Playing The Keys

Whoosh! I've got only one direction I want to go with my thoughts this evening, and they all are tied up in keys. The last 4 weeks have been entwined in the black and white realities of my instruments. Music, music, and more music, shared with a lot of folks, my wife, and several really fine players. It seems like this is the part of living that makes the most sense in regard to what God would have me doing with my life. Faith is a big part of that reality, that and the desire to share the Gospel message every way possible, including in song. I like to see people smiling for real. You know the kind of smiles I mean! When their eyes are sparkling and they are laughing out loud even when I can't hear them. Sometimes we just bubble on the inside and no one really hears the laughter in our hearts from the sheer enjoyment of the moment.
It's really easy to get caught up in the music of life to such a degree that we miss the magic as it happens right in front of us. I'm not referring to the "busy" stuff we do. There are a lot of things we "have" to take care of, and they do require a bit of our time, but there is more! This is strictly personal, now. I get the most pleasure out of life when I realize without a doubt that I'm doing what God would have me do. The smiles and enjoyment in people(not to mention all the other emotions that accompany our lives)is so good that I would love to have everyone experience that joy found in living every day. Lately I've been reading a lot of other folks thoughts, and talking with them even more than usual. What I have rediscovered is the key to happiness that works for me. Maybe what I've done is over simplify, but I don't think so. Probably the nicest thing I could ever imagine anyone saying about me is that the world was a better place for my having been here. I'm not saying that I've got the key for everyone, 'cause I can be as big a patoot as anyone. The thing is, I can see with absolute clarity the truth of what we have been given in Christ for living in wholeness. For me it's very black and white(pun intended)!! Whatever the reason you think you're here on this earth, think again. God's purpose for you may be ever changing. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to music. Everyone has thoughts about their mortality. Everyone has an opportunity to impact the lives of individuals every day, for better or worse. It's pretty black and white, good versus evil in our world, and if we aren't busy about intentionally making our world a better place we need to be held accountable. We will be one day, for sure! It may not be tomorrow, but it is coming, that time when we'll have to face up to how we lived the gift we were given. It's good to know that when we make mistakes musically we can go back to the woodshed and practice. It's better to know that our mistakes in life can be forgiven. It's best to know that even at our very worst we are still helping somebody out there to have a good laugh.
In music finding the right key for a song is truly important. In life finding the right keys for living begins with faith in God. In Christ's Love, Preacher.