Music; Therapy To The Soul

A friend of a friend of my sister Tenielle's made me a cd of him playing the piano which she brought home with her last week.  He addressed it "to someone I don't know who is fighting cancer.  Life is precious.  Pain is temporary.  Love is forever.  God is forever. Family's are forever.  Music is Eternal".  What a sweet thing from a total stranger.  It is absolutely the most beautiful cd and has given me so much comfort and peace, especially at night as I listen to it when I go to bed.  I am so grateful for the talents of others that have affected my life through this ordeal.  When I was in the hospital my mom brought her Ipod and would play instrumental music to calm me and help me sleep.  I am grateful my mom instilled the importance of good music in my life.  For years she carted us to fiddle and piano lessons and spent years listening to us practice, took us to our performances and lessons.  Last week mom told me I needed to play the piano.  I have started to listen to her when she tells me to do something, because I know she is right.  If she didn't tell me to do things, I'd probably sit and sulk.  I played for a while, but had a hard time playing anything fancy because it hurts to move too much.  I also played a little when Nick was here.  I need to play more; I know music is therapeutic to the soul.  Today in church we sang How Firm A Foundation.  I love to sing and play that song.  An old boyfriend (really the old boyfriends have come around through this ordeal) sent me an email a few weeks ago with the words from the last verse.  "Fear not I am with thee oh be not dismayed, for I am thy God and will still give thee aid;  I'll strengthen thee help thee and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand."  I feel the comfort and peace that comes from those words and know that in this trial God is with me and will give me the strength for me to get through this trial.  I'm grateful for music, for the love I have for it and the peace that the Lord gives me through the hymns of the church.