sat in the large general purpose room, on red chairs dragged from the choir loft. Above us the air conditioners tried to drive out the heavy heat. Hanging from the rafters are two dozen cloth, hand crafted tapestries, with different Christian symbols on them. I wonder who used three fish swimming in a circle around a sliver cup. A microphone was set up at one end of the room for Andrew, the prospective Music Paster, and his wife. They would answer questions from us, the leadership of Praise Baptist.

The meeting went well, though the room remained too warm and a few of the questions were somewhat off base. Andrew and his wife were irresistible, their love clear and attractive. I hoped everyone else would see it. At the end, when we talked about going out for ice cream, or something, Andrew was asked to play a little something on the piano. He started with a classical piece, but when it ended his little daughter asked him to play, Here I Am to Worship. The room filled with the unified voice of people just worshiping God. Pastor Jeff and I, who watched from the sound booth, realized this was way more touching than any answer of a question could be.

The next day, we would be back with Andrew, but this time with the full church. Shelly had been their all day, getting our room ready for VBS, I brought the kids with me, Shelby and Sienna would be picked up by Aunt Stacey a few minutes after we got there. The questions broadened and many of them were repeats, but it went well. Very well. He was never flustered or confused, his wife bragged on him, the church warmed to him. This was good since he would spend the rest of the day with first with the praise team and then the choir.

The alarm Sunday came too early, but there was too much to do to linger, as I wanted to. I got up and began calling to my daughters to get up to, making annoying noises so they would get out of bed. I am convinced they love this. Everything about those moments was a blur of clothes and hair, coffee and cereal. No yelling over lost shoes, which was a nice change of pace. We made it out of the house in time to get to church for Praise team practice. Normally I would drive myself and the kids a little later, but the lack of Air in my car, made the additional rushing well worth while.

The drive, which is now twice as long because of the closing of the expressway overpass by our neighborhood, was a patchwork of traffic lights which were on, and off. The power was spotty. We didn't know it on the way there, but the church was in the worst part of that patchwork, without electricity. Everything Andrew had planned, was suddenly thrown into question, this, his moment to shine, had to be replanned. At the same time, Wayne and I were calling people get generators, and moving wires trying to make sure we could get it functional. A church on a hot day, with no air or microphones would be a strain. While we were rolling the generators into place outside, an electric Bass was being replaced with a cello and windows were being opened wide.

The first generator started, we planned what the would be without power and the praise team practiced a new arrangement. Unplugged. Right when we could see the end of the chaos, the power was restored, a day before we were told on the phone, but precisely when God wanted.

We reset everything, closed the windows and replaced the power cords. The service was one of the best I have been a part of. The church called Andrew at 12:15 on Sunday, then we went home, grabbed a bite to at and headed back to get ready for VBS, which would start that night.