Thanks to those of you who responded to my post - sorry for leaving it so long, but I've been distracted by some other threads.

I've heard the concept before that you can play your music to God as a prayer, but I haven't understood it. How can you think about God at a time like that? I guess I have to concentrate so hard on getting the job done right. On the other hand, when playing with others I sometimes have a feeling of communion with them - so maybe that's something like the religious ecstasy that some find in music.

(Actually there was a guy in my community who was studying to be a priest and who once borrowed my guitar to use in his prayers. I never did ask what exactly he had done with it - but the guitar came back out of tune.)

Little Hawk, I wonder what Jesus would have said if the Rich Young Ruler had said "but then I'd be poor too."

John, thank you for your kind words about my postings. I never would have expected that. I am definitely not God's gift to music (no pun intended), but I like it.

Marion