Intimacy, Freedom, Creativity

[Mary B]

OK. I don't spew forth that often. I don't have a blog site. But this
has been stewing around in me for a while.

I have been asked and asked how I do the thing I do with my flute, and
all I can do is tell them I just close my eyes and play. I learned to
play the instrument as a child, even put it down (sold it! had to get
another one!) as an adult. Just how many flutes are hidden away in
closets and attics, anyway?!!! ANYONE could be doing what I am doing,
with a little courage. Don't say you can't - hear me out.

When I got saved, at 20 years old, I dedicated my music to Him - my
heart was to let my music be all His. He took me seriously. For a long
time, it was singing. But there was a small time in there, in my 20's,
that the flute played a major role. I had played a LOT of music, and
sung a lot as well, and got really good at reading. But had never been
in on the creative process. I was invited into a small group in the
church I joined, and never told them I sang. So it was flute. They
wrote their own songs. I was their scribe - music dictation was always
fun for me. We developed our own lines. I discovered that I could do
that - and, in fact, it was a lot of fun. Then they discovered I could
sing (it was my major in college) and the flute was put away.

The music that comes forth now is always new - it never takes the same
form. It's alive - singing OR playing. And it will be that way with
the pipes as I get easier with them. I didn't just wake up one day and
have this amazing thing going. I had to work to learn these skills. I
had lessons from people who knew how to play the flute well. I
deliberately majored in voice because I wanted to learn to really
sing. When the Lord told me I was to learn the bagpipes, the first
thing I did was to seek out a teacher, and I knew exactly who I was to
go to. He told me that, too.

All this begins with intimacy. Learning to recognize His voice, first
of all. Seeking Him with all your heart. Leaning your head on his
chest and hearing His heart beat. Letting your heart become in tune
with His. And it's a process. Just like learning to play the
instrument. It does not happen overnight.

I have said it before and I say it again. I love wild music. Music
that writes itself as it's brought forth. And I am learning that
"music" is not just what I have been taught - it's much more. Sounds I
have not been taught are music, are, in His eyes. And there's yet more
wildness to come. There are reasons so many can't catch the flow of it
- fear of flying out of your cage is one. Being dependent on the
structure you learned, having written music to read. And lack of
skills. Those scales they make you practice have great importance -
scales, arpeggios - skipping around in all those different keys,
major, minor, modal... that's the basis for owning it. And THEN you
are free - but you have to choose to leave the cage of the written,
the structured, once you've learned it.

Freedom comes with a good foundation. Learning well the basics of the
art you are called to do. Learning well the heart of your Creator,
your Lover. And from there is the release of the creativity. And oh,
it's fun!

[Laurie Stasi]

Thank you Mary

It was a word in season, really encouraging!
Laurie