I was taught to play the piano when I was about 6 or 7. Over the years, I received piano lessons as the family budget allowed, and then I took a year or two of lessons as a young adult once I was working and could pay for it myself. All in all, I’d say I have about 6 or 8 years of lessons added together, though I wish I was much better at playing than I am.
Music can play a very important part in any homeschool education, but I particularly desired it to be so in our homsechool. Everything from the patterns and tones to the theory and selected pieces – I’ve always wanted it to be a big deal to my kids. Alas, music lessons are expensive, and pianos are expensive! A year or two ago I started praying that God would bless our family with a piano. I felt confident that I would be able to teach my children and provide a solid musical foundation, and if they showed great interest in continuing we would then pray for God to provide money for further lessons. I definitely wanted Jaelah to start by the time she was 7 as this is an age where she is young enough to be able to pick it up quickly and old enough to realize that practicing is important. The money for a piano certainly wasn’t going to be coming out of our budget, though.
Then one day, out of the blue, a friend of my mom’s called her and asked if she knew of anyone who could use her massive upright, antique piano. Of course my mom immediately called and we set up a time to get it. She gave it to us completely free of charge, the most wonderful gift ever given to this school! It is enormous and ancient, exactly what I’ve pictured my children playing. The ivory keys are chipped and the matching stool is wobbly, but this piano is going to get plenty of use and love so I don’t even care. We had the piano delivered and professionally tuned and it was ready to go. I sat down and played for about two hours after not having even touched a piano in 10 years. My heart was filled to overflowing. I am so very grateful. Not only did God bless us with a free piano, but it actually works and has a lovely tone, and the girls have begun lessons while they are still young enough to easily move into it. We’ve already begun working through Alfred’s Basic Piano Prep Course A, which is a tad young, but the perfect starting point for Jaelah and Selah. They are flying through it and I just love listening to their tiny little hands clumsily plunking out songs that I played when I was a little girl.
All of the kids beg for lessons now, even the twins. It’s so precious. Thank You, Abba for every good and perfect gift.