1. Piano
Obviously, with a degree program that is only two years at a great school with a wonderful piano teacher, I will be doing everything I can to challenge myself to grow and to develop as a pianist. In many ways, my not being on an assistantship has been a really great thing for me because I have had time and space to think about how to practice and how to progress.
What I love about my lessons so far, which I had mentioned in a previous post, is that they have been forcing me to think about how I think about learning to play a piece of music (yes, that’s what I meant). My teacher has a way of saying just what I need to hear in a thoughtful philosophical way, whether it’s, “you have to think more synthetically,” or “don’t be so anal in your practicing”—apparently I was being too systematic in my approach in a way that is inefficient. He has been getting me to try to find and attack problems in a more direct deliberate manner to figure out how to get to the heart of a piece immediately. This comes about through identifying the main harmonic outlines, cadences, actively thinking about and differentiating between what are important notes versus embellishments (particularly in Bach), and using very practical practice methods.
It’s wonderful to have this opportunity to progress and to allow myself to just go at it one hundred percent. I think I had been jumping ahead too much by trying to figure out what I want to do with piano, but I think I have the gift of just doing piano right now, so I will embrace it and press on.
Studio Party. We went out to Michael's Uptown Cafe. Teacher paid for everyone.
2. Relationships
What I mean by this is maintaining and strengthening those preexisting while working hard to cultivate new ones. I have met some nice people here, but I often have to remind myself that they don’t really know me and that relationships take work. I am looking forward to building these relationships, but let me address preexisting relationships.
Recently, I discovered a wonderful method for coping with distance from friends and missing them. I decided to create prayer cards by cutting 3 x 5 index cards in half, using one side to write the name, and the other to write down prayer requests and praises of thanks for that person. Suddenly, I could elevate what were just passing thoughts that would weigh on my heart and mind into prayers that I could actively lift up to the Lord. I no longer have to hold onto the memory of being blessed by people but I can share these blessings with the Lord, who hears about and shares in my joy.
I have been training myself to turn to prayer, using these cards whenever I feel isolated, and I cannot tell you what a blessing it has been. Suddenly, my thoughts and feelings diminish, and it is more important for me to focus my efforts and thoughts on the people and prayer intentions on those cards. Thus I can channel sad thoughts into a much more positive energy and spiritually healing activity that I believe will benefit both me as well as, I hope, my friends.
The first batch of cards. I'm not sure if I want to keep them in a pile or put them on a wall, but I plan to keep making more =] (If you are reading this and would like me to pray for you, please tell me. I would be happy to make a card for you)
3. Jesus Christ
Upon arriving here in Bloomington and being physically removed from the support network I had cultivated and leaned against over the years, I found myself in my first couple of weeks without anyone to look to other than Jesus Christ. I remember standing face to face with Him, knowing that it was time to talk. Nothing and no one stood in the way as a distraction. It was just my cross and I.
I got into the habit of praying to Him every night before going to bed after reading a chapter of Scripture, which I have been enjoying thoroughly. I recently began making my way through the Bible from the beginning, and I am almost at the end of Genesis. I have been tempted to (and have yielded to, on a couple of occasions) read a chapter more than I had planned just because I was so engrossed in the characters and the story. Something that has really struck me recently, too, is the imperfect human nature that emerges so distinctly in the people that God has chosen. They are not perfect in what they do, and in fact, beyond just being sinful and imperfect, they act and respond in ways that are relatable in terms of human emotion and rationale. Suddenly, they are not just “characters” but real people with real human tendencies, and that gets me pretty excited. I really cherish these nighttime devotionals. They have been really sweet moments for me.
Beyond those times, I have found myself more often relying on His strength and confidence to carry me through the day because I found myself simply too weak to face the trials and challenges ahead of me. He usually does provide the strength and encouragement I need when I ask. I am sure I could have said “always,” but sometimes I am negligent to notice. Still, He walks with me beside my shortcomings. What a friend I have in Jesus.
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