Violins and Other Things Beautiful 02

59. Learn to Play an Instrument.

I've had my first few lessons for violin already and got my violin yesterday! I'm so excited. Although it seems I have a streak of natural talent, it's still a challenge. My first lesson was hard. Not the actual playing of the violin, as what it seems to be symbolising in my life.

For the last two and a half years, whenever I've heard the sound of the violin, I feel as though my soul has become the strings. I almost literally feel the bow moving across my soul, touching the individual strings, producing beautiful music.

The story is just beginning...I'm scared to listen, but it sounds so beautiful.

"Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own"

84. Climb a Water Tower.


When we did the 'Great Water Tower Climb', I was not dressed to go climbing. It was one of my few rash moments and I had silly little flip flops on, which if anyone is wondering, are not inducive to climbing or walking in long grass!
 
I was almost fine climbing up the hill to go back, but my right foot had a mind of it's own and decided it no longer wanted to step on my shoe, but onto the wild earth next to my shoe. Needless to say next to my shoe where the little rebel decided to step was a thorn just waiting to make friends with her!
 
Yes, it hurt... I felt it piercing my skin! No, I did not scream... A simple wimper sufficed. YES, IT'S STILL IN MY FOOT... I've been hoping it would just kinda fall out!
 
So I've been limping around for nearly TWO WEEKS now; Firstly because I hoped it would just fall out, Secondly, Because I couldn't get it out myself, and Thirdly, because I didn't trust anyone to get it out for me!
 
How many times have I done this?
 
Life sticks a thorn in my flesh and I ignore it, hoping it'll go away.
 
Inevitably it doesn't and I adapt my entire life to just cope with the fact that it's there. I've started walking differently, you probably wouldn't notice by just looking though. Sadly, I'm really good at hiding. I don't want to always have to alter my existance to cope with something that shouldn't even be there in the first place!
 
Life has a way of happening (I think it has something to do with the way it way designed), its the choices we make with what's happening that determines who we become.
 
The thorn can stay in your flesh and you can deny its existance, all the while it maims your existance, or you can at least admit it's there!
 
I eventually told my dad about it, he's the only person I really trust with these sort of things. He got out torch and examined it, concluding that it was now to deep to get out with tweezers and the knife wasn't working too well either. He diagnosed drawing ointment and sent my gran off to sort it out.
 
The thorn is still in my foot, and I still walk funny, but it's so close to being okay again.
 
Sometimes I've been taught all I need to know to fix the problem. Usually the best person to run to is Daddy. He's always placed people in our lives who possess the medicine to make it better.
 
The moral of the story: In the words of U2...

"Sometimes you can't make it on your own."

Believing in Hope again

44. Have an Easter Egg Hunt.

Both my sister and I were working at the church this Easter weekend, so we weren’t home much. We decided Saturday after the morning service we would go buy our Easter Eggs for the 'Great Easter Egg Hunt'. We had decided to hide each other’s eggs in our own rooms, i.e. I hid her eggs in her room, she in mine. It was fun hiding the eggs on Sunday afternoon when we were both home again. We figured we could hunt for our eggs while we packed to leave for our holiday the next day.

I must admit I put off searching for the eggs, for fear of not being able to find it. I didn’t want to hope for something that I may not be capable of finding. Silly I know; there are only so many places you can hide eggs in my room! None the less, I did keep looking, not with much intention or vigour though, I must add.

I found one by accident, which gave me the boost to risk looking for number two. Half way there I was getting nervous, so I just started tidying my room and packing my bag, hoping like hell I’d find these remaining two eggs. Well, I found one. Intensification of nerves; if I wanted to find this last egg, I would have to actively look for it! And what of my hope if I never found it?

‘“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”Jeremiah 29: 13

“And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.” Deuteronomy 4:29

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7-11

Yes, I did eventually find the last egg, but I needed a lot of clues because I was afraid to be disappointed each time I looked and never found.

Why am I so afraid to seek that which the Lord has placed before me?

God may I have the Courage to Hope again, to follow the clues you lay out before me, to trust that there IS a treasure to be found!