The Velveteen Guitar Incident

So, I had a horrible thing happen this past week. I picked up my backpack-style guitar case that I thought was zipped shut... and it wasn't. I slung it onto my back not realizing anything was wrong until I heard the clashing wood and resonating sound of my guitar smashing onto the floor. Can you say, "Groanings that can't be uttered?!" The timing was impeccable too; it happened just a few minutes before I was supposed to lead worship and speak on the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives! Nothing gets a preacher's heart rate going like a good distraction right before he speaks. Nothing gets a guitarist's heart rate going like seeing his broken guitar lying on the floor right before he's supposed to lead worship with it!

Since I didn't have any backup guitars handy (I was just supposed to do an acoustic guitar-only set for 20 minutes - not the kind of set during which one usually breaks strings! Stop chuckling, honey.) I did the only thing I could think of: I tuned up the broken guitar to see if it would still work, plugged it in and gave it a whirl. Amazingly, the guitar, with two splits in the top, a piece of it protruding at an ungainly angle and a brace piece completely broken off sounded... wonderful. I actually received compliments on how great it sounded that night!

Anyone who has seen my old Seagull S6 guitar knows that it's anything but pretty. It has "been through the war" so to speak which is why its affectionate nickname for years has been Velveteen Rabbit. The scratches, nicks and worn places are ugly to say the least. In spite of its worn looks and its new challenges I couldn't imagine getting rid of this guitar. No way!! I hand picked it years ago even though it had a mar in the finish, because of the amazing tone I could produce through the instrument. That sound and tone have only improved with age. (Sorry, to all of you who were hoping to get your grubby mitts on my Rabbit!) My intent is to make the investment to make sure I can keep playing and worshiping with my Velveteen Rabbit for years to come.

Does that just sound like an eccentric musician? (Okay, of course it sounds like an eccentric musician!) But can you hear a familiar ring to this story? I do. It's also the story of our amazing God who hand picks us in spite of our flaws and imperfections because of the "sound" He has chosen to create through us. He brings us through the scratches, the dents, and even the devastation of life's struggles, and He loves us every moment of the way. He has already payed the highest possible price to redeem us from destruction!

Oh, by the way... The Velveteen Guitar Incident has produced another new and exciting opportunity for me. I purchased a brand new Taylor 314ce guitar that is entirely different than my Seagull. The tone is different, the fret board feels different... it's just different, in the best kind of way. I'm loving every minute of it (except maybe the bill!) and look forward to new songs being written on each of these great guitars and new worship experiences yet to be discovered with each of them. And I love how God can use a silly guitar accident to reveal Himself and His ways to me.

Now, to make sure I don't drop this one...