Friday, September 18, 2009

A Blast from my Past ...!

I first "found" Jesus (ok, He was never lost), while involved in a high school rendition of "Godspell" (we were good, LOL! Seriously, Melissa Etheridge was our lead guitarist -- I kid you not!). This was in Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1977 ... and it all became real to me during the crucifixion and resurrection scene.

I got in touch with my friend, my high school youth group leader's daughter ... and she posted some photos of us ... if you want to see me at age 15, playing the part of the Floozy, here it is:

http://tinyurl.com/lyq9rr
(I'm on the far right -- Melissa Etheridge, then known as "Missy", is behind the
chain link fence, playing lead guitar, but of course...!)

Ahh, you can see Melissa here: http://tinyurl.com/nyj3je

And, a close-up of Melissa (faux afros were in then): http://tinyurl.com/l3lkdy

Here I am (far right again) dancing to "O Bless the Lord My Soul" - having the time of my life: http://tinyurl.com/n5y2rl

Here's another one of me, giving a "sermonette" in the chapel: http://tinyurl.com/mf2cyr

That's when it all began, LOL!

Shalom, Dena

2 comments:

Don said...

Great pictures from the past Dena. I agree that Godspell had more gospel in those songs and the spirit of the play than most I have seen. and how cool to hang around Melissa, what a great musician song writer she has become. BTW I am slowly catching up on your past postings. Excellent writing.

Don in AZ

Dena said...

Thanks for sharing in my joyous memories, Don!

I've done "Godspell" twice ... the last time, I was in my early 20's, and a bunch of us sitting around the table said, "Let's do Godspell!" Very Judy Garland, LOL!

So, we did ... on a military base in Germany ... rented the movie theatre (had a wonderful stage), gathered the cast, learned the music, I taught the dances (remembered from my high school experience, and ad-libbed), gathered the costumes from thrift stores, bribed some guys to be the band, I directed and was again the Floozy ... and then invited the local soldiers and Germans, and had a BLAST...! SUCH hard work, and what wonderful memories...!

Right from the start, God was implanting a radical purity in me ... such that the religion that then sought to "fix" me has always felt like an intruding imposter to me, even when I believed I *must* adhere to it, or else incur God's wrath..!

I had forgotten my first Love...

But, He left the 99 and searched 'til He found me (didn't have to look TOO far, LOL! It was ME who had to see!).

thanks so much for your encouragement!

Shalom, Dena