Whew!

I made it through my first Sunday of organ playing and am so relieved it's done. I spent several hours at the church this week practicing and I am so glad I did. Playing alone and playing while people are singing are two totally different experiences. I found myself tensing up several times and had to keep telling myself to relax, but I made it through with only a handful of either missed or wrong notes. (Of course, I played the easiest songs I could find in the hymn book - so we'll see how next time goes).

The hardest part was not sitting with my family. I left for the church a half an hour early to get one last practice in. Devin had to bring the girls all by himself and sit with all three during the opening song, announcements, a confirmation, sacrament song and sacrament. I got to sit with him for 5 minutes during the two youth speakers, then had to play a rest hymn. From there, I took Shannon to eat and had to quickly halt the feeding as I heard the last speaker bearing his testimony. I literally walked back in, handed Shannon to Devin and walked up for the closing song and postlude. CRAZY!!! I think that on my weeks, I need to request that there be no rest hymn. It was a little too much for me. Maybe now that I have been set apart things will go more smoothly and I will feel more confident.

Devin handled it all like a champ. I think the kids were actually better for him than they are for me. I'm so glad to have his support. I felt so blessed this afternoon as he joined with our bishopric counselor in setting me apart and giving me a blessing from our Heavenly Father. What a blessing the priesthood is in my life. I felt our Father's spirit so strongly during that prayer and knew that this is what he wishes me to do right now. I know that it will be challenging, but I also know that this is how we learn and grow - by stepping out of our comfort zone and trying new things. I am grateful for the opportunities that I have to serve our Lord and hope that as my children grow that they will see not only the importance of serving, but the privilege of serving him as a way to prove ourselves worthy to return to him someday.

(Although - I can still use all the prayers I can get on behalf of my fingers!)