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| 15 Dec 2001 |
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| 15 Dec 2002 |
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| 4 Nov 2012 |
In 2001 and 2002, we performed my cousin, YM's self-composed song, Christmas is Christmas. It was a very beautiful and well-written piece, topped off with her beautiful voice.
This year, we used my first self-composed song, Signing Hands, for today's performance. My song was then drafted by me on 6 September 2012 before getting it arranged and toned by YM. The music was produced by her too since I couldn't hear whether the music suited my song, especially its beats.
I remembered a day I was so excited about. Mummy, YM and I gathered together at my aunt's house to get my song right and added the music in. YM taught me how the song was supposed to be created, according to some sort of rules such as chorus, bridged to chorus, rhymes, etc. She would tap her hand on my laps as she sang out each line, telling me that the beats should be similar for every line or every two lines. Mummy would interpret as YM talked and sang. I was so amazed at how musically talented she was in that area that I literally enjoyed my first song-composing lesson. It was something I never will forget.
At 8.45am this morning, we went up the stage and rehearsed twice. Unexpectedly, our pastor, Mr Ivan, signed along with us as we song-signed. He knew nothing about any signs.
Back to our seats, we waited for our turns to be up the stage. First, we worshipped in sign language and I really enjoyed today's worship songs as there were two favourite songs I love. There's a line of one song I like - My heart will sing no other name Jesus, Jesus.
Soon, it was our turns to "rock" our song! YEAHHH!!! :D
As CD was speaking a brief introduction about Deaf Awareness, I closed my eyes and said a short prayer. At that time, I was shivering a little. After a few minutes, I was amazingly warm. I then took off my jacket and got myself ready to leave my seat.
As usual, I always got so nervous as I walked up the stage. Up the stage, I glanced across an audience, absorbing in what I was seeing in front of me. I breathed a deep one before nodding at YM, indicating that I was ready. That time, my heart was at ease and I was smiling inside. I began song-signing after YM's second hand tap on her guitar.
We smiled, sang, expressed through facial expressions and sign language to our audience. While performing, mummy and I spotted Mr Ivan in the front row, signing with us for the third time. It was touching seeing him do that. Perhaps he was the only one out of the audience following our signs. Sometimes, I would look at him for the right beats because he signed so beautifully. (:
When YM, mummy and I reached our chorus lines, mummy and I would sweetly look at each other when we signed "...ears" from the line, "Be my ears". As I smiled at her, mummy looked like she was enjoying every moment. She didn't mess up the lyrics when she looked at me like she used to. We smiled before taking our eyes off each other, and back to the audience and said our next line which was "Be my friend". We locked our eyes on each other again when we signed "hear" from the line saying "Let me hear the world..." The truth was that we didn't plan to lock eyes on the day itself. Guess our signs when we signed "ears" and "hear" brought our eyes on each other lovingly because we had to turn our heads and ensured that our ears were facing the audience to add some emphasize. (:
As the song ended, we were greeted with a big round of applause. They clapped the way Deaf clapped by waving their hands. (': I was literally touched.
We sang again for the next church service and yes, our pastor signed again!!! (: For the fourth time. He was sincerely smiling and enjoying the signs and our song.
In addition, my prayer was again answered when I sought His warmth before my second performance. I was still shivering when I was up on the stage! But when we signed our first line of my song, my heart was warm and singing. I was again so in awe that I decided to sing out my whole heart with my song.
During our second performance, the lyrics on the LCD screen suddenly disappeared and the video of the audience appeared instead. Shocked but amazingly, we gained our composure fast enough and continued. Last night, mummy couldn't remember the orders of the lyrics but today, she remembered everything even without lyrics on the LCD screen for a short while. God answered my prayer about giving mummy a good memory for today. Amazinggg!!! :D Thank God!
Finally, it was time for doxology. Mummy and I went up the stage and taught them how to sign "To God be the glory". Afterwards, together with another MHI volunteer and HL, we led the audience to sing the doxology totally in sign language. It was amazing, seeing them enjoy themselves and experiencing how Deaf use to worship God with their hands. It never happened before but it finally happened today and last Sunday. ^^v Their signs made themselves look like experts already! Haha!
