What do you think?

Philippians 4:8: Finally, brother, whatever is true whatever is honorable, what ever is just whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise think about these things.

About a year or so ago our pastor put something on the back of the bulletin that I cut out. It hangs on the refrigerator. It reads: “Watch you thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
That is so true! How many times do we think about something, so much, that we act on those thoughts; good or bad. If we repeat those actions, over and over, they become habit. We are known by our reputations. If we have picked up the habit of lying, we are known to be liars. If we have the habit of helping when there is a need, we are known for our generosity.
Let’s make sure our reputations are good ones, by thinking about the things in Philippians 4:8

Habits part 2

I also pulled this from my previous blog. Sorry I didn’t get this posted until now. Life called. And I answered.


This is a quote from Miss Charlotte Mason: "Habit the Instrument by which Parents work.--'Habit is TEN natures!' If I could but make others see with my eyes how much this saying should mean to the educator! How habit, in the hands of the mother, is as his wheel to the potter, his knife to the carver--the instrument by means of which she turns out the design she has already conceived in her brain.”

That’s a powerful statement! If we as mothers, and teachers, (dads too), could train the right habits into our children and students, think of the kind of world we’d have.

You might ask, “How can I change a habit of someone else?”

1) Are you, yourself a good model of the habit or trait you want to instill? Perfection isn’t what I’m referring to, but can you do it without any effort, is the question. If not start with you first. How can you teach something you don’t practice yourself? It won’t work.

2) When you’re ready, discuss with your student/child what is expected. Not in a harsh or authoritative way, but with an expectation that what you say will be done.

3) This is the hardest part for me. Consistency! If the child forgets or strays, gently remind him what is to be done. Always speak with a sense of expectation, that it will be done. Approaching it this way makes you the friend rather than the dictator.

This is what Miss Mason said about this step: "...the mother must devote herself for a few weeks to this cure as steadily and untiringly as she would to the nursing of her child through measles. Having in a few--the fewer the better--earnest words pointed out the miseries that must arise from this fault, and the duty of overcoming it, and having so got the (sadly feeble) will of the child on the side of right-doing, she simply sees that for weeks together the fault does not recur."

Miss Mason warns of the one fatal mistake often made. Inconsistency. If a person is progressing in the new habit, the teacher/parent thinks they’ll "just this once" overlook a slip up. This is deadly to the process. This is the time when the new habit is forming in the brain. Think back to the first post; the neural pathways. The “Just this once" mentality will prevent the habit from being established. Stay the course and your child/student will soon effortlessly perform the new habit.
Have a blessed day!:0)

Habits part 1

This is a post that I took from my last blog. I thought it would be good to post here as we, who have school age children, get back into the routine of school.

What is a habit?
Some who know me know that I loosely follow the teachings of Charlotte Mason, in our home school. I say “loosely” because I have not actually read any of her writings. I have the pleasure of knowing people who have, and am fortunate enough to live in the same area as a curriculum publishing company that publishes Miss Mason’s ideas. (Livingbookscurriculum.com)

Habit forming is one of Miss Mason’s ideas. I believe it to be the most important. It not only effects school but to every day life. Infancy to adulthood. So I ask what is a habit?

The dictionary says a habit is: “a thing that a person has done so often without thinking about it that he finds it hard to stop.”

Charlotte Mason describes habits as train tracks. The train of life runs smoothly when habits (good ones) are faithfully instituted, and applied. When habits get off course or there are none laid in a particular area, the train of life will derail or become chaotic.

Our pastor at church, a few months ago, put this in the bulletin: Watch your thoughts-they become words, watch your words-they become actions, watch your actions-they become habits, watch your habits-they become your character, watch your character-it becomes your destiny.

Neuroscience shows that a repeated action of the body or the mind produces a physiological effect on the nervous system and the brain. There is literally a new "neural pathway" formed in the brain to accommodate the new habit. It becomes easier to do the thing for which there is a pathway (rail) laid down in the brain. (This was taken from a newsletter that I get)

In forming good habits, it takes patience. I believe it takes about 3 weeks of repeated action to make it habitual. It also takes watchfulness. (Watching to correct wrong behavior). Most of all it takes consistency. (Which I am not very good at).

I will be discussing this more, tomorrow.

Have a blessed day.