November 18, 2011 · 9:25 pm

Weekend Moment: A Surprise Birthday Party


Earlier this week, my children and I were invited to a surprise 16th birthday party for one of their friends.

The birthday girl’s father and sister were getting her to the site under the ruse of taking her out to dinner.

In the meantime, her mom (who is also one of my dear friends) and the rest of the guests were waiting in a private room within the restaurant.

I had nominated myself  as the official photographer for the night. When we received the two minute warning that the trio were on their way, we all gathered near the door, ready to yell, “Surprise!” I thought it would be a great idea to capture a shot of some of the guests near me as we waited.

However, I forgot that I had the flash on and only proceeded to blind those who were waiting to take a photo of the moment the birthday girl arrived.

Notice the “Are you kidding me?” look on this young man’s face:

Fortunately, he was a good sport and harbored no hard feelings. At least that’s what I told myself.

The birthday girl was completely and totally shocked, which is the perfect outcome for any surprise party. She was enveloped in a flurry of hugs  and well-wishes after we all sang a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday.” It was a joyous moment.

You may ask why I do not have any photos of her grand entrance…and I would have to tell you that every single one of them ended up being blurry.

I was then forced to fire myself as the official photographer.

Moving on…

The party was a catered affair and we all had a our choice of delicious French cuisine.

You know what’s sad?

I had three years of French in high school. I got all A’s. Yet, I did not know what any of this meant, other than “avec” which means “with.”

My son currently has an A+ in French so I could have asked him for assistance but he was all the way across the room at the kids table. So, I  proceeded to place my order by simply pointing to the item on the menu.

I am certain our waitress was impressed by my sophistication.

Our host encouraged us to be brave and try something we have never eaten before. In the end, I just couldn’t do it.

My daughter was much more adventurous than her mother. She actually ordered frog legs.

She said they tasted like chicken. Who knew?

The food was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious…

Here are my kids awaiting their dinner:

Interesting story about my son’s tie.

None of us knew how to tie one and my husband was in Vermont .  So, during the drive to the party, my son downloaded an app onto his i-Pad that showed him what to do.  Thank goodness for technology.

During the course of the evening, I was thrilled to meet a fellow Pittsburgh native and we had a great time speaking Pittsburghese.

Overall, it was just a wonderful night! There was so much laughter and fellowship as we celebrated the life of this special young lady. I am certain it will be an evening she will never forget.

Bon Anniversaire N.! You are loved!

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November 18, 2011 · 6:15 am

The Heart Of A Champion


Photo credit: AlaskaTeacher

The other night, the fall sports awards were held at our local high school.

The big highlight was the fact that our football team had an undefeated season and were the state champions in their division.

Excitement was high as the night began with a  rousing video of the team’s season  set to the song “Footloose”. Prolonged, enthusiastic applause followed the video and all eyes were on the beaming football team.

That was a tough act to follow.

However, the show must go on and the  first awards of the night were given to the school’s golf team. As the team captain made his way to the microphone, he grinned at the crowd and said, “I’d like to announce that we will now all be treated to a video of me playing nine holes of golf!”

Loved that kid!

One by one, the coach of each team came forward to present various awards to each player.  (My daughter Julia received her letters and gold pin for her participation in volleyball. I have no photos to show, however. I did take some but they were all blurry for some reason. Epic fail. Sorry, Mom!).

The captains from each team all said a few words as well…and I began to notice a theme. If a team had not had a winning season, the kids all seemed to adopt an apologetic tone and their heads were not held quite as high.

Finally, at the end of the night, the principal took the microphone and said she needed to share something. She went on to say that having a winning season was not the main thing.  The most important thing was that the athletes were out there giving their best at every game.

She ended by saying, “You don’t have to be a champion to have the heart of a champion.”

I could not agree more.

Of course, we all love to win. Winning is wonderful!

However, nobody can win all of the time.

A friend was telling me yesterday that her son-in-law, who is a world-class runner had intended to qualify for the Olympic games this year until a stress fracture dashed those hopes. There will be no Olympic medal for him next year but he intends to keep training and try again four years from now. That’s the heart of a champion.

A young lady with Down’s Syndrome plays both volleyball and basketball at my daughter’s school. She does not let her disability limit or define her and plays hard at every single game. That is the heart of a champion.

One of my daughter’s friends at school has been diagnosed with Lyme Disease. The disease robbed her of being able to play soccer this season. However, she was at every single practice and every single game (sometimes sitting in her wheelchair holding an umbrella when it rained) cheering on her teammates, shining her light and spreading her joy. That is the heart of a champion.

And yes, the boys on our football team who practiced for hours and played the best games of their young lives have the hearts of a champion.

“Most look up and admire the stars. A champion climbs a mountain and grabs one.”—Unknown 

Who do you know that has the heart of a champion?

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November 16, 2011 · 5:48 am

Have That Hot Fudge Sundae!


Photo credit: circler

The other day, a friend was telling me about spending the weekend with her widowed father and his new companion.

She was a little uncertain about how it all would go, as she had never seen her father with a woman other than her mother, who had died nearly a year ago.

To everyone’s great relief, it turned out to be a delightful time for all involved.

There was one thing in particular that my friend noticed about the new lady in her dad’s life…she loved to eat.

“What was unique about that?” I had to ask.

My friend went on to explain that her mother rigorously watched what she ate her entire life. She never indulged her sweet tooth and certainly never seemed to enjoy food. Yet this lady was exactly the opposite. She ate whatever she wanted and relished it all.

As I went about my day, I was reminded of a story my cousin once told me about her mother, Betty. Betty was a tiny woman, partly due to genetics but mostly due to the fact that she ate like a bird in a never-ending quest to remain thin.

During the last week of Betty’s life, my cousin Elaine decided to stop by the nursing home  to see her and brought along the biggest hot fudge sundae she could buy. Betty was delighted and Elaine so enjoyed seeing her mother savor every single bite of that sundae.

I remember telling Elaine how sad that was…she had spent her whole life denying herself until the very end. And yes, she died thin…but so what?

After my dad died from a heart attack at the age of 71 after a life full of healthy eating and exercising (and trying in vain to get my mom involved in those same pursuits), my mom instantly developed a new philosophy:

1. Exercise.
2. Eat well.
3. Die anyway

A magnet with those very words hangs on her refrigerator to this day. She is a woman who enjoys her food.

I’d say that philosophy is working for her. 🙂 (That’s not her car by the way).

I went through a stage when I lived as a vegan a few years ago. I learned a lot of new recipes (which was no small feat for someone who has a plaque in her kitchen that says, “The only reason I have a kitchen is because it came with the house!”); I lost weight; I had a lot of energy and generally felt pretty good.

However, eventually I got tired. Tired of never eating the same thing my family was eating. Tired of having limited choices. Tired of ordering salads when we went out to eat since that was the only vegan thing on the menu.  Tired of people looking at me as if I were some kind of  New-Agey, PETA-loving loon (none of which is true). Tired of getting a lecture from the lady at the health food store—the health food store!—when I inquired if they had Ener-G Egg Replacer in stock. She looked me up and down suspiciously before finding one dusty box at the back of a shelf. As she handed it to me, she said, “What’s the matter with you? Why don’t you just eat eggs? Eggs are good for you!”

It ain’t easy being a vegan in New England.

Sometimes a girl just wants a bite of steak or an ice cream cone, you know? So, I stopped being a vegan.

Obviously, I am not advocating over-eating,  not exercising, being unhealthy, or placing too much of an emphasis on food.

However, life is short. Food is meant to be enjoyed and savored in moderation.

So for today…enjoy and savor! 🙂

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November 15, 2011 · 10:39 am

A Glimpse Into His Heart


Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption

I recently finished reading Katie Davis’ wonderful book, Kisses From Katie.

I found myself admiring Katie and being so inspired by her example of beautiful, selfless love.

