Piano Lessons

Six months ago I started taking piano lessons. I’m not exactly sure why, except that it’s been a “bucket list” item of mine for a while now. Also, someone recommended a teacher: Ms. Pamelia Bedingfield (picture your classic southern grandmother). Now, it is important to understand that I have absolutely no prior music experience. When I shared that with Ms. Pamelia at our first meeting, she told me that she had never taught lessons to any adult who had no prior music experience, which is code for “this is going to be a disaster.”

And so I began. It was like I had entered into another world, one that my brain did not understand and my fingers could not execute. What I discovered pretty quickly is that learning the piano takes a really, really, really long time. And so I pretty quickly began contemplating quitting. Though there were small windows of success, most of the time it just felt painfully slow and I felt painfully inadequate. And then it hit me. This is how I feel in life and in ministry A LOT.

Moving slow and feeling like I don’t know what I’m doing are two things I like to avoid as much as possible. In other words, I crave feeling self-sufficient. I enjoy looking like I have it together as a husband and a dad and a pastor. I did not realize how deeply this ran in me until I started taking piano lessons. The piano exposes me, humbles me, takes me down a few notches. Fortunately, in my attempts to navigate the piano, I have someone with me. Ms. Pamelia pushes me, encourages me, and teaches me, and in doing so has taught me that learning the piano happens best in the context of relationship. May we remember that we all have “pianos” in our lives, those things which are difficult, slow, frustrating, but may we also remember that we have a “Ms. Pamelia” as well, the Lord who is always with us, and whose presence is often best experienced through the presence of biblical community around us.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:5-8


Ben  

monthly resource

Here are two articles I've run across recently that have been helpful.

Enjoy!

** How to Embrace Your Emotions without Being Ruled by Them