God's Leading: A Testimony

God is amazing--in so many ways! Tonight I’m thinking in particular of the way He leads when we can’t see clearly to make out the path ahead. I want to share the following testimony on how God has lead in a particular area in my life with the hope that it can be an encouragement to others who might be facing something similar. This was God’s answer for me and the way He worked in my life. The details of your story won’t be the same, but God does have a plan for you and He will work it out if you wait on Him!

It was about two years ago that I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with violin. Should I continue taking lessons? Should I stop playing altogether and move on to something else? Were there any opportunities for me to use my playing to bless others? Should I teach? Should I form a little group to play with? I faced a lot of confusion and uncertainty whenever I tried to seek God's will in this area. What did God want me to do?

Fast forward two years . . .

I’ve officially been teaching violin (and piano) for a year and a half now and I’m planning to get certified as a Suzuki violin teacher next summer if things continue to unfold for that. I’m taking ten of my sixteen students to two nursing homes next weekend to do a Thanksgiving program. I feel so blessed and fulfilled in being the one to help these children discover the beauty of music. My life has been bettered in so many ways through the experience of being a teacher!

Two and a half years ago, I found out about Anabaptist Orchestra Camp through a friend. That is part of what set my course concerning the violin. I knew I wasn’t stopping after I went there the first year! So many of my dreams have been fulfilled through AOC and I’m grateful for those who birthed that vision and those who have helped to carry it out!

My older sister plays harp, and she and I have been working toward a goal of going to a nursing home once a month to play. Our desire is that we will be able to be a bit of hope and light in some hopeless and dark lives. It is more blessed to give than to receive, so we want to share what we've been given through the gift of music.

Two months ago, my violin teacher asked me to play in a concert that she does with friends every December. We’ve been practicing for just over a month now, and it’s been wonderful to play with other musicians who enjoy music as much as I do and are committed to practicing, rehearsals, and whatever it takes to make the concert a success!

My teacher is also working with some of her younger students in an ensemble setting, and she invited my younger sister (who I’ve been teaching) to participate and asked me to help lead one of the little groups within the ensemble. The experience has combined three of my favorite things when it comes to music: playing with others, sight reading, and . . . the simple joy of making music!

In December, I’ll be playing Christmas music at a local church on Christmas Eve. My teacher told me about the opportunity and said that she couldn’t do it and asked if I would like to. I was nervous as I’ve never done anything like that before, but I went and met with them and they said they’d like to have me. So . . . I’m going to do it!

Several of the things I’m involved in right now are short term, and I don’t know what (if anything) will take their place in the coming months. However, I do know how God has directed me for now, and I know that He will continue to lead and unfold my path before me as I follow Him!

So how did I get from A to B, from confusion and uncertainty to certainty, fulfillment, and joy? One big thing that happened is that God used my parents to answer questions, give input, and help guide me. I know I wouldn't be at where I am today if it weren't for my wonderful parents! God also tested my faith during this journey. Often I would step out, not knowing exactly where I was going, but God was always there to confirm my direction or shut the doors. As long as I stayed closely connected to Him, I knew I could trust Him to do that!

One of "Those Moments"

I had one of those proud big sister/teacher moments this morning while giving one of my younger sisters her violin lesson . . . she has officially graduated from learning songs by ear to reading the music (I am using the Suzuki method with her). This big sister couldn’t be more excited! I can’t wait for the day when we get to play Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven together. :-)

It is incredibly fulfilling and exciting to be teaching my younger sisters to play the violin, something that I enjoy so much. But I had to think . . . I am “teaching” them things all the time, even when I am not purposing to. In fact, they probably learn more from me when I am not specifically teaching them.

Although not exactly on the subject of teaching and example, this poem came to mind as I was writing just now. Since it is such a good one, I’ll include it anyway.

The Bridge Builder

An old man going a lone highway,

Came, at the evening cold and gray,

To a chasm vast and deep and wide.

Through which was flowing a sullen tide

The old man crossed in the twilight dim,

The sullen stream had no fear for him;

But he turned when safe on the other side

And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting your strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the ending day,

You never again will pass this way;

You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,

Why build this bridge at evening tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head;

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,

“There followed after me to-day

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been as naught to me

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”

~Will Allen Dromgoole

Again

Tonight I went to wash something at the kitchen sink and found the egg pail in the sink—again. As I set it out on the floor and thought of how many times we’ve talked about how the egg pail doesn’t go in the sink, I had to wonder how many times God has told me something, and I just don’t get it. What is God trying to tell you? Are you listening—not just with your ears, but with your heart?

I had planned to have a post up by now about our ministry at the abortion mill yesterday morning, but that will have to wait until later in the week. It didn’t get written yesterday because when I got home I took our dog for a walk, taught a violin lesson, and then our family went to friends for supper and the evening.