She writes of venturing into the slums to search out a way to help those who live in filth,  hopelessness, despair, and extreme poverty. She seeks to discover ways to feed the hungry and educate the children. She tends to the dying, doing what she can to allow them the opportunity to leave this world with dignity.  When the sick, the bleeding, the diseased, the homeless show up at her home, she tends to them with tenderness and great care, unafraid of getting her hands dirty. She has given orphans a stable and loving home. When in America, she gives a voice to the nameless in Uganda, tirelessly raising funds so that with the bounty of the rich, the needs of the poor can be met. She is angry about injustice, defends those who have no one to speak on their behalf, weeps with those who weep and laughs with those who laugh.

Above all, she shares the hope of Jesus with everyone she encounters.

There is much to admire about Katie Davis. She is one of my heroes.

However, I recently read this verse in my quiet time: “I have been crucified with Christ (in Him I have shared His crucifixion); it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in Me  and the life I now live in the body I live by faith  (complete trust in) the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”(Galatians 2:20).

This verse was a reminder to me that who I was really admiring in the course of reading this book was Jesus Himself  living His life through Katie.

It is Jesus who seeks the lost.

It is Jesus who left the beauty and perfection of Heaven to be born in a filthy stable on earth….on a rescue mission for you.

He is the Bread of Life that fills the hungry soul.

He is our Living Hope.

He crowns us with dignity and honor.

He is our Healer.

He can feel our pain because He experienced unimaginable pain that we will never know…all for the love of you and me.

He defeated death once and for all at Calvary.

The day is coming when He will permanently right all wrongs.

He is the only One who is unafraid of the sheer depth and breadth of our need.

He loves the unlovely (which is all of us) sacrificially, completely, and joyfully.

He IS Love.

Ultimately, this wonderful book is a beautiful portrait of the heart of Christ for the lost.

I love Him so.

“We aren’t really called to save the world, not even to save one person; Jesus does that. We are just called to love with abandon. We are called to enter into our neighbors’ sufferings and love them right there.” —Katie Davis, p. 214

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November 12, 2011 · 2:11 pm

Weekend Moment: Compassion International


My family and I are huge supporters of Compassion International.

We have sponsored a lovely young lady named Margaret from Ghana for several years now.

It has been a joy to watch her grow and to hear how Compassion is meeting her material, educational, medical, and spiritual needs.

A group of bloggers is currently in Ecuador, visiting the Compassion centers there. One of my favorites is Sophie, otherwise known as BooMama. Her post today brought tears to my eyes and I just want to encourage anyone who reads this post to check out her latest entry about meeting a boy named Jonathan deep inside the Amazon: www.boomama.net.

Ann Voskamp’s post about the same young man is incredibly beautiful: www.aholyexperience.com

Catch up with the rest of the bloggers’ stories here: www.compassionbloggers.com

And if you can, please consider sponsoring a child through Compassion today.

I promise that it will bring so much joy to your heat, knowing that you are changing the life of a precious child today.

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. —Psalm 113:7

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November 9, 2011 · 3:47 pm

How To Survive Unemployment


My husband and I recently survived thirty months of un/underemployment. It was by far the toughest season we have ever gone through in our nearly twenty years of marriage.

A fellow believer whose husband has been out of work for quite some time asked  me the other day if I had any advice for them. I shared with her what I had learned but since this is an issue for so many people today, I thought it would be good to write a post about it.

From a practical standpoint:

1. Under no circumstances talk about money issues at night. Once the sun goes down, all talk of money is forbidden. Everyone is tired and everything looks worse and scarier at night. Save the financial discussions for the daylight hours.

2. Cut out all unnecessary expenses. This might seem obvious but we discovered that a lot of what we considered “needs” were actually “wants.” You can go without certain things for a season.

3. Check out thrift stores in your area. My friend Mary Ellen introduced me to the advantages to thrift store shopping. She always looked like a million bucks and when I complimented her on her outfit one day, she pointed to her top, pants, and cute shoes and said, “$5, $10, and $7.” She took me to her favorite thrift store and I was amazed to see tags still on much of the clothes! Lots of great stuff for very little cash.

