Finals are getting to me

It's getting harder to wake up every morning.

I've been getting up at 6:00 so that I can get out the door to get on the metro to then get on the Commuter Express and get to work by 7:20 so that I can get the exam rooms ready for the students. Today is Day 8 of 13. Yeah, it's insane that our finals go on for so long.

This morning, I didn't get outta bed until 6:26 and I was supposed to leave my house at 6:40! Ack! I definitely have to get to bed earlier tonight.

I can't wait until December 20th. That's the last day of exams and the last day that I have to get up at the butt crack of dawn. Heck, the sun isn't even up when I wake up!

In other news, I'm going to be taking on the responsibilities of worship team leader at my church, Journey Covenant Church, starting January 1st. I have the distinct feeling that I don't fully know, yet, what I've gotten myself into! The timing is really interesting. I had decided, in mid-November, to step down from being on the Women's Ministries team. Then I heard a few weeks later that our worship team leader would be leaving for a full time worship pastor position at another church.

I was helping out with the PowerPoint during the church service at the end of November and afterwards, Wade, the executive pastor, came up to me and said, "I heard you singing. You have a great voice. You should join the worship team. And you can lead!" And I was like, "Uh....hang on just a second...I just came off something else!"

Well, then the next week, I was helping out with PowerPoint again, and his wife, Rose, who is on the worship team, came up to me and suggested that I join the worship team. Actually, she's been suggesting that to me ever since September 2004 when she told me that she remembered seeing me on a worship team at our old church, Rolling Hills Covenant Church. At that time, the church was huge! But, you didn't see any Asian Americans up on stage so I guess I stood out in her mind.

Well, I started to really seriously think and pray about it.

You see, I've been involved with leading worship since I was in high school. Plus, music has always been a passion of mine. You know how they say that when a woman is pregnant, the baby is affected by what goes on outside the womb? Well, my mom played piano all the time when she was pregnant with me. I took piano lessons for 13 years. I started to learn how to play guitar (although I'm by no means the best guitarist around) when I was 15. I'm always listening to music--in my office, in my car, on the bus/metro, at home.

My ministry passion is for leading worship through music. I'm admittedly not the best musician or vocalist out there. But, I've seen people who were better vocalists who did not have the passion for leading worship through music and they were quite ineffective. So, what I lack in musicianship and talent, I make up for in passion.

I've also been to conferences and seminars for worship leaders and have learned a lot about what it means to be a worship leader.

I had stopped leading worship about two and a half years ago when I started to phase out of being involved with TNT. I really miss it. So, I'm looking forward to this opportunity! It's going to be different to lead for two church services rather than just a fellowship meeting. Luckily, I've had experience leading at small church services. I'd led a few times at the Chapel Option at my old church.

It's funny--I have no problems getting in front of a group of people (as many as 800+) and singing, but it takes a lot for me to get up in front of 75 people to sing karaoke. I'm just not a performer, I suppose.

This means that all my Tuesday nights are now booked for worship team practice, and I have to be at church from 8am until probably 12:30pm every Sunday.

Tonight's the first worship team practice that I'll be attending. I'll be a vocalist for the next 2 church services before I take the reins. Wade had a good point--I should at least be seen up there with the worship team so that it's not a surprise to anyone when I start leading on January 1st!

If anyone reads this and thinks about it, I'd greatly appreciate your prayers!