Small Boy at Paderewski Concert

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.

Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "No Admittance." When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.

That's the way it is with our Heavenly father. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces Remember, God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called. And He'll always be there to love and guide you on to great things. [Title and Author Unknown]

I read this story at Family Home Evening yesterday, and the other senior couples wanted a copy. I decided to share it with those reading my blog, as it has such a good message. The last few Family Home Evenings we have been learning to sing "I Am a Child of God" in Russian. Our goal is to sing all three verses by memory in Russian at Christmas time when we do a service project at a home for the elderly with dementia . For our activity last evening, we had a brainstorming session with everyone sharing things we have noticed or experienced different in the culture here. The list grew long and varied; to name only a couple here: cashiers tearing the receipts, renoks & kiosks, and every shade of red hair. We concluded our list by sharing the thought, "It's been a great experience, and Moscow has become our friend."

For refreshments, I had baked an oatmeal cake that we served with ice cream and lemonade. Last Family Home Evening we met at the Curbishleys, and Beryl had made three delicious pies - lemon meringue, banana cream, and an apple/berry pie. Beryl and George Curbishly are shown in the picture, and Beryl is cutting one of the pies.