Thankfully today is a day that I'll never have to redo. His mercies are new every morning. If there is something that frustrates me to no end each year, it is the fact that parents let their children switch instruments or drop after only one year of study. "Whatever will make Johnny happy" is the motto of many parents that I've talked to. "I would like him to continue, but he doesn't want to" is another one I have heard more than once. Who is in charge? The student or the parent? Mind you, I'm talking about 4th & 5th graders!
The parents in my public school building want their kids to be able to try everything. Now there is nothing wrong with trying new things--I like doing it myself. But what are we are we teaching children when we allow them to switch instruments or activities at the drop of a hat? There has to be a balance between trying new things and sticking with something in order to learn about commitment and perseverance. In our fast paced, instant gratification geared society, so many things are geared towards making a child feel good--make them happy and fulfilling their wants. These children grow up thinking that everything should be given to them for nothing, handed to them on a silver platter. What a rude awakening when they get out in the real world!
It amazes me that in the public school (where students can receive instrument lessons for "free,") the parents take advantage of the system, and in the private school where parents must pay for lessons, it is automatically assumed that a student will continue on the same instrument year after year. Fascinating, and a sad commentary in my opinion. But I will now get off of my soapbox and bid you a goodnight!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
SEEK TO KNOW HIM
"Let us seek to know Him in the Word. It is in the Word we will find the Holy Spirit. Don't read too many other things. Some of you will say, "Look who's talking!" Well, go ahead and say it, I don't mind; but I am reading fewer and fewer things as I get older, not because I'm losing interest in this great, big, old suffering world, but because I'm gaining interest in that other world above. So I say, don't try to know everything. You can't. Find Him in the Word, for the Holy Ghost wrote this book. He inspired it, and He will be revealed in its pages."
--A.W. Tozer
--A.W. Tozer
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