What was I going to do?  I guess just smile and carry on.

I lead worship in my church every Sunday morning from a nice, shiny black grand piano.  Feels good just to be sittin’ at it.  I just love the sight, smell, and feel of a great piano.

It was the end of service, and as I was playing, one of my piano strings snapped.  It flew across several more strings, in between a couple hammers, and a whole new sound was created altogether.  It was a bit buzzy sounding.

Not only was a very important key gone, but because of it lying in between those other hammers, I was missing other keys as well.  It felt like pressing the brake pedal in your car, and nothing would happen.  Scary for a musician!

My left-brained ways kicked in trying to figure out how to remedy this situation.

I could jump up and run over to that electric keyboard that I so love (sarcasm inserted here), but that would create an awkward pause, and the people would see me shuffle across the platform.  I thought about signaling to the sound guy, and having him play a CD.  But he might play the wrong song.  There’s nothing like the wrong song to ruin a great moment.

I decided to just sit tight.  Who would notice, right?

About that time, my wife comes walking up and whispers to me, “I think there’s something wrong with your piano.”  I replied to her with a nice big grin, and continued playing. 

She looked at me as if I was kind of loco, you know, like… did you not just hear me?  I bet she wondered if I even realized what was happening.  Then I realized most of the congregation was acutely aware.

So I rolled with it.  They rolled with it.  It was as if everyone gave that ‘hmm, okay’ shrug. And we went on with the service.

My string hasn’t been replaced yet.  Only one place in the entire country makes a string for that particular piano… at least that’s what the piano string guy told me.

I’m ready for my string.  Those press-the-brake moments are a real downer for a worship leader!