God's Perfect Plan

In sorting through some boxes of music recently, my mom discovered a song that someone had written for me when I was born. We have been unable to unravel the mystery of who wrote it, but one phrase that was repeated through the song struck me.

"God has a plan for you."

When I was born, my parents decided that I should be an organist. You see, I was born on J.S. Bach's birthday, and had long spindly fingers and restless feet. My parents started my brother and I with piano lessons when I was about 8, and no matter how I complained and pleaded to quit, they would not let me give up. When I was about 13, I switched to a different teacher, who helped me to play well enough that I actually enjoyed playing. After about two years of lessons with her, she suggested that I begin teacher training. Now, I had long thought that I would like to teach, and when my mom came home from meeting with my teacher and told me her suggestion, it was as if a light dawned and I suddenly realized that teaching was what I was supposed to do, even though it had not been part of my plans.

After I had been teaching for several years, God reminded me of one of His plans for me that I had resisted for many years. My parents had gotten the idea "somewhere" that I was going to be a church pianist (playing for church services, choir practices, etc.) The church we were in did not present many opportunities for this, and I was surprised when Daddy started telling people that I was going to be a church pianist. This was also not in my plans, and I protested that I was a teacher, not an accompanist.

Then, God's plan moved my family to our present church, and soon after we settled there I was put on the offertory schedule. From there, I learned how to play for congregational singing, and now am not only playing for congregational on Wednesday nights, but I am also accompanying the teen choir!

Then, two years ago, God once again reminded me of another long-resisted plan. In talking with a friend at church, the subject of the organ came up, and my friend asked if I had ever considered playing the organ. Just as when I realized that God wanted me to teach, it seemed as if a light had dawned, and I suddenly thought that yes, I could do that! We "happened" to have a small organ in our house, and my piano teacher "happened" to have majored in organ at college. The church I was teaching at had a beautiful organ that I was allowed to practice on for hours on end, and soon I played for church for the first time.

Then our church's organ died, and through that God provided a beautiful new Rodgers organ --but our primary organist had moved away, so now I find myself playing the organ every Sunday --just as God had planned before I was even born!

Yet Another New Blog...

So, in case any of my few readers are interested, I have a new blog up.

www.buildingonfirmfoundations.blogspot.com

I started it primarily for my piano students, but the information in the blog might be interesting for others, as well.

Escapades of a Travelling Pianist

It was raining.

It always seems to rain when I go out to do fliers, and this day was no exception. I was not looking forward to this particular trip, and as I stood in the doorway, in my best, most professional-looking outfit and with a briefcase in my hand, I could not help but sigh as I looked out at the grey, drizzly world into which I was about to step. As I sat shivering in the van, waiting for the engine to warm up, I sighed again, reflecting that one's best, most professional-looking outfit is almost never warm enough.

So, off I set to deliver flyers and to peddle my pianistic abilities at the senior living facilities in our area. The night before, Daddy had helped me (after much frustration) to print out some business cards for this new venture, so, theoretically, I was adequately prepared for the task. Reality, however, does not always go according to theory, and as I drove around, trying to find the first SLF, I felt entirely unprepared for what I was about to do.

After much driving and a little getting lost, I finally arrived at the first stop along my journey. Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be a office, just apartments, so I turned around and kept driving. A little discouraged, I decided to do some flyers on the way to the next SLF. --At least I was somewhat used to that by now.

The next SLF had one available visitor's parking spot, which was not easy to get into. As I jockeyed back and forth, trying to get straightened out, I could easily imagine the people in the office looking out their window, watching me try to park. I finally finished parking and tried to walk confidently to the door --in shoes that are hard to walk confidently in at the best of times. (Why do they even make such things? Why do I even own them?)

I found the office easily, but unfortunately the lady I needed to talk to was out. I left my card, took hers, and walked back to the car, now imagining the conversation of those in the office.

"Well, you don't see that every day here."

"I wonder how old she really is? She was dressed up nicely, but she looks very young."

"I wonder how long she's been driving. Did you see her try to park?"

"She was trying so hard, though. I feel sorry for her."

Sometimes one's imagination can be terribly disconcerting.

Well, on I travelled to the next stop, with several flyer stops in between. I had been to that SLF before, so it was a little easier to find, and much easier to park. I even almost knew what to say once I got inside. The ladies there were very nice, and took my card, although, they said, their budget did not allow for such things very often.

By the time I came to the last stop, I was very much looking forward to going home again. I went to the office, only to find no one there. I could hear voices in around the corner, but upon a moment's reflection I decided that barging into someone's inner office would not make the best impression.

So I stood there, waiting, until finally someone came out. Unfortunately, it was not the person I needed to see, so I waited awhile longer. This time I knew what I needed to say, (having practiced it in the car on the way from the last stop) and the lady was nice. They were in need of pianists, and she told me what they would pay, and inquired as to my scheduling availability, and I left with the promise of receiving a phone call soon to schedule a time to play.

And then it was at last time to go home. I felt I was not going empty-handed, and was no longer discouraged.

It was raining.

I love rain!

Miss Gwendolyn: the Budding Businesswoman?

The past few weeks I have been working harder than I have ever worked before to build my business. Fall quarter is about to start, and I find myself with only two students signed up --a very small amount compared to the eight students I had last fall. Unfortunately, I am pretty hopeless at matters of business, so this has all been a new adventure for me.

So far I have learned:

~How to design and publish a web site (Check it out! www.mgpianostudio.com)
~How to design business cards and flyers
~How to write a craigslist ad
~How to bypass my “phonaphobia” when having to call someone.
~That being strategic and sneaky is critically necessary in business-building.
~That I am not very good at being strategic and sneaky. : (

But one of the most difficult things I have had to do thus far (besides the many, many phone calls) is distributing flyers. Going up to someone’s door on visitation or door-knocking is one thing, but going into a store to ask if I can put up a flyer is totally different! I am comfortable with the former, but the latter is still hard, even after a week of intensive flyer-distribution. I am sure the various clerks in the stores I went to felt sorry for me, probably thinking something like “Oh, look at the little girl trying to get piano students! Isn’t it cute the way she tries to be all professional and polite!” I really did try to look my age, but from the questions I have gotten at some of the music stores I have visited, I don’t think it worked very well. Often, when I am asked how long I have been teaching, my answer of 5 years is met with a stifled look of surprise or puzzlement. “If she’s as young as I think she is, that means she started teaching when she was…!” ; )

But, I suppose all that works to my advantage sometimes, since folks usually want to encourage young musicians and teachers. Unfortunately, that encouragement comes more often as advice, rather than new students or referrals. Oh, well! --Maybe I’ll post some of the advice sometime, once I have had a chance to try it out. : )

Piano #1!

Yesterday I got the first piano for my studio. (Which, by the way, isn't quite finished yet.) Daddy and Tristan moved the piano out of the house it was in, which was difficult because it was heavy and the doorways in the house were very narrow.
Tristan was able to rent a trailer to put the piano on...

Then we followed Tris and the piano home to make sure nothing went wrong.
Once we got to our house, Tris and Daddy moved the piano into what will someday be Mommy's studio, where it will stay until my studio is finished.

-But not until after I tried it out!
Once it was inside, I cleaned off all the dust and shined it up with some lemon oil. Now it's really pretty!
It does need to be tuned though! It's a Wurlitzer spinnet, and has a brighter sound to it than my parent's piano upstairs does. I am so glad to have a piano downstairs because now I can practice whenever I want without bothering anyone! And it was free! (Thank you Teacher Lindy!!)