Sunday, March 27, 2011 - Mr. Wheeler's Warm-Ups

"After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. 

And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, 

'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.' 

At once I was in the Spirit, . . . " 
Revelation 4:1-2a

    
 I was privileged to be part of the choral program under Mr. Harris Wheeler at North Cobb High School in Acworth, Georgia. Mr. Wheeler's reputation for being one of the finest choral teachers in the state preceded him and his students held him in the highest respect. At first what Mr. Wheeler asked of us in vocal warm ups made me feel self-conscious and strange. Sitting on the edge of our seats, backs straights, feet flat, the crowns of our heads and our eyebrows lifted, we sang 'mah-may-mee-mo-moo" and hummed to make our heads buzz. As an immature and shy freshman who was new to these bizarre singing techniques, I had a hard time not giggling during the first week, especially when I glanced around at my classmates. After all, in what other class is a high schooler asked to put aside normal behavior for the sake of the group? Only on oral report days in history or English, but Mr. Wheeler soon had us all keeping our eyes on him as we sang variations of warm-ups for what seemed like half the class time. Eventually we took pride in warming up properly by rounding out our "ooos" and stretching our mouths to a near yawn for the "aahs." Only when properly warmed up did we move on to apply these  techniques to singing "real" songs. Then Mr. Wheeler taught us how to add expression through dynamics and to enunciate so people could understand what we sang.  

     God calls us to warm up with Him each day by restraining ourselves from jumping too quickly into singing our "real" songs. He opens the door to His throne room and says, "Do something strange and bizarre: come up on this higher plane with Me and let Me prepare you to sing the Song I've given you. Don't expect the rest of the world to participate or understand."   

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, 

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - 

His good, pleasing and perfect will." 

Romans 12:2

Warm-up time with God prepares us personally by transforming our minds and characters, but spending time with Him also prepares us to sing the mystery of Christ within us clearly so people understand.

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles 

the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

 Colossians 1:27

When we accept God's invitation to "Come up here. . . " we say to Him, "I love You," "I respect You," "I need You," and "You're Number One in my life."  Ignoring His invitation says He's slipped from first place and we think we can live this day without Him. 

"Yet I hold this against you; you have forsaken your first love." 

Revelation 2:4

     God doesn't want us to "come up" from a sense of guilt or obligation but because we passionately and fervently love Him and are ready to invest a deeper devotion to renewing our minds on a higher plane. The better our warm-up, the sweeter we sing the Song He gives us.

Father, Your Song is the only one worth singing. Fill my mind with higher thoughts and aspirations than just surviving the day. Renew us - our love for You, our energy in telling You, and our fervor for sharing our testimonies with others. Lift us up where You are, where we belong even as You help us deepen our love and devotion to You. Lord, Your Love lifts us and the hope of glory in Christ carries us above the heartbreaks we face for now. May we learn to "tune our hearts to sing Thy praise!"

In the Name of Jesus, the Song we sing with all our hearts!

"Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the one before.

Every day with Jesus, I love Him more and more.

Jesus saves and keeps me, and He's the One I'm living for.

Every day with Jesus, is sweeter than the one before." 

Inspired by Jesus Calling, My Utmost for His Highest and my years under Mr. Harris Wheeler's training

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