While coaching my daughter’s soccer team a few years back, I invited Katherine DeJong to work with my ten-year-old girls for one practice. After teaching them this trap-and-kick exercise, she gathered the team together and told the girls, “Great job girls, but you have to keep practicing this drill, but you must realize that practice doesn’t make perfect.” Several kids raised their hands and replied, “My mom said if I practice my violin, I will become perfect,” or “if I practice my dance steps, I will become perfect….”

I held my breath waiting for this sixteen-year-old girl’s reply! Katherine boldly said, “Practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent.” That bit of wisdom has since resonated within my heart!!

Practice makes Permanent! Indeed, our patterns and behavior will set into motion the direction of our lives. We often find ourselves practicing what the world tells us is important as found with the daily bombardment of commercials, music, news, self-help books, fad diets, products and ideas that can present a treasury of empty promises. 

 

We are told we will be happy, sexy, rich, or successful if we simply purchase a certain product, take an energy supplement, read a particular book, subscribe to a tested financial plan or try the next exciting “special offer.” 

 

Our life then becomes a continuous search for the next thing that will fulfill us, the next thing that will bring us happiness. What are we practicing and making permanent? Is it a cycle of false hopes, wishes, and worries? Or are we practicing patience, compassion, prayer, and love?

 

As Orthodox Christians, we must practice becoming vigilant and watchful of the messages we receive and careful of the words that we speak to one another. All have a vital influence upon our souls.   We must be intentionally mindful of what actually feeds our soul - resisting words, images and conversations, that distract us from living a life of true holiness.

 

 

The church implores us to be selective about what we see, hear and do, striving to make choices that edify our souls. We are invited to examine what we practice in our lives, to see where we devote our time, energy and thoughts. 

 

We need to take a hard look at our schedules, our PDA’s, our day planners. Are we spending enough uninterrupted time with our families? Are we eating meals on the run? Are we taking time in prayer to be still with God? Are we reaching out to others who are in need? 

 

St. Paul encourages us to wake up! He says, “The hour has come to awake out of sleep… The night is nearly over and the day is at hand. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:11-12)

Let us not go through life asleep – falling into habits of laziness and complacency.   But let us practice seeking the life of Christ and all that is holy and good. Everyday, we are given the chance to be transformed and made a new.

This week, make it a point to notice what you look at, what you listen to, what you read and what you say. St. Basil says, “We should not be deceived by the corrupting delights of this world, but rather become strengthened in the desire to attain the treasures of the world to come.” Consider practicing and making permanent the action of love, the gift of compassion, and the practice of being truly alive.

Our Lord constantly reminds us that He wants to help us write a new story of life centered in His love, His will, and His purpose. Jesus Christ says to us, "Behold, I make all things new". God will transform our relationships, He promises to restore us and help redirect our path to a new way of living. Jesus says, "Behold, I (Jesus the Son of God) make 'all' things new.

He is speaking to each one us. He offers us transformation from old to new, from broken to whole, from sorrow to joy, from death to life. May we "show up" and "wake up" so we can become renewed people living out this promise as we practice loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourself.   St. Paul says, “clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony and let the peace of Jesus rule in your hearts”.

Let’s practice engaging with our family in loving ways with kindness and compassion! Let’s practice watching and listening to things that inspire us to live life to its fullest. Let’s practice creating healthy conversations that help strengthen our relationship with God and one another.

Mother Maria of Paris said, “However hard I try, I find it impossible to construct anything greater than these three words, ‘Love one another’ — only to the end, and without exceptions: then all is justified and life is illumined”.

 

Remember: Practice makes permanent! Practice loving without exception!!