She Struck A Deal With God

It felt like that one Saturday last March when D was ubber stressed over District Solo/Ensemble, where everything you said or did triggered her because she swore she would fail herself and get a two rating.  No matter how often her voice coach guaranteed her she was prepared she was convincing her nerves that she was not.  She was afraid for her parents, King Ralph and I to be in the room to hear her sing.  We had to stand in the noisy hall with ears pressed to the door listening. The story ended with her getting a one rating and making it to state, where she also scored a one rating. 

So this year she decided she wanted to take the chance at All-Suburban Choir.  We had the same game of stress.  It started out with D just saying it wasn't going to be about making All-Suburban but just about the experience and saying she gave it a try.  To non-stop singing of an Italian arias, to I really want to make All-Suburban, to I know I won't make it and when I don't I will cry.  Since her voice coach is a co-worker of mine he made it clear to me that she was more than prepared.  All her silly jabber and preparation for tears was nothing more than her usual audition stress.  

I went to work for her Saturday morning in that box known as the athletic field concession stand (actually it feels like I am as close to hell as humanly possible, but with a Starbucks spiced pumpkin lattte in hand with made me pretend I was getting closer to heaven) while she auditioned up north.  She finally arrived at her job at 12:30pm.  I decided to stay and continue to help her out as it was the craziest work experience I had ever had and I wasn't about to leave my baby there alone serving hot beverages to frozen children and tired crabby parents.  I think my staying with her quelled her tears that were trying to brew inside her.  She was convinced she did a horrible job at the sight reading costing her a place in the prestigious high school choir.  I texted her voice coach and he relayed that what he heard that day she had nothing to worry about.  

So off King Ralph and I went to our annual October Fest, leaving D at home waiting by her phone for any word of the audition results.  When I get a text from her voice coach that said "Sssshhh D made All-Suburban Mixed Choir."  Sssshhh what is that suppose to mean?  Was I getting privileged information?  When I replied asking if I was allowed to tell her he said "you can tell her".  I forwarded his text and then called D.  The joyous screams as she read the text was deafening.  The sweetest sound.  As sweet as her joy when she got that one at State Solo/Ensemble last spring. And I could hear the stress she had pended up inside her leave her body.   

When we got home from our party D looks at me and says"we are going to church tomorrow!"  We have been so lazy about attending lately.  I gladly agreed but it had to be the 8am service.  She says "fine but we have to go because I prayed to God that if he let me make All-Suburban I would go to church in the morning."  

So the story ends with D and I sitting in our regular fifth pew on the pulpit side of the sanctuary saying-- when one strikes a deal with God there is no going back on the deal.

Guess this means God really does answer prayers ;-)