You Know You Are a Musician When. . .

You know you are a musician when…

You keep your fingernails as short as possible. When most of your friends know how to play an instrument. When you wonder if you are going to need to take your instrument on this next vacation. When you go around singing the count of a timing on a song you just buckled down on. When you tell the banjo player to keep the borrowed tuner with him to save the asking. When you cringe just a little until the mandolin player gets the strings in unison during tuning. When you understand what a musician means when he is figuring out a note and says, “Good Boys Do Fine Always” or “All Cows Eat Grass.” Or when you ask a young learner what the note is, and they shout out “Cows! C!” When you find your fingers playing the air piano along with the pianist. 

When it is very difficult to watch an overhead projection of the pianist when the sound is a fraction of a second off from his hands. When random people you don’t even know ask if you brought your instrument with you. When you are humming the double shuffle of the Orange Blossom Special to the beat of the shaking of the salt over the food you are preparing. 

When five sisters whistle tunes with harmony while working in the kitchen together. Or similarly, when your family sings altogether while cleaning up the kitchen after a meal. When your fingertips are calloused, and occasionally peel off. 

When there are enough instruments to go around for everyone at family get togethers, even toddlers play an extra ukelele, drum, harmonica, or shaker. When you come up from the barnyard to pick up your fiddle and plunk around to find that new lick that fits perfectly into the song you were just running through your head. When you find your free time almost always pertains to music in some way or another. 

When you try to listen closely and count just how many instruments are playing in that song on the radio. When the famous Ricky Skaggs is in your family tree, and Mamaw (whose maiden name is Skaggs) tells you to play and “make good ole Uncle Ricky proud.” (He is a distant cousin.) When you have a rough estimate of fifty instruments in your house. When you just love playing for the Lord and serving others along the way through music.

Being an instrumentalist is so exciting! You never know where your instrument will take you. There is an amazing joy and fulfillment that comes with being a musician. I am so blessed to be in a family that is full of them. Making music to praise the Lord is my goal when I play whether for an audience or not. There is always an audience of One. Psalm 101:1 says, “I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to You, oh Lord, I will make music." Psalm 33:3 “Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.” Yes, I am happy to be a musician!

~Jayla