I took piano lessons for 5 years. From the 2nd grade through the 6th, I went for once a week instruction and practiced on an old upright as faithfully as my Mama made me. I started with a teacher who was young and fun. She let me help pick out the music I wanted to work on and lovingly encouraged me. Once she, sadly, became ill with cancer, my parents found another instructor for my sister and me. By this point (around age 11-12) I was less interested in the piano and much into my friends and what they were doing. Combine this fact with the poor opinion I had of my new instructor (she was old with long yellow nails that clicked on the keys as SHE played and she sang off-key as I played), and I had less than 0% interest in continuing my music education. It is really a shame, too. I come from a very musically talented family.
My parents made me stick with piano through the remainder of my 6th grade year and then mercifully let me quit. I was spending half of my lesson time in my teacher’s bathroom anyway to avoid the torture. I only wish I was kidding. When I finally walked out of my last lesson, I felt the shackles fall off my ankles and the prison gates open up. Ok, maybe now I’m kidding.
Five years is a long time to conscientiously (welll…) practice something – anything. And yet today I cannot play a note. Okay, that might not be entirely true. I can show you where middle C is on a keyboard and play a chord from there. But I couldn’t accurately name the other notes in that chord. Anyway. My point is that the skill and knowledge I acquired learning and studying and practicing for 5 years was lost without perseverance and repetition.
I’m being reminded of late how important perseverance and repetition are where Bible study is concerned. Because it is “living and active” God constantly reveals different things about Himself to me – often from the same passage. I heard someone say recently (I wish I could remember who – see how much I need repetition?) that we need to have an open Bible and an open life. I love that. But I would take it a step further to say that our lives need to be open to the Bible. The more time I spend in God’s word, the more conviction and correction I experience. If that sounds like a big, fat bummer to you, let me encourage you that great freedom comes from confession and repentance.
I listened to an audio book (I wish I could remember which one – yes, it’s a theme) that referred to a believer’s regular time with God as “the daily office”. I got fired up about this. Time in God’s word and prayer is the real work of a Christ-follower. Calling it my “daily office” makes so much for sense to me than “quiet time” (Mine’s not always quiet) or “daily devotion” (what does that mean?).
In my personal study recently, I’ve been more and more enlightened to the story of God’s rescue plan for us. Spoiler alert: it’s the Bible. The whole thing tells this story. Not just the Christmas story. Not just the parts we read at Easter. All of it. Every verse, every story points to our need of a Savior and how God sent His Son Jesus to be just that. I want to know a God who would do that for me, and the best way to get to know Him is spending time with Him. In prayer. And especially in His word. Every day. As much as possible. The Bible is His story. It’s our story. It’s my story of rescue. If there is anything about this rescue story that you are unsure of, please send me a private message to [email protected]. Or pick up a Bible and start reading in the book of John. God longs to rescue you too.
Absolutely! The Bible is a refuge and rescuer for our souls. And I do like the term “daily office,” Lauren. Think I’ll start referring to my time in the Word as just that.
Blessings!
Don’t you love that?
I took piano too, and I wanted to play so badly, maybe I can pick it up again. His gifts are irrevocable. But writing is my forte’, and the Bible is loaded with music and poetry, as well as love and grace.
You are so right!
Practice and dedication are the “keys” (sorry, I couldn’t resist) to any practice, whether it’s piano or religious practice. So true!
Ha! I love puns!
Dear Lauren,
Don’t you just love God’s Word? It never gets old. Familiar passages can become new and fresh when reading from a different perspective in life’s journey. Most recently I’ve been learning more about the value of lingering. It’s so fun to discover one of God’s delights tucked into what seems a tedious list or description. Thanks for the reminder and encouragement to persevere when it comes to God’s rescue and life plan for us.
You are so right Alice. Lingering. Ahhhhh.
yes, a powerful reminder of the freedom that comes through exposure to the truth of God’s word and true confession. And I love the fact that you spent half your piano lesson in the bathroom because I totally did the same thing with my whopping two year piano lesson experience. LOL!
Ha! We are sisters from another mister, Melody!
I think we are related. Took piano 5 or 6 years. Mercifully let go by my mother. Can find middle C. Just wrote in a 6 week goal planner: memorize 6 verses. Bec. God’s word in me is better than anything. Been reviewing Col 3:1-17 for 3 years now. Time to move on.
I am finding many common piano stories here! Memorizing scripture is such a great goal!
Oh my, Lauren, I am in the same boat!!! I can’t believe it! I took for 4 years, 1st – 4th grade. Can’t play at all now. So sad! When I hear someone playing beautifully I wish I’d stuck with it. It’s difficult. I played mostly by ear and never learned to read the music. I was a fake! My teacher thought I was reading the music, but I never put the effort into learning how to be a REAL piano player. 🙁 So very, very sad.
Anywho… I do appreciate now, more than I think I would have without that experience, someone who plays beautifully.
Thanks for taking me down memory lane with you.
Thanks also for linking up at InstaEncouragements!
I never really thought about enjoying and appreciating this talent in others, but you can bet I will now. Thanks!
I took piano lessons too, and am now wishing I would have stuck with them. Our ideas of what is important are quite different when we are children. Perseverance is so important, but often a struggle to live out! Thanks for sharing!
I am hearing from so many other quitters like me! Thanks for weighing in.
I think dedication goes a long way with learning something X #anythinggoes
Absolutely, Sam. Thanks!
Lauren, I too took piano for several years and I did pretty well, but I also lost interest and sadly I don’t remember much from my younger years. I wish I would have keep that persistence, repetition and practice. I so love how you tied it into the pattern and consistency of being in His word and praying. Blessings
I am learning there are a lot of us piano school drop-outs. Thanks so much for reading along.
This is so true! We all need that repetition. No matter how many times we read and study the Bible, there is more for us to learn … much more. I have been reading through the Bible each year since about 2010 and I still read passages and wonder, “Did I ever even read this before?” But more important is what you said about God showing us new depths of truth from the same passage. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Donna. And I have done the same thing with familiar passages. Almost doing a double take!
Great reminders. Patience and consistency are such keys to growth yet we often view them of not worth the time.
Thanks, Angela.