And it didn’t get written today because I spent the day in the kitchen and shopping in preparation for tomorrow. Tomorrow some of my siblings and I are going to be gone from 7:30 in the morning until 5:30 or so in the evening taking a CPR/First Aid class. I’m in charge of our family’s meals right now, so I needed to make sure there was breakfast for everyone, lunch for us to take along, lunch for those at home, two snacks for each of us who are going, and supper for everyone when we get home! My older sister usually makes the bread, but she was gone today so I tried my hand at it. I think it turned out well, and it was actually quite easy! I think I’ll be doing it again. :-)

As for the CPR/First Aid class, I think it will take me out of my comfort zone, but that’s not a bad thing and I’m looking forward to it. And although I hope that I’m never in a situation where I have to use the knowledge that I’ll be gaining, that time may come and I’ll be very thankful that I know how!

The Mayo Story

I’ve been thinking a lot about faith versus sight in the past year and have been collecting stories, thoughts, quotes, verses, etc. that I hope to put together into an article at some point. A couple weeks ago I added another story to my collection and it illustrates my point so well that I thought I’d share it by itself. (By the way, I did tell my sister that I was going to use this illustration and I thanked her for it, too, because it is exactly the type of story I was looking for!)

While looking for recipes to use up our abundance of eggs one day, I came across a recipe for homemade mayonnaise. I know that mayo from the store isn’t that great for you, so although we don’t use it a lot, I thought I’d give the recipe a try. It sounded like an interesting experiment, anyway!

Later that evening after my brother found out that I had made mayonnaise, he brought out a copy of the Backyard Poultry magazine that he gets and showed me a section where it gave recipes and tips for making your own mayo. As I scanned the pages, one of my sisters made a comment about how homemade mayonnaise was gross because it used raw eggs. She had seen me making the mayo earlier in the day.

“Mayonnaise that we buy from the store has raw eggs, too,” I replied.

“I know, but I SAW you crack that egg!”

“But wouldn’t you rather have mayonnaise with our eggs from our chickens rather than raw eggs that you don’t know anything about?” I asked.

“No, because I SAW you crack that egg!”

That’s when I began laughing and exclaimed that I was so happy to now have another perfect illustration to add to my growing list. ;-) If you don’t understand how this is a perfect illustration now, you will once I get the time to write my article and share it with you!

Lessons From the Words of a Child

            On Friday, my youngest brother and I took a drive up to an orchard about forty five minutes west of us in the mountains that we get our apples from. I love my “little” brother; he has that type of personality that’s just so easy to get along with. :) The Lord used him that day to remind me of a few very important things.

            We were driving on a back road in the mountains when my brother said, “That sign said 25 and you are going more than that.” And then in a quieter voice, “But I guess you don’t have to.”

The speed limit is something that I will confess has been a journey for me. I don't go over the speed limit on purpose to be rebellious or for the thrill of speed, etc., but I have been known to go over if I am late or am just not thinking about it. For several years of driving, I never thought about it as being wrong. I say that to my shame. Then the Lord started to convict me that this was an area that he was asking me to change. I believe that the standard held out in the Word of God is that we are to obey the earthly government whenever it does not conflict with God’s higher laws. I still stumble in this area, but it is my goal to get to the place where I observe the speed limit at all times. If I’m late, I need to work on punctuality (or maybe there are other circumstances out of my control, and then I just need to trust God), but I never can use that as a justification for disobeying the laws of our government.

This could sound extreme. Not even one mile an hour over the speed limit? Yes, that is what God is showing me that obedience means. It’s okay if you think I am extreme. But I would ask you to prayerfully consider this and ask God if you drive in a way that is pleasing to Him.

When my brother made that comment, I felt pricked and replied, “If that’s what the sign says, then I do need to do it.” But even as I slowed down, I felt that battle inside. This is a back road. I haven’t seen a single car, so I’m not putting anyone in danger. I can safely go the speed that I was going. 25 is soooo slow; we’ll never get there!

Then I thought of something else just as important (or more so) as obeying God by obeying the government—my brother. He knows that I have committed my life to follow Jesus. He knows that I say that I want to obey God. And now he was watching me. How would a follower of Christ respond to this situation? What would his big sister do? The Bible says that it would be better to have a millstone hung around your neck and to be drowned than to cause “one of these little ones” to stumble. What a sobering thought. That reminded me of a poem that I once read:

A careful [girl] I want to be; a little brother follows me.

I do not dare to go astray for fear he'll go the self-same way.

I cannot once escape his eyes; whate'er he sees me do, he tries.

Like me he says he's going to be—that little brother following me.

He thinks that I am good and fine; believes in every word of mine.

The bad in me he must not see—that little brother following me.

I must remember as I go through summer's sun and winter's snow

I'm building for the years to be, that little brother following me.

Quiet Summer?

