Practice and Practice Makes Perfect

I thoroughly enjoyed the TV show “Little Big Shots” with Steve Harvey, as the most incredible talents were revealed by the youngest children. Case in point: Four-year old Evan Le who “picked up” the piano only a few months before and played “The Flight of the Bumblebee” masterfully. (I posted the link below if you’d like to see it. It’s hilarious AND amazing!) I can understand how methodical training, coupled with guidance from parents and teachers, and personal determination and drive – the faster and the younger the children are in becoming accomplished musicians or whatever they are given to learn.

On a personal note, I started taking piano lessons when I was 8 years old. The first thing I learned was how to read the notes on a page and associate those notes to the keys on the piano. Then I learned how to look at the music and pay attention to my fingers at the same time. That sounds like a lot of coordination is involved, and, yes, it is -- eyes, fingers, ears, and a good brain. But as I practiced and practiced (for years -- much longer than kids today), something remarkable happened. Not only was I able, by instinct, to play what I was seeing, but before long, I even had music memorized and I was able to play by memory. All those lessons and all that practice served me well over the years as I played the piano and organ for our church and our quartet that itinerated around the U.S. and Canada.

Learning to play the piano (or any instrument) takes time, determination, practice and consistency. And that's the way it is with anything that we want to accomplish in life -- whether it be in learning to cook or a new language, being good at a sport, dance, or even in being a better husband/wife, parent, friend, employee or neighbor.

Let's say we really do want to be caring and giving. Maybe we've been "all about me" for far too long, and now we're ready for change. First we get a plan of action (like I had to with learning to read the notes and keys). Every day we think about how we can be more kind and generous to our spouse or neighbor or work associates. Then we determine to carry out that plan (just as I practiced over and over). We practice by offering to help someone with something they are having to do (i.e., clean out a garage, help an associate with meeting a deadline, take care of a neighbor's kids, tutor a child, offer to help at a local charity, etc.). And we keep on practicing those caring and giving habits. All of a sudden, by instinct -- by second nature -- we are living out what we put into practice. We become the one that raises our hand when someone asks for help -- just instinctively. We can't help it -- it's second nature.

Indeed....practice makes perfect in just about everything we hope to excel in -- in life -- and that holds true to practicing love, harmony, faith, good attitude, consideration for others, and generosity.

Here’s that darling video of Steve Harvey and Evan Le: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnXT8SY4-9Q
#PracticeMakesPerfect

The Lord is My Strength AND My Song

Day 173 of Photo Inspirations – God Gave the Song
This photo is of a cherished cross that my sweet niece, Cassidy Lawrence​ gave me for Mother’s Day.  It sits on the book shelf in my office. Inscribed is  “The Lord is my strength and MY SONG and has become my salvation.”  Exodus 15:2.  Indeed, the Lord is my strength and MY SONG.

Music has been a part of my life from early on.  I took piano lessons for 7 years, sang in a Children’s Choir and Adult Choir, played in the band in High School, sang and played the piano and organ as a member of the Masters IV Quartette.  Music has been central to our family's lives -- writing, recording, and singing songs.  Music is so powerful.  It heightens our emotions, calms our fears, brings light into dark places, and gives us the overflowing joy to not resist dancing, clapping or tapping to the beat.

It’s no surprise that God is called MY SONG in this scripture.  In that instance MY SONG was the name that Moses used to describe God as he celebrated the miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.  Moses just HAD TO sing because his heart couldn’t contain the gratitude and awe he felt for God.  He called the Lord MY SONG.  He felt compelled to worship.  God had freed and SAVED His people through the orchestration of miracle after miracle.  How could they not respond in grateful worship?   I totally get that.

I love hearing my granddaughter sing from her toes when she is listening to music with her earphones on. She can't help herself.   We don't hear the music, but we hear her belting out a song with all out abandonment from the world around her.

Shouldn't we be belting out songs, too?  If God is our SONG, then how can we not sing?  How can we not find a song – OUR SONG, God – in both the everyday routine and in the miraculous of our lives.  I just HAVE to sing because my heart can't contain the gratitude and awe I FEEL for God.  Like Moses and the Israelites, He has been my salvation over and over again.

Bill Gather's words in "God Gives the Song" are my words, too.  "You ask me why my heart keeps singing, why I can sing when things go wrong.  Since I've found THE SOURCE of music, I just can't help it. God gave the song."  Yes, God is OUR SONG!

Practice and Practice and Practice Makes Perfect

I started taking piano lessons when I was 8 years old. The first thing I learned was how to read the notes on a page and associate those notes to the keys on the piano. Then I learned how to look at the music and pay attention to my fingers at the same time. That sounds like a whole lotta' coordination is involved, and, yes, it is -- eyes, fingers, ears, and a good brain. But as I practiced and practiced and practiced, something remarkable happened. Not only was I able, by instinct, to play what I was seeing, but before long, I even had music memorized and I was able to play by memory. All those lessons and all that practice served me well over the years as I played the piano and organ for our church and for our quartette that itinerated around the U.S. and Canada.

Learning to play the piano takes time, determination, practice and consistency. And that's the way it is with anything that we want to accomplish in life -- whether it be in learning to cook, play an instrument, be good at a sport, dance, or even in being a better husband/wife, parent, friend, employee or neighbor.

Let's say we really do want to be a caring, giving and generous person. Maybe we've been "all about me", and we're ready for change. First we get a plan of action (like I had to with learning to read the notes and keys). Every day we think about how we can be more generous to our spouse or neighbor or work associates. Then we determine to carry out that plan (just as I practiced over and over) -- we practice by offering to help someone with something they are having to do (i.e., clean out a garage, help an associate with meeting a deadline, help take care of a neighbor's kids, tutor a child, offer to help at a local charity, etc.) And we keep on practicing those caring and giving habits. All of a sudden.....by instinct -- by second nature....we are living out what we put into practice. We become the one that raises our hand when someone asks for help -- just instinctively. We can't even help it -- it's second nature.

Indeed....practice makes perfect in just about everything we hope to excel in -- in life -- and that holds true to practicing love, harmony, faith, good attitude, consideration for others, and generosity.