Knocking the Dust Off

The opportunity to accompany a talented vocalist presented itself recently, and the reality was, I wasn't ready.  Another one of those situations in my life, that it's simply time to "get over it and get on with it."  I'm not terribly talented musically, but as a kid, I had to take piano lessons.  All these years later, I can't play anything, except songs of faith.  I can play traditional Hebraic, Christian hymns, and southern Gospel, not perfectly, but I can keep the crowd in the same key.  That's the only music I can play though.  I can't play show tunes, I can't muddle through classical, and jazz and rag are out of the question.  I can play music for Abba and that's all, but I haven't been doing that as of late, and that is changing.

Here, I'm praying for the Five fold ministry to gather, and I've been seeking about hosting some of the Feast Days, down the road, but I'm not doing what it takes for me to be ready.  I can't help but wonder how many things we "pray about" without doing what we can do to prepare.  It's something so simple in all of my preparation for the troubling times ahead, and yet I rush past the keyboard a dozen times a day.  Today, I didn't rush by it.  I took the time to play a few songs.  Clearly, I need practice, but that's within my power to do!  

YHWH has blessed me with many talents, and I wouldn't exactly say music is one of them, but by that same token, there are many gifted vocalists who can't read a note, and I can read music.  The fact that it breaks down between my eyes and hands can be changed with practice.  Whether it's a G-d given talent or a learned ability, it was G-d who gave the opportunity to learn this ability to read music.  When I spend some time at the keyboard regularly, I am also able to offer a pretty decent chording accompaniment, by ear.  One more reason to not rush past the keyboard in all of my preparation.

I used to hum continuously, and once in awhile break out in song, but I let a rude comment and some overbearing criticism stop me.  It dawned on me today, I was singing and playing to praise Abba, not entertaining critics.  I don't know why I let that stop me . . . I've confessed my sin and repented.  In this case repentance is easy, I just have to stop not playing the keyboard and stop not singing!  HalleluYah!  

Scripture says to make a joyful noise.  That I can do!  I've even thought "Joyful Noise" would be a great name for a Hebraic Gospel group.