Good Vibrations & Borrowing Songs--Part 1

             No, this isn’t a nostalgic trip back to 1966 and the Beach Boys, but I’m here to share stories of good vibrations.

            Step back in time with me to the early 1800s. Composer Ludwig von Beethoven lost his hearing, yet music still poured from his soul. He sawed off his piano’s legs, bringing the vibrations closer to the floor, strengthening them. Then he lay on the floor—his ear pressed to it. Although an agonizing challenge, he continued “listening” and composing until his death.

            Jump forward to the 1990s. One of my dearest friends, Doris (who began losing her hearing in her 50s) was profoundly deaf when I met her. She loved music, knew I played violin, and wanted to “listen” to me play. Doris placed her hand on the edge of my violin while I played. A smile broke across her face and her eyes lighted with joy—like she’d received a gift.

            During the time I served in deaf ministry, someone introduced another means of including the deaf deeper in worship. Those who wished held an inflated balloon gently between their hands on their laps. Later, my hubby and I also used this means with the elderly in nursing home ministry where those dear souls loved these good vibrations.

            Leap again to 2022. If balloons aided the deaf and elderly, could those good vibrations help people with sensory deprivation—like those on the autism spectrum scale? I tried it and pleasantly witnessed a calming as music played (which sometimes otherwise irritated them), and they engaged.

            A piano brought floor level, a hand on a violin, an inflated balloon between hands—all means of “borrowing” songs the deaf, elderly, and sensory challenged otherwise might’ve missed.

I don’t recommend sawing legs off a piano—especially if it’s not yours! And I happen to own a violin. Not everyone does or wants to. But could you help others “borrow” songs with the simple purchase of a bag of balloons, producing good vibrations? (I always carry some in my violin case.)

            Do you know of others who need to “borrow” songs, minus use of a balloon? The broken-hearted, the grieving, the depressed? In my next post, I’ll share stories of three people who borrowed songs until they found theirs again.

            In the meantime, how ’bout trying this means of “borrowing” music and feeling those “good, good, good—good vibrations!”*

 #balloons #music #vibrations #Beethoven #deafness #autism

 *from Beach Boys’ hit song “Good Vibrations” by Brian Wilson

Someone's Standing on My Desk

            I don’t stand on my desk, but I sit at it often. Then why haven’t you heard from me in years? Because I “fell off my chair.” Not literally, but I admit I lost my passion for writing.

A heart-wrenching blow, caregiving for my elderly mother-in-love and already-challenged son going through chemotherapy, long-term pneumonia, and three moves all took their toll. During those years, I stored away my writing necessities—the person standing on my desk too.

Autumn 2020, God nudged me. “Write.”

“But, God, hundreds of writers do this better than I.”

His Holy Spirit ministered to my weary soul until I answered. “I’ll write, but please tell me what because I have no idea!”

Christmas 2020 passed as did New Year’s Day 2021. Soon afterward our son came to hubby and me. “I want to write my story, but I don’t know how. Will you help me?”

I recognized this immediately as God’s answer to His and my conversation weeks earlier.

We didn’t start right away. I actually didn’t think our son could do this. He’s developmentally disabled and has inoperable brain cancer—making this a huge challenge. Yet, before 2022 ended, with me as his scribe and both parents editing, he submitted a manuscript to his literary agent.

It wasn’t until I worked with our son and dug through piles of records that I found the someone who used to stand on my desk—reminding me: Never quit.

So, who’s this mystery person?

            Dave Dravecky—his image captured on a baseball card! Not only did he face cancer once, but eventually his cancer-eaten arm was amputated. No, he couldn’t pitch anymore, but he didn’t quit life either.

In their books, Comeback and When You Can’t Come Back, Dave and his wife Jan share what a life-changing, death-facing devastation does and how God uses those for His glory.

I needed those reminders.

God didn’t give us our trials, heart-ache, and brokenness for naught. In those useful times He carried us, grew us, and renewed our purpose.

So, I’m standing on God’s Promises and never on my desk. He’ll lead me on the writing journey, and—hopefully—I’ll listen to His Call.

And Dave? He’ll keep standing on my desk! 

“Standing on the promises I cannot fall,

List’ning ev’ry moment to the Spirit’s call,

Resting in my Savior as my all in all,

Standing on the promises of God." 

(Hymn, “Standing on the Promises,” by Russell K. Carter—1886—Public Domain) 

#hopeinGod #Dave Dravecky #lifestruggles #cancer #writing #Minsmanuscript