"...with my God I can scale a wall" Psalm 18:29
My school (Living Arts College) looks like Dolly Parton's boobs (full and round) when I am having lunch at Wendy's on the hill above, and can't see the 3rd dome. I love it!!! Wait not Dolly Parton's boobs...yuck...but my school.
Its a hotbed of creative energy, the professors are abundant with talent. The administration leads by example, utilizing strategic decision making skills displaying only the utmost of professionalism.
Its not just a creative school. We also have a medical arts program. Daily u see medical students in their costumes...uh..I mean scrubs while toting around luggage on wheels full of textbooks. They must think I'm from Saturn, at least the ones in the parking lot this afternoon..
You see...none of my film partners showed up....again today! I still had wardrobe for two more scenes. Don't ask a former professional female impersonator known throughout Florida for doing flips in 6 inch heels to perform on camera without taking it seriously. My stage identity has changed since my 20's. Now my brand is garden variety Christian, who happens to be a "gay jock", verging on "young daddy" with each new gray hair. I retired my heels years ago but I still rely on lessons I learned in the club scene to help navigate my way through the creative process.
Actually I need to rephrase that.
I meant, I still rely on the same lessons God taught me back when I was full blown Miss Jamie Montoya. Lessons like how to handle fierce competition, rejection, criticism, and crickets after a performance. Lessons on how to compose myself when painstakingly nervous and break on through to the other side of courage when facing public challenges.
But today it still stung to be older than even my professor...and have both my project partners MIA and no one to help me film. My professor's no filter work ethic and expectation is achievable. His back handed compliments (without being mean) can yank the slack out of any chain. Today he gave me a solution to my filming project while lighting a fire in me to get it done
"Just drive around and film footage of pretty things. Its called B roll", he said, as I was exiting Dolly Parton's boobs...uh I mean the domes carrying the camera and tripod.
Snow is still on the ground but it had warmed to 46 degrees when I found the spot to film. I was feeling sorry for myself being alone and had to really shake off the pity party I was being invited to attend. I knew I wasn't alone. God was with me as I carried my wall mirror, backpack of clothes and bags of shoes, hats, and sunglasses through the briers by the pond trying to find good light.
I began singing Michael W Smith's "You are Holy, Prince of Peace" to chase away my blues. I have just learned and memorized the girls part to the chorus and it is so awesome...like a cheer.
I began singing out loud..."You are Lord of Lords, you are King of Kings, your are mighty God Lord of everything, your Emmanuel, Your the great I am, your the Prince of Peace who is the lamb, Your my saving power, your my saving grace, you will reign forever, you are Ancient of Days, you are alpha omega beginning and end, your my Savior, Messiah, my Redeemer and friend...your my Prince of Peace and I will live my life for you!" Singing this worked and my blues were gone.
After setting up, and seconds before filming, I lifted my head to the sky and plead to the Holy Spirit. It was a one word open eyed bullet prayer....help!
When I turned to start the camera, the fading scripture I wrote on my hands yesterday came into view as I reached to focus.. It read "...with my God I can scale a wall" Psalm 18:29. This was all the motivation I needed to get the job done.
From the first note of the song, I was in character, energized by my alone time with God. I danced on the side of that hill singing at the top of my lungs, hoping to God I was in the shot because the Holy Spirit was my choreographer, my location manager, my audio tech, my director and my camera man.
My song is classic full blown rock with jamming guitars, bass and kicking drums. There is a big bridge, and an over the top last chorus. I assure you, this former showgirl let loose with both barrels. I used the sun as my spotlight, and I was center stage. I was jumping up and down a hill, doing spins, dancing my heart out, on the back side of Dolly Parton's boobs with only God as my audience.
At least I thought He was my only audience, till I spun around and saw a line of medical students in scrubs walking to their cars catching me mid song. Several stopped (with mouth's hung wide open in disbelief) and watched me essentially flame out by myself in front of a camera, singing to no one and totally enjoying it.
I didn't even flinch when they saw me. I have been anesthetized to interruptions on stage. Lesbians are notorious for getting up mid performance and barging across center stage, in front of a queen performing (like they aren't there), just to get a beer. At least medical students aren't rude. Besides, I have blazed many a trail. If anything, I now had a captive audience.
Those students stood there through the rest of my song. probably thinking I was from Saturn.
