Thinking About Grace...Part 5
I've loved music for as long as I can remember. My mom and dad had one of those old console record players, big old thing, bigger than most TVs today...
...and the wood had teeth marks on it from where I would look over and watch the records go around as the music came out. Why I rested my teeth on the top edge is beyond my explanation, but it might explain a few things to my dentist. However, I digress...
When I was old enough, my grandpa gave us his old organ with one condition: my brother and I had to learn to play. So we did. Mom and Dad signed us up for lessons with Ruth Maish, and Ruth came every week faithfully to teach us how to play those two keyboards and the pedals below all at the same time. My brother lost interest fairly quickly, but I kept playing. In fact, I'm still waiting for Ruth to come back. The last time I saw her, she took time off to care for her father who was sick. I wonder when our next lesson will be. But I digress again...
When I went to sign up for band, I wanted to play drums. What little boy doesn't want to make that kind of noise? But Mr. Albro, the band director for grades 5-12, said no. He said that since I already knew how to read music I should invest in something that would make use of that skill. He signed me up for trombone. And I loved it. I played through high school, put it aside in college and played again in seminary. I've even played in some of the churches I've served, but some people won't let me play these days. Something about needing to practice... Drat! I'm digressing again...
Here's the point: one thing I love about music, aside from the melodies and the harmonies, is what are called "grace notes." In the music, every once in a while, there is a note that is extra, that comes at a time when you don't expect it, that "fills in" the music a bit. It's not a necessary note. The music will get along fine without it. But a good musician works until they can put the grace notes in along with what's expected. In fact, a really good musician will get to the point where they add grace notes of their own, allowing the spirit of the music (or is that the Spirit of the music?) to direct them.
Grace notes -- something inserted into the music that isn't required but makes the music oh so much more beautiful.
Grace -- something that is inserted into a life that we don't deserve but, when given, makes like oh so much more beautiful. Grace turns life into a song. Grace, when poured into us, makes us more fully alive.
So, while grace notes might not be "required," they are absolutely essential to living the life God intends us to live.
And that's another reason there is nothing greater than grace. Thank God for those who continue to shower me with grace notes.
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| (This isn't it, but it looked something like this) |
When I was old enough, my grandpa gave us his old organ with one condition: my brother and I had to learn to play. So we did. Mom and Dad signed us up for lessons with Ruth Maish, and Ruth came every week faithfully to teach us how to play those two keyboards and the pedals below all at the same time. My brother lost interest fairly quickly, but I kept playing. In fact, I'm still waiting for Ruth to come back. The last time I saw her, she took time off to care for her father who was sick. I wonder when our next lesson will be. But I digress again...
When I went to sign up for band, I wanted to play drums. What little boy doesn't want to make that kind of noise? But Mr. Albro, the band director for grades 5-12, said no. He said that since I already knew how to read music I should invest in something that would make use of that skill. He signed me up for trombone. And I loved it. I played through high school, put it aside in college and played again in seminary. I've even played in some of the churches I've served, but some people won't let me play these days. Something about needing to practice... Drat! I'm digressing again...
Here's the point: one thing I love about music, aside from the melodies and the harmonies, is what are called "grace notes." In the music, every once in a while, there is a note that is extra, that comes at a time when you don't expect it, that "fills in" the music a bit. It's not a necessary note. The music will get along fine without it. But a good musician works until they can put the grace notes in along with what's expected. In fact, a really good musician will get to the point where they add grace notes of their own, allowing the spirit of the music (or is that the Spirit of the music?) to direct them.
Grace notes -- something inserted into the music that isn't required but makes the music oh so much more beautiful.
Grace -- something that is inserted into a life that we don't deserve but, when given, makes like oh so much more beautiful. Grace turns life into a song. Grace, when poured into us, makes us more fully alive.
So, while grace notes might not be "required," they are absolutely essential to living the life God intends us to live.
And that's another reason there is nothing greater than grace. Thank God for those who continue to shower me with grace notes.
 |
| The little notes are grace notes. |
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