Unstrung

“Unstrung“

“I may be unstrung but I’m not undone.  I’m praising the Lord and I’m having fun!”

Unstrung by Pain

I wrote this song during a 5 year period of time when I was unable to play my guitar due to chronic pain in my hands.  This was a very difficult time for me. Not only did it feel like I had lost a part of me (I had played the guitar since I was 8 years old), but the never-ending pain soaked up all my energy.

Becoming more and more depressed about life, I finally decided to write an acapella song.  I needed to feel empowered to sing a song on my own without any instruments required.  In my Orcadians Choir and Chansons Jazz Choir, at Shorecrest High school (Go Scots!!), I learned how to sing many acapella songs and knew I could do it.   So, I wrote this song as a gift for myself  to lift my spirits up when the pain in my hands would bring me down.

In the past the guitar had become my way of communicating my feelings.  Without the guitar, but with a friend, I was able to discover that I could be very musical through writing and singing songs.  The inability to play guitar forced me to stretch and discover my song writing skills.  After 5 years of writing songs without the guitar, my husband encouraged me to try playing again just a little bit to see how it would go.

At first I was resistant because I didn’t think I could survive the disappointment if I couldn’t play. However, the desire to play again ran so deep within, I just had to give it a try!  After a few minutes of playing–and then a few minutes more–I just about fell over.  It seemed that there was a chance I could play again! Over time I gradually built up my little hand muscles enough to be able to play multiple songs again. Now I can play for a couple hours!

Restrung by Hope

I am so grateful to all those who prayed for me over the years when I had run out of hope, myself.  Sometimes we need to keep hope alive for others until they are able to hope again! My story reminds me of the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him through the roof down to Jesus so he could be healed. My friends and family raised my prayers up to God continuously for me when I couldn’t.

Even though my hands are not fully recovered I am incredibly grateful!  I have been given a second chance to do my favorite thing – accompany myself on the guitar while singing for myself and others.

The most important things I learned from this experience is, be grateful for each day and that no matter how bad things get it isn’t necessarily the end of the story!

Have you ever experienced having something very important “taken away” from you?  Have you ever got to the point of feeling hopeless?  Did you share your burden with someone else so they could help you?  How did it go?  Are you still hanging on?

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