When Inspiration Strikes...

Most of you know that I play the piano. I have played the piano for nearly 30 years now- wow, when I say it like that, it makes me feel REALLY old.
Anyhow- I love to play and am so thankful for the opportunities I have been blessed with to share this talent with others. I have played A LOT in church, some funerals, school functions, and now have the opportunity to play at the Conference Center once a month.

While I am a pretty good pianist, I am not necessarily a songwriter. But I have had those moments when inspiration hits and I come up with something resembling a song. I have recently had one of those moments and I would really like to share it with you all...

To begin I have to go back almost 5 years. Mark and I had just completed a Handcart Trek with our Stake. Yes, this is where we crazy Mormons pretend we are pioneers. I know, crazy- but an amazing experience. Mark was in charge of putting a post-Trek video together. We were searching for some music to go on it and he suggested that I write a song for it. (I think he was half-joking) but I thought I would give it a shot. So I sat down and played around a little bit and after a few weeks I had a cute little song.

Unfortunately at that time, I did not have any recording equipment so there was no way to get it from my brain and piano to the video so I kind of just put it in the back of my mind. I had it recorded on my piano so every once in a while, I would play it.

Now for the present...we are facing another Trek this summer and Mark and I will be going again- this time as Group Leaders (previously known as a Ma and Pa). So we will have a cute group of youth to pull our handcart. :) My amazing friend, Kelli is also on the Trek planning committee and in one of their meetings a month or so ago, it was suggested that maybe they find someone in the Stake who could write a song for Trek. So she said she would ask me, knowing that I have a full and overflowing plate these days.

When she came to me, I just said, "Kelli- I already have a song written for a Trek." I pulled out the lyric sheet when I got home and read through them and got chills. This song was not written for the Trek 5 years ago- it was written for this Trek. We will be focusing on the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies who suffered through snow and many other hardships on their way to the SL Valley. The lyrics of this song talk about some of the struggles they went through.

The Lord works in mysterious ways. I don't have time in my busy schedule to sit down and write a song- but I did 5 years ago. I hated theory when I was a piano student. No- hated is not the right word- more like LOATHED. So I was nervous that I would not be able to get this song out of my head because I couldn't figure out the time signature or which notes and rests to use. So I had planned on meeting with someone in our Stake who has more experience in that area. But I thought to myself, I really should try and write at least some of it down so we have a starting point.
1 Hour
It took me just a little over an hour to put the whole song down on paper.
Is this just me being lucky or a set of strange coincidences?
I think not.
Is it inspiration straight from a loving Heavenly Father who knows me and loves me?
Absolutely.
For whatever reason, he has chosen me as a vessel to write this song for this Trek. He has inspired me to write lyrics that give me chills every time I sing it. I know this song is inspired. I hope that it will touch the hearts of those who will hear it.

Now- if I can only get through performing it at the Fireside at the end of this month.
Yikes- I feel nauseous just thinking about it.