One down, two to go!

Well, the 1st Day of the "Fest" is done and I feel like it's been a Week already. It rained. Thank you Lord that it didn't rain like they said it would; It only rained on and off til 1pm or so and then it rained once more for 5 minutes at 5pm -as if to say: your shopping is done!

Of course the rain throws our orderly confusion into total chaos. Every one has to switch Jobs to cover the people handling the problems created by the weather. We had a very large load of wood chips brought in to cover the streams of water that were now flowing through the vendors tents. We had only a handful of golf carts and atv's equipped with truck beds and twelve hundred booths needing help, we simply prioritized as best we could.

Of course with those carts and the people in them sent to handle wood chips, the services those people and carts usually perform had to be handled by someone else, who had other jobs to do that didn't get done, etc. etc. etc.
Still, facing the challenges presented is part of the fun!

I had an "inconvenient Blessing" during all of this. I think it was God knowing what I needed when I didn't. I was asked two weeks ago to sing and play three songs for Friday and Saturday of the Fest. I spent what little free time I had trying to practice and decide what three songs to sing and searching the Lord for what He thought would be right. I got: Nada. Nothing. Not a clue.

I managed to whittle it down to the ones that I could reasonably perform without music, after that I decided the Lord would have to provide when the time came. Dea left me a note saying my Friday performance was at 12:15pm. To say I was nervous would be an understatement.
I've done this before, but I am surrounded by really good musicians and singers. I know this: because I used to be a professional critic.
I also don't count myself as one of them (musically speaking).
Now I am going to have to pull something out of thin air in front of those same people; Yipe!

At 12 noon I show up at the music hall and there is people just milling around. There is noise from downstairs where they sell food for the Festival. I'm not sure what is going on but I find an office to pull off my coat and My Cranfest Officials gear. I get out my guitar and tune it. Quietly.
Back upstairs, and people still milling around.
It's 12:15pm. Maybe I'm going to be first this year.
First is good.
Being the opening act is very good. Much less pressure. I Still don't know what I'm going to sing or play but I verify with the Sound Man that I only need two microphones with stands. One for me, and one for my classical guitar.

12:17pm
I check with My wife's aunt Gayle. She's the one in charge. She's been singing (wonderfully!) all her life; Solo's and in the Gospel Words Quartet. I've seen the album covers. Notice "covers" is a plural. As in four or five I think, could be more. She consults her original agenda.
The performances start at 1pm and I go on at 2:15pm not 12:15pm!
Dea wrote it down wrong! (I remember now she said she wasn't sure...oops!)

See, this is the ultimate "good news, bad news" sort of thing.
Good news:
I can't go back into my Cranfest Official duties because the timing would be such that I would never make it back in time. So I get a Break! Time to go back into that office and decide what I'm going to do. (God came through loud and clear but not until that time!)
I also get a little time to stroll around the immediate area of Cranfest and enjoy the atmosphere without any pressure.
There is a little guilt because I'm not helping but I squash that violently.
No snakes in this momental Garden!
For the first time in two weeks I'm not nervous about the performance.

It was a wonderful half hour.

I went back into the hall and realized the bad news:
I am not even close to being the opening act.
Worse: The Gospel words Opened!
More Worse:
There would be a couple of other performers and then
"The Dad's and Daughters" A quartet that features my wife and her Dad as well as Her Uncle and cousin with another aunt playing a fantastic piano.
You really need to understand that they really really are THAT good. Honestly, my being related has nothing to do with my professional opinion.
It only makes my situation worse and I get to go on after them!

I'm nervous again.

I know that my wife and her family (Dad, Mom, Aunts, Uncles,) and friends are all going to stick around for me.

It went...O.K.

Halfway through the second song my guitar went out of tune. I'm not quick enough to tune it between songs (never mind in the middle of a song). I plowed on through it anyway. During the performance I have to force myself to pretend that I'm at home pretending to be playing for an audience. It Works to a point.

Everyone was very "polite" afterwards.

Dea says I didn't embarrass her. I sang "Psalm 5", "I want to thank You Lord" (One I wrote for Dea), and "My Jesus Did" which was written by my good friend Larry Stebbins.

I have to perform again today. This time at 1:30pm. (I double checked with Gayle.) I told them I don't know if it will be the same three songs or not. I am leaving that up to God.

It's 7:30 and I need to wake up the Kids. Big day for them today. They both have solo's in the Crantastic Singers performances today. Dea has been gone since 5:20am. She's has gone to keep the World of Cranfest together while I get the kids ready and bring them to the Fest later. It will be another late night.

May the Lord continue to Make Himself Real to You every moment of every Day!

Will.