Fa la la la la!

This past weekend I made my debut performance in the Festival of Lights (FOL) at Palmcroft Baptist Church. For 15 years, Palmcroft has hosted a FOL Christmas production (different every year) that includes choir, drama, live orchestration and lights that hang from the rafters and criss-cross around the room (75,000 lights in all!). Though I had attended the performance last year as part of the audience, this was my first time involved as a member of the choir and I had a blast.

(See the lights hanging from the ceiling above the set? They're strung all around the auditorium like that!)

I loved it all--the singing, dancing, acting, sharing of the Christmas story and that God is the "Hope of the World." I loved the months spent memorizing music and the extra rehearsals leading up to the performances. I loved getting to know my fellow choir members more personally and making some new friends. I loved praying for people in the audience who were perhaps hearing the salvation message for the first time in their lives. Truly it was an amazing experience to be part of something with eternal implications.

I loved seeing everyone's costumes, and hanging out "backstage." And I loved that the program didn't list any names--though we were having a great time, it wasn't about us--we were simply a vessel, a tool, to be used for God's purposes.

(My friends Kara and Heather made great singing partners and wonderful new friends!)

A quick note for anyone interested in attending in future years (it's never too early to start thinking about who you'd like to invite!): the event is completely free--an outreach to the community, friends, family, co-workers, neighbors--but tickets are required (the performances are packed--we even had to add an extra performance this year!).

(Carter and Halle came to the first performance with mommy and daddy, and then came back
on day 2 for cookies and hot apple cider with nana and papa!)