| "Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to | | | | flawlessly, missing just one cymbal crash |
| speak..." -Jeremiah 1:6All during high | | | | that was never noticed. The guys played well |
| school, I wanted to fit in, but never did, | | | | too, and we drew people back into the small |
| for various reasons. I wanted to do | | | | group of those employees daring enough to |
| everything, yet did very little due to lack | | | | stay in the first place. Throngs of people |
| of confidence. I was musically inclined, | | | | came back to see what was going on, and who |
| playing various instruments, but mainly stuck | | | | was that on the drums?"It was ME! I felt |
| to the baritone saxophone because my jazz | | | | great! When the song ended, I put my sticks |
| band teacher, Bert Hughes, loved the fact | | | | in my back pocket and started to get up."Oh, |
| that I was the only female to play so well in | | | | no!" I was told. Our manager came up and told |
| one of his bands. My passion, though, was | | | | me to sit back down and play! Well, who was I |
| drumming. He and I went round and round; him | | | | to disobey a direct order? I dutifully sat |
| telling me I was more talented with the sax, | | | | back down and we just jammed for 30 or so |
| and me pleading for chances to be a more | | | | minutes.When it was all over, droves of |
| active drummer. I'd sneak in at football | | | | people came to me wanting to know "Where did |
| games to the drummer's line, produce my own | | | | you learn to play like that?" and "Why did I |
| sticks and convince one of the snare drummers | | | | hide such talent?"Rex approached me the next |
| to let me play a song. I got noticed; one of | | | | week asking if I'd be interested in playing |
| my yearbooks shows me in my marching band | | | | with his group at his Church. Now, I'm not a |
| uniform, holding a pair of sticks in my hand | | | | Church goer. I have faith, I have beliefs, |
| asking "What song are we playing?"After high | | | | and I'm a very spiritual person, but as a |
| school, I dabbled with drumming. I've had | | | | child and teen, I was forced into Church, and |
| several sets over the years, and actually | | | | the woman who adopted me was very cruel to me |
| played with a heavy metal group right after | | | | whenever we went to Church, to the point of |
| high school, but left when I found out they | | | | reducing me to tears every Sunday. I still am |
| were a less than desirable group of men. They | | | | uncomfortable in any Church, so I celebrate |
| were actually working towards a record then.I | | | | my life and my faith privately, but |
| played with people I met in the Army; just | | | | faithfully.Rex was insistent; they needed me. |
| jamming, and having a good time. I had | | | | I finally agreed, but didn't feel good about |
| decided right after high school that I'd | | | | it. Playing with brushes in a quiet church |
| never be the famous drummer I'd so dreamed | | | | just wasn't my thing. Get me in a wide open |
| of, but that was fine- I just loved to | | | | space with electric guitars and loud music, |
| play.After I got out of the Army, I went | | | | and let me feel free to really play, now |
| about 6 years without so much as holding a | | | | that's my thing!I prayed about it, and slowly |
| drum stick. That changed when I came to work | | | | felt better about the whole thing. I even |
| for the company I'm with now.A man there, | | | | brought my kids to rehearsals and Church on |
| Rex, and his wife belonged to a Church where | | | | Sundays. We did this for a few months, and it |
| they played for the Lord every Sunday. They | | | | came time for the Christmas show, which I was |
| had a drummer, guitarists, a clarinetist, a | | | | looking forward to.The day came, and I was |
| pianist, and Rex played trumpet. They played | | | | nervous. We had picked several songs, most of |
| 'Church music', something I'd never tried | | | | which I was to play quietly and in the |
| because I have a very heavy hand and foot | | | | background. I just really didn't want to mess |
| when it comes to drumming. I did play heavy | | | | things up! There were many elderly folks in |
| metal, after all! A few years ago, their | | | | the congregation, and they were used to |
| drummer came on levy for Korea. Around the | | | | certain things. The last song worried me |
| same time, our company had a picnic where | | | | because it was 'Rock around the Christmas |
| employees would get together and play, if | | | | Tree' and it would be considerably louder |
| they wanted. Someone heard I was a drummer | | | | than they were used to. I had someone |
| and wanted me to play."No way!" I said. "I | | | | apologize in advance for me because I knew I |
| haven't played in years, and I really just | | | | would be loud. Right before my cue, I sent a |
| messed around with drumming".They persuaded | | | | fervent prayer up:"Lord, please, I'm here to |
| me, and a couple of them came over one night | | | | play for You! Please lend me your hands so I |
| to rehearse. What I ended up doing was | | | | might do that."We got going, and immediately |
| sitting there for 2 hours while they tuned up | | | | I found myself playing quite loud. I kept |
| and argued back and forth what they were | | | | looking over to the other members of the |
| going to play. When they finally left, I had | | | | group, watching for the all too familiar |
| played all of 5 minutes, and had not made it | | | | signs that I was too loud. There were none. |
| through a single song. The picnic was the | | | | |
| next day, and I was to play 'Sweet Home | | | | I kept watching the congregation for signs I |
| Alabama' by Lynyrd Skynyrd.Talk about nerves | | | | was too loud. There were none.Then something |
| being shot! That next day, I chickened out, | | | | amazing happened; so amazing that I almost |
| and let some management member play all the | | | | dropped my sticks in the middle of it |
| bubble gum songs. I said I'd play 'Sweet Home | | | | all.Some of the congregation, I mean folks |
| Alabama' and that was it.Well, they were | | | | older than 60, were getting up to dance! |
| awful. Not having rehearsed together, | | | | Right there, in a Methodist Church, these |
| everything was way off. People left in groups | | | | normally proper and reserved folks were |
| after just a few minutes. Our manager was | | | | dancing! I looked over at Rex in amazement; |
| thoroughly embarrassed, but he had to stay. | | | | he winked back and we played on.The louder we |
| Finally, they called me up there. I shook my | | | | got; the more into the song we got, the more |
| head no. They called me again, so I walked up | | | | they danced. We played; they danced.I played |
| to the drums on rubber legs, and said a quick | | | | for the Lord that day. My voice came through |
| prayer for the Lord to give me the strength | | | | my drums. Everyone there heard my voice. It |
| to get through this, and to please make it | | | | was loud, clear, and flawless. And it was all |
| fast! They had already started to play, so as | | | | for my Lord.Lord, lend me your voice so that |
| soon as I sat down, I just came in on the | | | | I may share my joy- and voice- with |
| next beat.I'd never played in front of a | | | | others.LifeWriter is an author on |
| group of people as diverse as this, but | | | | |
| thankfully, my shaking was invisible as I | | | | which is a site for Creative Writers.She |
| played. After a minute, my shaking stopped | | | | writes frequently on issues of child abuse, |
| and my talent shone through. I played almost | | | | mental health and animal issues. |