Special People, Special Blessings

February 11, 2018

Most Sunday evenings at 5:00 will find me at Park church, teaching a class on upright bass, which in and of itself, is a rather odd and unlikely scenario since I can barely navigate the instrument myself. At our School Of The Arts (SOTA), the only requirement for teaching is to be one step ahead of the students, which is a good thing, because much of the time, I’m only a half step ahead at best. For the past few years, I’ve taught electric bass to a couple teenagers who were better than me except for the fact that I could read the music and they couldn’t. 

This semester, I have only one bass student, my granddaughter Abi, which has been a special treat for me. We work on the music, figuring out how to put a bass run together, how to figure out the patterns of arpeggios, and how the various notes fit together on the fingerboard. But the best part of it is simply the time I have one-on-one with her, talking about the music, but also about college, her dreams, and the opportunities God is opening for her. Best of all is the hug and the words, “Love you,” at the end of our time together. 

After our lesson time this evening, I had a conversation with a young woman whose life didn’t turn out as she had planned. Unforeseen medical issues brought an end to the life she had known and worked so hard to achieve, but instead of feeling sorry for herself, she took what God had placed in her lap, and is using her own experience to help others whose dreams have been shattered by unexpected difficulties. Her faith and joy are an inspiration to me as she transforms what had to have been a disappointment into a ministry. 

None of us know what the future holds, but as Christians, we know who holds the future, and because we do, we can live fully in the present, taking time to let the richness of the moment yield its full blessing as we give ourselves in service to others in the Name of Jesus. How could I not give thanks when I am surrounded by so many wonderful people who fill me up just being their best selves through the grace and love of Christ?