Finishing what you started
When I was in 7th grade, I started my first year of marching band. Prior to that, my twin and I had been in gymnastics, and my mom gave us a choice. She said we could choose to stay in gymnastics or do marching band. You can figure out what we ended up choosing 😀
I believe it was sometime in October of that year that we had our first parade. I don't remember much, aside from maybe some jitters and hoping that I would be able to keep our line formation. What I do remember the most about that morning is that I ended up passing out due to me locking my knees while in formation. Someone found my parents, and they promptly took to the emergency room. Thankfully, I was not gravely injured, aside from banging up my face pretty good- my face hit the pavement first when I briefly lost consciousness...or so I'm told. My flute took a pretty big hit, too. (Sorry flute!!) Later that afternoon, the band was scheduled to compete in Nelsonville, approximately a half hour from the parade site. Everyone encouraged me to not participate, because....you know...but I was determined to march in my spot during the competition. Busted face and flute and all. And I did! Even though I had gashes and wounds on my face, even though my flute couldn't play all the notes because of the damage, I finished out the day.
Was that the smartest decision? No, probably not. But was I determined? Absolutely.
I was thinking about that day, ironically, this morning, and determination. I think that it always something that has been ingrained in me. Even when I realized halfway through my Berea College tenure that vet school wasn't going to work out, I still finished my degree and basically left my career up to God and any jobs He saw fit to bless me with. My mom has always said that both my sister and I set goals and try to meet them, and are motivated to be successful. I think it's important to finish what you start because it shows character. It shows resilience. It teaches the value of working hard and how rewarding it can be when you set a goal and meet it. Determination is a good motivator, it turns out.
Earlier this summer, I had a research paper due before the end of the semester. I think I'm a pretty decent writer, but I hate writing papers! It's so time-consuming! One of the things I prided myself on in college was getting stuff turned in early (because, hey, college is stressful enough, and the less stress I had in my life, the better). Did I adhere to this goal all the time? Heck no! But more often than not, I tried to turn in assignments at least a few days before they were due. I decided this research paper would be no exception. Because of the shortened summer schedules, Friday afternoons were wide open for me, and I used the time to get my writing in. My goal was simple: just. keep. writing. Write something. Write a paragraph. Just write! 2 pages quickly turned into 5, 5 into 8, 8 into 12, and so on....I finished and uploaded the paper 5 days before it was due. I had a goal and I stuck to it.
I say all of this like it is a piece of cake, but IT IS NOT! Finishing stuff is HARD. It's not fun. The journey is not always rewarding, and some days I felt like I was never going to get the paper done. Some days I think about where I'll be a year from now, in my last semester of graduate school, and it feels sooooooooooooooooooooo far away! Maybe that's why I've always taken this Bible verse from Hebrews to heart (Hebrews 12:2-3a, AMP):
I try to pray about my goals and give them to God. I prayed a LOT this summer, asking God to help me stay motivated and determined. It's so easy to be swept up into a world of distractions and information at our fingertips, the same fingertips that are expected to write and research and study. But I am so thankful that I have the support of Jesus, who is right beside me, in front of me, and behind me as I am running this race set before me. My finish line is December 11, 2020, and I intend to finish what I have started here.
If you are struggling with your race, or feeling like you never finish what you start, or feel like giving up: DON'T. Start small! Set a goal for one small thing to do each day...and know that you are capable to complete the task. That's another motivator, aside from determination: believing that you can do what you set your mind out to do. I would not be a very successful graduate student if I set a goal but then never followed through with it because I kept telling myself that I wouldn't be able to. Realize your own strengths and weaknesses, and remember that you cannot do it all, and you shouldn't try to. You can finish what you start! You can run your race (And remember it's your own, and that others are on a different race....Don't worry about them, and where they are.) Lastly: always, always, always, remember to take care of yourself, too! I "rewarded" myself with time with friends, a dinner out with my husband, or just some extra relaxation time.
If I could go back to my 12-year-old self on that morning, I would give her a hug and tell her what a good heart she has for her band friends, and how her commitment and determination will get her far in life. And then I would give her some Neosporin and tell her to go home and rest!
I believe it was sometime in October of that year that we had our first parade. I don't remember much, aside from maybe some jitters and hoping that I would be able to keep our line formation. What I do remember the most about that morning is that I ended up passing out due to me locking my knees while in formation. Someone found my parents, and they promptly took to the emergency room. Thankfully, I was not gravely injured, aside from banging up my face pretty good- my face hit the pavement first when I briefly lost consciousness...or so I'm told. My flute took a pretty big hit, too. (Sorry flute!!) Later that afternoon, the band was scheduled to compete in Nelsonville, approximately a half hour from the parade site. Everyone encouraged me to not participate, because....you know...but I was determined to march in my spot during the competition. Busted face and flute and all. And I did! Even though I had gashes and wounds on my face, even though my flute couldn't play all the notes because of the damage, I finished out the day.
Was that the smartest decision? No, probably not. But was I determined? Absolutely.
I was thinking about that day, ironically, this morning, and determination. I think that it always something that has been ingrained in me. Even when I realized halfway through my Berea College tenure that vet school wasn't going to work out, I still finished my degree and basically left my career up to God and any jobs He saw fit to bless me with. My mom has always said that both my sister and I set goals and try to meet them, and are motivated to be successful. I think it's important to finish what you start because it shows character. It shows resilience. It teaches the value of working hard and how rewarding it can be when you set a goal and meet it. Determination is a good motivator, it turns out.
Earlier this summer, I had a research paper due before the end of the semester. I think I'm a pretty decent writer, but I hate writing papers! It's so time-consuming! One of the things I prided myself on in college was getting stuff turned in early (because, hey, college is stressful enough, and the less stress I had in my life, the better). Did I adhere to this goal all the time? Heck no! But more often than not, I tried to turn in assignments at least a few days before they were due. I decided this research paper would be no exception. Because of the shortened summer schedules, Friday afternoons were wide open for me, and I used the time to get my writing in. My goal was simple: just. keep. writing. Write something. Write a paragraph. Just write! 2 pages quickly turned into 5, 5 into 8, 8 into 12, and so on....I finished and uploaded the paper 5 days before it was due. I had a goal and I stuck to it.
I say all of this like it is a piece of cake, but IT IS NOT! Finishing stuff is HARD. It's not fun. The journey is not always rewarding, and some days I felt like I was never going to get the paper done. Some days I think about where I'll be a year from now, in my last semester of graduate school, and it feels sooooooooooooooooooooo far away! Maybe that's why I've always taken this Bible verse from Hebrews to heart (Hebrews 12:2-3a, AMP):
...let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us [looking away from all that will distract us], focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfector of our faith.
I try to pray about my goals and give them to God. I prayed a LOT this summer, asking God to help me stay motivated and determined. It's so easy to be swept up into a world of distractions and information at our fingertips, the same fingertips that are expected to write and research and study. But I am so thankful that I have the support of Jesus, who is right beside me, in front of me, and behind me as I am running this race set before me. My finish line is December 11, 2020, and I intend to finish what I have started here.
If you are struggling with your race, or feeling like you never finish what you start, or feel like giving up: DON'T. Start small! Set a goal for one small thing to do each day...and know that you are capable to complete the task. That's another motivator, aside from determination: believing that you can do what you set your mind out to do. I would not be a very successful graduate student if I set a goal but then never followed through with it because I kept telling myself that I wouldn't be able to. Realize your own strengths and weaknesses, and remember that you cannot do it all, and you shouldn't try to. You can finish what you start! You can run your race (And remember it's your own, and that others are on a different race....Don't worry about them, and where they are.) Lastly: always, always, always, remember to take care of yourself, too! I "rewarded" myself with time with friends, a dinner out with my husband, or just some extra relaxation time.
If I could go back to my 12-year-old self on that morning, I would give her a hug and tell her what a good heart she has for her band friends, and how her commitment and determination will get her far in life. And then I would give her some Neosporin and tell her to go home and rest!
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