4.  Have lots of sex.  It is God’s gift to you as a couple. It is fun, it is free, it keeps you connected to one another during a time when that is crucial, and it’s a  major stress-reliever. Everybody wins.

5). Affirm your husband at every opportunity. Men need to know that their wives respect them. You didn’t marry a job, you married a man. In our culture, a man’s sense of worth is often determined by his  job, so his opinion of himself takes a hit when he is without work. Let him know the things you appreciate about him and do it often.

6). Live one day at a time. It is so tempting to let your mind wander into tomorrow but resist the urge. Today is all you have. Don’t take it for granted. Your circumstances may not be ideal but we live in a fallen world. There will always be challenges. You cannot wait until your life is problem-free to start living or you will never live. Make the choice to live the life out of every day. That is not pie-in-the-sky advice. I did it and so can you.

From a spiritual standpoint:

1. Never lose sight of the fact that Jesus is in complete and total control…even when your life feels or looks out of control. This season has come with great purpose and intention. He has something to say to you. Listen.

2. As one of our friends told us early on: “Your job is not your provision. Your GOD is your Provision.” Never lose sight of that.

3. God promises…absolutely promises…that He will meet ALL your needs. Not some, not most…ALL. (Philippians 4:19).

4. Search your heart. (Ps. 139:23-24). Ask Him to reveal any blind spots you may have. Decide beforehand that you are going to agree with whatever God shows you. No blame-shifting, no excuses, no minimizing. Just cooperation, humility, and openness before the kind and compassionate God who loves you unconditionally and desires to heal and free you.

5. Live all of life with an open hand. God owns it all.  (Ps. 24:1) We own nothing; we are merely stewards. This includes money, cars, homes, etc. He will do what is best for you. He is and always will be trustworthy.  If He takes,  it is because He has something better to give. It may not feel like it at the time but it is true. Your God is a Giver. (I Timothy 6:17;  John 3:16; James 1:17).

6. Continue to tithe on whatever income you do have, even if it is just an unemployment check. We did this even though it looked insane on paper. But we learned that you can NEVER out-give God. Not ever. He will always abundantly provide when you put your money where your mouth is and obey Him.  That is faith in action.

7. Do not lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). You may look at your situation and think that all is hopeless and there is no way out. Don’t you believe it. He will always make a way.  He has resources we know nothing about.

8. Know that your life is not in the hands of any man. Your life is firmly in God’s hands. (Proverbs 21:1; Colossians 3:3).

9. Realize that you have been given the gift of time with your spouse and your family. Do not take it for granted. It may not be an ideal situation but make the most of the time you have. Jobs, money, possessions and homes are not eternal; people are.

10. Remind yourself often that your life does NOT consist of your possessions. (Luke 12:15). Real, authentic, and abundant life is found in Christ alone. (John 10:10; John 17:3).

11. Wait expectantly, not passively. Your God is never inactive! “…This resurrection life you have received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike, ‘What’s next Papa?’ (Romans 8:15, The Message). “…Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your hearts be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.” (Ps. 27:14, Amplified version).

12. Pour out your heart to Jesus. Let Him know every single thing you are thinking and feeling. He can take it. He knows it all anyway. (Ps. 139:1-5). Bring the darkness out into His Light and let Him minister to you.

13. You don’t need more money. You need more of Jesus. He is enough. Always enough.

14. Live in an attitude of gratitude. Begin to count all of His many gifts to you, no matter how small. They are always there. Focus on what you HAVE, not on what you lack. Gratitude always makes room for joy.

15. This too shall pass. This season of unemployment will not last forever.

16. Your God WILL prove FAITHFUL to you. He will never fail you or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

17. Some books that I found helpful during that season:
When Life Is Hard by James MacDonald
The Perfect Love by Ruth Myers
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper
If God Is Good by Randy Alcorn
Streams In The Desert devotional

In our situation, we experienced His miraculous provision and full restoration. I will never get over His mercy and grace as long as I live. It was worth every tear because this situation gave me Jesus in a way I had never known Him before. I have been forever changed and marked by His radical, redemptive love.

