faithAs a singer and pianist my life has been full of musical performances; recitals, concerts, cantatas, weddings pageants, plays, etc. Each event requires hours of rehearsal time so for all of the time I’ve spent on stage I have spent even more time in rehearsals.

The bigger the show, the more rehearsal it requires.

Rehearsing for a solo performance only requires the performer, his/her instrument and perhaps an accompanist.  But a major production can involve hundreds of people; not only cast members but singers, musicians, stage hands and technical crew.

As one who leans toward being a perfectionist, I push myself to make sure that every aspect of my performance is exactly as it should be. I’ve experienced enough stage fright to know that notes and lyrics can suddenly become quite vague when I step onto the stage. So I rehearse so that even if my mind goes blank, I can operate on “automatic pilot.”

Since rehearsing has been such a big part of my life, I find it very ironic that there’s no rehearsal for the major events of our lives.

There is no rehearsal for:

  • Childbirth– Even attending classes doesn’t fully prepare a woman for the true magnitude of that experience. During my pregnancy I read lots of books about labor and delivery, but when the actual time came, I found that it was much more than I had bargained for.  I didn’t get to rehearse, I just had to ad lib and react in the moment.
  • Parenthood –I was a self-proclaimed expert on parenting until I had a child. I’d read books, but was not really prepared for motherhood. Those 9 months of pregnancy were a piece of cake compared to the 20 years since.  Talk about a roller coaster ride!  Children go through so many stages.   Just when I’d adjusted to one stage, he moved on to another. So I just learned to “wing it” and go with the flow.
  • Seasons of loss – Loss can be experienced in many areas of life and are often sudden occurrences so there is no time to prepare for them. Even if you know that your company is planning layoffs, you’re never truly prepared with your turn comes along.  There’s no rehearsal for packing up your desk and strolling out the front door with style and grace. You don’t have the opportunity to rehearse your reaction to a friend or loved one who decides that they don’t want to continue in a relationship with you. You don’t get to rehearse your response to a doctor who delivers the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness.
  • Marriage – Many little girls dream about having a fairytale wedding. Television shows like “Bridezillas” and Platinum Brides” are fun to watch. Planning a wedding can take months of painstaking preparation. I have sung at many weddings and it is always a joy to look at the couple as they gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes.  It is ironic that although they’ve spent months preparing for the wedding, they are clueless about what marriage really is.
  • Grief – One of life’s deepest pains is the death of a loved one. I was 30 when my father suffered a fatal heart attack. I had no ready response to the doctor who came to tell us that Dad was gone. My parents had been married for 38 years and my mother had no rehearsal for widowhood.  She was suddenly thrust into the role.

The bottom line is there’s no dress rehearsal for life – you’ve just got to “wing it.”

The one thing that has guided me through the changing seasons of life has been my faith in God. He has been my executive producer, conductor, and coach. My relationship with Him has sustained me, providing peace and comfort through all of my major life events. I have learned to walk by faith, even when I had no idea where I was headed. As Paul said in II Corinthians 5:7,” I live by faith and not by sight”. “ (NIV) So I am confident that no matter what my next “performance” is, I’ll be ready.
Have a great week!