Practice makes permanent.

Man, it's been a while! I have missed you, blog. ;) My inspiration today comes from my job: cello teacher. I am currently the cello teacher at a local music store here in Springfield, and I have nearly 20 students. Yes, that was quite the adjustment. haha. I will fully admit to looking at my roll before each of them came into lessons for the first few weeks so that I could remember their names. Anyhow, I have this one particular student who is just this bubbling ball of energy and stories. She has a hard time staying on track, and ALWAYS plays when I am talking to her (MAJOR TEACHER PET PEEVE). However, there were a few things that I realized when I was sitting in that tiny practice room teaching her the other day. If she would just practice 15-20 minutes a day, focusing on the things I've been telling her to do, she could improve a significant amount of her technique problems in a week or two. Not overnight over even with a few days of practice, but a few weeks would do her some good. Also, if she would listen carefully and truly try to integrate what I tell her to do or change into her practicing, she would be much more effective as well. She does neither of these things, unfortunately. ;) However, my yearning for her to succeed and continue to progress does not change. I am constantly wanting and pushing her to become a better, more refined player. Is this not what our Heavenly Father wants for us? He desires so much that we would take 15-20 minutes out of each of our days to study His scriptures and the words of His prophets and church leaders. He wants us to not PLAY while He is talking...put the phones away, turn off the computer. When you practice an instrument, you don't go to the loudest, most distracting room in the house to do it. You find a quiet spot that allows you the peace of mind to concentrate and focus on changing your playing and technique. How often are we playing while He is talking? How often is the noise of our busy lives interfering with the things He knows that we need to hear? How often do we not realize that He is truly trying to help us, because what he wants the most is for us to become successful in this life. Successful at playing this piece called life. :) Now, this post is in no way meant to compare myself to God, but only to compare the job of being a teacher to Him. I know without a doubt that if we take our time to "practice" our beliefs every day and to not play while He is talking, our technique will change. Our beings and spirits will change, and our lives will be more fulfilling. The title of this blog is a saying that one of my previous music teachers used to tell me. Practice does not make perfect, it makes permanent. If you practice bad habits, those become permanent. If you practice good ones, the same applies. Make your testimony PERMANENT! Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. You should all know that it's my favorite holiday. ;)