Stay Tuned!
Yowza! I’m not that great a musician and don’t have a very good ‘ear’, but 34 strings that won’t stay in tune are ’bout to get the best of me!
I bought my harp many years ago, and it has always stayed in good tune. I played it often enough to check and retune the few strings at a time that needed adjustment. It’s a beautifully made instrument by Andrew Thom from Tasmania. Musicians are always impressed by its rich sound despite it being a folk harp size. Not so thrilled by my playing, but it is what it is.
Before I had surgery last fall, I took it to the Harp Center in Atlanta, and they replaced all the strings. I was out of commission for a month or two after and ignored my baby. Time passed, and I didn’t feel like playing. Mistake!
When I finally decided two months ago I wanted to get back to playing it, I couldn’t find my tuner. I told Ronald the other day, I wish the FBI would come raid my house. Maybe they would be able to find all the things I’ve misplaced, all the presents I put away for later, and the items I put away for safe keeping. Sorry, bunny trail, but it is one in the morning as I write this.
When I finally did find the tuner, the little machine had given up the ghost. Which necessitated another delay as I waited to go to the closest music store an hour away. I guess I could have tuned it by using the piano, but that didn’t occur to me until this very minute.
Mercy! When I finally started the tuning process, the harp would have given even the most tone deaf person in the world a headache!
Every day now my to-do list includes both tuning the harp and playing a little. Regulating it in small increments is a whole lot easier than pulling each note up several steps. The harp strings are now holding their proper pitches with just a a little tweaking now and then.
Technically it is now Sunday morning, so a sermon is perfectly justifiable.
I will use I, Me, My, etc. rather than the all inclusive You, Our, and the like as I may be the only one who needs this life lesson.
As I go through my life, I let the fine-tuning of my life lapse because of circumstances that distract (like my surgery). I continue to put off adjusting my attitudes or actions because I am just too dern lazy! Sometimes, I allow a sour or discouraged attitude to keep me from being in tune with God or with others. I don’t know how I do it, but sometimes I don’t even like the sound of being around myself! Go figure!
I could go into a jillion verses about becoming an instrument used by God in this world to show His love. But I am making it simple as one encompassing verse tells what I need to do.
‘Search for the Lord and for His strength; continually seek Him.’ 1 Chronicles 16:11 NLT
Oh, crum bum! The verses before that are too good to not share. Verses 8-10
‘Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done. Sing to Him; yes, sing His praises. Tell everyone about His Wonderfull deeds. Exult in His holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord.’
Blessings
KB