As we exited our church, YM asked me whether I had fun. Of course, I nodded! She smiled like a lady and said, "Me too!". (: Awwww!
When my family came home, I looked through our old photos in 2001 and 2002. Guess what, our stage standing positions in 2001 and 2002 were exactly the same as today's positions!!! I was so astonished that I called out for mummy to see the similarity in these photos. To be honest, we all had forgotten our positions!! o.o
Overall, it was a long, fun and blessed-filled day, filled with worship, song, doxology all in sign language... Isn't it so musically awesome? God, thank you for making today an awesome and smooth-sailing day. To God be the glory, hehe!
As CD was speaking a brief introduction about Deaf Awareness, I closed my eyes and said a short prayer. At that time, I was shivering a little. After a few minutes, I was amazingly warm. I then took off my jacket and got myself ready to leave my seat.
As usual, I always got so nervous as I walked up the stage. Up the stage, I glanced across an audience, absorbing in what I was seeing in front of me. I breathed a deep one before nodding at YM, indicating that I was ready. That time, my heart was at ease and I was smiling inside. I began song-signing after YM's second hand tap on her guitar.
We smiled, sang, expressed through facial expressions and sign language to our audience. While performing, mummy and I spotted Mr Ivan in the front row, signing with us for the third time. It was touching seeing him do that. Perhaps he was the only one out of the audience following our signs. Sometimes, I would look at him for the right beats because he signed so beautifully. (:
When YM, mummy and I reached our chorus lines, mummy and I would sweetly look at each other when we signed "...ears" from the line, "Be my ears". As I smiled at her, mummy looked like she was enjoying every moment. She didn't mess up the lyrics when she looked at me like she used to. We smiled before taking our eyes off each other, and back to the audience and said our next line which was "Be my friend". We locked our eyes on each other again when we signed "hear" from the line saying "Let me hear the world..." The truth was that we didn't plan to lock eyes on the day itself. Guess our signs when we signed "ears" and "hear" brought our eyes on each other lovingly because we had to turn our heads and ensured that our ears were facing the audience to add some emphasize. (:
As the song ended, we were greeted with a big round of applause. They clapped the way Deaf clapped by waving their hands. (': I was literally touched.
We sang again for the next church service and yes, our pastor signed again!!! (: For the fourth time. He was sincerely smiling and enjoying the signs and our song.
In addition, my prayer was again answered when I sought His warmth before my second performance. I was still shivering when I was up on the stage! But when we signed our first line of my song, my heart was warm and singing. I was again so in awe that I decided to sing out my whole heart with my song.
During our second performance, the lyrics on the LCD screen suddenly disappeared and the video of the audience appeared instead. Shocked but amazingly, we gained our composure fast enough and continued. Last night, mummy couldn't remember the orders of the lyrics but today, she remembered everything even without lyrics on the LCD screen for a short while. God answered my prayer about giving mummy a good memory for today. Amazinggg!!! :D Thank God!
Finally, it was time for doxology. Mummy and I went up the stage and taught them how to sign "To God be the glory". Afterwards, together with another MHI volunteer and HL, we led the audience to sing the doxology totally in sign language. It was amazing, seeing them enjoy themselves and experiencing how Deaf use to worship God with their hands. It never happened before but it finally happened today and last Sunday. ^^v Their signs made themselves look like experts already! Haha!
As we exited our church, YM asked me whether I had fun. Of course, I nodded! She smiled like a lady and said, "Me too!". (: Awwww!
When my family came home, I looked through our old photos in 2001 and 2002. Guess what, our stage standing positions in 2001 and 2002 were exactly the same as today's positions!!! I was so astonished that I called out for mummy to see the similarity in these photos. To be honest, we all had forgotten our positions!! o.o
Overall, it was a long, fun and blessed-filled day, filled with worship, song, doxology all in sign language... Isn't it so musically awesome? God, thank you for making today an awesome and smooth-sailing day. To God be the glory, hehe!
