Jeanne Sparks Prays About Her Studio

Jeanne Sparks, piano teacher, shares how she has effectively prayed to maintain a safe, pure, beautiful, and respectful atmosphere in her studio for her piano students.

By Jeanne Sparks, Camano Island, WA

Categories: Guidance, Loss

I am a piano teacher, and I have worked to keep the atmosphere of my studio attractive, beautiful, and peaceful. Some of my fellow music teachers have had their studios vandalized or things stolen. So it's been important to me to pray for the protection of the atmosphere and integrity of the studio.

I've worked with the Commandment, "You shall not steal" (Ex 20:15), in different ways. I don't want my joy of music or my time teaching stolen away by bad attitudes. I also don't want anything taken from the studio. And my studio has been protected.

I never had any disruption until just a couple years ago. It was very clear who had stolen something, and so I confronted the parents. Another time, something was damaged. I had a suspicion regarding who did it, and I discovered later that I was right. Interestingly, neither student is with me any more.

I've also thought about the commandment, "Honor your father and your mother" (Ex 20:12). To me, it can be viewed as talking about having respect for each other. I expect my students to be respectful. As a result, I've had very few problems with disrespect. The few times there has been disrespect, I've put a stop to it immediately. Disrespect simply is not tolerable. That attitude just doesn't belong in any interactions.

I've also taken the 91st Psalm to heart: "nor shall any plague come near your dwelling" (10). This is very important in dealing with contagion. Sometimes I have students who aren't physically on top of things. So I pray. When we laugh, others laugh. Good is what's really contagious. The source of happiness and well-being—God—is powerful, more powerful than anything else. The students usually feel much better by the time they leave.

I really turn to God to maintain the purity within the studio at every level.  I believe that if I mentally and practically establish a respectful and beautiful atmosphere in my studio, the students are more prepared to make beautiful music and to be respectful of the property that's there. And that's exactly what's happened.