Mondays Made Better

Six weeks ago I took a leap and signed up for guitar lessons with some stranger at the hole in the wall guitar shop by my house. It's owned by the sweetest creepy old guy ever who was saddened that I had purchased a guitar elsewhere but so excited that someone "as old as me" was willing to learn. Haha! I joked that I was hoping to preserve brain pathways for the future...you know, us old folk need to worry about stuff like that ! 😝

My guitar teacher is so skilled...and so mean.  He's not mean like the Russian lady in Parental Guidance. He's mean like every talented, sarcastic higher thinker that I know so far in life. My favorite thing that he's ever said to me is - "don't you feel like a moron knowing that people so much stupider than you can already play that chord?" (When I failed to play the F chord, which I am still pretty miserable at)

I laughed SO hard. It's totally true! I could absolutely think of people that can't be that intelligent who could do what I was currently failing at! 

Life is funny like that, and this guy never ceases to point that out. Which makes for hilarious Monday evenings! When I show up to my lesson each week, regardless of what kind of havoc that day wreaked, I have to step outside of everything I know about me, of all my defense mechanisms that keep me from looking like a fool and purposely submit myself to this math-loving musician. I am quickly finding the connection between music and math and forcing my mind to not shut down. 

A whole new section of my brain is opened. I am discovering beauty in sounds and songs I didn't value at all before. And I have needed it!! I needed a hobby-yes, I needed to not waste my money-yes, i needed a lesson in humility- probably, I wanted to develop a skill-sure, but this is probably the best possible escape i could have ended up in! He knew I would need this to the degree that I am currently enjoying long before I did! Everyday that I practice I spend time sitting in worship before my Father, singing my heart out and disciplining my fingers to play for Him as well. I would have totally made fun of myself two years ago if I had said something like that. But I kid you not, God meets with me in 40 beats per minute worship sessions of the two-three songs that don't have those pesky bar chords showing up. I've come to love an entirely new picture of self control and it's beautiful benefits.

I pray that God gives me the drive and diligence to continue in this new endeavor and that it is always a time and (hopefully) a talent that honors Him.

I am so grateful for what these Monday evenings mean- He did know and does know and He cares, He provides and He sees me through.

Man! Who am I that this is how the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe relates to me?!

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. "

Psalm 138:8