Praise God!

I, after several months of neglecting the issue, have finally come to realize that I must play the piano. Not because I so want to(although I do) but more because God wants me to. My dad(a classical violinist) had me in violin lessons at approximately age 5. I had no interest and I regret it now. When I got a little older and my mom(a very accomplished pianist) had passed away my dad tried to get me to play the piano. Once again, I had no interest. However, after my dad died, I decided I wanted to play the piano. My thought pattern was as follows: "I look like my dad. I act like my dad. I am the spitting image of him. I want to look like my mom. I want to be like my mom. If I can't be like her and look like her, I will most assuredly play the piano like her!" With that, I fell in love with playing the piano. And, after about 5-8 years of lessons, I was pretty good. I learned that playing was an escape--it was soothing. It felt so great to sit down and play with such feeling and such skill. Fastforward about seven years to present day. I have hardly practiced at all since that day I had to quit because of my mistake in being dishonest about something. I remember that day. I cried. My heart hurt. I look back on these seven years and I regret that I did not practice and so now I have hardly any skill. However, one day I was standing in church and I asked God, "What can I do?" and my heart was guided to playing the piano. I was glad to feel that is what He wanted me to do. But, I went on about my day. My brother decided to come home with me and just hang out for a few minutes. He sat down and he said, "Carmen, I need to tell you something. I think you are suppose to be playing the piano." Whoa! I didn't even tell him about what I had felt in my heart at church! Talking about confirmation on a conviction! Wow! So, it has been several months and here I am finally about to begin. I have purchased a digital piano so that I can practice in my apartment with headphones and I won't disturb anyone. It's pretty...I like it. Can't wait to get it. Can't wait to worship God with this instrument.

Music is a sweet escape

From a chaotic world

A place within a place itself

A place for the heart to unfurl

If music moves my soul like this

I can only imagine, Lord,

How much it moves Your heart

When we worship You in note and chord

Ain't it purdy?

I got a grand 'ol deal on it too! God really blessed me! I prayed and said, "God, if you want me to have this then make it possible. " I didn't want to just jump in and pay almost 3000 dollars for it. So, I decided to wait and be patient and see what God might do. I waited and kept looking for any price under 2,299 dollars. Ebay? I was leary of that. But then I stumbled across a website of a music store I had never even heard of. It said they had the Yamaha nocturne n100 digital piano for 1, 396 dollars. "Haha...yea...something must be wrong with that!" So, I contacted the company. All that is wrong with it is that it has a few cosmetic scuffs! It doesn't affect the playing at all. The reason they are selling it is because it has been on their floor for months and they still haven't sold it and they want to make room for other smaller digital pianos! It comes with a full manufacturer's warranty because it has never been purchased and a 30 day return policy! I got the piano for about 50% off just because it was basically a display on the floor of a music store showroom! What?!?! Tell me that wasn't God looking out for me! Thank You, Lord, for every blessing, big and small!