So the cat is out of the bag. Yes, I’m learning to play guitar. This  is one of my resolutions this year. It’s not a secret and I don’t intend to hide from anybody, but because I am not good at it yet so I don’t want to brag about it. You gotta walk the talk, right?!!!

 In January, I was searching for guitar teachers around the area. I found couple ideal people who play professional, but also play for Church worship band. Unfortunately, one replied he was too busy, and the others did not reply. So, I ended up with my last option with a teacher who taught in middle-school. In February, I began to take guitar lessons, 1/2 hour session, once per week.  The teacher said the lesson would take place at his studio in the Black Forest area, about 20 minutes drive from my house. Studio?? Wow, nice!! Actually, I probably was dreaming just a bit too much in my head, but in reality, the studio was just a small room in his house.  I usually get off work around 6:30pm. But for every Thursday, I took off at 5:30pm to drive to his place. It’s a 45-minute drive, crossing several congested traffic intersections on the West side to the long winding country roads on the East side. His studio is far away from the city, and it gets very dark out here. There is no street lights, and the dirt road gets quite muddy especially after every snow day. It’s a good thing that the teacher is quite flexible with the schedule. Sometime I get stuck in traffic, or need to leave work late, he’s OK with few minutes late, or postpone the lesson for that day until next week.

 You know, this is actually not the first time I play guitar. About 3-4 years ago, I had interest in playing guitar. So I went with Anh Phuc, a-friend-then-but-now-my-brother-in-law, to the Guitar Center and I got an Epiphone acoustic guitar. It sounded pretty good, and was on sale at $140. Also in that same year, I also grabbed the ultra special $50.00 bundle-package of electric guitar with amps, bags, and tutorial DVD. That was a terrible mistake, if you asked me!! Anyway, I was excited at first, started looking for videos off the web and strumming a long. Obviously, that didn’t go well, and my guitars took the long hiatus break in the basement, until now. In short, I did not learn it the right way, and got frustrated, and ended up lost the motivation to continue.

 

Now I have had 7 sessions so far, and start strumming now. I did take it more serious this time, and put more effort into setting the time to practice whenever I can.  My motivation for getting back to play guitar actually comes from realization of a need to improve Worship service at church. You don’t see the need when there IS always someone to play the music for you. When you sing or play the worship songs exactly the same for hundreds of time, sometimes your worship suddenly become a routine. You sing or play like a robot. It’s not heartfelt anymore. Worshipping our God through music should be fun, and from the heart. So I would like to lead worship in certain way, but since I couldn’t play the instrument, I could not express my version of the song to ones who do play. This restricts the flexibility of the worship program.

 When I started the lesson in February, I prayed God to be my teacher, keep me inspired, and grant me strength and focus to learn to play the guitar. I wasn’t asking to be an excellent guitar with mad skills, but I sincerely asked for the ability to praise and worship Him in music, using the guitar. I know He heard me, and He is working on it. The first few weeks, the lessons were quite boring, involving practicing read and play notes on each string. These are basic theory stuff that I already knew, besides I have some music knowledge in piano. But, somehow that did not bother me at all and I kept on practicing. I began strumming about 2 weeks ago, which I totally loved because I actually could play something. I’ve been scouting the Internet for tips and tutorials for guitar techniques, and instructions to play certain Christian songs.  Easter was just around the corner, and my heart was on the song I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin, and couple Hillsong United songs, Mighty to Save, Worthy Is The Lamb. What amazing was God allows me to pick these songs up and play them. Also, they happen to have the easy chords for beginner, like me!!! My fingertips have already developing calluses (hardening) by now. But I’ve been playing too much guitar on the week before Easter, I ended up damaged my pointing finger right after practice on Saturday night, just before the Sunday service. That night, in the midst of chaos for preparing program, I prayed to God for the quick recover, and a miraculous healing. On Sunday, when service started, my finger still hurted. I felt a bit disappointed that I wasn’t able to play, but then I realized I couldn’t honor God and played the best for Him with a broken finger. However, when the pastor (my dad) concluded the message, invitation was given, my finger didn’t feel so hurt anymore when I squeezed it hard together with the thumb. Hallelujah!! My finger was resurrected! God loved me and He knew I wanted to play for Him. Yes, I played the guitar for the last song of the program, Mighty to Save. A perfect title, isn’t it??! God is awesome!!!

 

This reminds me to share with you another prayer I asked God about 14 years ago, when I just came to US and barely spoke any English. I was upset because people were laughing at me and could not understand what I was trying to order at the fast food restaurant. At night, I came to Him in tears and asked: “Dear God, please teach me this foreign language so that I would be able to speak it. If you want me to tell these people about You, Lord, how would they understand me if I don’t speak their language?!” Well, guess what language I am speaking to you right now??!  Few years later, I graduated high school and received scholarship for college, I shed tears again and thanks God for answering my prayer.  I still need to hold my end of the deal with Him about evangelize.