How Much Does It Eat?

Overnight, it seems, our teenage son exchanged his K'Nex guitar for the real thang...an electric bass.

And, of course, with that comes the need for an amp. He had a very small one on loan from a friend---which I might add, seemed sufficient enough to me. Afterall, sound came out of it...what more do you need?

My men, however, seem to have a quiet understanding...an unspoken language all their own. A small amp like that was somewhat laughable, I guess. As with their power tools, they need power, weight, grit, VOLUME. Imagine Tim "the Toolman" Taylor here...

Needless to say, despite the fact that I was somewhat clueless about the whole thing, I sought to be supportive as they began their quest for the dream amp. They researched the internet, made calls, wrote emails. They talked to friends and got input and advice. And they settled upon the golden boy of all amps.

Long story short, though they found a great online price, the shipping costs were prohibitive. My husband made a call to a music store in another city, inquiring about their prices. Wouldn't you know? They had THE amp my men were looking at, ON SALE through the following day...for a price waaaaay lower than the guys had originally seen it. I'm talking BIG BUCKS SAVINGS!

And so, with the money our son had allocated for this purchase, in addition to the funds his dad and me threw in for an early birthday present, the amp found a home.

Now, I don't know much about this large black box in the corner of our son's room. But I do know this: it's big. I'm thinking about charging it rent. I gotta laugh when I see our son lugging all 65 pounds of it to his praise band practices...or better yet, when I see two guys working together to carry it.

I also know that it has a lot of little dials and buttons and stuff. I'm familiar with (and care about) only the one dial labeled "Volume." It goes from 1-10. Let me just say, much to his chagrin, our son has yet to have it above the .5 mark in our home. And even then, you'd think an earthquake had struck the midwest.

As much as this whole experience has been somewhat confusing to the sole girl in this houseful of guys, I find myself watching in amazement as the benefits and the blessings unfold.

First of all, our son has been reminded of the value of hard work; he's learned the value of saving for a larger purchase. He's learning how to use wisdom and discernment in making choices and decisions. What is good? What is better? What is best? He's learning what he's passionate about. I love listening to him practice and watching the diligence with which he pursues this interest. I love the fact that he's making phone calls to his friends regarding practice times; that he's showing leadership in pulling people together. But most of all, I love that the music he selects brings honor and glory to his Savior, the One he's chosen to pursue and follow with his life.

The newly formed jr. high band will be leading in worship at our youth takeover night next Wednesday evening. And I gotta say...I can't wait!