203rd Reflection💬

“The Lord’s patience, how to receive❓”

If we can’t do well today, take the chance He grants tomorrow.

……

15/11/2021 (Mon) 19:15 Room 303, Hong Kong International Institute of Music

Composition Studies I

Instructor said, “I want all of you now to write a melody based on this chord progression.”

Instructor said, “I want a 2-bar phrase, 8 bars, 4 phrases altogether.”

Instructor said, “You’re given 15 minutes. Hand it in to me immediately when you’ve completed it.”

15 minutes passed….

Instructor said, “Time’s up. Hand it in if you’ve completed it. If you’re still doing it, hand it in by next lesson.”

Classmates handed out their work one after another.

……

Another me said, “Why don’t you hand out your work?”

I said, “I’m still working on it.”

Another me said, “How much is left?”

I said, “A half, still 4 bars to go.”

Another me said, “As many as 4 bars to be done?”

I said, “Yes.”

Another me said, “Why are you so slow today?”

I said, “I’m so tired today.”

Another me said, “Why so tired?”

I said, “Yesterday morning, I had the Bible studies. Then around noon, I started teaching. In the evening, I took Pei Pei to the vet. And this morning, I started teaching again at 9. Finally, I got back to school by 7pm. I probably need some rest.”

Another me said, “I get how tired you are. But you’re given 15 minutes, only to find that you can’t even complete a 8-bar melody. Aren’t you too slow? You say you want to do composing later. But the work before releasing a piece of music involves not only melody composition, but also rhythmic pattern arrangement, harmonization, orchestration, mixing or even lyrics-writing and video-making. I don’t think you can get through all these at such a speed even though you stay awake all night long.”

I said, “As you say, it’s something later. Now I’m too tired to do any mind work.”

Another me said, “Not going to submit?”

I said, “Yes, I am, but tomorrow.”

Another me said, “You’ve got time tomorrow?”

I said, “Yes, I have. I teach at 2 p.m. tomorrow. After breakfast, I’ve still got around 4 hours.”

Another me said, “Do it tomorrow? It’s here today, but gone tomorrow!”

I said, “What are you hurrying to? Even the Lord doesn’t hurry me but allows me some more time to do it.”

Another me said, “I’m afraid you’ll eat your words. You’ll leave it undone even when the next lesson starts.”

I said, “Stop your lecture until you’ve found me do nothing tomorrow.”

……

15/11/2021 (Tue) 09:30 Band Room

I switched on my computer and start my composition.

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15/11/2021 (Tue) 10:47 Band Room

I completed my composition and sent my teacher the melody that I wrote.

Another me said, “Great job. You said it and you did it.”

I said, “Of course, in response to the great patience that the Lord shows me.”

Another me said, “What patience did the Lord show you?”

I said, “You hurried me but the Lord didn’t.”

Another me said, “When did I hurry you?”

I said, “I said, ‘do it tomorrow.” And you said, ‘It’s here today, but gone tomorrow!’ But the Lord’s given me a response different from yours. He’s granted me another free morning.”

Another me said, “Even if the Lord grants you 100 mornings, but if you don’t move on, it’ll just turn a waste..”

I said, “Hey, now that the Lord’s has shown so much patience as to grant me another morning. I took a good rest last night. This morning once I got power-up, I moved on.”