So Far....

I can never get my mind wrapped around planning the Easter drama until after our Christmas program.  My mind can't juggle it all.  I guess I'm pretty simple-minded.  So I basically have to wait until after our Night of Christmas Praise is over, the sanctuary Christmas decorations are put away, I've had time to buy Christmas gifts, I've caught up on work so that I can enjoy my holiday days off, and then I can pull out the boxes and boxes of music I haven't had time to listen to.  That's usually the first step.  Listening.

I listen to literally hundreds of songs.  I listen for the right kind of music, the right kind of lyrics, singable parts for my choir, the right kind of arrangements.  I listen for God to prick my heart and spirit.  I listen for a prompting about a storyline for the script.  90% of the songs I listen to hit the trash pile.  The other 10% make it through to the first round.  About 1% really really catch my attention.  Sometimes right off the bat God'll be loud and clear about using a song, even if I don't know how.  But I've learned to listen to my Friend...He always knows best.

This year I began my listening journey during my time off traveling with my family to Tulsa to spend New Year's with the in-laws (that's our Christmas with them).  The Wife sits in the passenger seat and organizes the music, I handle the CD player, she writes down notes, and the girls fuss because the music's so loud it interupts their movies and DS and iPods.  Oh well, family time.  A big bulk of my listening time happens upstairs at the in-laws house holed up in a corner somewhere while the rest of the family watches movies or plays games.  I know it seems anti-social, but I don't have any other time and it's got to get done.

During this particular Tulsa listening time, I didn't find many new songs.  Found a great opener or closing song.  Will have to figure that one out.  Didn't listen much on the drive back Cajun Country.  My ears were tired.  I'll pay for that, though.