She taught me the Bells

“If I could only hit this ‘P’ on this typewriter, maybe I could type my name!”

As a budding teen, I regularly visited my dad’s office, working on my skill! Finally I could type my name!

One day he asked if I would like to type an address on an envelope, so it could be mailed to a donor to encourage support of our family as missionaries. I had often helped with other aspects of mailing, but typing the addresses on envelopes was adventure!

It took so long, however, to get one envelope done. Wrong keys! All of them piled in the upward position!

But, oh I wanted to please mom and dad! I soon spent a lot of time in the afternoons, after school, addressing envelopes. I didn’t know it, but God was preparing for a larger focus.

After we re-located to the United States, my mother continued to encourage my sister and I in music, as she had done during our missionary service. The Lord had provided the wife of a co-missionary to teach my sister and I basic music theory.

Unfortunately, I was more interested in the typewriter, than the piano. Amazingly I did enough to keep my mother happy.

In the Christian High School, located where we finally settled, I took the elective typing class, ending up being the fastest in class!

The Lord, however, had other plans. He also wanted me involved in music. This was much more about Him, than me. The pastor of the church where we attended had me play Sunday school choruses. I listened to his wife play, and followed the simple melodies in song books. Soon I was doing well enough to give a little pitch and form to excited children as they sang.

My interest grew. My parents paid a teacher to help. Sadly, she was not able to motivate me to the self-disciplined approach that had accompanied my work on the typewriter.

That is, until God prompted her about the “Bells”.

Suddenly during one lesson she said, “If you will practice, I will teach you the bells!” She then played the most beautiful series of notes on the piano that I had ever heard, sounding like church bells.

Absolutely amazed, I promised myself that I would prove worthy of being taught those bells! The next week, I climbed the steps of the large, vintage mansion, excitedly. She led me past the array of pianos for sale, to the one at the back that she used to teach on. Oddly enough, pianos now attracted me more than before! I wanted one of my own some day!

After listening, and correcting me, she said, “You’ve done alright, I’ll teach you the bells.”

She then told me how to hold my fingers, and where to put them. I was to strike the notes in a firm staccato fashion, while holding the expression pedal down. Within a short time, I had begun to make a sound like bells!

From then on, my ears seemed tuned to another world. The “music of the spheres” in, “This is my Father’s world”, had spoken to my spirit! Did the typewriter journey relate to the music?

From then on I played for different reasons, sometimes even for an hour or two, often playing improvisations on my own. My mother told me how good it sounded.

I accompanied quartets, trios, and the College Choir during High School and College. I often played instruments in the churches I pastored, not to mention weddings and funerals. I have also taught and recorded music.

Typing skills led me to electronic typewriters, computers, and corporate office machinery. These skills helped to support my wife and I over the years. It was music that captured my spirit, tuned my heart, and the heart of others to the music of heaven itself.

I had pleased my parents, and I had pleased God. I recognized Him in the bells. Even my mother’s dying statement was, “I just heard Paul playing the piano.” We were continents apart at the time!

“Delight yourself in the Lord . . . He will give you your heart’s desire.” Psalm 37:4.