Friday, April 11, 2008

Jesus Never Fails



I can relate to this guy. Kind of. Lori and I were asked to sing at one of the GBS centenary celebration services in 2000. The chapel was packed when we got up to sing "Jesus Never Fails". We got to the second verse and I rocked into my solo part on "so what can I do to prove to you...", except those words didn't come out. I didn't have the song memorized and I had lost my place in the music. I started out with "so, hmmmmm-mmm-mmm..." and then in a subtle attempt to cover up the fact that I was totally lost, just quit singing and stared at the sheet of music trying to find that part of the verse. Our good friend Martha Miller was accompanying us and she expertly guided me back into my solo part, but I still didn't have it, so she played a little intro part again (and, then again). Humiliating. I do remember glancing over at Lori and she was looking at me with an expression that spoke of mortification and the fact that I was going to die later. I made it through the rest of the song, sheepishly.

One of my heroes, Dr. Wingrove Taylor, approached me later and in his dry, measured manner, voice colored by a Caribbean lilt said, "Thank you for the excellent lesson this morning, Mr. Waggoner. For indeed, when we fail, Jesus never fails."

Point well taken...and never forgotten.

12 comments:

The Going Blog said...

That was painful to watch :-) David and I were singing "He's ever interceeding" and the print was small and David lost his place and we burst out laughing. We were young and I didn't want people to think we weren't taking the song serious so I had us repeat the part we missed. David about died!

Jon Plank said...

Wow...I would have been throwing songbooks.

I was there at the GBS event. It would be on video somewhere in the GBS archives (because I was doing the video-ing).

Anonymous said...

At least you didn't rewrite the melody :) !!!!

Anonymous said...

Are you sure that's not you sporting the "horn-rimmed" glasses, a mustache and a little hair??? Ha.

Burley

Jody J said...

Oh, my!! That WAS painful! I don't know which is funnier the video or your story. Would've loved to have been there. I still don't think it's as bad as your dad singing, "Sunrise, SunSWEAT" at that wedding! I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. :)

Unknown said...

Aaaaaaagh! I can't bear to watch it. That's one reason though why I don't care to sing with soundtracks much. You get it or else. Fortunately I have a husband who can cover up my mistakes. The first time I sang a Kristen Getty song at church I knew something wasn't right with the timing and Philip - bless his heart just followed and no one was the wiser. (It probably helped that no one had ever heard the song before! LOL)

Carrie said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Carrie said...

"Poof!"

Kimberly said...

So sad...but laugh out loud funny! There but for the grace of God...

Beth and Jeremy Glass said...

How humiliating! It's bad enough to struggle through a song, but then to have it posted on youtube? On the lighter side, he recovered from his poor showing and recorded his hit, "O Holy Night". If you don't know what I'm talking about, that too is on the internet, under the search "funny O Holy Night".

tacomom said...

Hey at least he kinda found the tune and key on the chorus! I'm not sure what I would have been doing had I been in actual attendance...laughing uncontrollably or squirming and sweating for him!

You're story is definitely a lol moment. My dad has way too many public musical faux pas to even mention, a favorite being, "shoes on the table and food on my feet." But I think his funniest was when he sang, "the load was oh so heavy upon my hairy back". My mom just sank down on the piano bench next to me, put her arm on the piano and her head on her arm and laughed her self silly while Dad finished the song having absolutely no clue what he'd done wrong!

Carol Van Atta, Princess Warrior said...

Ahhhh ... isn't it so much fun when we find ourselves humbled? Not! Personally, I don't like it much. However, I've sure grown from those not-so-fun time. Great site. God bless your ministry. Carol