Music Reflections

While getting ready to retire for the evening my mind started working.  It seems that is when I get a "thought" to write about and I know I will not rest until it has been "written on paper" or at least typed someplace.  Tonight, I chose my blog.

I have written many times about music and songs that have been a part of my life, but tonight this thought came rushing in.  "I have been "expected" to learn all different styles of music through my life.  Why not "expect" those who are learning to play to do the same?  Why, should they get off the hook by saying, "I don't know how to play that style."?

I'm going to rewind life a few years and let you see a little bit into how I was taught to play.  Are you ready?

1.  I was taught that music was important.  That's not necessarily how it was said, but the actions of my parents and family were such.  As a young child I was "expected" to sing the songs when the adults were singing. I didn't have a choice of whether I liked it or not.  When it was time to sing EVERYONE sang, and if you knew how to play an instrument, you played.

2.  When I was old enough to take piano lessons, Mother decided I was going to take them.  I don't remember there ever being an option.  She found a piano teacher who taught classical music, and I went to piano lessons weekly.  Mother could have taught me to play at home, but wanted me to learn the "basics".  I took piano lessons for several years, and I was "expected" to practice piano thirty minutes a day.  That's a long time for a 4th grader!  I couldn't go play outside until my homework and piano  lessons were  finished.

3.  When I was about 12-13 years old (I think) Mother decided I needed to take accordion lessons!

After learning the basics, I was told I needed to start playing the accordion IN CHURCH!  No one would hear me and it was good training.  After all, if you're not going to play an instrument in church, why even learn to play?  That was the thinking I was brought up with.

4.  At the age of 15-16, my brother started a youth choir.  He asked me to play the piano.  I nearly died!  I told him I wasn't going to do it, so he appealed to a higher authority which happened to be our Dad, who was the Pastor.  Needless to say, I played for the youth choir!  I can still hear Keith's words..."If you think you're going to marry a preacher, then you better be learning to play the piano in church!" Well, Keith, as you know, "I married a preacher and the rest is history." I love you for pushing me to do what I thought I couldn't do, and thank you for believing in me.

  5.  During these years I was told I was going to play the piano for song service.  I was scared out of my mind!  I just knew everyone would hear all the mistakes I'd make and besides that there were very good musicians that would be sitting in the congregation and they should be the ones playing.  What I didn't realize at that time was I was being trained to pick up the mantle of music so I could be a blessing to my future husband, and the churches we would be in as evangelists.  Then, when we became the pastor of a church I could help out in the music department.  One thing that helped me during this time was Mother told me to practice "church songs out of the songbook" at home.  I didn't know how she "walked the bass with her left hand" and at the same time kept her right hand going with the melody.  I thought I would never get the hang of it!  Many times she stopped what she was doing to show me how she played the song.  It looked so easy when she was playing, but when I sat back down and played, it just didn't flow.  I finally decided through many tears that I would sing the song and play the bass with my left hand.  Then, I would play the melody with chords on my right hand.  I practiced that over and over, then I tried putting left hand and right hand together!  It's a wonder I didn't kick the piano over a few times out of frustration!  I did end up in tears many times!  Do you think Mother was sympathetic?  No way!  She would just say, "Just keep working at it.  You'll get it someday!"  When I "HAD TO" play in church, it made me feel better to know that Mother or Bro. Lindley would play the organ.  That way no one could hear all the mistakes I'd make!  

6.  After Wendell and I got engaged he shocked me one day by saying, "Let's go over to the church and practice some songs so we can sing together on the evangelistic field."  Once again, I nearly died!  I told him I couldn't play and sing at the same time.  Besides, he wanted me to play the accordion and him to play the bass and I just KNEW I couldn't do it.  Finally, after many mistakes, a few disagreements, some laughter and tears, we got it together!

Oh, I could go on and on!  I have so many memories of being MADE to play in front of people!  I'm SO GLAD Mother never gave up on me!  I have played many hours in church services, and have a very thankful heart for a Mother that saw a plan for my life, and charted my course so I would be able to fulfill my place as a minister's wife.

Many years later my sister, Karla stretched my abilities again.  She "expected" me to learn new choir songs that was a different style of music, harder keys, and different beats.  Some I never really "got", so I was really thankful for a great bass player and drummer that "knew the beats".  Then newer praise and worship choruses were introduced, and for me, they were not "easy" to play.  Did I get off the hook just because I didn't know how to play that style?  No!  I was pushed to learn a different style!  Was it my favorite style to play?  No!  I still liked the "traditional-Pentecostal-out of the songbook-southern gospel style of music."  After all, I had worked HOURS to learn to play it so that's what I was comfortable with.  I am still not comfortable playing some styles, and honestly do not feel I do a good job at it, but I refuse to give up.  Why?  I am a musician!  I have a talent to give to the Lord, and a desire to be a blessing in His Kingdom.  Besides, I was trained and taught that playing in church was the greatest place to use my talents and abilities.  Are there musicians that are a whole lot better than me?  YES!  But, I also know there are some that are awesome in some styles, but really do not know how to play "my style".  Am I bragging?  No.  I have nothing to brag about, but I do have a lot of years of being in the work of God and I'm wanting to stand up and say...

WE NEED MORE MUSICIANS who are COMMITTED to the work of God so much that they'll do WHATEVER IT TAKES to learn what needs to be learned, so they can be a blessing in whatever field they are placed!  Don't be so easy on yourself!  Musician,  APPLY yourself to be more than you are now.  You're going to have frustrations and tears, but there is so much JOY when you do the thing you thought you couldn't do!    So what if you you don't know how to play "that style".  LEARN IT!  Find someone one that knows how to play it, and let them teach you.  They may feel a little intimidated or even a little old-fashioned, but they have something to teach you.  It would do them good to feel they are investing in the future.  I know it's not always EASY to play something different, and it seems you'll never "get it",  but STRETCH yourself anyway, so that you're able to fulfill the needs of a congregation when called upon.

I really need to go to bed, but feel the urgency to go to the piano to PRACTICE!  Unfortunately, that's not possible at this time of night, but as soon as I get a chance I'm heading to the piano and probably to the prayer closet so I won't be too frustrated when I'm learning those new songs.  But, one thing for sure, before I get up from the piano I will go back in memory and pull out a "golden-oldie" and sing and play "to my heart's content".