My friend Nolan Williams text me on Friday evening and wanted me to call him ASAP. He's the artistic director of How Sweet the Sound-Gospel in America, a week long gospel music series at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. It turns out that he needed a sax player for the Sunday concert. I told him I would do it. The musical director sent me the song, an overture which would have me playing the melody to "My Tribute" by Andre Crouch.
I arrived at the rehearsal expecting to be in a band pit. The band was onstage. They pointed to a microphone front center stage and said, "you'll be here." I expected, and was perfectly content to be in the background, but God fixed it so I played my melody on center stage. The concert featured Pastor Shirley Caesar, Take6, Kirk Franklin and Edwin Hawkins. I had met Mr. Hawkins twelve years ago and told him I was doing a CD. He gave me his address and told me to send him one. He couldn't have remembered that exchange, but as I walked past he spoke and complemented my playing. I told him that we had met years earlier, and put a CD in his hand, which he graciously accepted.
"Be ye also ready", because you just never know. Your next blessing could be right around the corner.
