Being a mom filled so many holes in my heart. It was by far the sweetest season of my life, and being a boy mom (X3!) was the icing on the cake. Raising my sons was a ministry for me. I tried to honor God in each and every way that I parented them. It was, for sure, my greatest purpose in life.
It is incredible how fast those sweet years went by. Four years ago, when Coby, our youngest, moved off to college, my world as I had known for 27 years came to a screeching halt. The silence in our home seemed so foreign. We were used to hearing the regular sounds of guitar and drums being played, doors opening and shutting, feet running up and down the stairs, and laughter coming from the boys' rooms as they entertained each other with comedy and silliness. Those were the sounds that made me feel at home, where I love to be the most, but I loved being home the most because of those sounds!
Then suddenly, "crickets". Sure, Dave and I talked and the TV was generally on in the background, but the void of all the energy in our home that we had grown accustomed to was stifling. I am not good at being idle. I needed a new purpose! I prayed for months and asked The Lord to show me what my new purpose would be. Where was I supposed to serve now? I had no idea what I was supposed to do now that my primary mom duties had ended. I needed something to focus on that would be intentional, useful and purposeful for Him. I didn't want to waste the gift of time in this new season.
One day, I found myself dusting the drum kit in Coby's room for the 1,468+1/2 time 😉. I was home alone, and thought, "I wonder if I could play if I tried?" I sat down and gave it a whirl. Shew..it was so much harder than it seemed like it should be! You have to make all four limbs doing 4 separate things at once! But, like learning to ride a bike, one day a few weeks in something sort of clicked and I started getting it...just the basics...but I could actually keep up a bit, with slow songs at least! This was a fun new hobby, something to do for fun and to fill the time I had alone.
I practiced vigilantly, secretly, so I could surprise my boys one day. I finally confessed to Dave that I was spending at least half of my off days playing drums. He was excited for me to be learning something new, so we made our first trip to Campbell's Music to buy me my own sticks (you wouldn't believe how many different types and weights of sticks exist!). That same day, I got asked to join a secular band. I declined the offer, mostly because I was a 57 year old granny, but also because the guy who invited me to join the band looked like a 1980s burnt out rocker who might have had a pretty rough life 😂. Later on, I thought about how cool it would have been to not tell the boys, but invite them one night to go see a band and then get up on stage with them and play just to see my boys' reactions!
By that point, I was feeling like I was getting my bearings a little bit and actually craved my drum time if I got busy and couldn't play. It was around that same time that Coby came home one weekend to pick up his drum kit to take back to Murfreesboro. What?? How could he do that to me?! A drum kit isn't a cheap purchase, and I figured it was ridiculous to buy my own kit just to play for fun. I assumed my drumming was coming to an end, much to the neighbors' delight, I'm sure!
I had went into drumming as a hobby, something good for me to do for fun, exercise and a personal challenge. But, God had other plans! The following Sunday after Coby took his kit home, Dave asked a musician at our church to be on the lookout for a cheap, used kit for me. At the exact time they were discussing it, our pastor walked by them. He backed up and asked, "Did you say you're looking for a drum kit? I have one in my basement that was given to my son, and we just recently said we need to pass it forward since he didn't really get into it. It's yours if you want it!"
That night, Dave told me to get my shoes on and meet me in the car. I had no idea where we were going. We pulled into the pastor's driveway, and I immediately assumed Dave had decided that we were going to do a tile job or hang some sheetrock since they had been doing some remodeling. I went in expecting him to take me to where the work needed to be done. Instead, our pastor led me to the basement and presented me with my first, very own free drum kit!
There was something about getting my own kit that made me step it up and work harder. I watched YouTube instructional videos, played along with recorded music and learned simple fills from Facebook reels. By that time, I had told my boys I was playing and they coached me a little, and sometimes critiqued me a little too. It was fun getting to play along on drums as they played guitar and bass.
A few Sundays after I got my own kit, Dave was chatting with our worship pastor. As I stepped up to join the conversation, our worship pastor mentioned that most of the band's drummers had either left for college, because of work schedules or other things. They were struggling to keep up the rotation with so few drummers. Dave slowly looked over at me with a look like, "It's time!", and I was terrified! Our worship leader asked if I play, and I reluctantly said yes. I knew without a doubt that all of that..the time to try, the donated drum kit, the opportunity to join the band...that was God answering my prayer and showing me where I'm meant to serve.
Being in the band has been such a blessing, even more than imagined it would be. I've made lots of great band friends, all who have been so encouraging, patient and helpful as I'm learning the ropes. Playing in the band has made me listen to the songs on such a deeper level, and being immersed in the music is a whole new level of worship for me. Each person I play with has a huge heart for Jesus and for how they worship Him. There are no egos in our band at all, and I love that! It's all about Jesus and coming together to make a joyful noise unto Him! I still have a long way to go to even begin compare to the other drummers on our team, but I know that worship music can have such an incredible impact on those listening. Even despite my many mistakes, God still uses our worship band to minister to the congregation and to bring glory to Him through the music we bring.
No matter what season of life you're in now, it will inevitably change at some point. God has a specific place for you to serve from where you are now, and He will have a plan for you when you get to the next season as well. Pray now for The Lord to show you and lead you as your life goes through changing times, and see what comes your way. It may go in a direction than you would ever begin to dream on your own. You may find a place you weren't even looking for, but it'll be a place you will love! The One Who created you already knows your potential, and He will lead you to your next purpose. There, you'll learn to march to a different drum 😉.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Romans 8:28 (KJV)
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
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