She Made the Vocal Team

Anyone with a teenage daughter knows about ups and downs. Crazy ups and down. Stupid ups and downs. Confusing ups and downs. Funny ups and downs. The ups can be rather annoying -- and the downs will run the rest of the family out of the house...screaming and pulling their hair.

This post is an up. A small history is required.

Songbird spent the last year participating in a Christian dance (hip/hop) group at our church. This group is called Motion. It has been great fun to see them perform at church. They also go out into the community and put on performances...and then join the crowd and make friends. They share their message of faith with the crowd. The neat thing about that is they are trained on how to share their story and get it down to a 1-2 minute testimony. This is an important skill to have. Nobody wants to be stuck with the rambler, the mystical, the unclear or the Holier Than Thou message.

Anyways. Songbird picked up the dances pretty quick and had a great time. I got to see my teen doing something physically active, with other Christians, and it didn't cost. But, as singing is Songbirds passion, she really did want to be on the vocal team.

This year she tried out for vocal team. I waited on pins and needles waiting to hear if she made it. She wasn't making a real big deal out of it...but you could tell it was very important. And the Doubting Thomas in me wondered how badly this was going to shake things up...how disappointed she was going to be. How were we going to pull her out of her funk? What bribes could we use to put a smile on her face.

She made it.

I'm quite sure I was much more shocked and surprised than she was. Not that she can't sing...because she really can. But there were about 8 slots...and I know on the dance team there were over 30 kids. I have no idea how many tried out for vocals...but I know it was more than 8. And this is one huge bunch of talented kids.

And the coolest part of this is that she gets to work under our Worship Pastor, Gary Rhodes. As in "My Utmost for His Highest" and "A Christmas to Remember" composer Gary Rhodes. He has won the Gospel Music Association's Dove Award. And I love seeing what he will lead us in each Sunday...it is always different - he's so diverse.

What an incredible thing this is for her.

My daughter is having an incredible 13th year. Even if she is sure everyone hates her at school (this week). And can scream and cry at the drop of a hat. And hates her hair. And hates her freckles.

I would never, ever, ever, want to be 13 again.