Trust Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our Refuge. —Ps. 62:8

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November 6, 2011 · 11:33 pm

Secret Church


Photo credit: anita

On Friday night, I spent seven hours at our church with a small but enthusiastic group who had gathered for a simulcast by author/pastor David Platt called Secret Church.

We were there for a six hour Bible study, as well as to learn about the harsh realities of the persecuted church around the world.

Pastor David has traveled all over the world to meet with Christians who live in hostile countries. He has met in  small apartments, homes, and even caves to share  God’s Word with those who are desperate to hear it taught. Their time is often limited and there is no time for fluff. Knowing that they could be interrupted at any time and would face certain arrest, these people want to learn as much as they can. Hearing God’s precious Word in all its beauty and power and life is worth any risk.No matter how long Pastor David teaches, they want to hear more. They come hungry and thirsty to hear from their risen Savior.

Would that we in America have that same passion and urgency for Jesus. That is  what He longs for. “Who is he who will devote himself to be close to Me?” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 49:25).

I was so excited to dive into God’s Word for such an extended period of time that evening.

If someone had told the 15-year-old me that I would be jazzed about attending something like this, I would have not believed it in a million years. My first thought would have been “How boring!”

I have come a long way.

Life since then— while wonderful in so many ways— has shown me that His Word is my treasure, my solid rock when my world spins out of control, my constant source of comfort and strength, and a deep, never-ending well-spring of pure JOY. Above all, reading and living those words draws me deeper in love with Jesus. It is where He reveals Himself to me, guides me, speaks to me and shows me His beauty.

Pastor David’s topic was “Marriage, Family, Sex, And The Gospel.” Yes, they are all magnificently and spectacularly connected.

As author Jerry Bridges has written, “The gospel is not only the most important message in all of history; it is the only essential message in all of history.”      

Because of the good news of the glorious Gospel, there is:

*hope for the hopeless
*healing for the hurting
*peace for the storm-tossed
*restoration for the broken
*acceptance for the rejected
*open arms for the prodigal
*courage for the fearful
*beauty for ashes
*total and complete forgiveness for the repentant sinner
*rest for the weary
*strength for the weak
*light for those in darkness
*joy for the despairing
*dignity and honor for the shamed
*abundant fullness for hollow emptiness
*purpose for the aimless
*intimacy and friendship for the lonely
*guidance and direction for the confused
*love for the loveless
*LIFE for the dying

The Gospel is breathtaking and utterly transforming.

The Gospel joyfully proclaims that redemption is possible over every single area of our lives!

I will never get over it as long as I live and I will tell of its wonders as long as I have breath. I will celebrate it for all eternity.

By the time the simulcast ended at nearly 2:00 in the morning, the five of us who were left were utterly saturated in the beauty of His grace.

I loved every minute of it.

The next Secret Church simulcast will be on Good Friday, April 6. 2012.  Mark your calendars and check locations. You will be blessed!

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November 2, 2011 · 4:39 am

Counting My Blessings


We have been without heat for the last three days.

The culprit is a  broken exhaust fan. It happened to quit working on the day following the historic October nor’easter that hit New England.

This is what the aftermath of that storm looked like in our neck of the woods:

As you can imagine, it was a tad chilly.

To complicate matters further, there were enormous power outages, which included the company in Massachusetts that carried the replacement exhaust fan.

We were originally told that all would be fixed by Monday.

So, we bundled up in several layers of clothes, fired up the space heaters, and slept beneath a million blankets.

By Monday afternoon, we received news that now it would be fixed on Tuesday.

I immediately placed a call to my brother, who works for the company that runs the inns in our charming New England town and he was able to get us a room at one of them for the night.

As I packed, I realized how far I have come. If this had happened several years ago,  I’m sorry to say that I would have been decidedly unhappy at being inconvenienced and would have loudly vocalized my displeasure to anyone willing to listen. I would have only focused on the negative..

