A little post about not getting immediate results, but still doing what you've got to do...in a nutshell.

A couple of nights ago, we were in the car on the way home from dinner with friends and I was super tired.  With a 4 year old and an 8 year old, this is not a new phenomenon.  It was cold, and that made me even more cranky!  Sitting in the car I started thinking about the next day and what had to be done.  Of course, one of the first things on my list each day is dragging myself to work out.  Yes, I always feel awesome when I'm done and I always regret it if I skip it.  But still...it's cold and I'm sleepy and the kids are still asleep and my bed is so warm and, well you get the picture.

I thought to myself, "I wish I could just work out once and be done with it."  Instant and permanent results.  Doesn't that sound just amazing?  Well, it does to me!  I thought about this for a bit, and of course logic and reasoning took over.  What if we did that with everything in our lives?  

I worked today.  I'm done forever.  

I told my husband, "I love you" once.  That should stick.

We homeschooled today.  We're done for the year.  That should certainly be enough.  (Boy, do I wish that one was true!)

I prayed.  Done.

If that were true with working out, or whatever it was, of course it would be nice and more people would do it.  Everything would be perfect!  I'd be at the perfect, healthy weight.  Be the perfect example of Christ.  I would never have to work for anything, ever. But what would I learn from that?  I certainly wouldn't gain any experience or wisdom or discipline from instantaneous results.  

It's the day in, day out pushing myself with seemingly no results that makes the most difference.  Then one day, I wake up and things are different.  I feel different.  I can do more. All that hard work and crap I went through is really working!  Woohoo!

Suddenly, it seems that my 8 year old FINALLY understands that math concept, or the 4 year old doesn't run away screaming every time I mention her reading a book! (that last one hasn't happened yet, I'm just dreaming)

And then I appreciate it.  Everyone knows you appreciate things more if you have to work for them.  This is not a fresh, new concept that has only been gifted to my clearly superior intellect.  It's just common sense.  

No, it's not a guarantee that everything you ever wanted will work out exactly as you hoped, but it certainly isn't going to hurt your chances.  

Sometimes in life you just have to push through the difficult situations and seasons.  Doing what you know has to be done even though you don't really feel like you want to, or you're not sure you even can.  But you get up every day, and you make it happen.  You work those muscles.  You eat the right foods.  You teach your kids.  You love your family.  You work on that dream.  You pray through the mess, knowing that God is faithful even when everything looks like it's falling apart.

Then one day, you'll start to see a little bit of a silver lining.  And you know that change is happening.  And it's going to be good.