Sometimes its hard to start….

even though the end is near! This picture is a good reflection of part of my everyday. Some college online, some reservations, and “some” Diet Coke from the golden arches. This week I started the final 11 credits (3 classes) of my bachelor’s degree. I started back to college online in November 2016. At times this journey has seemed endless, a sprint-like marathon. Keeping up with family, homeschooling, moving, husband, new business, and college full-time is overwhelming when I dwell on it! So let’s not…

Why is it that we think the end should be easy? Why do we want to be able to get to the finish line without doing that final sprint uphill (figuratively since I am NOT a runner)! In a culture that encourages fluidity of truth, discovering what is right for me right now, finishing is not regarded well. For everyone it is about the journey more than the goal. Is getting my degree the most important goal for me? Definitely not, but in this small thing I can show my kids that the struggle to finish is where the depth of your character is revealed.

Part of me is dreading all the homework for three classes for the next six weeks. Part of me is giddy that they are the last three classes. Part of me is excited that my kids only have two more weeks of school to finish their homeschool year. Part of me is also sad that Dugan will then be heading into his senior year of high school and Kinze into her freshman year of high school. (pause….thinking about catching up on scrapbooking). Part of me yearns to ditch it all and just enjoy the day. Part of me what to teach my kids that the finish is worth it. Part of me wants to decide what is right for me today. Part of me relishes the fact that God’s truth never changes and I can take that to the bank!

This takes me back to volleyball camp with Coach Dave Wishart….at the beginning of the season when we were completely out of shape and doing conditioning drills were winning over us! He had us memorize a verse and repeat it at every practice. It meant something at the beginning but it really sunk deep into our souls by the end of a season….usually losing. The passage of scripture is:

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (perfecter) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

It struck me today after I had struggled with that overwhelming juggling feeling all week, that God wants us to be finishers. The feeling of giving up and choosing a different easier path is from the devil….not from God. God wants me to run with PATIENCE the race set before ME. I don’t get to pick the race, and I don’t get to run your race. My job is to finish my race WELL. The difference between God’s idea and mine….He wants to be the fuel for me for my race. If I rely on me to get to the finish line, that is when things get ugly! I get frustrated and everything my family does gets annoying! And truth….I don’t show God to others when I am annoyed by them!