Not so today.

The storm that my family and I lived through over the past couple of years has radically realigned my perspective and my priorities. I no longer take anything in my life for granted.

I have learned to count, one by glorious one, one thousand gifts from the hand of my Heavenly Father.

Whatever the situation, I now ask, “What blessings can I find here?”

I always find them—even though some circumstances require a bit more digging— because I serve a very good God who can be found in the midst. He always speaks.

The blessings I found in this situation were many:

*We were given the gift of more time to be with Doug, as he usually goes to Vermont on Sunday afternoons for another work week
*It reminded me to give thanks for the little things that are easy to take for granted, such as electricity, running water, a washing machine, a dryer, and heat
*…laughter with my family, as we all sought to find the joy in the midst
*Doug having the chance to drive the kids to school and listen to all the stories of high school life and plans for the day ahead
*…spending Halloween night in a local Mexican restaurant enjoying seeing kids dressed up in costumes…and listening to the little boy behind us inexplicably say, “Hi fork!” over and over again 🙂
*…being given the chance to stay practically for free in a luxury hotel for the night,  wrapped in the warmth from the fireplace
*…waking up to this view:

This afternoon at 4:00, the fan was fixed and blessed heat poured back into the house. Happiness reigned. 🙂

Celebrate the little things today.

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November 1, 2011 · 5:00 am

Challenged


Photo credit: Melody Campbell

I continue to be challenged by reading Katie Davis’ new book.

She referenced the following Scripture written by the apostle Paul and something stirred in my spirit as I read it:

People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly…in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we’re telling the truth and when God’s showing His power; when we’re doing our best setting things right; when we’re praised and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all. Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small but you’re living them in a small way...open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!  (2 Corinthians 6:10-13, The Message).

That is a supernatural existence. Jesus blazes from that kind of life. People cannot explain that kind of life.

My life is much too “safe.”

I am very self-protective at times…of my time, my resources, my home.

Yes, we all need have to have boundaries. They are important and necessary. However, I am talking about having an attitude of willingness to go with Jesus wherever and whenever He calls…without my primary concern being my comfort.

Jesus never called His followers to a life of ease. That is a lie perpetrated by the false health-and-wealth-this-is-your-best-life-now “gospel”. Rather, He tells us plainly: ““If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself (disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests) and take up his cross and follow Me (cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also).” (Matthew 16:24).

Only by living that kind of life can the life described in 2 Corinthians 6 be possible.

So the question is: Am I living that kind of life?

Ann Voskamp has written that “Fear makes a life small.” That is very true.

Fear says, “Play it safe. Think about yourself and your needs first and foremost. Don’t take any chances. You can’t possibly do what God is calling you to! How in the world would it work? What would people say? This doesn’t make any sense!”

But Jesus says, “You can do ALL things through Me. It is My energy that works so powerfully within you.  I did not give you the spirit of fear. I have given you a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. Once you come to Me, I hold on and don’t let go.  Banish fear and doubt! Be strong and courageous! Run after Me!  Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of!  The life I have called you to is not a timid, grave-tending life. Rather, it is an  adventurously expectant life that begins each day  by asking Me, ‘What’s next?!” I will always lead you in triumph!  Quit worrying about lack. I will provide everything you need! Trust Me and you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace.  Pay attention to the hungry, the poor, the sick, the prisoners, the homeless, the cold, the orphans and the widows. I am there with them. When you minister to them, you are ministering to ME.”

I want to live that kind of life.

Jesus has been beckoning to me,  stirring my heart to let me know that He is at work and the status quo has got to go. I follow a Savior who loves extravagantly and lavishly. He is teaching me to love like that.

I don’t know the specifics quite yet (though I am noticing that He is highlighting certain themes to which I need to pay attention), but He will reveal those in time. I do know what the end result will be because He tells me in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “… Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of His face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like Him.” 

I don’t want my life to make sense or be easily explained. I want my life to shine a spotlight onto Jesus and His mighty power and transforming love.

