Weather Fluctuations and Instruments!

Welcome to Tennessee!  Whew… I feel like I received my formal christening into Tennessee citizenship this weekend… at least weather wise that is!  Saturday and Sunday were beautiful spring-like days.  Yesterday I wore my shorts and a light golf shirt throughout the day… but then around 9:00 in the evening a cold front came across the state and the calm of the last few days was destroyed in a moment as the cold air came into contact with the warm and what resulted was winds blowing up to 75 mph, torrential rain, bright cloud to cloud lightning and LOUD thunder… and you guessed it… Tornadoes!  I got my first introduction to the Tennessee tornado sirens (which are just like Oklahoma’s – no surprise) and their emergency broadcast system! 

I even got to spend some time in my saferoom (ie; the bathroom, which is the centermost room in my apartment).  The only throw back to my Oklahoma storm night adventures was that I kept finding myself calling out to Fiver with calming words - every time things got loud… only to catch myself with a pang of sentimental sorrow and a laugh!  And then on my early morning walk today… the temperature had a wind-chill factor of 28 degrees and there were snow flurries stinging my face with the 20+ mph wind gusts!

Like I said… WELCOME TO TENNESSEE!

My family and I came through the storm okay, but I read this morning that there was some storm damage in south central Tennessee.  At this point, they are not sure if it was due to tornado touchdowns or the strong straight-line winds.  That clarification will come out in the next few days as the storm experts go over the scenes.

Prior to the roller-coaster weather changes this weekend, though… I spent a fair amount of time contemplating the shocking reality of me celebrating my 73^rd Birthday on Saturday the 14^th.  This Birthday seemed to hold a higher significance than all the previous ones since Piper’s homegoing.

As most of you know, my move here six months ago, was to be a new beginning… a fresh start (or re-start…) to my life in this senior season of my life.  And… this birthday seems to be a trigger to what’s ahead!  Even my dog’s departure from my side looks to me, to be a part of the process… as 2 Corinthians 5:17 says in the Message Bible,

“…The old (familiar) life is gone; a (fresh) new life burgeons! Look at it (and jump in with both feet)!” 

And it wasn’t just me thinking about this birthday and the moments and opportunities of personal growth ahead.  I’ve felt that the Lord has been working to prepare the way during our morning Bible Study and fellowship times each day… Since Piper’s passing, I have hardly even picked up my guitars and played a chord… which is something I loved to do when we were ministering in the various churches together.  I don’t think that I ever serenaded Piper with my guitar (or even wrote a song about her!), but always played them… after our marriage… to the glory of God as a vital part of our ministry to the children, youth and adults at church.

So… it wasn’t necessarily her connection to my guitars that caused me to lose interest in them… but the radical turn in my life that occurred when the Jim and Piper ministry team (in operation since High School) and the plans we had to pioneer a church in northern California following Bible College in 2008… suddenly went up in smoke!

But then early last week, I suddenly had the urge one morning to turn to the book of Psalms (I usually spend a lot more time in the New Testament epistles than I do in the Old Testament portions of my Bible) and read from Psalm 33:3-4 where the author wrote,

“Compose new melodies that release new praises to the Lord. Play His praises on instruments (in my case, my guitars) with the anointing and skill He gives you. Sing and shout with passion; make a spectacular sound of joy— For God’s Word is something to sing about! He is true to His promises, His word can be trusted, and everything He does is reliable and right.”  (The Passion Translation)

So… without boring you with a lot of detail… I really began to sense as I’ve been reading these verses for the last week or so, that God wants me to go back to some of the things that I really enjoyed… things that brought meaning to my life and gave me an outlet of personal expression and ministry.  To pick up some of the pieces of ME… that I dropped somewhere along the way between North Carolina and my recent return to the south here in Tennessee… and to realize and depend on the fact… according to these portions of scripture… that He has given me an anointing and skill to play my guitars, write music again and sing to and for Him.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

As I’ve been learning this and receiving the rekindling of the joy that playing music for Him brings me… I’ve also realized, as I write this post for you, that He isn’t just talking to me and my guitars as instruments to be used for Him… but also to you and the “INSTRUMENTS” that you have used in the past to minister to and for Him and/or just to give you pleasure, enjoyment and personal fulfillment.  And He is not just speaking of musical “INSTRUMENTS” but instruments… ie; giftings, talents, hobbies and activities that you’ve enjoyed in the past that you’ve… for whatever reasons… put aside, lost interest in or maybe… don’t think you’re worthy to do anymore!

You may not have ever thought of those things that you do as being given to you by the Father… along with a special anointing to do them well… but I’m here to tell you today… that He only has GOOD plans and desires for you!  And He wants you to live your ENTIRE life to the fulness of the abilities that He has blessed you with!

So… think about it… pray about it… and read this post a few times.  Print it out and make notes of the thoughts that pop into your head as you read it… Then follow your heart and do and/or go back to doing the special, anointed things that He has especially given to YOU!

Isn’t God Good!