Making Beautiful Music

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all your lands.  Ps. 100:1 (NKJV)

Alexandra, my ten year old granddaughter, set up the music stand, adjusted her sheet music. She aligned her fingers on her trumpet.  She glanced around the room to make sure we (mother, father, brother and me, her grandmother, plus the blind family dog, Magoo), were paying attention and ready to listen. She proceeded to play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”.

After the first few notes were played, MaGoo tilted his head back and howled – a long loud howl. We broke up in laughter. Alex, seriously offended, stopped playing. She beckoned, “Stop laughing.”  We apologized, blamed it on MaGoo, and asked her to continue.

Alex proceeded to play her trumpet and she was determined to finish, but the dog howled and we laughed. She looked at us, mortally wounded, and stopped playing. “You’re not listening to me. You only want to laugh at MaGoo.”

Laughing at her expense was not good. We ushered MaGoo outside, apologized to Alex and asked her to start over. We listened and encouraged her with applause.

Do we often let ourselves get distracted with unimportant things when the Lord wants your attention? Are we wondering where we will have lunch while the minister’s giving the message?  Does the “bed howling” prevent us from rising a little earlier in the morning to spend time with the Lord.

Dear Lord, forgive me for not paying attention and falling so short in glorifying you. I pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be your faithful servant. Amen

(c) 2012 Lois Gosley