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