Me encanta el piano, El Cumpleanos de mi hermanita y Mi viaje a Mexico!!

Tickling the ivories, oh how I love the sound, sight and touch of a piano. Since the time I was a youngster I always eyed and was filled with awe and wonder when confronted with one and the sound would quickly apprehend my attention. I would sit and watch someone play in utter amazement and only hope that one day my fingers could move swiftly across the keys creating a sound so flawless and beautiful.

I remember the first song I learned when I was about 6 or 7 years old was “We Three Kings” and my little fingers would pound those 4-5 keys in the same chorus over and over again. I then began to go beyond and just simply walked my fingers across the keys and made my own sound, which was amazing to me. I probably sat there for a good hour or more and played a tune with a familiar sound and discovered that I had learned to play “Lean on me”! I was overjoyed; I did it all by myself and with the help of no one! So, I continued as though I were an experienced musician playing a symphony and figured out other tunes and melodies with my little fingers. I fell in love. I could not escape the entire time I was at my uncle’s house, my ear had a hankering to continue listening to music that I, myself created with the help of no one. Needless to say I was quite proud and was eager to show my parents and anyone else my abilities I had just obtained knowledge of.

My passion to learn and play only intensified as days went by and I just wanted one of my own, a keyboard or piano in which I could play anytime I wanted to. I figured I could just give myself my own lessons seeing as how talented I had become in just a matter of moments ;)

The day approached, that glorious Christmas morning when lo and behold before my eyes beneath the wrapping, ribbons and bows a beginners keyboard, just perfect in size, sound and touch for me! There just wasn’t one more beautiful. The display screen showed which keys were being played when a song programmed was playing, so I would sit for literally hours and watch while a song would play, pause the song and learn portion by portion until I could play the entire thing. I would also sit and listen to music and then figure out what I heard by ear. Many days and nights were spent sitting on the floor in front of that little keyboard, I often would neglect my schoolwork (I was home schooled) in order to learn just one more song, or play one I had already learned. I simply could not get enough. I look back now and see videos of me playing and there was really no ease or perfect transition, I had not yet learned what it was to sustain a note and so it just sounded like a pungent, heavy and repetitive sound and not so lovely might I add.

As I got older and my taste and collection of music became more versatile as I began to hear more different sounds and listened intently to piano solos and compositions, I could even hear the sound of the piano over a loud collaboration of instruments, like it was echoing within. I just could not keep away; I would hear melodies in my head and hurry to my bedroom to figure them out. It became my love.

I’ll never forget the day I was oh about 14 and I was out with some very dear youth leaders and mentors. The whole time my parents were scheming on how they were going to get what is now one of my most prized possessions into our house. When I returned and stepped foot into our great room tears instantly filled my eyes, as well as wonder and amazement! A real, acoustic, genuine piano! Not a small, electric keyboard but a real piano! There is no keyboard that can compare with the sound of an acoustic piano, I’m sorry but there just isn’t. I have seen and heard many that do in fact come close but the sight, feel, touch and smell of a real piano is so much more enlightening and inspiring! (I do love keyboards as well, don’t get me wrong.) I was unbelievably satisfied! And so I sat and swept my fingers across the white and black keys, there were so many as opposed to my little keyboard! The sound was so crisp and defined and greatly pleased my ears. In pure contentment I sat and played for an endless amount of time, until my fingers and family could take it no longer (haha).

Soon enough I taught myself chords, octaves, inversions, how to diminish and how to use and sustain pedal (although at the time I had no idea what the correct names for any of this was). I soon figured out how to use both hands freely when I played, allowing the left to dance delicately in the bass section while my right hand played a simple melody. How much of a difference that made! Realizing I had at last found something I loved, something in which my heart and spirit took delight and something I could create, I came to the conclusion that it was possible that I was created to make music. I began to learn many different worship songs and eventually was given the humbling and incredible opportunity of co-leading a worship team in piano and voice. My heart found utter joy and peace in doing so.

However, I still am completely incapable of reading music notes. I would love to learn but I find it to be more difficult than algebra! It’s almost like the music I play just comes from inside rather than off of a piece of paper. I guess I don’t like the thought of being locked into a certain style; I’d rather just play outside of that sheet of paper and let my fingers do whatever my heart tells them to.

So, no I have never had “real” piano lessons. I guess the best teacher taught me how; He just kind of put it deep down inside of me and intensified the desire within to play and sing for Him, to use them in worship and adoration, my audience of one.


**Today is my sister's birthday! Happy Birthday Ashton! =) She'll probably never see this but oh well. Happy Birthday anyway! Love ya!


I leave for Mexico in exactly 7 days, thus the countdown begins! I simply cannot convey the anticipation and expectation that I contain for this trip. I am eager to see what the Lord has in store. We are supposedly going to be going into mountain villages to minister to the Mayan Indians as well as a whole bunch of other amazing and challenging things! It's amazing how this opportunity just fell in my lap, God is so good! Pray for me if you think about it, I really need for the Lord to help me rememeber all of my spanish and I believe I'll be doing some worship (in spanish) while there. I used to sing and occasionally play piano on a worship team in a spanish church, that is really how I came to learn and love the language and I would almost rather sing in spanish as opposed to english, is that weird? It seems so much more passionate to me for some reason. I am so intrigued by other languages, I hope to learn even more! So, yeah if you happen to think of me in the next couple of weeks in your prayer time I would greatly appreciate it.

Yo estoy muy emocionado a ver que el Senor tiene para este viaje! Gracia a Dios para su perfecto voluntad! Gracias a ustedes para sus oraciones!