Several years ago, I endeavored to teach a class, of ten students, how to play the piano by ear. Using a method my grandfather, Rev. Marvin R. Howell created, I asked my mom to duplicate the piano chart my grandfather had made her, that I had also used. Though I was hardly qualified to teach, I was asked so often I thought I'd give it a try.
Weeks before our first session, I began making notes, trying to remember how I started learning to play. I failed miserably at piano lessons. Once the teacher would play the song, I would play it back for her without reading the music. It didn't much reprimanding me for me to lose the desire to learn anything from her.
Night after night, I'd go to sleep listening to soothing piano instrumentals. Day after day, I'd sit at the piano for hours, crying and begging God to teach me to play. I bet I spent more hours praying than practicing. It wasn't hard to pick out the notes to my favorite songs, but that wasn't the same. I wanted to play! Using the same piano chart my grandfather made for my mom, I taught myself every chord and their inversions (root, 1st & 2nd inversions). It wasn't long before I could take the notes I had picked out for a song and could begin chording it with my right hand. Using my left hand was tricky, considering I'm right handed. My left hand just seem to be useless on the piano. So I remembered a few runs from previous piano lessons and incorporated them in my class.
After making special notes, based on how I learned to play, I found three principles that carried my desire to learn from a dream to a reality. I like to refer to them as the 3-D's: Desire, Discipline and Determination. A goal set by a DESIRE to play, required DISCIPLINE and DETERMINATION. The goal could only be reached through endurance and patience. Though I'm hardly the pianist I'd like to be, I am encouraged and fueled by the knowledge that I can be as good as I want to get. Continuing to implement the 3-D's, there's nothing we can't do.
So whether it's learning to play a musical instrument, training to be famous athlete or whether you're studying to become a doctor or lawyer, remember this. As long as you have the DESIRE to grow in knowledge, as you DISCIPLINE yourself with the DETERMINATION to succeed, you can make any dream a reality! For behind every excuse, there's a lack of desire, but behind ever success there's a person who never failed to give up!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
What's in a title?
Lately, I've been debating changing the my blogger title from "Relevant and Real" to something, well, anything else. I've brainstormed continuously hoping to think of something more creative, distinctive, perhaps something more appropriate. Much to my surprise, I've discovered there's no title quite as fitting as "relevant and real". I guess I could go with something like, "Thoughts & Prayers", "Random Thoughts" or, "Living Out Loud", but what's in a title?
Here are my thoughts. I tend to "shoot from the hip" and just write what comes to mind. Sometimes I share sermon outlines, devotions and/or poems I've read or written. There's no telling what you'll find on here, but this much is guaranteed, it'll be relevant and it'll be real. Like this blog entry, for instance. It's 11:42pm. I need to go to bed, but I just couldn't drop the ball again and end my day without bringing closure to the idea of naming this blogger. So, for now, I believe we'll just stick with "Relevant and Real" and see where it takes us. ;)
Here are my thoughts. I tend to "shoot from the hip" and just write what comes to mind. Sometimes I share sermon outlines, devotions and/or poems I've read or written. There's no telling what you'll find on here, but this much is guaranteed, it'll be relevant and it'll be real. Like this blog entry, for instance. It's 11:42pm. I need to go to bed, but I just couldn't drop the ball again and end my day without bringing closure to the idea of naming this blogger. So, for now, I believe we'll just stick with "Relevant and Real" and see where it takes us. ;)
A Genuine Friend
True and genuine friends are like precious jewels hidden in God's creation. You can search the world over, dig and sift through the muck and the clay, but only if you search hard enough, long enough and in the right places, will you find the jewel whose value can't be measured or bought.
Monday, February 8, 2010
There Are Days...
There are days when life seems to be
Nothing more than a nightmare, a really bad dream.
I want to wake up and run from the scare
Only to find you standing right there.
There are days when life's a big joke.
We laugh till we cry and we cry till we choke.
Our smiles seem to carry us on
like the breeze in our sails, smooth sailing we're sailing right on.
There are days we'd rather never speak of
When our faults are exposed and we must share words, in love.
It's then I find how priceless you are.
For a true friend is hard to find, but a true friend you are.
There are days when it's imperative to
Count our blessings, evaluate our selves and assess our relationships, too.
It's important that those dear to us should know
That they're always on our minds, in our hearts and we love them so!
Written By: Kimberly Waters
Feb 8, 2010
"There are Days"
Nothing more than a nightmare, a really bad dream.
I want to wake up and run from the scare
Only to find you standing right there.
There are days when life's a big joke.
We laugh till we cry and we cry till we choke.
Our smiles seem to carry us on
like the breeze in our sails, smooth sailing we're sailing right on.
There are days we'd rather never speak of
When our faults are exposed and we must share words, in love.
It's then I find how priceless you are.
For a true friend is hard to find, but a true friend you are.
There are days when it's imperative to
Count our blessings, evaluate our selves and assess our relationships, too.
It's important that those dear to us should know
That they're always on our minds, in our hearts and we love them so!
