My first big Gig!

http://www.chec.org/

Well, so it goes like this! I was homeschooled (clap above my head) K-12. And for my years in highschool, the colorado home educators of colorado conference had been my chance to hang out with other homeschooled highschoolers. Well, to open every morning there was a teenaged performer. As the years went by I thought, "Man I wich I could do that sometime." But I'd never auditioned, thinking, "Oh there's probably too many better performers I'd never get picked)." Ok fast forward to April 10th 2006. I had been talking about this years homeschool conference to someone and for some reason I thought "hey I wonder how you apply for that performance thing." I had enough confidence and with the musical advances I've made I felt pretty good about my chances. Well I got online and I found out that the deadline was April 15th! So, I had to somehow send in a demo of the song I would perform. So Vince (http://novelthought.blogspot.com/) and I recorded a tape (yeah those outdated little plastic thingys) of a song and then I met with Caleb and recorded his part as well. I sent it out praying I had enough postage and that the the lady who was to decide wouldn't laugh at the tape!

I was told that if we were selected we would hear back in about 4 weeks. So, it was about 4 and 3/4 weeks since we had sent in the tape and I just thought, "Oh well, guess it wasn't meant to be!"

Well imagine my rapture when I listen to my messages and the lady wanted to talk with me about performing at the 2006 CHEC conference! I was like YAHOO! So the next day I called the lady and we had a really great talk. She told me that she enjoyed the song so much that she wanted us to play a second one (the song was How great is our God and I sang the chorus for How Great Thou Art afterwards and she wants us to do the whole hymn!). She said that out of all the maybe (this is a pure guess) 500 entrants they only had 2 slots to fill and my band was one of them!!!! As soon as I got off the phone with her I called up Vince and was like, "dude guess what..." and proceeded to tell him. He was like, "Dude, no way, are you serious?" Vince don't sound so surprised! That night we played poker with him and his buddies and he was all bragging about it to his friends, "Guys, we got a gig, its like 1500 people and stuff!" They were all impressed but asked that he concetrate on the poker game (they're hardcore).

Next I called Caleb, who was at work but his mom was excited!!!!! And we're peforming on his birthday!

So anyway, I am gonna lead worship for over 1500 people!!!! Saturday June 17th! I am so excited to lift up God's name and shine for Him before so many people! SO yeah I got a sweet gig coming up! I have always been behind the homeschooling movement because for me and my family it was always about training children to live for God's greatness. I am so excited to lead for a cause I am so passionate about! We are a generation of families united for one purpose and that is the greatness and enormity of a God so large!

Ever For His renown,
BenZ

PS: Ben Vince and Caleb have a blog (http://bvcband.blogspot.com/) that is being worked on as you, well, read. BenZ Vin & C have a combined total of 30 years of homeschooling!