Pianos From Heaven

As Addie and I were playing the piano the other day (the photo was taken October 2008), it dawned on me that I (meaning my parents or me) have never had to buy a piano. Many years ago when we lived on Staten Island, a piano was offered to us. It was an old upright piano, the pedal didn't work, and some of the keys did not play, but I loved that piano. I worked so hard and practiced every day, and by the grace of God, I advanced very quickly in my piano lessons. Once, my piano teacher came to my house to give me a lesson and was shocked to see what I had been practicing on.

One day in youth group when prayer request time came up, I said that I wanted to become the best piano player in the world, and I think I mentioned our piano and its condition. Some of the kids laughed. One young man in particular went home and jokingly told his parents what my request had been. Their response was, "We have a piano here that no one is using. We'll let Suzette use it as long as her family lives in the area." The parents contacted my parents who gave me the news, and we gave our upright piano to my uncle who loved refurbishing old furniture. I was so excited the day that piano arrived! I now had a piano with all working parts to practice on! It was on that piano that I practiced and studied and worked my way into Westminster Choir College with my major in Music Education and my primary instrument being the piano. (Terry R., I have never forgotten the gift from your family and how many hours of joy that piano gave me.)

When we moved to Florida, we returned the piano to its rightful owners. Since we lived with my aunt and uncle for the first 8 months, I practiced on their piano. After we moved into our own home, I used the piano at the church to practice. When Brian and I were married, one of the things he wanted us to eventually buy was a piano. However, once again, God used someone to bless us with a piano. My in-laws were going to be moving into a newly built home and had no place to put their piano (it had been their 10 year anniversary gift to each other). Because they knew we had wanted to get a piano, they offered to give us their piano. And that is how we now have the piano that Addie and I were playing the other day.

All three pianos were blessings from God. All three pianos were given to us at just the right time. All three have served us very well. All three hold a special place in my heart... and I need to make more time to just sit and play.

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Here is another Paul Todd piano performance. I just had to put a piano arrangement here after a whole post on pianos!