Be Inspired

I write music regularly. When inspiration comes, I have to write it down before it is gone. Whenever possible, I like to share my songs with my students in order to inspire them to love music and hopefully to love God.

Some time ago, during a piano lesson with a teenage student, something wonderful happened. After finishing all his exam music pieces and requirements, out of his curiosity he asked me about how to compose music. Knowing that he is a Christian, I felt it was very good for him to be exposed to the songs God wants to put in his heart. I began with some basic theoretical rules about composing, then we decided to have lyrics first before music (it could be the other way round, I prefer music first). To get some ready-made lyrics, we began by opening a Psalm from the Bible. As we read the words repetitively, I showed him how the melody could flow out from the words. Despite his earnest attention to my demonstration, he still looked quite puzzled initially, but he promised me to give it a try after the lesson.

I did not think about that lesson until about 2 weeks later when the mother of this fine young man came to me after the church service to thank me for her son's new found ability in composing songs. She was amazed that now her son spends time on the piano, composing and singing Psalms to God. Wow ! That was amazing! I was pleasantly surprised as well.

It looks like we all have the potential to make music, don't we? (Don't worry, I will not ask you to take up music lesson...) Making music is a God given gift. As you hum and whistle around the house, you can actually release a lot of stress and at the same time send cheerful tunes to people around you!

But honestly, I think the lesson I learned from all these is all of us can come up with something beautiful; if we are sensitive enough. When you feel a prompting to say a kind word, or lend a helping hand, or take time to be a listener, or simply just spend time with your love ones, you can be a blessing to someone today.

As we learn how to connect to God by having a close relationship with God in our daily lives, we will never run out of inspiration to do good.

Be inspired, my friends.