16 | September | 2019 | This Year's Bible Reading Guide

Today was a huge test and I knew it. I didn’t realize it was coming until Wednesday.

Derek the drummer and Rachel the synth player took a week off to celebrate their first anniversary. Kyle the bass player stepped down and is moving to Kansas City. Joe, the semi-retired guitar player, and his wife are visiting their daughter out of state.

That left me. I would be the only instrumentalist.

I got up early and read my Bible. I compared Belshazzar to Daniel.

Belshazzar:

Was drunk, 5:2.
Scared out of his wits, 5:6.
Demanding, 5:7.
Arrogant, 5:22.
Treated God with contempt, 5:23.

Daniel:

Was full of the Holy Spirit, 5:11.
Could not be bought, 5:17.
Prayed earnestly, 9:3.
Fasted from meals, 9:3.
Wore penitential burlap, 9:3.

Belshazzar was haughty, Daniel was humble. Belshazzar was murdered, Daniel was promoted.

Daniel 5:27, “Teqel: You have been weighed on the scales and you don’t weigh much.” The Message

I knew I would be weighed today. I wanted to be like Daniel, not Belshazzar.

When I walked onto the platform, I saw the Steinway Concert Grand where I normally set up the keyboard!

In disbelief, I asked, “May I play it?”

Jesse the Civic Center worker laughed and said yes!

This is the most babied Steinway in the county. It lives in a humidity-controlled, insulated space. Sometimes, it’s out backstage for a show. I never play it without permission.

I warmed up on a simple chorus and then stopped.

“Jesse,” I called, “do these wheels lock? I can feel it shimmy. And can we open it up?”

He locked the wheels and opened it partway. Then he moved two microphones in under the lid.

During pre-service prayer, Brenda asked the Holy Spirit to move through my fingers. He did!

I started softly and the music built until I was playing as hard as I could. Then I went soft again. The congregation followed and their singing swelled to fill the room.

On the last word, I started to cry. That worship time was so sweet. I was sad, but a little relieved that it was over.

I can’t say if I was haughty or humble. I can say, when I saw the Steinway, that I was positively giddy!

September 15, 2019: Daniel 5, 9.

“2019 Relevant Bible Reading Guide”

A free Saturday! I didn’t have to go anywhere and did not have a large project scheduled.

I went through my granddaughter Olivia’s school fundraiser website. I needed to renew a magazine. I could get 2 years for $27.00. Or use my “long-standing customer” discount and renew it for 3 years for $18.98 using the renewal form they sent. I chose the latter. I can support the school when shopping online.

When David got off of work I went to the library. I looked for a few decent movies. Our library marks new purchases with colored tape. It didn’t take long to pull out the yellow-taped DVD’s. What took time was finding the rating on each one. PG-13 is my limit.

(I will watch an “R” movie if my adult children have previewed it. They know which scenes will trigger a sermon and they fast forward through it.)

I practiced while David was at work. I’m trying to do more than practice. I worship and sing.

Daniel 7:25, “Then he will blaspheme the High God, persecute the followers of the High God, and try to get rid of sacred worship and moral practice.” The Message

The most important things I can do today are to worship and protect my morals.