Category Archives: Music

Joel’s Drums

Family, Homeschool, Music, , ,

Joel has always been a drummer. I noticed it first in his high chair as a toddler. This past three years he has had his own drum kit in his bedroom (sorry, neighbors!) and he loves to jam out to his favorite songs. He was first chair in Symphonic band percussion all year, and enjoys playing every kind of drum.

We realized in packing up our house to move to Cameroon that he wouldn’t be able to bring his drum kit. It costs something like $14/square foot to ship sea freight across the ocean. And it certainly wasn’t going to fit in a carry-on! I had seen others travel with more compact digital drum kits, so we hatched a plan to sell his real kit & save for a digital kit. The problem came when he only got $100 for his on resale and used digital kits were $400-600.

We went to the music store in May to see if he liked the feel of the digital kit. He started with the highest caliber and played his way down to the cheaper sets. His favorite sound was on a mid-range set – the Yamaha DTX. The used one was priced around $550, so we left empty-handed.

The store had refused to return unopened replacement drum heads, so I posted them for sale on Facebook Marketplace during our garage sale to keep saving up. After a couple days not one person had responded to inquire about the drum heads. Halfway through our garage sale I got a message on them.

A worship band pastor nearby in Hurst needed them for the church drums and asked if I would consider donating them to his church for a tax deduction. My heart sank. Our whole life felt like a tax deduction. I responded with the background – “I’m actually trying to sell them for my son who is raising money to purchase a digital kit to move back to Africa…”

Carl responded, “This is a God thing! We have a digital kit that needs an easy repair that we are looking to get rid of, and I think I’m supposed to pay it forward and give it to your son!” Hope rose in my throat.

I asked for pictures. Sunday morning he sent me pictures of the dusty digital kit sitting in their storage closet. I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was a Yamaha DTX kit! Of course it was! Oh me of little faith…

Joel traded his $80 of new drum heads for a used $500 digital kit. He brought it home, spent 10 minutes fixing the missing piece, and drummed away in the garage (his room was newly painted). God not only saw us and provided for us, but He saw Joel. He saw Joel’s willingness to give up things he loves to move back to the mission field. He sees. And He cares.

Joel’s “Drum Kit from God” is all packed away now to be shipped via sea freight from North Carolina. Pray blessings for Carl and his worship ministry in Hurst. Pray it all arrives safely and quickly on the other side! Praise the God who provides! He is awesome!

Weeping over Goodness

Music, Personal, Texas Culture

Other than Rich Mullins, the singer/songwriter who has had the deepest impact on my journey been Sara Groves. I own every album, and have never been disappointed in a new one. Her lyrics dig deep and don’t shy away from tough questions or topics. She has traveled East Africa with International Justice Mission near where we lived & worked. Her songs have spurred me through some very dark seasons.

Seeing that Sara doesn’t do commercial tours, and lives in Minnesota, I never dreamed I’d have the opportunity to hear her in person. But for one night, she came to Dallas with some friends to hang out & worship in Dallas. And it was free! Kent insisted that I go.

I have no words for how amazing the experience was for me. During her first 3 songs I sat and ugly cried right in the middle of the church. I was completely overcome at how many things God had arranged for me to be there. I was overcome with the Beauty in the music, in the acoustics, in the poetry… 

God didn’t need to give me the opportunity to see her on stage. We were almost never in the same country or state even. He didn’t need to make it a free concert where we as the audience spent much of the time lifting our voices together in 6 or 8-part harmonies. He didn’t have to clear Dallas traffic on a Sunday evening, or make the crowd small enough for extra seats. He just did. He knew what would bless me beyond measure.

And after my heart was filled & soul spent, we chatted with her in person! It was the cherry on top. I not only heard Sara Groves from the 10th row, but got to worship with a glorious group of musicians. We not only sang together, but got to fellowship afterward! I was speechless. Even 2 days later, I weep tears of gratitude for just how good God is – his Goodness to bless us with some of our deepest desires before we know to even ask.

He didn’t have to be so Good. 

But He is.

“He withholds no good thing from us.”