Written By: Kimberly Waters
Feb 8, 2010
"There are Days"
Thursday, January 7, 2010
In His Presence
"Too many people pray like little boys who knock at doors, then run away." - War Cry
Oh how guilty I am. Too often I've failed to see the beauty in the throne room of God. So distraught by my situations, my vision was distorted. I ran to God with the knowledge He could help me, but sat restlessly as if He were just a mere counselor sitting there listening with nothing to add. Why? Knowing He is my provider, knowing He has never failed me, why do I enter His gates like a child who is afraid and alone. Why do I fail to remember that inside those gates I've danced for joy, liberated and free to worship. Why do I fail to see that He reigns in my heart. I have no need to fear. I have no time for anxiety. I am His child and with that seat, I'm blessed and highly favored. I don't have to hang my head in shame, but I can come boldly before the throne of God and speak freely with my Father.
Today, I see myself for who I really am. All the filth and shattered pieces of my life have been beautifully changed and I'm a new creation. I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. He loves me! He delights Himself in me. Today, I see Him for who he really is. Though I can not wrap my mind around Him, in my own simple way I see His beauty, His majesty and I lay here, prostrate before Him, in awe of His infinite wisdom. He knows all things and nothing takes Him by surprise. He knows my weaknesses, my faults and failures and sees beyond them to that beautiful girl He predestined to live with Him forever. I see the nail-pierced hands that reach out to hold me. I feel His warmth embrace as He wraps His arms around me. I'm lifted as my burdens fall from me. How could I ever race away from such an experience? How could I ever miss this?
He's calling you to come. He's longing to be with you today. Don't run away like you have better things to do. Go now and realize what you've been missing.
by: Kimberly Waters
Oh how guilty I am. Too often I've failed to see the beauty in the throne room of God. So distraught by my situations, my vision was distorted. I ran to God with the knowledge He could help me, but sat restlessly as if He were just a mere counselor sitting there listening with nothing to add. Why? Knowing He is my provider, knowing He has never failed me, why do I enter His gates like a child who is afraid and alone. Why do I fail to remember that inside those gates I've danced for joy, liberated and free to worship. Why do I fail to see that He reigns in my heart. I have no need to fear. I have no time for anxiety. I am His child and with that seat, I'm blessed and highly favored. I don't have to hang my head in shame, but I can come boldly before the throne of God and speak freely with my Father.
Today, I see myself for who I really am. All the filth and shattered pieces of my life have been beautifully changed and I'm a new creation. I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. He loves me! He delights Himself in me. Today, I see Him for who he really is. Though I can not wrap my mind around Him, in my own simple way I see His beauty, His majesty and I lay here, prostrate before Him, in awe of His infinite wisdom. He knows all things and nothing takes Him by surprise. He knows my weaknesses, my faults and failures and sees beyond them to that beautiful girl He predestined to live with Him forever. I see the nail-pierced hands that reach out to hold me. I feel His warmth embrace as He wraps His arms around me. I'm lifted as my burdens fall from me. How could I ever race away from such an experience? How could I ever miss this?
He's calling you to come. He's longing to be with you today. Don't run away like you have better things to do. Go now and realize what you've been missing.
by: Kimberly Waters
Trust in the Lord
With a heavy heart, I began reading God's Word today with an "I need to do this" mentality. Quickly this changed to "Oh how I needed this!" Isn't if funny how we can read the same passage over and over, but somehow in His timing, He can cause the words to pierce our heart and captivate our attention?
In Matthew 8, we find a leper coming to Jesus wanting to be healed. He says, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” His question was not if Jesus could heal him, but rather was it His will to heal Him?
Next when Jesus arrives in Capernaum, he’s greeted by a centurion with even more faith saying, ““Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” Jesus said* to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel…And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.”
Whether you’re praying concerning God’s will regarding your situation or if you’re praying for a dear friend or loved one, God knows your need and is more than capable of intervening in your situation. Continue to trust God and watch Him move on your behalf!
Psalm 115:11-12 NASB
"You who £fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us;"
In Matthew 8, we find a leper coming to Jesus wanting to be healed. He says, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” His question was not if Jesus could heal him, but rather was it His will to heal Him?
Next when Jesus arrives in Capernaum, he’s greeted by a centurion with even more faith saying, ““Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” Jesus said* to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel…And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.”
Whether you’re praying concerning God’s will regarding your situation or if you’re praying for a dear friend or loved one, God knows your need and is more than capable of intervening in your situation. Continue to trust God and watch Him move on your behalf!
Psalm 115:11-12 NASB
"You who £fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us;"
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Trust
It was once said, "Trust is a very precious gift. Once earned or acquired, it can unlock the door of the heart and allow the creation of a beautiful, lasting relationship. If ever that trust is destroyed, however, the door will lock forever as one hides safely and securely behind it's walls of security forever."
As sad as this quote sounds, how true it rings for so many. Trust is a very precious gift. Some give it freely, risking everything. Some respectfully reserve the right to ask others to earn it. Either way the moment trust is given, the risk of getting hurt begins. The decision is to whom will we deem worth it.
As sad as this quote sounds, how true it rings for so many. Trust is a very precious gift. Some give it freely, risking everything. Some respectfully reserve the right to ask others to earn it. Either way the moment trust is given, the risk of getting hurt begins. The decision is to whom will we deem worth it.
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