Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Time to Sit Down?


My father-in-law surprised me a few years ago at Christmas with a decent Yamaha "Portatone" keyboard. While he knew I loved music, I really didn't have a clue how to play it.

When I was in grade school, my folks attempted to introduce me to the piano unsuccessfully. I just wanted ready for it yet. Maybe if they had only waited 26 years, they would have gotten their money's worth.

In high school, I found a creative outlet in the piano and began feeling my way around the keys. I had no idea what the chords were I was playing, but I was dangerous enough to make up songs primarily about high school romance and puppy love.

My knowledge of the piano quickly faded away, especially when I gingerly took up the guitar in my 20s. Little did I know that playing the guitar would help me feel my way around the keys of this piano again.

This keyboard has gotten some use over the past couple of years, but lately I have been playing the guitar and prodding around on the keyboard forming the chords. I am dangerous enough to be able to pick up most worship songs and fake it. It is a little difficult to develop any sort of rhythm although I'm slowly improving.

But music has been given a new life through this learning process. You could definitely say that as I am typing this at 1:05 AM after spending the last three hours playing the guitar and piano.

I think Misty Edwards has given me inspiration in wanting to learn how to play. Apparently when she took the call at International House of Prayer, she only knew a few chords. After her set, she ran out of the prayer room and said she would never do it again. Another missionary there chased after her, encouraged her, and prophesied over her. God breathed life into those fingers and into her lungs and now she sings and plays like an angel. If that's not motivation, I don't know what is.

Then there's Bill who keeps sending me the story of Caedmon...and that, my friends I will post tomorrow.

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