The tips of my fingers hurt.

This summer one of my goals is to learn some basics of guitar. So every day since coming home from school I have been trying to get the hang of some chords and to get comfortable changing finger positions. So far I’ve got C, D, Em, G, and A memorized. I tried to figure out F, but realized it was going to be far too tricky. I have short fingers which makes things extra challenging (yes I am using that as an excuse); I can’t reach more than an octave on the piano either. (My piano teachers always loved that…)

Besides just loving to hear acoustic guitar, there is another reason I am pushing myself to do this. I have issues with discipline, and I want to see if I can stick to this all summer, and maybe make some actual improvement! I'll admit, most times I end up back at the piano where my fingers get a happy break.

Not to get too deep, but I was thinking for a bit earlier about how this is a lot like our walks of faith. We test the waters, trying to stretch ourselves even if it hurts, because we know the end result will be worth it. Our spiritual "finger-tips" become uncomfortably sore as we struggle to be disciplined. Sometimes we give up, walking away to something less troublesome and more comfortable, but, with time, the new things we're learning aren't so hard anymore, and eventually become elementary too. Our Teacher keeps pushing us. No guitar (or other musical) legend got where they are without a ton of practice, and no steadfast man or woman of God hasn't struggled to be disciplined as well. The lessons are never finished...

Some Songs I've Learned:
Blowin’ in the Wind – Bob Dylan
Summer Rain – Anna Ternheim (with a wretched attempt at an F#m chord)
Blackbird - The Beatles (but don't ask me about technicalities! I learned this one by ear)