Perseverance
Sorry for the extended break from posting in this blog. Life has been crazy between work, home, church, and all of the other duties and interests that occupy my time. This week has been an exercise in self-care. I needed time (and still need more time) to dig in my heels and get to work.
I gave my first sermon at Centenary last Wednesday. The topic was self-care. Oh boy, was it a timely message for me in this season of the spring hustle and bustle. If you'd like to watch it, you can replay the entire service here. I organized the whole order of service, and wrote the unison prayer and sermon. It was a blessing to be able to start spreading my wings in a small way to leading worship. The sermon starts around 11:45, if you want to watch just that part.
I think the worship went pretty well, and I'm pleased with it. I watched myself once through, and I'm going to try not to watch it many more times in hopes of not micro-analyzing everything. It's easy to get defeated in the details. What is important is that the worship was meaningful, and I heard a lot of great feedback from the members present, including my pastor, who said that she really needed to hear it.
Flash forward through some amazing moments since then to tonight. A crazy day at work filled with overwhelming moments. I'm trying to imagine that it's in a good way, since for me, being busy means that we're growing. I just continue to pray that the growth is in the right ways, and that we can sustain the levels at which we desire to, and are able to grow.
Mondays are gymnastics night for Amelia Pond. And since her gymnastics school is right next to a set of golden arches, we most often end up eating dinner there right before we start class. (I try to order a salad, but the smell of freshly made fries does me in.) Amelia Pond is known to be quite clumsy on her own two feet. Add a balance beam or a trampoline to the mix, and she becomes even more wobbly. The footage of her first attempts at the beam reminded me of when she was taking her first steps. But week by week, she is improving. A challenge for her this week is that her class is made up of mostly 6 and 7 year olds. She's the only 4 year old in the class, and she could tell that she's not able to keep up at the same level. She ran to me after faltering on the beam on the verge of tears tonight.
After class, I make sure to tell her how proud I truly am at how she persevered. I'm the one on the verge of tears. She was the one who chose to get back there and try again. She was the one who learned that she is doing as well as she is expected to be doing at her age and ability level. And now she's ready to go back again and again.
Positivity for the Day
There are times when we want to give up. And there are still times where we probably should give up. But there are even more times where sticking with it is worth it in the end.
I can't imagine the challenges that you're facing today. But I'm sure that there are many things that only add to the daily struggle. There are obstacles that seem too large to overcome alone.
The great thing is that we are allowed to create our own measures of success. Strive for perseverance over perfection. We have an amazing Creator who understands our strengths and our limitations. We also have the ability to reach new heights by understanding our failures, and using them as a step-stool to achieving our goals. Our bodies and minds can do amazing things with training. And it doesn't happen overnight, either. Give yourself the opportunity to evaluate the task at hand, and create a regimen for success that includes moments where the growing happens.
Be blessed knowing that the struggle is part of the journey. Perseverance is the measure by which we can define our own successes.
Peace,
Positively Pastoral Jessica
I gave my first sermon at Centenary last Wednesday. The topic was self-care. Oh boy, was it a timely message for me in this season of the spring hustle and bustle. If you'd like to watch it, you can replay the entire service here. I organized the whole order of service, and wrote the unison prayer and sermon. It was a blessing to be able to start spreading my wings in a small way to leading worship. The sermon starts around 11:45, if you want to watch just that part.
I think the worship went pretty well, and I'm pleased with it. I watched myself once through, and I'm going to try not to watch it many more times in hopes of not micro-analyzing everything. It's easy to get defeated in the details. What is important is that the worship was meaningful, and I heard a lot of great feedback from the members present, including my pastor, who said that she really needed to hear it.
Flash forward through some amazing moments since then to tonight. A crazy day at work filled with overwhelming moments. I'm trying to imagine that it's in a good way, since for me, being busy means that we're growing. I just continue to pray that the growth is in the right ways, and that we can sustain the levels at which we desire to, and are able to grow.
Mondays are gymnastics night for Amelia Pond. And since her gymnastics school is right next to a set of golden arches, we most often end up eating dinner there right before we start class. (I try to order a salad, but the smell of freshly made fries does me in.) Amelia Pond is known to be quite clumsy on her own two feet. Add a balance beam or a trampoline to the mix, and she becomes even more wobbly. The footage of her first attempts at the beam reminded me of when she was taking her first steps. But week by week, she is improving. A challenge for her this week is that her class is made up of mostly 6 and 7 year olds. She's the only 4 year old in the class, and she could tell that she's not able to keep up at the same level. She ran to me after faltering on the beam on the verge of tears tonight.
I can't do it. I want to give up.What a sinking feeling for parents trying to raise a strong, independent, optimistic child. I urged her on gently. I helped her understand that we are just learning this skill, and stumbling and falling is part of the effort. She is improving, and if she continues to try, she will get better and stronger. Her team is depending on her. But I can see she is at a tipping point. I'm trying to decipher if she's being pushed too hard, or if she is able to pull through and keep going. I urge her that she can do it, and her team is counting on her. At the moment I'm about to concede and allow her to leave class, she musters up her last ounce of confidence.
Shove me back in there.I bring her back to the door of her class and give her a gentle push. She gets back on the balance beam and proceeds to fall. Hard. Twice. Three times. Yet each time you can see the fire of determination burning more and more brightly in her eyes. She is letting go of all of her reservations and throwing everything she has into the beam. She is not afraid to fall. Falling is not failing, it is preparing the body to become stronger.
After class, I make sure to tell her how proud I truly am at how she persevered. I'm the one on the verge of tears. She was the one who chose to get back there and try again. She was the one who learned that she is doing as well as she is expected to be doing at her age and ability level. And now she's ready to go back again and again.
Positivity for the Day
There are times when we want to give up. And there are still times where we probably should give up. But there are even more times where sticking with it is worth it in the end.
I can't imagine the challenges that you're facing today. But I'm sure that there are many things that only add to the daily struggle. There are obstacles that seem too large to overcome alone.
The great thing is that we are allowed to create our own measures of success. Strive for perseverance over perfection. We have an amazing Creator who understands our strengths and our limitations. We also have the ability to reach new heights by understanding our failures, and using them as a step-stool to achieving our goals. Our bodies and minds can do amazing things with training. And it doesn't happen overnight, either. Give yourself the opportunity to evaluate the task at hand, and create a regimen for success that includes moments where the growing happens.
Be blessed knowing that the struggle is part of the journey. Perseverance is the measure by which we can define our own successes.
Peace,
Positively Pastoral Jessica
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