Little Glimpse of Heaven

So what do you do that first moment when you see your shy little girl walk out on stage in front of the whole town and you can see her heart racing and almost feel every time that her heart catches and you know part of her just wants to turn around and run away?  First you hold your breath, then you breathe slowly uttering a prayer, “Lord, please calm her and let her do her best so she won’t hate herself later,” and then you hold back all the nervous adrenaline and let your daughter go, win or fail.

But what came out of her mouth next was simply magic and Jenny won the talent portion of Miss Nephi last night.  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201039586341301&set=vb.1516997456&type=2&theater  Sure, she didn’t get a crown, heck she has never ever done anything princessie before in her life and had never modeled or done “the walk” but she took the stage when she sang last night.  For one second it was as if the rest of the world didn’t exist and it was only my daughter, my sweet little girl who at 5 weeks old almost slipped away from us.  I prayed then, “Lord please don’t let my baby die.  If someone has to go take me instead,” and despite everything in the next two years that kept seeming to want to take her from this earth God, like last night, had heard the prayer of a terrified Momma and let her stay.

I guess that I am still floating on a high from last night.  Jenny is very quiet about her accomplishments and cannot stand the thought of throwing herself at the whole world, so although her father and I and her siblings knew that she could sing, even her own grandmothers had no idea…so imagine the shock as the whole tiny town of Nephi, who knows everything about everyone, heard Jenny sing last night.  The great thing about our amazing tiny town that we live in is everyone supports each other like family and last night Jenny was their family.  What a great world we live in where Jenny could shine the way that she did and where everyone, even people she barely knows could stand up and give her the love that she needs.  Thanks Nephi.  You are amazing.

Jason as many of you know has a mobile DJ business on the side of his already crazy job.  As a family it has been an amazing thing that he does giving our children experiences that most others could never have.  He plays pretty much every week and usually several times a week at BYU where our kids have met some pretty amazing people that Jason has done sound for, Ryan Shupe and David Osmond, to name a few at BYU when they were just the little guy but one of the many things that he does, which is my favorite part I must add, is Karaoke.  When you set up the Karaoke stage and everyone at BYU gathers around, stage in front, large speakers and mics, chairs set up to brimming, it can be a little intimidating and at first no one wants to sing.  Those darn nerves again.  That is where Jenny has always come in since she was a very little girl.  “Go on stage and break the ice,” she has always heard.  And Jenny, legs trembling, would always climb that scary stage to sing, terrified but determined.  First it was her tiny little toddler voice that everyone always oohed and awed over, “what a cute little girl with curly red hair,” now it’s usually, “wow, that girl can sing,” followed by applause and a line of people waiting to get added to the karaoke list.

When they announced last night that the winner of the talent portion of Miss Nephi was, “Contestant #1, Jennifer Gibson,” I screamed so loud I embarrassed myself, but I didn’t care.  That was my little girl, and God hadn’t let her down and he had allowed her to shine.  And when they put that award in her hands, I could see the confidence shining on her face and I knew that God knew that she was special and that she mattered.

My sweet Luke gave Jenny her own crown last night and her brothers and sisters and grandma and uncle cheered for her like she had just taken “The Voice,” but what amazed me most was the sweetness that Heavenly Father let me see in my little girl’s raspy voice and the outpouring of love from the most amazing little town that I have the most wonderful privilege of living in.  If you think blessings don’t surround you everywhere you go, then you need to pray a little harder for the help to see them.  Because God loves us and he gives us these little glimpses into Heaven every time that we are willing to see.  It’s like he is saying, “I miss you so much.  This trip you’ve taken away from me is scary for me to watch and terrifying for me to let you go, but I will show you how much I love you and send you little pictures of home if you will just look a little harder to see.  I love you!”

Jenny was an angel last night and sang with an angel voice, and yes I am her momma and a little prejudice  but still…SHE WAS AMAZING!!!