Lent Day 8: New every morning

What a gorgeous setting for the new morning. W and I slept on a friend's boat overnight. We love the gentle rocking of the waves in the sheltered harbor. We've enjoyed a nice "sampler" dinner in Seattle (promo for the Museum of History and Industry), read in the cozy lounge aboard the boat, and rode back to a meeting at the university before 9am.

Now it's time to tackle something I haven't ever wanted to do ... before this. Learn some guitar chords. I picked up a guitar by Seagull yesterday. The reviews recommended the model for beginning and intermediate players and the price was good enough that I can resell it if I don't like it.

My mom used to strum guitar. I asked my son if he was interested in playing.

"Mom, you made me take guitar lessons," he reminded me. So I'll snag him to teach me the basics. There are many tutorials online and I've played by ear on piano all my life (well, since age 5) so here I am, ready or not.

Music calls me now and then. I think I'm done, then off we go again. After a piano degree, I played weddings, funerals, churches, and cruises. I taught piano, organ, keyboards, theory, and harp.

After a few years of harp lessons, I was bored silly because all harp music sounds the same to me. It might be so with guitar, too. However, it's easier to pack a guitar than haul around an orchestral-sized pedal harp!

This might even be fun. One of the things I appreciate about playing piano by ear is that moving my fingers slightly results in completely different chords. I suspect the guitar functions similarly. Can't wait to start!

God is endlessly creative and has invested himself in his creatures. We love to invent and reinvent our worlds. Who knows how God can use our attempts? Some day I may need to know how to pluck guitar strings.

It takes hard work and perseverance to acquire a skill. Sometimes we're grabbed by a new effort; sometimes we quit an experiment that's a poor fit for our gifting or interests.

What new thing is kicking your brain or body into gear? I'd love to hear about it.

Read more:

*Moses said to the Lord, "If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Exodus 33:15 NIV

*My child, don't reject the LORD's discipline, and don't be upset when he corrects you. For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights." Proverbs 3:11–12 NLT

* (Someone with a rough start - at least for his mother): There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!" And God granted him his request. 1 Chronicles 4:9–10 NLT

*When Paul had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. Acts 16:10

Moravian Prayer: Transfigured Christ, open our eyes to your glory and give us your vision, so we may go wherever you send us to tell the good news of your life, death, and resurrection. Amen