A few weeks ago I wrote a post called Biffed it. After I wrote that I started thinking about something that happened to me just over a year. Here’s how it went down…..
“A memorial service? Sure I’ll do it.” Those were the seven words I chose that got me into the situation that I’ll never forget as long as I live. As a worship leader I’d done a few memorial services already so it shouldn’t be that big a deal, right? So I talk to the family and they let me know what songs they want me to do for the service: Amazing grace and Because He lives. Those are great songs that I know so they should be a breeze.
Fast forward to the service……. Amazing Grace is first….. It went great. It sounded good, no mistakes, worship leading perfection, if I was writing a book on how to play songs at a memorial service that would be a textbook example.
The service went on. Everything was awesome. The lady for whom the memoral service was for was an amazing Christian lady who loved God with all of her heart. She was amazing mom and a devoted wife. Pastor Fred gave one of the best messages that I’d ever heard at a memorial service. I remember being moved to tears a few times in that service.
Then…… it happened. Fred ended his message and he called me up. The family wanted to end off the memorial service with the song Because He lives… and well…… Here’s how that went down….(for you RSS’ers theres an audio clip here… just so you know)…….
Talk about Biffing it. Funny huh? I found that clip last friday and listened to it a few times. The first time I totally relived that whole thing over again. Every feeling, every emotion. I can’t even tell you how I felt that day. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry….stay or run away. Can you imagine being in that situation? I tell you, I don’t wish that on anyone.
I don’t know why but I decided to listen to a few more times. Each time I listened to it it got funnier and funnier. Slowly the emotions that hurt so much were replaced by smiles and laughter. By the fourth time I listened to it I was seriously laughing so hard that people would have thought I was nuts.
I came to realize that its going to take me a long time to get passed the events of that day but that God had already taken that one event in my life and used to mold me and shape me. I don’t know if I needed to humbled that day but I can tell you without a doubt that I was.
As you can imagine, that whole thing still comes up alot. It’s been over a year since then and I’m still dealing with it. There are countless jokes about it from my friends, frequent references to it when putting together worship sets , and not to mention me joking around about it… but I’m allowed. I also haven’t done a memorial service since that day. I’ve been asked but to be honest I’m scared to do it. One day day though I’ll be past this enough to be able to do one again.
I’m totally just typing now so I’ll go ahead and end there. Remember there are things that God puts in our lives that allow Him to take us and mold us into the person that He wants us to be. It’s taken me a while to say this but Thank You Lord for that day.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know who holds the future
My life is worth the living just because He lives
- Victor
Hey Sweetie,
I just want u to know that I know that took a lot for u to post and I’m so proud of you. God really has brought u a long way since last year… I know because u barely let me listen to it a year ago and now to be able to laugh about it and share it with others is so neat for me to see.. Thanks for sharing that and your insight. I love you so much!!!
Mrs. Toasty
Vic. That was… wow. I actually had to pause the mp3, look away, and wince. What is great though is that I actually laughed, because you laughed. Memories like these stir my own memories.
One time, I sang a song for a wedding. It was at the reception and I was totally into it. Gemie came up and gave me a rose to hold in the middle of the performance. At the end, I meant to toss it back, but I chucked it. Like a Rock star chucking a guitar. It exploded and laid their dying. After that, people were like, dude, you chucked her rose. Yeah, she was mad that day.
Oh.. and one time during a battle of the bands thing with Drew and our friends, in front of strangers, I forgot the words to “Overwhelmed” and yeah, just screamed into the microphone. I also wore my work clothes (shirt, tie khakis) when everyone else was punking out at the high school. crazy.
last one… as a preschooler, I went poo… and discovered there was no TP… so I did what I could… with my palm… and ran out of there crying.
Love you Vic.
ok victor… that is what you call an all time classic. The one postive i can tell you is you made it through the song. Just imagining what people were thinking and the look on your face is sending me into mini convulsions right now. I guess my only question is where can i download the mp3? Ok, im gonna go and listen to it one more time now. (delete the last one)
wow … isn’t it great that God hears our heart’s cry?
hey vic just checkin in daily with this post. I just realized that this song is the first time i have heard you sing. Anyway, did i mention that was amazing?
That was the funniest funeral I have ever been too - which sounds horrible. The rest of you should have seen us in the audience. We were burying our faces in our hands trying not to laugh, but it was impossible. The funeral was horribly sad, not a celebration of a full like kind of funeral, but we still couldn’t help but laugh and we all couldn’t wait to get outside so we could talk about it.
And we were relentlessly mean to Victor. I’m sorry Victor, but it’s still funny.
BECAUSE HE LIVES, Victor can sing tomorrow.
Victor,
Thank you so much for sharing! This is quite admirable - AND funny. One good thing is that obviously you knew something wasn’t right. If you listen to the link below, I don’t think this guy knew any better:
http://www.signaturelight.com/audio/mp3/o_holy_night.mp3
I try to listen to this at least once every Christmas season.
Thanks again for sharing, Victor. I’m proud to call you my friend!
-Dan