Like Mother, Like Daughter

(This morning...whispers at the church piano...)

Me: Remember, if you make a mistake, it's just fine...

The Girl: ...because everybody here loves me.

So, so, so much pride. This morning, The Girl played piano for a non-parent/non-grandparent audience for the first time! She was darling - she's been working on The First Noel for a couple of weeks, and her book includes an accompaniment, so this morning during the offertory I motioned her over and she marched proudly up to the piano and she played it just perfectly.

And it was the perfect venue, too. A first performance should be all about excitement and no fear. I can't think of a better place than with a church filled with smiling faces, all ready to come up to her during refreshment time and tell her what a great job she did.

Funnily enough, I know exactly how she feels. Because I had my "first" performance today, too. Well, first time being the solo pianist for the entire morning. Ever since that fateful day that we got a piano and I started fumbling my way through praise band songs, I've been working up to this. No back-up band, no safe and easy chords, no loosey-goosey praise songs. Just me and the piano and way too many sharps.

Worse was the "Children's Christmas Choice" on the morning's agenda - I worried about that one all week. I knew one of those gremlins would pick It Came Upon a Midnight Clear with its semitone craziness. But, lovely girl that she is, The Girl shouted out Hark the Herald Angels Sing - ha! It's in G! And I rocked it!

(The Husband thinks I planted her. Totally not guilty.)

Was I amazing? No, not really. Did I play every note. Heck no - I tried to play three at a time (sorry tenors) and aimed for a 75 percent accuracy rate.

And was it just fine and did people thank me for playing anyway?

Yup. Because everyone there loves me.