target practice

Not too long ago I was out with some friends shooting clay pigeons in preparation for the upcoming pheasant season. We would go through the routine of telling one person to pull the thrower so the clay would "fly" out in front of us and we could shoot at it. As the time went on I noticed that some of the guys would stand there, with their guns on their shoulders, the safety off, yell pull and shoot the clay 5-10 yards out.

I started to think about how many times am I out pheasant hunting, walking with my gun on my shoulder, the safety off and I tell the bird to fly up in front of me. Well that happens....never. I thought about another friend of mine who when I hunt with him, he always seems to get the drop on me when a bird flushes. I recognized an issue. I was practicing in a way that was not realistic, in fact I was practicing for something that would never happen in the field, because what happens is a bird flushes, surprising you, your adrenaline rushes, you try to get your safety off, throw your gun to your shoulder, aim a little in front of the bird and pull the trigger, all in one motion and in a split second. I changed my practice habits that day because they were hindering, not helping me when the real bird flushed.

This morning as I reflect back on that day of shooting, I wonder when it comes to my walk with God and the target He wants me to hit are there some practice habits I have that are hindering me when it comes to the real deal. Have I isolated my prayer time to only a certain time of the day in a certain chair? That special time is important but I also need to be practicing prayer when I see someone walking and the struggles they are going through come to my heart. Do I only practice building relationships with my kids when all my work is done, they are done with theirs and there is nothing else to do or will I practice that relationship building when there is tension pushing in from all sides and I need to exhibit in a tangible way the fruit of the Spirit to my children.

As Vince Lombardi said, "practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect." I want to hit the targets God wants me to hit with my life through "perfect target practice."