“…But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.” Jonah 2:6
In elementary, middle, and high school, I was in the band and – let me tell you – I hated it. You see, when I was in 5th grade, all students were given the opportunity to choose between band or drama class. I wasn’t particularly interested in either. But my mom had other plans. I was given a clarinet and sent off to band. At first, I didn’t mind it. I was learning to read music and I had a lot of friends in band too. Then as we progressed into 6th &7th grade, I began to push back against my mom. It wasn’t “cool” and all-around I didn’t care for it because it required mandatory practicing and I was absolutely out on that.
No matter how hard I tried to quit, my mom never let me. Arguing each year, all the way up through my senior year. I tried every way out of playing at football games I could think of and eventually succeeded by being an athletic trainer for the football team – I got Honorable Mention all-state for Athletic Training too! When I practiced my clarinet and worked hard doing the tasks assigned to me by my band director, I did well and enjoyed it, and even placed “first chair” a number of times.
As I reflect on this now as a parent, I understand why my mom was so adamant about learning an instrument and the skills gleaned from it. I taught myself how to play the piano – a skill I have since lost from lack of use, but I can still read music. I have learned tenacity and resiliency.
Somehow, I find myself comparing parts of my story to Jonah when God called him to go to Nineveh. Jonah tried with all his might and searched for any way out of going and following God’s directions. Eventually, God forced his hand with the big fish, to which Jonah realized God wasn’t going to give in to his whims, as Jonah had an important job to do. What is God calling you, or leading you to do? Are you avoiding it, running away from it, or fighting it?
– Mandi Moon, Director St. Luke’s Children’s Center
