You know what I love? Piano lessons. The piano teacher gets all the smiles and laughter and us moms get the moaning and groaning of all the things they hate about practicing at home. I don't want to practice this long. I don't want to play the song this way. I just want to be done! Yes, child. I know how you feel.
Now, I know that music is great. And lessons are important. Check. Check.
However, it's the attitudes that we moms have to deal with that I'm talking about.
Really, at each recital, when do the parents get the applause from the children? It's not that I want recognition from anyone else, just my child. I just want my child to understand that it's their hard work, talent, and their parents for pushing them that deserve applause. I'm not pushing them to be hard or mean, I'm pushing them because this is the only way they can discover their talent....
(you know this argument)
Motherhood; a thankless job. Right. Got it.
Maybe in twenty years. Maybe not.
There are some perks to piano lessons, however. One is the metronome.(throws head back) Bahahaha.
The metronome. It's the boss. It's like a little mother sitting on the piano that tells your child all the things you've been telling them for weeks. Too fast. Too slow. Try again. Start over. Keep playing. Muhahahahaha-haha.
I love it when others agree with me and affirm me in front of my children. Marvelous feeling.
And another great thing, I didn't even assign the tool to be used. The piano teacher did. *holds back laughter*
I just get to smile and let my child learn that, once again, I am not out to get them. I am here to help. And when I say something needs to be different, or that the song sounds a little off, I am not picking on them but rather wanting to help.
The metronome also reminds me that I am not in charge. There are rules to music. Note value, rhythm, dynamics, and how the instructor tells you to play. We all have to obey what the music teacher says about the piece, otherwise we don't perform correctly. Yes, there's a little cushion for musical interpretation. But altogether, the piece will not sound pretty if you throw the guidelines out the window and ignore the metronome and piano teacher.
This constant beat thumping through our house got me thinking. It's not my job to make the rules. It's not my job to keep the beat. Or even play the music. My job is to back up the metronome and help guide my child through the music while following the teacher's rules. (My job is also to keep the other children from making fun or purposefully distracting during piano practice, even though playing needs to continue even with distractions. Lovely little distractions)
Huh. I love how things in everyday life point back to the sovereignty of God.
It's not our job to convict our children. It's not our job to write the Bible. And it's not our job to be the boss. But rather use the Bible to teach our child when something is a little off. To help our child understand that conviction comes from the Holy Spirit and from Him alone. And we're not really the Boss.
Now, I say not really because we don't make the rules. All the rules we use should come from scripture. And everything we do and don't do as parents, we are accountable for to God.
He's the Boss. Whether you recognize Him or not.
Therefore, when we want to teach our child something, let's say kindness, we tell them that God wants us to be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32) and that we, as parents, want them to be kind as siblings. That's a rule. And we are responsible for guiding our children in kindness and being an example of kindness.
But every parent knows, you can't make your child do something.
You can show them, tell them, lead them, and even write it in big print on their wall...but if they don't want to be kind, they won't. Only the Holy Spirit can lead them to listen and apply what scripture says. Only He can convict them. It's our job to lead our child to the real Boss. Remind them of the "rules". Help them keep to the beat they hear guiding them through their choices.
Being honest, hard working, loyal, loving, compassionate, prayerful, full of worship, and using self control, these are the things we want for our children. But we can't make our child genuinely do any of these things. We can show them, tell them, lead them, and even buy the t-shirt. However, we're not responsible for God's role. We are responsible to guide them in the right direction. To lovingly lead them to scripture when they're discouraged. To remind them of Who is really in charge and that they have a choice. Even if their choice is to get distracted.
So often, I thank my Lord for being my Savior. For being my Heavenly Father. Always there for me, always understanding. However, I don't give enough applause to the Holy Spirit. The constant spiritual rhythm in our home comes from Him. And as long as I let Him work, the rhythm works. As long as I get out of the way. If I were in charge of keeping the beat in our home, it would sound something like middle school band practice without an instructor.
I'm so thankful for the little reminders that I am not responsible for my child's salvation. God has written the guidelines and mapped out the plan. Jesus is their Savior. And the Holy Spirit will do all the work in their hearts and souls. My job is to step back. I'm such a do-er. I want to be involved in everything. However, sometimes the Lord needs to teach my child something and I need to let Him.
Let the metronome keep the beat. Remind my child of the piano teacher's rules for each song. Help them the best I can, sure, but ultimately trust the piano teacher to do the job. Lead my child to ask questions to their teacher, keep that personal connection. And when the recital comes, praise the teacher for working faithfully on behalf of my child and congratulate my child in their perseverance.
I'm glad I'm the mother. And that I'm only responsible to be the mother.
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