About.
Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember: my mother playing the piano or the accordion, my father playing his mandolin, lots of church singing and more. I began piano lessons with my mom at age seven; it’s perhaps an understatement to say that it “took” and I was hooked. By the end of my junior year of high school, I was already a busy musician—I played for the high school choir (and sang in it when I wasn’t playing), I accompanied musician friends for auditions, I accompanied the annual high school musical (from 7th grade forward), and I played piano regularly at church (usually with my mom at the organ). And I pursued my piano studies at the local music school; that is, until my teacher issued me an ultimatum.
Frustrated by my disparate approach to music, my piano teacher dismissed me for summer break by saying, “You need to make a choice between beauty and usefulness. If you choose beauty, come back in the fall. If you choose usefulness, then I’ve done all I can for you.” That was a turning point in my life. Although I’d had vague thoughts of becoming a professional musician, I knew God had already called me to mission work. Somewhat reluctantly, I chose usefulness and never returned to piano lessons. I thought, at the time, that I was closing a door on something I loved to be obedient to God.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Fast forward to the present time. Looking back on close to 30 years of missions work in France, music has always been a part of my life and ministry. In our first year of language study, Tom & I joined a local chorale . . . “to learn French.” Instead, we sang in Latin, German, English . . . just about every language but French it seemed. What we did learn, however, was that our musical activity was a great way to build relationships and open up spiritual conversations with people. Whether it’s playing or leading worship in church, singing in a local chorale, leading an outreach chorale, preparing a piano concert, or practicing to record a donor thank you CD . . . I’ve seen that usefulness and beauty can co-exist in God’s plan. I couldn’t have been more wrong – following God’s call was not closing a door, but opening many doors that I could never have imagined.
“All beauty is subversive; it flies under the radar of people’s critical filters and points them to God. As a friend of mine says, ‘When the front door of the intellect is shut, the back door of the imagination is open.’ “
Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale
