You Are What You Love: 4 Big Takeaways

You Are What You Love: 4 Big Takeaways

Here are four big ideas the TC Christian staff pulled out from the book that might help you in your life and also help within your kids’ lives as you think about your habits and loves:

1. Form/Reform, don’t inform:

Families, churches, and schools should seek to not just inform minds, but to form habits. It is not enough to just know the right words or the think the right thoughts. Being agents of change and renewal means taking an active role. This process has two main parts: imitation and practice. People learn habits through imitation: from their parents, teachers, or friends. Through that imitation, those habits are then practiced until the become natural to do.

As a school, we seek to partner with the parents in ensuring there are good habits/practices being instilled within the students. We are working on developing throughlines at TCCS that are put throughout our curriculum to help with this practice aspect: We are working on intentionally putting in ways for students to practice the following: Serving Living, Wisdom Discerning, Creation Keeping, Beauty Creating, Justice Seeking, Community Building.

Look to set up positive habits within your family in order to form/reform the practices to better align to what your innermost longings.

2. Keep focused on the purpose:

There is a story of two stone cutters and each one is asked what they are doing. The first replies “I am cutting this stone in a perfectly square shape” the other responds “I am building a cathedral.”

These two cutters had the same task, but viewed their work and purpose in completely different ways. We cannot forget that the even the little, day to day tasks can and do make a difference in building God’s Kingdom. Small habits can have big implications.

A good way to think about this is to ask yourself “What is my deep hope for ________?” And fill in the blank. What is my deep hope for...my life, my family, my job....This will put a bigger picture in front of you as you seek to fulfill that hope.

3. Self-reflect:

It is important to recognize that one’s own formation is never final. There is never going to be a day where we all of a sudden have it all figured out. By reflecting on our own practices and also being aware of the various rival cultural liturgies that might be forming us in ways we do not intend to be formed, we can be see where our heart is.

Spend 5 minutes each day to assess some of the practices that are within your life. Are they helping to reach your innermost longing?

4. Practice within community:

If you want to be part of the reforming process, there are practical, communal ways in which these can be done with others. Smith outlines the following four practices: eating together, praying together, singing together, and thinking/reading together. As simple as these might be, they can have a big impact on your immediate family, group of friends, or co-workers.

So let’s be intentional about the messages we convey to our kids. What do they see when they enter the classroom? Your house? What do they hear as a meal begins? What do they hear during a meal? What opportunities do they have to self-reflect? What opportunities do they have to be doers of the word?

TwT: Are You Sure?

Tuesdays with Tyler

At Traverse City Christian School, we are starting a new weekly mode of communication called "Tuesdays with Tyler".

TwT is one of the many ways TCCS seeks to partner with the greater community.

These videos will be a way to continue the purpose of TCCS: Glorifying God, Partnering with Parents and Equipping Students to Transform the World For Jesus Christ.

It has a simple purpose: Connect and Communicate.

Topics may range from books I’ve read, current/relevant educational topics, cultural topics relevant to kids. All with the purpose to connect and communicate relevant topics in the hopes to equip those who listen with tools or nuggets to think about.

Below is a video of the first TwT: Are You Sure? along with a rough transcript of the talk.

Enjoy!

Are You Sure?

A couple questions for you...

“What do you want?” (p. 1)

“Are you confident that what you think you love aligns with your innermost longings?” (29)

“What are the things/practices you do that do something to you?” (55)

These are just some of the questions that James K. A. Smith addresses in his book You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit. The TC Christian staff read this book in preparation for our in-service week at the beginning of the school year, where we spent a morning unpacking many of the topics that come up within the book. It was an excellent time sharing and growing together as we discussed the book.

Within the book, Smith asks the readers to evaluate what sort of practices and habits are in our lives. Whether we are aware of it or not, these practices are shaping who we are. The habits in school, our daily routines, church services, and our homes all contribute to a reflection of what we desire and love. These locations are all “little kingdoms” that each convey their own message. Whether we are conscious of it or not, each of them shape who we are.

As Christians, we seek to further develop our relationship with Christ, encourage the same with those around us, and be doers of the word. However, there are many “rival liturgies” that vie for our allegiances. The culture around us is set up to appeal to many of our longings. For example, we can seek to find a “new self” at the mall or find belonging with a certain sports team. Now, neither of these things are bad, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy sports and can get deeply passionate into a game or team (Go Twins!) but we do need to do a self-check at times to see what these events are doing to us. What practices of the mall are shaping us to be someone we do not want to be? What ideas surrounding sporting events are changing the way we prioritize our life?

Be on the lookout in coming weeks for additional takeaways from this book on Tuesdays with Tyler.