music is what feelings sound like

So I had to go for an CT Scan the other day.  As it turns out, I have small hernia, but it’s not that big of a deal. 

Getting ready to enter the CT Scan

And so based on that “good” news, we decided really late in the day to go on the church retreat with Preakness.  We got there late, but it was ok.  The next morning we did a little snow tubing and that was sure fun coming down, but pretty tiring climbing back up the hill.  Darryl and I enjoyed the company of a few of the people from church, and I was happy that they included him in such a nice way.

The retreat was at Spruce Lake in the Poconos.  It was a nice little place, although we didn't really get to see all of it because we weren't aware of what all was there.  I was invited at the last minute to play a couple of children's songs on my guitar.  That was fun, but also a little awkward because I wasn't allowed to use the amp, and we had no words on the screen, so nobody knew what I was actually singing.  Oh well, I did my best with it and tried to have the same attitude my boys would have.  And that really helped!  I also “got to play” 10,000 Reasons, Shout To The Lord and In Christ Alone from the back even though no one heard me except Darryl because he was standing right next to me, but he said I did a great job.  I’m glad I brought my music with me.

I would have to say, the BEST part about the entire retreat was my Saturday.  I spent most of the day in the Lodge playing my guitar and singing.  I played for hours, and my fingers were so sore!!  One man who was on his guitar on the other side of the room told me how much he enjoyed it, and that he was following along with me.  He invited me to come back later to play with him.

Rob Cruver

Rob, me, Darryl

Then a while after that, a few men from a men's retreat sat down by me and I was going to stop playing, but they were like, “No, don't stop. It sounds lovely.”  Then Darryl came and joined us, and the group of us had a great time talking and singing.  A short while later Rob Cruver, the Pastor from Zarephath came over and sat down with us (I met him at breakfast).  He was so nice!  He took such an interest in our lives and talked to us about how we met, about our marriage, about our boys and their lives, and about Dana, and about how she was raised, and all sorts of things.  We laughed and talked, and Darryl cried… haha.  It felt so nice to be talking to someone who genuinely took an interest in our lives, and not just shallow polite talk.  It made the whole trip worthwhile to us.

That night at dinner, a man came up to me and said he would like to get me in the Kimmel Center.  I smiled and thanked him.  He was like, “Yeah you sounded so good I'd love to get you in at the Kimmel Center.”  So I thanked him again, and then I looked up on my phone to find out what the Kimmel Center was because I had no idea.  haha.. Boy was I surprised!

Oh yeah, I also got to play while Darryl and I sang In Christ Alone for a couple from our church as well, and that was a sweet time together.

Those 3 days were very encouraging to me as a musician and singer.  It was especially encouraging to get such nice feedback from people who don't even know me, people that chose to play with me, and hang with me while I'm singing and playing.  It meant so much to me to be validated in the same way Darryl and the boys validate me.  It gave me the spurring on that I desperately needed to keep pursuing musical things.