PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
Practice makes perfect is one of those cliche’s I grew up with. I never had piano lessons per se, but I practiced a lot. However, it never made me perfect at the piano or otherwise. I remember my friend Iona Kay, practiced and practiced twirling the baton and eventually she became the head majorette in her Junior or Senior year in Highschool. Taking voice lessons or even singing in a choir can help your voice develop all the muscles not to mention the vocal cords. Practice or exercising your vocal cords can give you unbelievable musical sounds not to mention an increase in range.

Penmanship is another thing that needs practice. Remember the lined paper that we would draw circle after circle; lines above the lines and lines below the lines. A loop here and a loop there and walla, we are writing. I always wished I had beautiful penmanship. My mother did! Beautiful penmanship takes lots of practice!

My son Dan is a proficient pianist through practice, experience and through the perfection of his skill. Most pianists can sight read a musical score and after playing it many times is ready for a performance. Dan can sight read a musical score and has already performed it. I know what you are saying; "You’re his mother, you would say that!" Perhaps, but I have heard it many times from others who did not even know I was his mother.

Anything that we do repeatedly is referred to as having been practiced. Cooking is a repetitive skill. You may never become a great cook but you know how to do itl A profession is referred to as a practice, such as law, medicine or a beautician. Betty, a dear friend of mine says; "practice makes permanent, not necessarily perfect.

When Dan's three sons began Little League, Dan would encourage them. However, as a musician his terminology was a little different. He would tell the boys it was time for rehearsal and that they needed to get their costumes ready. You can imagine how that went over with his three strapping boys who knew they needed to put their uniforms on and head out to the practice field. I suppose as a musician you have already practiced and for a performance it is time to rehearse what you have practiced. In playing ball you are always practicing to get better and better.

Today, you can take medicines or put on a patch to help you to quit smoking. Today, you are encouraged to eat certain foods fixed certain ways and it will help curb your desire for alcohol. Today, there are many diets and diet pills to help you lose weight. In other words, we change one practice for another to take control of bad habits.

"I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2 We can get really good at sin when we practice it. The transformation of our mind is the only way to begin new habits, habits that are good and acceptable and perfect.

"Give instructions to a wise man, and he will still be wise; teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning." Proverbs 9:9 Jane Ann