SportsFaith

Sunday Story Time Crowning Glory Moments Did I ever tell you about the time the Miss America Pageant asked me to work for them? No? Well, this one is for the books, for sure! While working with “Joe”, a vendor for the company I worked for after college I got a strange proposal. My boss and I went to a lunch meeting with Joe. During our meal my boss bragged about a private concert I was giving for an alumni reunion. Joe leaned over the table and acted like he was in shock! He just couldn’t believe that this quiet, somewhat stoic business professional could actually sing! Then my boss told him I was a private voice teacher and that my education was from a conservatory. He was smiling like he had something cooking in his head. Then it got weird. He said “Angel, have you ever competed in the Miss America pageant?” After laughing hysterically I told him NO! He then gave me a sober look and asked if I would consider helping him with our states local competition and get him out of a jam? I had no idea what he was talking about. I had seen these competitions on television, but could not figure out how I could help. My boss was suppressing a smile and excused himself to go back to our office. This whole lunch had been planned for my benefit. This gentleman and his wife had been working for the Miss America pageant for over 20 years and he was the president of our state’s chapter. He wanted me to teach a song to the contestants for the show they presented to the community. They would pay me whatever I asked. How hard could it be? I taught music on the weekends and was always interested in teaching others. Sure, why not? We made the arrangements to work with choreographer and study the music. It was simple, George Cohen’s tune YOUR A GRAND OLD FLAG. Piece of cake! Well, it should have been, but no one told me about stage mothers, pageant coaches and meltdowns under competition stress. I loved the girls and appreciated their hard work, but several couldn’t sing AT ALL! Several couldn’t dance very well either. After the first three days of frustration the choreographer and I started working until 3 Am after each rehearsal to rearrange placements for 50 girls. From the grave I could almost hear Dear old George screaming MAKE IT STOP! ???? However, by the time curtain call on the first night of competition we were ready. These were the best of the best and I fell in love with all 50 contestants. I was so proud of their dedication and kindness to the two beat up music instructors. I was sure I had bags under my bags, but I didn’t care we had a blast! What makes me share this story is we all get put on the spot to do something someone else sees in us. It was the first of many times others had confidence in me to do something I never thought I could do. At first I thought it was going to be easy, but it turned out I love hard work. Never give up! Listen to positive voices of encouragement. You might be the success in another’s story!

Jennifer Laurence is truly one of my favorite people. To know her is to love her! Read this and tell me kindness doesn’t matter.

Sunday Story Time Singing For My Supper A few years back I was a singing server. I belonged to a group called The Purple Cookie Thunder Players. It was one of the best jobs I ever had. One of the greatest positions for knowing about Customer Service Relations. When my late husband and I built our first house we didn’t know anyone in our new community. I decided to audition for a part in a local production of Fiddler On The Roof. The idea was just to meet people and sing with a group again. I ended up with a lead and was overwhelmed at first, but I knew I had found my community. It was fun, I made lifelong friends and was even offered a position at a local restaurant singing and waiting on tables. While it sounded easy nothing could have been further from the truth. At first it was obvious I was better at singing than waiting on tables. It was much harder than just performing on stage and I learned so much about people. All week long I rehearsed at home, we had two group rehearsals off sight and I was always required to be at the restaurant two hours early to do “side work”. We learned new music each week to keep our lineup fresh. We often “gigged out” at our customers parties and special events. I loved my job and was able to balance work and homelife with the help of my husband. The money was pretty substantial. The most valuable experience was working close to my customers. We had regulars who loved to hear their favorites. After the restaurant was on its “last call” customers requested music “off-menu” and we got new ideas for new standard tunes. Sometimes our first attempts were laughed off as “don’t try this at home, folks” and some were brilliant ideas we eventually recorded. Our valuable time with our best customers shaped our music menu as well as our cuisine. I took notes on napkins and made suggestions which management took seriously. Some flopped, but some were successful. The owners loved our impromptu conversations with these amazing customers who became friends. Their ideas were made into menu favorites. As I see those days in my rearview mirror I have no idea where I found the energy, but it prepared me for so many things which God knew I needed to learn for another day. As the owner of our establishment noted in one of our meetings “even side work, if done correctly can make or break a night”. I learned to “marry ketchups”, restock candles, preset tables and memorize wine suggestions just as well as my own music. Attention to detail and customer service always leads to great success. My title may be different now, but my heart for hard work is even stronger. It’s all about people! It’s all about giving 100% to those you call “customer”; patient, client, staff, guests, associates, community, congregation, constituents or friends and family. Don’t skip the details! Don’t skimp on ingredients! Don’t miss a beat! Find new ways to turn customers into contributing loyal followers and friends. Do well and stay blessed!

Celebrate Greatness