American Idol...reality realized

Well... first off we forgot our cameras so I apologize for the blurry pictures...they are from our phones. :)

On Thursday, my mom and I went to Kansas City for me to audition for American Idol... what a day what a day what a day!

We showed up to register on Thursday at 10:30am and there was no one at Kemer Arena...it was weird. We got our tickets and we were section 110 row I seats 7 & 8. We thought, "wow, there must not be alot of people auditioning." So we went to the hotel and the pool, went shopping and then to PF Chang's. We went to bed early because we had to return at 5 am on Friday morning. YUCK!! We waited outside until 8:15. (Here are some pictures of the crowd and a video from my phone of us waiting. - you will be able to hear my mom, Pam, saying "lets go, lets go". And, when we scream it is because the camera is coming by to tape us for tv)

Anyway, we waited and waited and then, we went in. We went straight to our seats. First, we practiced "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" for the city song. We did this for about an hour. Then they told us what they were going to do. Then they showed us what they were going to do. Then they did it - the auditions began...except they began with section 111 - remember - we were 110. Therefore, we were laaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssstttttttttttt. So we waited until 7:03pm Friday night for me to audition. The great thing was the girl sitting next to me is a pastor's daughter and a children's choir director. The other two guys by us were also great. One had tried out in Cali. and the other one's dad brought him from Arkansas. Oh yeah - Ryan Seacrest came. I guess he doesn't go to all of the venues anymore...he was cool. That was the highlight. They stopped judging for an hour or more to film him doing all of his promo stuff. Here is a video of him coming...lots of yelling and then him talking (you can't really see him) -look at the crowd taking pictures and how many people were there and the picture is from one of his promo shots were he says "this is American Idol"...

Well...we waited and waited some more.... I went up to sing. All of four us were in a group together and when we were walking to our spots the girl I had been sitting next to leaned over and whispered "this isn't us, we weren't made for this, we are worshippers". She hugged me and we prayed together - right there, in line, on the floor of the Kemper Arena, trying out for American Idol. God was there. It came our turn to sing - she sang beautifully, a gospel song. Then I sang His Eye Is On The Sparrow. The room became quiet (12 singers were singing at once). For those of you who know me, I generally don't talk about how great I am - but - Friday night at 7:03pm I sang in perfect pitch and tone, perfect dynamics. God was there so deeply. I sang right to those two women judges...the emptyness that was in their eyes was consuming. I believe I was there at that moment - I had waited 12 hours - to sing that to them. Usually when the auditioners would walk away they (the judges) would say something - they said nothing to us. All they said was thank you. And we left. And - of course - I was a bit disappointed - I mean really who wouldn't be after sitting and watching for 12 hours and then leaving in 5 minutes with nothing...but God is in control. Here is a video from right before (like 45 minutes) I auditioned...look how empty Kemper is...

So there it is, there is the American Idol story. You know, at the beginning of the auditions the producer told everyone that we were auditioning for a part on a reality tv show... I don't fit that mold. I don't do "parts". I don't make myself anything other than who God wants me to be. So, overall, if I did make it to the famous Randy, Simon, and Paula - I don't believe I would have gone any further - I just don't fit their part. I know some of you are thinking "she is just saying that because she didn't make it." You know - not really. When I auditioned at 7:03 my mom and dad and Jerry began to pray for me. My dad didn't know what time I was going on but at 7:03 he began to pray and he said the exact same words we all did - "God let Your will be done and You get all the glory." And HE did. And always will. People from American Idol may never see this but I believe on 8-8-08 God put Jaime Tipton in a booth with two hurting women who needed to hear the sweet, sweet words of:

I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free

His eye is on the sparrow and I know He's watching me