singing diary
November 13th, singing in Summerville, Lakeland/ Nov.19th, singing in Savannah Court, Brandon/ Nov.20th, singing in Delaney Creek Lodge, Brandon/ Nov.21st, singing in Whispering Oaks, Tampa.
It just keeps on getting better! I’m learning more & more to flow in the spirit; while I’m more relaxed in what I do, I’m also learning to be more expressive in the singing & the telling. Another thing I’m learning is to stand against dark forces and present the Kingdom of God with conviction, strength, energy, joy & love flowing through me. If there is restlessness, it usually goes after a while, because God’s peace is powerful.
At Summerville I performed/ ministered in the activities room, which was lovely; a settled & very quiet audience. People were too quiet for my liking, and I tried hard to get more of a response. This began to happen only well into the program. Then I notices some people began to leave. (Sometimes people leave simply to go to the bathroom.) I had difficulty finishing within the hour and was ‘on’ for about 70 minutes. Afterwards the Activities Director expressed her appreciation for my work; she had loved the program etc., but next time I should finish with 50 minutes. My oh my, that is very difficult, especially when people are so slow to respond. Never mind; they will learn to yield a little quicker, and I will (have to) keep it shorter. Really, I long for opportunities where I can go for 90 minutes or even 100. “Please come back soon!” was the response; here’s another regular home for me to visit! Great place; lovely people!
Savannah Court is the ONE place where I sing ONCE a month. How special. And I’m glad that I can honestly say that EVERY ONE of those hours (70 minutes) have been really special! The little crowd that comes out to hear me, are like a friend that I very much enjoy visiting. THEY LOVE ME! They come out early when I visit, because they look forward to hearing me sing & tell. As a result of that they all sit there watching me set-up my PA system (which is fine really- I do it very quick now-a-days). I told my little audience more about Moses, the latter part of his life, and I sang 2 songs: ‘I will wait’ & ‘Have I not dreamed?’
People LOVE my story telling, and the story of Moses is SO VERY RICH! They LOVED the first song; the second song is about Moses in his relationship with God, just before he finishes his life. I suppose this story material is very close to the bone for these dear elderly. They were more quiet, but I think they received it all just as much. After that I was on to the New Testament material, which is like stepping into a taxi: all of a sudden things move quickly and the ride is great: In His way of being/ Beatitudes/ Love Never Fails/ Touch Eternity/ Aaron’s Blessing. In fact I skipped ‘Love Never Fails’ since I had taken substantial time for Moses (I LOVE {the story of} Moses). I was on for 70 minutes; just got away with that length. Seconds after I finished there was an announcement via the intercom that lunch was NOW BEING SERVED. A great morning!
This is the first time I’m in Delaney Creek Lodge IN THE MORNING (I have been here twice before, in the afternoons). In some place most elderly sleep during the early afternoon, and doing a program at that time of day can be a bad idea! Today I have a terrific audience coming out and I manage to start EARLY. This helps with finishing not too late. The people LOVE my work; they are responding well and the spirit is moving beautifully. It’s almost like today is the first time here. Afterwards, while taking my stuff out the building, the director of the place asks me what I’m being paid. I tell here I’m not getting paid today. She responds by asking me to write an invoice for $50. “Doing such a great job and then not getting paid, that’s not right…” she says. I gladly write the invoice and quietly say: “Thank you Lord; the worker is worthy of his pay!”, and here it is!
I’ve been to Whispering Oaks once before; the occasion went well; I remember quite a few people who are well ‘out of it’. In recent teaching (through our home group) I had received encouragement to take authority earlier & quicker (instead of too late when ‘all hell has broken loose’). I’m doing just that even on the way here, and while I’m preparing. I suggest we change the set-up of the room, and the Activities Director kindly agrees to it (she is very kind indeed). I find myself playing the sax and singing to individual people, and really inviting the Holy Spirit (praying while I sing/ play/ tell) to touch this person and that person…
The occasion turns into something very special. The Spirit begins to move beautifully over the whole audience, very much including the people who seem so far away. Members of staff appear and stay; quite a few of them. God is at work in a fresh & surprising way. People are getting touched. This one young man is lying in his wheelchair (it’s almost like a bed); his eyes are bewildered; his arms & legs all over the place. While he is getting touched by the spirit he begins to calm down and gets a little focus in his eyes. After the presentation is finished I pray for him & over him, binding the spirit of infirmity and loosening the healing spirit of God over him. I still have a long way to go here, but one day (soon) God is going to use me to bring complete healing & liberty to people like this young man. I hope & pray that this young man can have a gradual healing! Many people here received Jesus today, including some members of staff. Another VERY SPECIAL event. I wonder sometimes, where is this all going?! Something very special is happening through all these encounters. God’s Spirit is on the Move!
Tags: Bible stories, Jesus, love, Retirement Home, singing, spirit, story telling
