Really??? Bring it!!!

Okay...  So, it's "musical" time.  As if you didn't already know.  This is "the" week.  Tonight, rehearsal from 5:15 - 7:30.  Tomorrow, tech rehearsal from 7 - 9, Friday, dress rehearsal from 6 - 8:30, Saturday matinee performance at 3, Sunday evening performance at 6.  Okay.  Yes, it's busy.  But this extreme busy-ness is just for this one week.  The rest of the production times have only involved 1-a-week rehearsals, except if you're in the cast as an actor, or in the band, and then it's 2-a-weeks or an extra rehearsal every 3 weeks or so.  The theme of this year's musical is all about evangelism.  It's teaching the children that THEY can be people who are important to God, who can evangelize.  In fact, the lyrics of one of the songs says, "It was kids, who showed the way.  It was kids, who always did obey, it was kids, who showed an awesome faith, it was kids, who lead the world that day."  It speaks of how powerful some of the kids in the Old Testament were in their day.  Such as Miriam, David, Joseph. 

The problem seems to be, that this year, the production keeps having "stuff" happen.  Stuff which I believe is the work of the devil, wanting to throw me, the producer/director off base.  OR, in thinking about it, perhaps it's just that the Lord is putting these obstacles in here to test the strength of mind that I / we, as KCC staffers have.  Let me just list a few of the things I've faced recently in trying to produce this play....
1)  a child dropped out on THE DAY that she was supposed to rehearse her blocking for the scene she was supposed to be in.  Not good.  Her mom didn't think it was important to teach her child the importance of following through on your commitments, and then reevaluating for the next year. 
2)  another child had dropped out, who had the same part as the child listed above, due to soccer.  Then why did her mother allow her to audition???
3)  I can't find anyone to call the cues.  I've gone thru the list. 
4)  One of my kids was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, for who knows how long.  My heart aches for this child and his parents.

5)  The sound system we're working with is not great.  Having a hard time picking up the voices over the band.

6)  One of my lead actors decided to go to California on a college visit the day before dress rehearsal.  He might not make it back for dress rehearsal.  What????  He's a junior in high school.  Just sayin'...  And I'm paying him. 
7)  During our blocking rehearsal for curtain calls, 3 of my main actors couldn't bother to stick around to run this.  What???

8)  Just found out that my bass player can't make it to Thur, Friday or Saturday.  AND, I'm paying him.  Big.  What???

Above all else, these kids DO MATTER.  Their hard work & dedication to this ministry MATTERS.  They deserve the best from us, the adults in their lives.  They deserve every bit as much effort in their play as is put forth by the people who put on the dinner drama productions, or the adult choir productions.  Why does this always feel like such a struggle?

Perhaps I care too much.