I do not care when foreign office and job center want to define me as jobless. I am self-employed, I am working. Even if I do not have enough work that generating income, I am still practicing, to me, practice is work.
Imagine a car company, before the company can sell the cars, the company need to manufacture cars. When the company hire technician to design, to produce and to test the car before selling them, all that are considered work. Marketing and selling cars are important to make profit, but the good quality product is essential.
Practice is like manufacturing product and to perform is “kind of” delivering the product to customer. It is not exactly like that, the point is practice is work. And my priority now is to survive and build repertoire. It is not easy at all just to survive, still I am happy that I have space to build repertoire.
How many worship service/ recital I need to play to cover my basic living cost? 10 – 14. It depends what kind of worship service, for example, funeral pay better, midday prayer less, Sunday worship services is in between. Accompanying choir or other music instrument could be a source of income, the fact that I am not specialized in piano accompaniment, this option is very limited for me.
It is not easy at all to get 10- 14 worship services in a month. As everyone know, there are only 4 Sundays in a month. Unless there are weddings and funerals which are unpredictable. Even there is more, I don’t think I can cope with it, for I also need time to build my repertoire. This is my priority now as I stated earlier.
It is not easy but it is possible with God’s provision. Into the 3rd month of self-employed, at least for July and August I have enough work to cover the basic living cost. I am really thankful for God’s kindness through friends I have here, to give me job. The birthday’s trip to UK is not realistic at the moment, but I have not given up hope yet, I will leave the two weeks free. All in all, I am thankful that I am surviving.
Recently, I can not stop thinking of Elijah as for God’s provision. God was very creative in providing Elijah. Through a crow, a poor widow and angels. The provision is there where I am least expected, I need to be more friendly to crow now. Also, the music for the night is from Mendelssohn’s Elijah.
Cast thy burden upon the Lord,
and He shall sustain thee;
He never will suffer the righteous to fall
He is at thy right hand
Thy mercy, Lord is great
and far above the heav’ns.
Let none be made ashamed
that wait upon Thee.
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.
Psalm 55:22