Ark Valley News - Hope and hilarity

Hope and hilarity
By Chuck Terrill
Last Updated: August 06, 2015

We met Tiffany when her family began to attend our church. They were nice people. We enjoyed them. They were a little bit down on their luck, struggling financially, like so many young families do. But, they were keeping their heads up, and began to grow in the Lord.

One Sunday morning, Tiffany seemed a little withdrawn. I asked her if everything was "OK?" She shrugged, and didn't answer. So, pressing her, I asked again.

"I'm a fifth-grader this year," she said. "A lot of the kids are getting into band. I want to join the band, but we don't have the money for an instrument."

She shrugged again.

"Our son was in band," I said. "He played the trombone. He doesn't play it any more. I have it in a closet at our house. It might not seem like a girl's instrument, but if you want it, you can have it."

"Oh! I want it!" she said.

So the next day I delivered an old, slightly dented trombone to an excited ten year old girl.

Tiffany learned to play the trombone. She was first chair in the sixth grade. She was always first chair after that. She played that used trombone all the way through high school. She received advanced performance awards at every state music festival. Tiffany had gold medals on top of gold medals. And eventually, wonder of wonders, that old trombone won her a full ride scholarship to college!

It was just a dented, $50 trombone. It collected dust for years. But an enthusiastic ten year old girl blew the dust off it, and it took her all the way to college.

Maybe you have a musical instrument collecting dust. A whole new class of fifth-graders is about to receive the opportunity to join the band. One of them needs your instrument. Put it back into circulation. You have the ability to change a life forever. Why not?

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." (Hebrew 13:16)

Chuck Terrill is pastor of Valley Center Christian Church. He can be reached at chuck@valleycenterchristianchurch.org or 755-1233.