Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1
Raising godly children can be a daunting task. Do I start by fixing, teaching, guiding, reprimanding or just loving? And in the midst of training, can we have fun and honor the Lord? Some days I’m almost not sure where to begin. There are even times when I’m not the one who gets things started; my kids do!
Two of my children recently gave me a chuckle about the gift of getting along and having fun together. It’s good to see two siblings sharing laughter. Let me show you what they taught me about practicing the piano, all in fun, of course. We like to call it:
How to Practice Piano in Six Easy-to-Follow Steps
Step One
Sit with good posture and practice the pieces your teacher gave you for the week.
Step Two
Smile when your brother sits beside you and invite him to a duet.
Step Three
If he begins to take over the piece, gently slide (no pushing please) him over and place your arm over the notes he shouldn’t be playing.
Step Four
If this technique fails, sweetly place your arm on him and explain to him that you are a budding pianist and would like to continue your devotion to music. He’ll begin to understand that you are under time constraints and that you must take your music seriously.
Step Five
Don’t be surprised if your brother is overcome with joy and decides to hug you. He isn’t trying to slow you down in your endeavors, he is simply expressing his deep-felt emotion.
Step Six
If you’ve truly impressed him, your brother will even give you pats on the back(side).
You’ll never know what music does to people until you begin to play an instrument.
It really does soothe the savage beast…..as illustrated above.
Remember to have fun while teaching godly traits, whether you’re the teacher or the student! Working and playing together in unity is a gift and seeing the joy in the moment is priceless. Your children will be deeply blessed and God will be honored.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Psalm 133: 1-3
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About Jan Nellis
Jan Nellis is a happily married mom of five children, three of whom are still at home. She spends her free time rediscovering the lost domestic arts with an emphasis on health issues. An avid quilter, crocheter, hand-spinner and cook, her desire is to rekindle the ways of her grandmothers, blessing her friends and family. She has spoken at women’s groups on forgiveness, following God's plan for your life and the joys of living with God. She currently blogs at www.atinylittleripple.blogspot.com.
