Chris' Christian Blog

The Instruments I Play

"The Instruments I Play" 



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The 30 Day Blogging Challenge Prompt is: "On this day in 1854, Anthony Faas of Philadelphia, PA, was granted the first US patent for the accordion. He made improvements to the keyboard and enhanced the sound. Do you play or have you ever played any instruments? If not, what's one you'd like to learn? Bonus Points today for sharing a favorite song of yours with us that names any instrument in its title."

First of all I have to say that my favorite purely instrumental song that names instruments in it's title is "Dueling Banjos" by Eric Weissberg ans Steve Mandel. "Dueling Banjos" is probably best known for the soundtrack and a scene from the movie "Deliverance" starring Burt Reynolds.

I have never really played a man made instrument. I have been around music as I spent a year or better working as a roadie or stagehand if you will for a couple of big stars. This made me able to attend the performances of other major stars, who went on stage before my boss did. I, however have never learned to play a musical instrument. It's funny that this was brought up because I'm on a list to start guitar lessons with a program called "Guitars for Vets" at the Veterans Administration Medical Center here in Clarksburg West Virginia. The program starts in February and I am on the list to start. When I complete it I will know how to play a guitar, which will be good because my goal is to start a singing group to perform gospel music, both hymns and contemporary gospel. The program furnishes the guitar then gives it to you upon completion of the class. Due to a condition called "existential tremors" my voice has an operatic quiver in it when i sing. I sort of automatically hold the last note and my voice does its thing. They say it's beautiful. I asked a young lady once if she knew any good singers. She said "Yes, you."

My corps commander tells me he is going to put me in the choir when he gets enough singers to fill a choir. Currently the best singers in the corps are his wife and myself. Two might make a duet but not a choir. I know I'm probably confusing everybody by talking about my corps commander. I attend the Salvation Army church services and I'm taking soldiering classes there starting next month. My goal is to do disaster relief work with the Salvation Army. I hold an associate degree in Dependency Disorder Technology and I'm planning to finish a double major soon and have bachelors degrees in Religion and Liberal Arts. I will use those and the skills I acquired with my junior college degree to do case management, needs assessment, and other such things with the Salvation Army in disaster areas.

My musical goals however are to become a member of the Salvation Army choir, and possibly go out to various places in the area and perform. If we have to sing A Capella that's fine with me. The Bible makes reference to the best instruments in the world when it says "Speak to one another with the words of psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sings songs and hymns to the Lord with praise in your hearts," Ephesians 5: 19 GNT.

So even if we do not have instruments made by man we still have the instruments made by God. I hate to boast on myself but I play that instrument pretty well! Some tell me I sing like the bass in an opera, though I usually sing something people want to hear. So yes, I guess I do play an instrument: two of them in fact, my heart and my mouth.