In the Rotation

As some of you may know, I once had a brief and unaccomplished singing career. Let me take you through it: 

1. Believers' Harmony. Unfortunately, that really was the name of this group. It was an ensemble formed through the Louisiana Tech BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries) to raise money for missions. We would travel around to churches to sing, give a testimony or two and sell a little merch (mostly cassette tapes). There were three embarrassing thing about BH. 1. We had to wear matching outfits. Usually long black skirts and pastel colored shirts. The guys would sometimes try to wear navy. It's not the same. 2. There was choreography. Or as it is commonly known in the Baptist world: "Interpretive Movement." This does not go well with nine mic cords running across the stage. 3. We sang with a backup track. It was super lame, but we made a lot of money. 

2. The Awakening Band. We played at a city wide Bible study every Thursday night at my home church of Willow Point in Shreveport. The only problem was that I was in school in Ruston, and my dad had forbidden me from making the drive every week since I was coming home most weekends, too. So, what did I do? I didn't tell my dad. Unfortunately, my dad shares many of the same qualities as my heavenly father. He's one omniscient son of a gun. Somehow, he knew. So, that was the end of that. 

3. Youth Choir Teacher. The Baptist Six Flags of Ruston was looking for two college students (a guy and a girl) to help with youth choir. The gig payed $30 a week, which wasn't bad for about an hour worth of work. Not to mention, I loved youth choir in my day. You know what happened? I was fired. Fired! No kidding. I started to question if my career goals were realistic since I'd just been fired from a church. However, to my credit the decision was not based on performance. I was a member of another church, and Six Flags wanted someone who actually went to their church. No problem. 

4. Lilies of the Field. There were five bands who played in chapel throughout the week. One for each day. Our chick worship band, Lilies of the Field, landed a spot in the lineup. Three girls, three part harmony, three guitars (and an occasional egg shaker played by Kate). In addition to chapel, we played open mics around campus. However, our band split by the end of the year. Like I said before, three girls, three part harmony, three guitars. Too many cooks in the kitchen. 

5. Tiki Tavern Karaoke Singer. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Truthfully, this is where many has-been church soloists end up. Singing Bonnie Raitt to a smokey room filled with Boozie McGees. However, these days I don't go out so much. But if we do go out, I can guarantee you'll hear "Poison Ivy" by the Coasters — love it!

So, that brings me to the present. My guy plays guitar in the band for our church's contemporary service. He knows of my mediocre musical past and has often tried to expose it. On one of our first dates, he brought a guitar and asked me to play and sing for him. I could hardly remember the chords, but I told him if he played I'd sing with him. 

But Saturday at the crawfish boil, he really got me. There were several members of the church band at the party when Ty said into the mic, "Stephanie, get up here and sing your song." With a questionable look, I walked toward the stage and whispered to him, "What's my song?"

"Emmylou." 

So, I sang it. "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight." A song that plays regularly on Ty's XM radio. Or at least I tried. No one can really sing quite like Emmylou Harris. However, it led to one of the band members saying, "You can sing? We're working you into the rotation." 

Am I now playing some small part in the church band? I'm not really sure. I guess I'll know when I get there and I'm handed a microphone. Ty set me up and it worked. Since Saturday he's randomly said, "In the rotation," with a smile and a chuckle.

I just tell him, "Well, I gotta do something to get my friends to go to church." 

The service begins at 11.