Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. – Ephesians 5:18-19

Right now Rebekah and I are occupying that transition point between moving in and settling in. The boxes are mostly unpacked, but not completely, and we are beginning the process of hanging pictures and curtains and blinds and more. Plaster walls, by the way, have greatly added to the challenge.

In my study, and especially with the fact that we have almost no storage, I have been wrestling with what to do with my guitar collection. I want accessibility, but there is not enough wall space to hang them all.

It is a beautiful space that I absolutely love (we believe that, in the original 1870s configuration, this room was “The Parlor”) but with three enormous windows, a fireplace and two doors it’s a challenge to design.

So the solution… drumroll, please… turns out to be this really cool stand that holds them all. Now I can put the cases in storage, enjoy seeing and playing my guitars and hang actual pictures on my wall.

It’s about more than looking at them…

I have two additions in mind and my collection will be essentially done. First, I want to switch out the “seen better days” classical guitar for a quality instrument, then I have my eye on a custom Koa Taylor T5 hybrid. But guitars are more than just beautiful works of art, I am going to have to put some more time into playing to justify any more investment at this point.

I think – and this is the real point of this post – my challenge going forward is summed up in the idea of looking at my guitars versus playing them; sitting on the front porch versus staying engaged with the world; joining a church versus being a disciple; reading books or still writing them; not just enjoying this amazing world but changing it too.

Yes, we kind of addressed these ideas by restoring this home. But it doesn’t stop here.

Sure I’m going to relax and make good use of this amazing space, but at the same time I have to continue to grow.

Maybe I need to learn how to play that mandolin after all… – DEREK