Liberty Sings!

Liberty Sings!

Set this year apart as . . . a time to proclaim freedom throughout the land for all who live there.

Leviticus 25:10

For more than seventeen years, I sang with a marvelous choir called the Richland Hills Family Singers. One year we were scheduled to travel to Europe on a mission outreach tour. In preparation, we presented our program called Liberty Sings! to the folks at home before we left.

The “star” of the finale was a guy named Keith dressed up as Yankee Doodle Dandy in pants made of blue taffeta, a band director’s coat with tails, a white shirt, a red cummerbund, and a wonderful top hat and cane.

About halfway through the six-minute finale, with its choreography, flag-waving, and hoopla, Keith was a little out of sync. His high-stepping march had deteriorated to a small kick-step. And the hand with the cane was hanging on to his electric-blue pants. The elastic in the waist had broken!

Still, the show must go on. So we kept singing and Keith kept dancing, but he was having major problems.

Meanwhile, we were all captivated and terrified by Keith’s dilemma. Somehow, though, when the music swelled to its climax at the end, Keith managed to put his hat and cane in one hand, hang on to his pants with the other, balance the dancer on his knee, and sing the final notes of the song. He was amazing.

With the final crash of the cymbals, the curtains came rushing together, the choir broke into gales of laughter, and Keith grabbed his pants and ran off the stage before stage hands could open the curtains to a standing ovation from the audience. It was a hilarious end to a great patriotic show and the beginning of a trip we’ll never forget. Keith had saved the show with one hand behind him—hanging on to his patriotic pants!

God, please bless our land today, and help us to always be grateful for the incredible freedom you have given us in Christ. Amen.