Yesterday as I sat down to play my fiddle, I heard “ping” and then my “A” string went a little sour, I tightened it and tuned it and a few seconds later, “ping”- it was out even more! As I tuned it again, the “D” string decided it was not getting the attention it desired. “Ping!” again. Are you serious? Then I happened to think about the location of my fiddle, it had been sitting close the gas fire place, which because of the cold temperatures had been kicking on more than usual. The warmth had likely caused the wood to contract and expand allowing my tuning pegs to slip. A little TLC on the “D” string and Old Joe Clark sounded as good as it ever did (insert grin here).

This morning as I awoke and began to ponder the day I began thinking about those slipping pegs. I had moved my fiddle to the other side of the room away from the toasty fire; if only my out of tune life would be so easy to get back into shape. It goes out of tune for the same reason, too close the fire. Troubles and trials seem to travel in groups and one after another I find myself sounding a little sour. It doesn’t take long to hear that “Ping” in life that almost has your string unwound from the peg completely. Something so simple, can push you over the edge.

I’m by no means a seasoned fiddle player, but I knew enough to not get in a panic (although my heart fluttered a little) when I heard the string slip. There was no need to jump to the conclusion that my fiddle playing days were over and I should take up another instrument. That would be the Esau theory of life.

If Esau played the fiddle he would have likely thrown the fiddle away, quit playing music all together. In the story of Esau and Jacob, grandsons to the great Abraham, the friend of God, we find a dose of stupidity for which I can relate. I too have often made decisions in the heat of the moment and then later thought, why on earth did I do that? Esau had been out hunting and was tired and cranky and in a split second decision gave away the blessing of God, the position of authority, his inheritance and privilege as the first born that would have set him up for a sweet life.

Genesis 25:29-32 ~ And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

Jacob is referred to as the deceiver, but I don’t think that title came from this occasion. He later deceived his blind father with the help of his mother (Genesis 27), but in this story Esau was not deceived he sold his birthright to Jacob without quarrel. For a momentary pleasure of a bowl of soup he gave away the blessings of God that would have set him up for life.

How many times have I in the “ping” of the moment made a life altering decision? Too many to count. A new found friend of mine in social media, Sandi Krakowski said the other day that she uses the 7-7-7 theory of decision making. What difference will this decision make in 7 hours, 7 days, 7 months? If Esau had ask himself that question, he’d have gotten his own bowl of soup. But instead he started his life on bad decisions. He later grieved his parents by marrying into the family of Ishmael, another bad decision.

Are you in the midst of a decision? Think it through and use Sandi’s 7-7-7 theory. I used it this week, it works and could save you some serious heartache down the road.

Don’t throw the fiddle away, it makes beautiful music in the Master’s hand. My hand? not so much…