Murphy's Law? You Decide!

Last week I (Jack) joined the high school choir. Well, actually, I offered my piano-playing services to the choir teacher (through a translator). When I met with the choir (14 students), I was asked if I could also sing bass and play the piano at the same time. (I guess the four boys are all tenors. Actually, one is a soprano.) I agreed. Then two days ago the choir teacher asked if I would take over for her today because she was sick (on Tuesday) and could not come in. She also told me what needed to be done, where the CD was for one of the songs, and where the key was for the two PADLOCKS on the piano.

This morning I went to the main teachers' room, found the choir teacher's desk, and got the CD I needed, plus a key for the PADLOCKS.

Today, 2:35 (Murphy's Law begins to apply.) I knew that at least two of the boys were at a math competition and one of the boys was sick (the soloist on one song). When I arrived at the cafeteria (piano in the corner, locked with two PADLOCKS, the smell of cooked cabbage lingering in the air), there were five singers present. I had mentally decided eight would be necessary to continue. Well, they talked me into practicing with them (dedication). OK. So I went to the piano, removed the covering, and discovered that the key was not the correct key to unlock the PADLOCKS. Figuring that I must have grabbed the wrong key, I asked the singers if they were really really sure they wanted to practice. YES. So I walked back to the other building (Forgot to mention it was pouring rain at that time.) and literally emptied the two drawers where the key was supposed to be. NOPE. So I walked back to building B where the six of us started on a song that had a CD accompaniment. Good thing we started with that song, because at a little after three o'clock the power went out in the building. No piano, no power. We forged ahead, a cappella, me attempting to sing alto with the sole alto. Shortly thereafter, three more girls arrived. (A good thing, because my singing with the sole alto was not going too well--the sopranos were laughing at my falsetto!) Keep in mind it is a dark, dreary day and it's getting quite dark in the room. We kept it up until some of the girls had to leave. A good thing, because they were not doing too well unaccompanied.

As the kids were preparing to leave I asked the boy (who was also my translator for this rehearsal) what the last song was about. He said it was about Jesus being born in Bethlehem. (God to Jack: Here's an opening!!!) So I asked the students if they believed in Jesus, and one by one, three hands slowly went up. At which point I said, "I believe in him too. I am a Christian". Nothing more, but at least a recognition that some of us are like-minded.

Walking home in the rain I began to realize that our last bit of conversation in the cabbage-redolent-cafeteria needed to happen, and that at 2:35 I lost control of a situation that God had started working out last week when I started meeting with the choir. Pray that this event today will continue to unfold for His glory, and that I won't be blind to the unfolding of it.