Life is bittersweet right now.
On one hand, I am at a very exciting point. My music "career," if you can call it that, is moving in the right direction, and at a pretty good rate. I had my first "solo gig" at a nursing home this past Wednesday and it was great. The director, who used to be the activities director at a large nursing home (that PAYS for entertainment!) gave me a big thumbs-up and her assistant told me about a place I need to contact in Clarksville. Also, the assistant told me I reminded her of Sandi Patty (not a comparison I'd heard before, but one I could kind of understand, and appreciate!). She got me thinking about checking out Sandi's website, which led me to the GMA website, which is truly a wealth of information for singers.
I am scheduled to sing at my uncle's church in Ridgetop on Feb. 8, which alternately thrills and terrifies me. I think it will go well - I am trusting in God for this! - but I can't help being a bit nervous. I don't want to go into all of that. I am excited.
I have so many potential opportunities in front of me. I am looking into singing at smaller churches that may not have a deep pool of singers within their membership. There really are a lot of them around here. I don't want to take away from any other church's music program, just to provide a break from their usual routine and/or possibly provide special music for special occasions. A fellow in Washington state contacted me about putting a video on his television show. That is really exciting!
Recording a real, sellable album is my next big goal, with some smaller ones in the meantime such as talking to people I know about singing in their churches and nursing homes. I may possibly record again at the little studio in the mall, a CD of traditional songs that people might play on more somber occasions. And this Wednesday, on my day off, I am going to set up some dates in some of those places.
I admit that the call of the road - traveling in a Silver Eagle and singing in different churches every night and recording - and the lifestyle that sometimes goes with it, can be very enticing. I am not perfect. I admit I think it would be nice to make enough money to do that. But I am really enjoying what's going on right now in that part of my life. It's exciting, the busy-going-every-direction, working at the office full time and going home to put together websites and CDs.
My goal isn't to get rich, but I would like to be able to pay off some debts. I made up my mind going into this that I am not going into debt to buy anything to do with my music ministry. Not even an accompaniment track! I believe that if I give God this gift and this desire, He will meet my needs. And, so far, things have been great in that respect. I don't want to go into detail on this either, but I got some money I wasn't expecting. Not a lot, not even enough to make that CD I was talking about, but a little trickle I didn't think I'd get, and that made me feel good.
On a more personal note, I joined Facebook this week and already have 41 friends. I am not in competition with anyone but I have gone way past some folks I know who have been on for awhile. I really do know everybody. No, that's obviously not true.
I am a little slow getting to the other hand. Unfortunately, it is just as hard to deal with as the other hand is fun and exciting. Mom got a really bad report yesterday. The ugly, hateful, bad cancer is trying very hard to take her away from us. She is so positive and upbeat, I believe if your faith will make you whole, she should already be there. That's just not happened yet, and she needs our prayers, y'all. Please keep her, as well as Karen Shearron, who plays guitar with me, Randy & Rachel sometimes, in your prayers. Both of them are going through a really rough time.
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