I can hardly wait to see what the next step of the journey will be!

He brought me out into a spacious place…(2 Samuel 22:20)

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October 30, 2011 · 8:36 pm

The Magic Of Music


When my friend Heather met our son Josh when he was nine months old, she took one look at his long fingers and said, “That boy is born to play the piano!”

Those words turned out to be prophetic.

The piano was the first instrument Josh learned to play. That was his introduction to the world of music…a world that he would come to deeply love.

Looking back, it is wonderful to see the people God used to teach and encourage him along his journey and how He guided his steps along the way.

Doug, who plays the guitar and the piano, was Josh’s first teacher. He taught him how to read music, introduced him to the piano, and bought him his first guitar.

However, it wasn’t until we moved back to New England that Josh’s love for music really took flight.

Two wonderful women decided to teach music classes one fall at the homeschooling co-op we attended. Debi taught Music Theory and Carol taught Introduction to Music. I will be forever grateful for them. They ignited a passion for  music in my son’s heart and mind that is still burning to this day.

During the holiday season of 2009, our family went to my hometown of Pittsburgh. It was then that Josh announced his desire to learn another instrument.  In my mom’s family room, Josh spent hours researching various instruments in between various get-togethers with family and friends. He listened to them being played on YouTube, read about them on Wikipedia, and finally made his decision. He would play the clarinet.

That was fortuitous because we happened to have a clarinet at home. The very day we returned to our home, he put that clarinet together and began to teach himself how to play. He played everyday until June when he was able to enroll in the local music school for lessons.

It was there that he met Mary, the teacher who would encourage him, challenge him, and believe in him. She invited him to join a band called New Horizons that helped bring his playing up to a new level.

In the fall, he enrolled in the high school so he could be part of the band. The band director, Steve, proved to be an excellent mentor, as well as a lot of fun.

He also took a guitar class with Steve and was soon in the market for  an electric bass guitar, which he got for Christmas last year…

One afternoon, Josh spotted a local pawn shop and asked his dad if they could go inside to see if there were any instruments for sale.

There, on the shelf was an oboe. It was a steal for $60 and Josh was happy to spend some of the  money he had saved to own it.

Little did he know that that ordinary day would turn out to be a turning point in his young life.

He only played the oboe sporadically at first, preferring to concentrate on playing in two bands with his clarient. Eventually, he decided to sell the oboe, hoping to make a profit.

(Side note: Josh loves money. He was only a little fella when the first season of “The Apprentice” premiered. He watched the entire episode with his dad and me and as the credits rolled, he turned to us, eyes wide and said, “I love Donald  Trump!”  🙂 

So, he was looking to make a tidy profit by selling the oboe. He got a couple of nibbles but there was no sale, which frustrated him because he was saving to buy a big ticket item and could have used the money.

I kept telling him, “Jesus knows what He is doing. There is a reason why no one is buying your oboe.”

Once Josh realized that oboe wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, he decided to try playing it again.

This time, it was an entirely different experience.

He loved it and a new passion was born.

Josh (oboe), Doug (guitar), Julia (piano); New Year's Eve 2010

Had his oboe sold, that money would have been long gone by now…and he would have missed out on a world of joy.

It wasn’t long before he had switched to playing the oboe in both bands. The oboe has become an extension of him and I love hearing his music filling the house.

Within the past two weeks, the oboe he bought in the pawn shop began to break down. So, this past Friday, we took him to Boston to look for a new one.

The music store had five oboes on hand for him to try. He went back to one of the rooms where he laid out the oboes like they were priceless treasure. To him, they were.

After trying out all of the oboes, he motioned for his dad and me to come in. His face was glowing. He had found the one and the smile never left his face.

He even (reluctantly) agreed to let me take a photo of him playing his new oboe:

I have loved seeing God birth a passion for music in my son’s soul.

I can’t wait to see where this journey takes him as the years unfold.

“Music is God’s gift to man, the only art of Heaven given to earth, the only art of earth we take to Heaven.” —Walter Savage Landor

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