November 20 – “The Accordion”

I began work today on a powerpoint about the storm and how it has affected my family and Seaside.  I speak at a church in Houston Sunday, and that's what they want to hear – that and how they can help.  While I was working on it a pastor called and interviewed me about that same thing.  He wanted to share it with his congregation and asked if I had a powerpoint or something he could use.  "Almost," was my answer.    We did go to the church this afternoon after Jay came and picked up Mom.  She's spending Thanksgiving with him.  At first Chris and I both had one of those "So what do we do next?" moments we have come to know so well.  We had decided to work with the stuff in the backyard, but where to start?  We raked up another bag of leaves together.  Then she waded in with one pile of salvageables while I cleaned a few tools.  Boring.  Depressing.   Then I remembered something.  Our neighbors with the red tagged house had asked us to go through their house and take out anything we wanted to salvage.  We hadn't taken the time to do that yet.  An adventure.  A return to what it was like two weeks after Ike instead of two months.  The mess.  The smell.  I couldn't wait.   We saw an outdoor dog cage folded up in the garage.  Look out, Heidi and Fritz, you better not get out again.  Chris found some corning ware dishes in the kitchen.  I crawled into the attic and found a box of toy cars, a German-English pocket dictionary, and a Doodle Poodle.  Remember those?  You use a magnet to move some metal shavings over a picture and give it hair or a moustache.  Lots of fun.  But the most intriguing thing we found by far was an accordion.  It had belonged to our neighbor's Mom.  Not a toy one, now – the real thing.  It had been in the water, and it looked like they had spread it out to try and salvage it.  Still had mold on the straps.  We decided to see what we could do with it.  When I picked it up to look at the other side, I kind of squeezed it, and it made a sound.  So I did it again.  More music.  I pushed some buttons – carefully, mind you, because one had already fallen off – and the notes changed.   This whole accordion thing caught my fancy.  Squeeze and pull, back and forth, push a button here and there to change the sound.  But which button makes what sound?  How long do you hold it down?  Can you ever stop squeezing and pulling?  Wait a minute.  This could be hard work.  But once you know what you're doing, the accordion has the most fun sound of just about any instrument.  Inspires monkeys, right?  Makes you want to dance.   Once you figure out this Christian life thing, with its Bible Study button, and prayer button, and relationships button, and church button – once you get into the hard work part and make it who you are – Christianity is fun, too!   Psalms 33:1-3 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.   Father, help us be patient as you turn this accordion life of ours from a chore into a joy.  Amen.