Austin, Texas: It’s a city nested in the hill country, with winding roads, too much traffic, and barbeque counters peppering the landscape. It owns decades of my memories, first experiences, and lessons learned. It’s also known as the Live Music Capital of the World and it’s my hometown of Austin, Texas. Growing up in Austin meant growing up with Tex-Mex, Longhorn Football, and live music everywhere. In Austin, there’s a soundtrack playing in every corner of the city—and my childhood home was no exception.
I was young, a girl of maybe 5 or 6, when I knew that my father was the best guitarist that ever lived. He would strum his Martin acoustic guitar in the living room or show me his old Telecaster and I’d light up. Clearly, these instruments were worth millions of dollars and, as hyperbolic as it sounds, there had never been a cooler dude than my dad, the former lead guitarist of the hit 1980s garage band “Hot Ice.”
I was a teenager when my dad gave me a treasure that I still use regularly today: my acoustic guitar. I remember learning to play and writing music in my room. When I’d master a new strum pattern or write a new song, I’d race down the stairs to the living room and play for my dad. He’d coach me or pat me on the back, and I’d run back to my room to practice more. Looking back, that was probably disruptive while he was trying to watch football, but he never complained.
The way I look up to my dad and the way we share a passion for music together has changed me more than he will ever know. I believe that God’s love for us looks a lot like this. That when we are learning and growing, He is there to coach us and give us a pat on the back before we go back and practice some more. We aren’t interrupting God when we show him our progress, give Him thanks, and get excited about sharing with Him. Instead it’s an opportunity to grow even closer to Him.
Beth Armstrong, Director of Welcoming Ministry
