Building Blocks

It’s been awhile since I have blogged. I’ve had lots going on amidst the miscarriage, my trip to Texas for Premier’s National Rally, and the recent vacation in Wisconsin visiting family that I just returned from. I’m trying to get back on track though! 😉

The beginning of June I got my acceptance letter for Southeastern University, a Christian college in Lakeland, Florida. I attended for a semester in 2012 but due to the hour commute and decrease in BAH (housing allowance from the government) I returned to the University of Tampa to finish my degree. However, since I have graduated from there, I decided that it was time to return to school for something I feel called to do, and that is lead worship.

I didn’t find out about needing to apply to the music department and submit a video audition until about a week before the deadline. I was a bit concerned about all of the scales I had to do, as I wasn’t used to doing scales. I had some questions and was given the email (during the summer) of the associate-professor of music. He was very good with emailing me and helping me choose a classical selection as well as answering any other questions I had. He also told me not to worry about the scales, as they will be removing that from the requirements! Praise the Lord! (God wink 1)

Furthermore, I was in communication with the school and discovered that they extended the deadline by two months! (God wink 2) Thankfully, I was able to get my application and video submitted 4 days after the original deadline of July 1st.

July 12th I found out that I had been accepted to the music department and I cried so many tears of joy. I have sang on worship teams for the past 6 years or so, but was never really given the opportunity to grow in my gifting. This was now becoming a reality. Furthermore, Casey and I returned to our old church in March, and I am back on the team there, and will be singing this coming Sunday. 😀

Tears of joy when I got my acceptance letter into the music department!

I’m going somewhere with this. While in Wisconsin I called SEU to find out when the music theory placement exam was going to be, as I can’t register for my classes until I take the exam. I told the gal that I spoke with that I couldn’t seem to get a hold of anyone in the music department when I called there. She gave me the number to the chair of the music department as well as someone else I had tried calling several times. I decided to call the chair.

He apparently had JUST walked into his office (which is why he answered rather casually). I asked about the exam and he said they would be sending out an email with details on it. The conversation could of stopped there, but I proceeded to tell him of my concerns with music theory, as I never was good at it. I explained how I made first chair in orchestra years in a row and was accepted to Blake High School after auditioning, but was put in with beginner’s once they learned I didn’t know theory. He told me that he would be my advisor (God wink 3) and proceeded to tell me what I needed to study for the exam: augmented and diminished triads, how to build major and minor scales, key signatures, etc. (God wink 4) Anyone who knows music theory probably knows that this is what will be on there, but I am CLUELESS. He said if I didn’t do well on the exam it could add a semester of remedial classes to my degree. I have about 9 months of free schooling left on my GI Bill, which is about three semesters. According to my calculations I will have my degree in that time—without the remedial classes.

I’m amazed at the grace I have been given with this whole process, and the “God winks” of being directed to the right people at the right time. My Music Theory for Dummies book arrived yesterday, and I plan to get to studying. On the cover I noticed it says, “Identify the building blocks of music.” Hmmmmm, This could be important, especially if I want to write music . . .

Building blocks. I know how to sing, am good with harmonizing, intonation, etc., but I know nothing of keys, note names (what is what), etc. In orchestra I could see a piece of sheet music and play it without a problem. I knew where my fingers needed to go on the neck board based on where the notes landed on the staff, when to rest, when to hold half or whole notes etc., but I really knew nothing of what the notes were called or anything else for that matter. That is why I got an F in orchestra in high school when we studied theory, decided to drop the course, and sold the $900 viola Dad had bought me.

So, I am in for a challenge. There is so much more to music than simply doing what you know to do. When I began teaching myself guitar and learning chords I remember how proud I was of myself. I also remember my brother who was in a band look at me and say, “Whoa, you’re actually playing the cords!” I laughed and asked, “How do you play guitar?” “Power cords,” he answered. (Whatever THAT means.) LOL.

What about our faith? We can know how to treat others with kindness, attend church, tithe a portion of our income to the church, etc., but not know the building blocks of our faith. So what are they?

1.) Salvation: We must know God’s true character, that He is loving, and always speaks truth. We must also believe that His only son, Jesus, was crucified for our sins, buried, and raised to new life on the third day.

2.) Study: We must know the word of God by reading His truths in the Holy Bible. By doing so, we will be able to apply what we have learned to our daily lives and interactions with others. Lies that we have believed about our identity will be replaced with God’s truth about who we are in Him.

3.) Prayer: We must pray to God on a regular basis thanking Him for all we have, repenting of our sins and asking forgiveness, and presenting our requests to Him. People can’t be in relationship without communication. The same goes for relationship with our Father.

4.) Speak: We must speak to the mountains in our lives and tell them how big our God is. There is power in our words. God spoke and light appeared. Jesus spoke and the sea was calmed. The disciples spoke and demons were cast out.

5.) Act: We must act on the word of God making it a reality in our lives rather than a feel good message we hear on Sunday morning. This goes beyond applying what you read to your life. This is intentional life changing action which means going out of your way to minister to a homeless person, or acting on that Holy Spirit nudge you feel to do something or say something to someone that will take you out of your comfort zone. God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. He wants to make disciples of us so that we can disciple others.

I may be able to sing well without knowing music theory, but it won’t go much beyond that. I don’t know the history of music, or how to help someone else better understand the art because I don’t know the building blocks. If I want to be able to lead a team I need to know more than simply how to sing. Granted, helping others enter into the presence of God is the goal of a worship team, but it would be difficult to make that happen if everyone was singing and playing instruments in different keys! (Hey, it would be making a joyful noise!)

I know this was a long post and I’m truly not trying to make up for lost time, lol. This is something I have been wanting to share as I think knowing the building blocks of faith is so important. I’m sure others have different building blocks, but these are ones that I find to be important to better understanding our faith. We can’t build a sturdy house without a solid foundation—so we must study and know the foundation.

“So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.'”—Isaiah 28:16