Last week We took a family trip to Knott’s berryfarm. Veronica invited a friend –Thank you Henry for being willing to ride the roller coasters!—and a good time was had by all. At the end Chris and Veronica went on the log ride one las time, so Henry and I kept each other company.
I told him I like to talk about books. He was interested and he had been in Veronica’s English class, so we talked about those. He said his dad loved Russian literature. By the end I was persuading him to read Crime and Punishment.
I said it was the story of how a loser young man persuaded himself that he was above the rules of regular people and could prove his own greatness by murdering someone. He talked himself into actually doing the crime in the most unheroic way possible and then had all the feelings of what he’d done. I told him I spoiled what the crime was, but the punishment was almost entirely what he inflicted on himself.
“That does sound interesting. My Dad would be so happy if I I read that book.”
This Sunday I played keyboard at church for a guest worship leader. As we exchanged stories I learned that he has been around music his whole life, and worked as part of the production crew for Earth Wind and Fire.
I told him how I was self-taught on the keys, and I started playing for church on the organ as a teenager.

“That’s one thing I never learned! I’d love to learn the organ.”
“I could show you!”
Walking away, I realized my presumption.

Who am I to teach this man who has been around world class musicians?
I am nothing special.
I spent some time playing with it, like a little kid.
And I suppose that is my point. I can share my love of music and books with people for whatever it’s worth to them. I’ll share my bit of heaven with you.

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. “
Matthew 18:3