I began piano lessons when I was five years old. I don’t recall that it was hard to get me to practice because I loved the piano even as a child, and I love music equally as well. I remember at a recital I had to sit on a big thick book so that I could reach the piano. 🙂 My lessons continued through high school and then ended.

I had three teachers over the course of those 13 years. The first one I went to her home. The second one I went to a music store containing a studio. He wasn’t my teacher very long. Then my last teacher taught me at school during the school year and came to our home during the summer months. She was my teacher until I graduated high school.

One of the biggest regrets of my life is that I took no piano (or choir) during my college years. At the time I felt I needed all my time to study and work. I look back and wish I’d at least tried one semester to know. But that’s ok.

My then-boyfriend and I married right after college and God chose to begin our family nine months later so free time for me was gone as my new role was wife and mother.  I played the piano very little during the years of parenting, but made sure all four of the daughters took lessons. (No regret there!).  

When I began to play the piano more, I didn’t like how I played. I wasn’t playing as I’d heard at college (several piano accompanists for chapel) that I LOVED and wanted so to sound like! They were all over that piano! I prayed and asked God to help me play better. I kid you not, God answered that prayer and gave me the talent that I have today (whatever talent that is).  

Playing the piano is often how I worship God. I play when I’m sad, when I’m happy, when I’m discouraged, or just when I want—perhaps often too much for Bryan but he listens (or tunes me out????) ;). 

Opportunities opened to play at churches and today I play the piano at a church in Greenville, SC. I LOVE music and am so grateful to God for that wonderful gift and being able to be a part of making music.