I've never done a 1000-piece puzzle by myself. I’ve helped Cathy with some, but I have never had the patience to take on one by myself. This Christmas my brother, John, and sister-in-law, Chris, gave us a 1000-piece puzzle. I just had to see if I could find the determination and persistence to finish it by myself.
I did it!
I did it!
How did I finally do it? For me some days even 10 or 15 minutes would be too long to focus on something like a puzzle, so I committed to add at least a piece or two each day until I finished it. I knew I could at least do one or two pieces each day. It surprised me, that on some days I would look up and 30 minutes, even an hour had passed without me realizing it. The puzzle wasn’t done quickly or easily, but I finished it faster than I thought I would!
The title of today’s Oswald Chamber’s Utmost for His Highest devotional is “Get a Move On.” Oswald contends that we are not born with good habits, but God can use our regular routines, even when they feel like drudgery, as a means of “saving us between times of inspiration.”
One message I try to get across in about every different kind of college class I teach is that success in life is generally based more on getting started and doing the work than on waiting for moments of inspiration. Long term academic accomplishments, financial success, physical fitness, and healthy relationships are built on positive routines and habits. These routines aren’t always easy or fun to get started, but over time they are worth it.
When I hear people say they wish they were better about praying, or knew more of the Bible, or could be more generous, my thoughts are the same as Chambers. Maybe it’s time to “get a move on.” Commit to start doing something, even if it is only a tiny step. I learned that even if you only commit to doing a couple tiny pieces a day, you will finish a big puzzle in due time. You may find it goes faster than you think.
Is there something you want accomplish? What would be the first tiny step? Maybe it's time to get a move on.
After over 60 years of thinking I’d find doing a big puzzle mind numbingly tedious, now I’m worried I’m going to start spending too much time doing them. It felt so good to finish the first one yesterday, I immediately started another today!
The title of today’s Oswald Chamber’s Utmost for His Highest devotional is “Get a Move On.” Oswald contends that we are not born with good habits, but God can use our regular routines, even when they feel like drudgery, as a means of “saving us between times of inspiration.”
One message I try to get across in about every different kind of college class I teach is that success in life is generally based more on getting started and doing the work than on waiting for moments of inspiration. Long term academic accomplishments, financial success, physical fitness, and healthy relationships are built on positive routines and habits. These routines aren’t always easy or fun to get started, but over time they are worth it.
When I hear people say they wish they were better about praying, or knew more of the Bible, or could be more generous, my thoughts are the same as Chambers. Maybe it’s time to “get a move on.” Commit to start doing something, even if it is only a tiny step. I learned that even if you only commit to doing a couple tiny pieces a day, you will finish a big puzzle in due time. You may find it goes faster than you think.
Is there something you want accomplish? What would be the first tiny step? Maybe it's time to get a move on.
After over 60 years of thinking I’d find doing a big puzzle mind numbingly tedious, now I’m worried I’m going to start spending too much time doing them. It felt so good to finish the first one yesterday, I immediately started another today!
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