Pit Stop

Six months ago my body broke. Or rather, I broke my body down to the point I had to stop. I was so broke the pain of even walking brought me to tears. I had to stop working my painting prep job, I had to stop working out, I had to stop. I was in such pain the only thing I could do was rest.

Last year this time I took a job working for a house painting company owned by friends. Needed make ends meet after spending all summer using my savings and time to start my new business to teach jazz combo classes to adults.

While working stayed focues on playing saxophone and getting the ball rolling to populate my business. I made attempts to set up gigs, continued teaching and prayed for guidance in getting things going. I had hope that I would be able to move forward and build my business while having a day job. Over time I began to feel sad and dead at the end of my work day. I began to feel worse and worse by making my body do all the things painting preparation requires. After ten months of saving up money and unknowingly physically damaging my body I was forced to stop due to the pain in my back and legs.

A Sunday following the big break down while at church I was in so much pain all I could do was lay on the foyer floor in tears. Two young missionaries saw me and asked if I needed a priesthood blessing. I said yes! In the blessing the words of comfort where spoken and I was promised that my body would heal. I received the strong impression that I needed this experience for a reason.

Why? Because the Lord knows me. He knows that I will keep my nose to the grinding wheel when it’s unnecessary. He wanted me to change my approach. I needed to ditch the day job and I wouldn’t have left had I been physically able to keep it up.

The following weeks I all I could do was heal and process all my feelings from being in constant extreme pain. The only thing I could really do during this time was play saxophone without pain. After about 6 weeks I started to be a semi- functional person. Even though I had some income from teaching and random subbing gigs, I thought it was probably time to go back to work painting while looking for a less physically damaging job.

The only thing that sounded remotely good was working at a grocery store. In June I applied to a few grocery stores including Winco where employees must be available any day of the week any time of the day. This didn’t sound so good to me. Just thought of stalking shelves in the middle of the night or standing at a cash register for hours at a time made my back hurt. Several days later I was notified that I did not get the job. Thank goodness.

During this time I was able to do some reduced hours of paint work, but my body continued to break down and I developed unavoidable pain again.

I had the feeling that all I needed to do was focus on playing and teaching music. This is what I was put here to do and the Lord was showing me by my desires and thoughts to just do music. That’s all I was actually able to physically do without getting hurt.. Everything else broke me, emotionally and physically. Music all I have ever wanted to do. The Lord was letting me know that He was going to help this happen.

At the beginning of July I officially put in my final notice at the paining job. I had to stop. I applied to work at Trader Joe’s because I didn’t want to run out of money. After an interview I was turned down. This was odd to me. The Lord spoke peace to my soul and I was not worried. I knew I had some teaching work coming up in August once school started. I just needed to make it through July. So I completely put it into to Lords hands. I was doing all that I could be and I told Him it was in His hands..

Eleven days after quiting my job I got a call to sub on a gig playing Baritone and Alto Sax in a 10 piece funk/soul/R&B band called Return Flight Band. I said yes. After the gig they invited me to audition on Tenor Saxophone. This turned into a permanent position in the band. The first month with the band we gigged every weekend playing one, two or three shows. After each gig I was paid more than was promised or expected. Several gigs paid us twice as much as they had guaranteed. The other band members commented how unusual this was. Little did they know that I regularly pay my tithing. The Lord made it work and is making it work all the time.

Last night I played as a sub in the Ellen Whyth Blues band. It was her big birthday bash. I had a fantastic time, met incredible people and yes, I got paid well, because right now I need it and the Lord has promised He will provide. And I pay my tithing.

On my way home, I stopped by Winco for some needed groceries. At one a.m. it’s the only thing open. As I walked through the store, in my gig clothes, feeling good about the days work of teaching and playing. I picked out my items and I looked around at all the people working hard to stalk the shelves and thought to myself, this could be me. And there I was, a pocket full of money, with the things I needed, living a musician. Not in a grocery store. It could have been me stalking those shelves. If it where up to me, I would have fallen into to the easy path of just getting a job, instead of choosing to walk the path of faith.

The workings of life which I attribute to the Lord Jesus Christ, brought me to a stop. To get fixed and to start new. To get back on the right track. Had I gotten the job at Winco I wouldn’t have cried out with total faith in action (by not moving) for the Lord to help me follow my path as a working musician. The Lord blesses me so richly.

I am grateful that the Lord directs my paths in all things. Yes. Sometimes a pit stop is necessary. It’s not over, it is starting over. And with the Lord, it’s starting over in the best possible way.