At the Piano Again
In my former life, one of my favorite things to do on Saturday night was sit at the piano and play and sing to my hearts' content. After we set the house up for church, Dale would usually polish up on his message and my sister would be cutting and drawing and gluing and organizing for Kids on the Rock, so we would all be together on the main floor with our minds geared for Sunday's activities. Nearing midnight, Sarah had usually joined me at the piano and Dale would be sitting on the couch singing along with his eyes closed. I miss those nights.
Seven months ago I left my piano *and my heart* in Nebraska where we whittled down our possessions to the bare minimum, kind of, and moved across the country. Our lives are busy, but not so busy I wouldn't still sit down at the piano a few times a week if we had brought it. Someone would've had to sleep on it though because our space is pretty limited.
So last week when the opportunity to lead worship for our ladies' Bible study presented itself, my heart skipped a beat. Not so much for the leading, but the sitting and banging away at the piano in the company of others who just want to be in the presence of Jesus. Because I haven't played for so long I was a little apprehensive about going at it without a trial run. The pastor's wife said there would be a place for me to run through the set during Wednesday night classes, but it turned out there was a class meeting in that room so I found myself sitting under the television screens in the coffee shop of the church trying not to drown out the sound of the congregational worship in case people were listening. I can't tell you the sweet release of joy it brings me just to sit and play.
To tell you the truth, while I was choosing songs for the Bible study, I did have a few nervous moments, which is weird because I really don't get nervous about leading worship. But after last night, going over the list and turning my heart to worship I am grateful for the opportunity and excited. I am generally leery about volunteering for anything in a church setting while I'm still invisible. This is due to the critic in me that is sure I'll regret my words as soon as they escape my lips. When I considered telling the pastor's wife that I would be willing to fill in, I swept the thought away thinking that in a church that size there had to be a long list of capable people. After some prodding, I went ahead and spoke to her. Unbeknownst to me, the main worship leader had just submitted a leave of absence and the Bible study leader was having surgery on her hand two weeks from that time. There wasn't a back up. God had clearly moved me into position for the job, which is so strange because it didn't feel any different than the last time I thought about volunteering in a church. I guess I was obedient this time.
There's nothing better than being at the piano again. It never gets old and so I will bang away and belt out the tunes for my 25-minute window and be thankful that God answers prayer; I was toiling over this very thing just a few months ago. He is so good. He never misses the details.
Seven months ago I left my piano *and my heart* in Nebraska where we whittled down our possessions to the bare minimum, kind of, and moved across the country. Our lives are busy, but not so busy I wouldn't still sit down at the piano a few times a week if we had brought it. Someone would've had to sleep on it though because our space is pretty limited.
So last week when the opportunity to lead worship for our ladies' Bible study presented itself, my heart skipped a beat. Not so much for the leading, but the sitting and banging away at the piano in the company of others who just want to be in the presence of Jesus. Because I haven't played for so long I was a little apprehensive about going at it without a trial run. The pastor's wife said there would be a place for me to run through the set during Wednesday night classes, but it turned out there was a class meeting in that room so I found myself sitting under the television screens in the coffee shop of the church trying not to drown out the sound of the congregational worship in case people were listening. I can't tell you the sweet release of joy it brings me just to sit and play.
To tell you the truth, while I was choosing songs for the Bible study, I did have a few nervous moments, which is weird because I really don't get nervous about leading worship. But after last night, going over the list and turning my heart to worship I am grateful for the opportunity and excited. I am generally leery about volunteering for anything in a church setting while I'm still invisible. This is due to the critic in me that is sure I'll regret my words as soon as they escape my lips. When I considered telling the pastor's wife that I would be willing to fill in, I swept the thought away thinking that in a church that size there had to be a long list of capable people. After some prodding, I went ahead and spoke to her. Unbeknownst to me, the main worship leader had just submitted a leave of absence and the Bible study leader was having surgery on her hand two weeks from that time. There wasn't a back up. God had clearly moved me into position for the job, which is so strange because it didn't feel any different than the last time I thought about volunteering in a church. I guess I was obedient this time.
There's nothing better than being at the piano again. It never gets old and so I will bang away and belt out the tunes for my 25-minute window and be thankful that God answers prayer; I was toiling over this very thing just a few months ago. He is so good. He never misses the details.
Becca
ReplyDeleteI miss you leading worship like you would not believe.I am so glad that God opened that door. You are so anointed it would be a shame not to use what God gave you.
brooke