I should know by now that “quiet summer” is an oxymoron. Okay, it’s not—but sometimes it really does seem like it! After my violin recital in June had passed, I had thought I might have a slower summer to wrap up most of my schooling (the book part, anyway :-), begin advertising myself as a violin teacher, continue to go out to the abortion mills, and still have enough time to prepare for an orchestra camp at the end of August. That hasn’t quite happened as planned, but here is a bit of what I have been doing:

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Orchestra Camp is coming up the last weekend in August! It will be nice to have my sister join me there this year, plus two other girls from our area. Besides that, my teacher is setting up for her students to do some fiddling at the local farmer’s markets in August. Needless to say, I have been practicing my violin a lot recently!

It Will Soon Be Official

The only thing I have to finish before I can officially graduate from “high school” and get my diploma is a Literature course, which I hope to finish before I go to orchestra camp at the end of August. I have a few other things that I am finishing up, as well, but they are not needed toward my graduation.

Español

Spanish studies have been going well. We haven’t had class for the past two weeks due to some things that have come up, but before that we had been progressing nicely and I was learning a lot!

Student to Teacher!

Last year I started giving a young lady some violin lessons and then began teaching two of my younger sisters. The opportunity opened up for me to begin advertising myself as a violin teacher this summer, but with the reports I had heard I figured I wouldn’t be getting any more students until at least the fall time. After only 2 weeks I had two students and I currently have a couple more that I am going to meet with soon. That was certainly different than I expected, but I’m enjoying every bit of my teaching experience!

Special Memories

Recently our family has taken a couple hikes together and created some wonderful memories. I really enjoy hiking and being outside, and the weather turned out so beautifully for us! 

A steep portion of the path up to the overlook on Crowders Mountain

Me beside a pretty mountain stream

One of the views at Crowders Mountain State Park

Our Puppy

Docky is growing up fast, although I sometimes don’t notice it because I see him every day (kind of like mothers say about their children)! He weighed 7 pounds when we got him and is up to 22.5 now!

Docky

Docky - he likes to chew on and play with pine cones!

Textile Creations

I have had a number of sewing projects piling up for the past year and finally decided that I just needed to get some of them done. I have a nightgown and jumper done, a blouse in progress, and a few other things cut out and ready to be sewn.

Visitors

We have had a number of visitors recently, including a special (albeit way too short!) visit from some friends that I met at the orchestra camp last year who were passing through on their way home. Thank you, Victoria!

Life

I have been out to the mill once since the last update I posted. It was in the afternoon, which was a new experience for me as I am used to going in the morning. My sister also went along. (I did learn that next time I would bring a hat or some kind of sun protection because the sun is right overhead at that time of day and I felt the burn for a while after!) I had a few interesting interactions and appreciated the different perspective that a different time of day gave me. In one of the interactions that I had, I was able to share the gospel message with one young lady who had not had an abortion yet (so she said, anyway) but was just there to get some information. She was visibly touched by what I shared. I don’t know if she has been back to the mill or not, but please pray for her in either case.

Next Time . . .

I likely won’t do another post until I give you an update on the orchestra camp at the end of August. Until then—have a wonderful summer!

Big Sister

I love having younger siblings (and an older one!), so I thought I would share ten fun and interesting parts of being a big sister:

1. Having paper airplanes (made out of facts practice sheets or other school assignments) thrown at you – accidentally, of course!

2. When you break your toe having someone to say “be careful of her toe!” or, at other times, having someone to step on that broken toe.

3. Watching your little sisters build a Lego house for a bug and treat it like a pet – especially if you’re like me and couldn’t even imagine touching a bug :).

4. Finding coins, tissues, or “treasures” in siblings’ (especially brothers’) clothing pockets when you do the laundry.

5. Knowing that the food will always get eaten, because there is at least one person who likes their food undercooked (or not cooked) and at least one who likes their food very well done (or burnt).

6. Listening to “doctrinal” discussions between younger siblings when they don’t think that you’re listening.

7. Hearing “when I get big . . . ” and then listening to their idealized picture of “being big”.

8. Trying not to laugh when they tell you something very “troubling” or “serious”.

9. Reading things they’ve written and enjoying their incorrect, but often very phonetic, spelling. Languig = Language, Quemputer = Computer, Quyit = Quiet, etc.

10. Listening to them quote Bible verses: “He makes me lie down in green pastors (instead of pastures)” and “he who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have lightness (instead of the light of life)”.

While the Snow Fell . . .

. . . one thing I did was make cards! Besides getting something done that I have wanted to do for a while, I enjoyed spending the time with my Mother. The younger children were all outside, so we got to enjoy a little quiet time together. One of my sisters also joined us for some of the time. Here are some of the results (click on the pictures to see them bigger):

One of God's Gifts . . .

Sisters!

To my five sisters – I love you all so much! You are God’s gifts to me!

Sisters touch your heart in ways no other could. Sisters share . . . their hopes, their fears, their love, everything they have. 

~ Carrie Bagwell

The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend. 

~ Cali Rae Turner

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. 

~ Isadora James