Last week was one of the busiest weeks we've had in a long time. We spent four days practicing our songs for the HPS benefit concert and for our booking at Sunnyslope Presbyterian. We also spent some time with our friend Krystle last Monday. We had dinner at Applebees and came back to our house and listened to an old tape of the original Little Women group ten years ago. It was before Candice and I joined the group, and Krystle didn't join until a year later. We also played her a few songs from our new CD, and she gave us a mini concert of songs she sings at her church. It was so awesome catching up and talking about old times when we sang in Little Women together. On Thursday we met at our Church with Paul, our church choir director. We are working on a trio for the upcoming benefit concert. The song Candice and I chose to sing is called "If Anybody Knows." It is a beautiful song. It has a bit of a black spiritual feel to it. Our mom was in the other room decorating with the other women for our Ladies fiesta the following night. So our dad called her in to listen to our song. She told us that it sounded beautiful and that the three of us blend well together. Paul has such a rich voice, which adds so much to the song. We all love the harmonies and can't wait to sing it next Friday. After we left the church, we met with another good friend David. David is the owner of Greater Phoenix Christian Chronicle. He is a huge support to our ministry and he advertised the upcoming HPS benefit concert in both April and May's editions. Our parents took us to meet him at Bill Johnsons for lunch. We get together for lunch a few times a year to fellowship with him. We had a great lunch and a wonderful visit. He is a blessing to the two of us and our family. We also spent some time practicing with our niece Jasmine last week. Jasmine is 14 and has been a part of the benefit concert the past four years. We're singing a trio together, the song is called "Every Move I Make." It's a praise and worship song, and it fits her voice perfectly. I taught her the harmony, and she picked it up in five minutes. She definitely has a gift. Candice and I gave her the lead in the song and we are just going to back her up in harmony. It's a fun song and I think she'll do a great job on it. Please come out and support us at this years concert. It's next Friday May 16th at Thomas Road Baptist Church 5735 W. Thomas Rd. at 7pm. Our parents outlined the program for the evening. We have several guests coming to help us out this year. We are praying it'll be a big success.
Friday evening was the fiesta at church. The food was catered from El Pollo Loco. We had Spanish rice, beans and their flame grilled chicken. The chicken was very good. We had sherbet for dessert. Very yummy!! Paul made a strawberry fruit punch that we were all so anxious to try. He made it like a smoothie, it was very good. I had two cups, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The fiesta was a lot of fun. Our missionaries to Quito, Equator Jim and Sharon Smith were here for the weekend, and Sharon gave the message at the fiesta. Her message was about how God can't use somebody who doesn't have a clean heart. We must get rid of the dirt in our lives. Her message really spoke to me, and I know it spoke to many others. She is an excellent speaker.
Saturday morning I woke up feeling horrible. I was chilling, weak, and had terrible pressure in my head and I could hardly make it down the stairs. When I finally did, I headed straight to the couch and told mom my head was pounding. Mom gave me an Ibuprofen and within a half hour I started feeling better and my fever had broke. I then started breaking out in hives all over my arms and legs. The right side of my face was swollen around my mouth as well. These were not just little hives, they were huge welts on my legs, it was awful!! I took 50mg of Benadryl, and it didn't take very long for them to disappear. I've never experienced anything this bad before. Mom was on the phone with Aunt Judy trying to figure out what I had eaten that might have caused this allergic reaction. They came to the conclusion that it was probably the strawberries in the punch. I just recently became allergic to strawberries a few months ago, and I don't know why I didn't think about it before I drank the punch. I usually only eat one or two at the most and I would still break out in little hives on my face, but nothing like this. Now I know I can no longer handle them. I spent the majority of the day in bed as I was exhausted after taking the Benadryl, my head was back to hurting and my fever had returned. Mom took my temp around 5:30 in the evening and it was up to 102. The highest it had been all day. We were really starting to worry that we wouldn't be able to sing at Sunnyslope the following morning. Dad left a message at the church explaining that I was sick and that we may not be able to make it. I kept telling mom and dad not to cancel yet because I may feel better. Candice and I really don't like canceling a booking, we will do everything to try and be there. It was after six that night when Candice came in and told me I wasn't going to accomplish anything staying in bed. She told me I needed to get up and start drinking water. Well, I forced myself out of bed and downstairs to the couch. After getting almost two glasses of water down, I started feeling better. Sunday morning I woke up with a headache, but I was feeling better. I was so thankful that we were able to minister that day after a rough Saturday. I was still not feeling up to par and my voice was pretty raspy, but I did the best I could. God got us through all five songs, and what a blessing it was. Several people came up to us afterwards and said how much we inspired them. Our friends Larry and Lora Root, travel with us. Larry came up to us with all smiles, telling us how anointing our voices were. He knew that I wasn't at my best, but through God's power and grace we made it through. We could feel the Holly Spirit in that place and as we sang we felt his gentle touch guiding us through each song. It truly is amazing. Thank you Lord for allowing us the opportunity to serve you. You have given us so much and we pray you'll continue to use us to bring many more people into your kingdom.
