lost in the moment - revelation

I was about to snap back into uni mode and organise my unfinished assigments and the homework I have yet to catch up on... but I can't seem to think straight, and I think it's because I haven't done justice to what happened last night!

I woke up today [for the second time] thinking about the last hug I received in the early hours of this morning. Not only did I wake up feeling warm and fuzzy and totally loved, but every time I think about that hug, it brings back all the great memories of one of the best nights of my life, and reminds me so fondly of how blessed I am.

I was blog surfing this afternoon and felt so elated when I found a lot of SPY kids commenting on last night's success, and how touching the REVELATION concert was to them, how much fun they had, and especially, how exhausted they were after such a great production! I'll repeat what Fr Arthur told me in the office today: the more exhausted one feels after they exert effort just shows that they experienced an even greater victory.

TRUE THAT!

Last night was awesome - in all forms and means. I will look back at May 28 2005 and fall in love all over again - with God, with the team that made REVELATION happen, and with the crowd that cheered and supported, and revealed to me a heaven on earth.

Exaggerating? Hardly! I don't need a crowd of thousands to testify God's love to me.

So here are the highlights of what will be day in the history of the life of Joy... who is completely grateful... and totally inspired:

- Penitito and Luke at Patrician Bros late on Friday trying to work out lights.
- Late night "packing" on Friday evening of all the "essentials" that I'd need throughout Saturday, predicting that I'd leave at 8:30am and not get home til the next day.
- Trying to get to sleep by taming the butterflies in my tummy with a whole heap of chocolate.
- Early morning to a beautiful blue sky.
- Mandarins in Edwin's car after he explained how much he hated them. Buhahaha...
- Getting to the hall and wondering what on earth a producer is supposed to do the day of the production.
- The blur between 10am - 1pm when the sound equipment and lights arrived, the SPY kids started running around in psychotic excitement, the ticket paper work got hectic, the program got changed, the printer stuffed me up, the band set up and it started to feel like we were running out of time.
- Overcoming my fear of falling when I stood on top of the ladder on my own just to fix that stupid "T-I-O-N"
- The satisfaction of looking at how how the backdrop looked under the lights.
- My walk down Main St with Gemma to buy the lunch I didn't end up eating.
- That conversation with Fr Warren about how I wasn't really feeling stressed... and then seeing Nereus storm to the back of the hall ready to rip his hair out because the sound wasn't working.
- Luke's face when I told him I couldn't contact the guys doing sound.
- Finally starting the dress rehearsal - 4 hours after the scheduled start time.
- Cheering up teary performers by pretending to be the Bishop.
- The "ID-making" production line at the back of hall.
- Being totally inspired after realising just over 100 people were involved in making REVELATION happen.
- Being inspired even more after realising over 400 people were involved in WATCHING REVELATION.
- Totally loving that Mark & Jean brought the extended family.
- Loving purple hair extensions. ;o)
- Watching the band jam... now that was HOT. Ryan, Milloy, Jason, Luke, JR & Eddoes -you guys are my heroes.
- Coleen in action. WOW.
- Boys in their "backstage mode."
- Dean with a walkie-talkie.
- KFC in the green room just before the night really started.
- Matt and Zeke terrified of the guys from Portico... until I told 'em they were Christian band members, not bouncers.
- Jan & Tony and their security outfits.
- Standing in the middle of the room when we briefed the performers.
- Wanting to express how proud I was, how excited I was, how grateful, fortunate and extremely inspired I was... but not knowing how.
- When my bum started talking [Peni and the handsets... grrRR!]
- Wanting to cry because I was just soo.... HAPPY!
- Praising God for the outfit He picked for me to wear, because I was too broke to buy new clothes. Hahaha..
- My heart beating a gazillion miles an hour when the show started.
- Loving Penitito and his ability to improvise. Loving that our outfits matched. Hahaha...
- Stacking it down the backstage stairs in my stilettos.
- My mic not working... three times.
- Giddy feelings waiting in the wings.
- Feeling like a really proud mum every time a performance got applause.
- Loving the screams and cheers in the crowd.
- Tallying the times I wanted to reach for someone's hand to squeeze in anticipation.
- Seeing people - young & old - dancing to "Dipdip" and getting to praise God the crazy way during the "One Way" finale.
- My heart melting and crying out of gratitude when they did the wine & flowers thing... awww man! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!
- Houselights on, all the good comments, proud parents, and happy SPYers.
- Packing up... the worst of the best bits.
- Penitito's encore of "Holy Are You Lord" after everyone left... HAHAHAHA...
- Realising that my best skill in times like these is cleaning. OMG. Praise God for my mum.
- Heater on my feet in the car.
- All the hugs, affirmations, compliments, happy smiles, pats on the back...
- Late night McDonald's with Fr Warren, Lisa, Gemma, Nereus, Edwin, Jason, Luke, JR, Penitito, Pielle, Sav, Coleen & Ryan...
- Having the best friends in the whole wide world.
- Totally loving how God touches my heart and makes everything work.
- All the "could-have-stolen-my-heart" moments!
- Crawling into bed after one of the most satisfying days of my life...


JOY WANTS TO THANK:

GOD / Fr Warren / Fr Arthur / Peni / Nez / Colloes / Ian / Luke C / Aron / Charmaine / Dominique / Eddoes / Jason / JR / Millnard / Ryan / Marisa / Marife / Bec / Gemma / Lisa / Breanne / Cassie / Karen / Sara / Monica / Jackie / Tony G / Matt T. / Baz / Pat / Stefanie / Nicola / Mrs Azar / Agatha / Aimelle / Cres / Rica / Jepong / Amabelle / Pjay / Gab / Gez / Grace / Kayem / Ken / Kristie / Kthryn / Mags / Patrick /Vince / Linda /Abel / Shawn / Steve / Lala / Ali / Irish / Raelene / Joey / Alan / Lowe / Don / Luke / Jojo / Jedman / Alana / James / Andre / Matt / Dean / Enjoli / Lois / Zeke / Jeremy / John / Eddie / Pielle / Sav / Mr Roque / Raf / Jose / Angeli / Frenace / Tony R / Jen / Courtney / Jan / Lina / Mr Prendargast / Jaypee / my family / my household / my school friends / and all the parents, friends, loved ones and beautiful souls that made REVELATION the victory that it was!! ...


**end thank you speech here** haaha... ;)