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“Sometimes I feel like a motherless child

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child

Long way from my home

Sometimes I wish I could fly

Like a bird up in the sky

Oh, sometimes I wish I could fly

Fly like a bird up in the sky

Sometimes I wish I could fly

Like a bird up in the sky

Closer to my home”

Van Morrison – Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child

“Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.”

Francis Bacon

“Victory belongs to the most persevering.”

Napoleon

I don’t know why, but I was having more trouble than usual getting started this morning.  I overslept and I had a hard time getting motivated.  Fortunately, determination does not require motivation.  It requires only that I do my work.  So there I sat, on Labor Day ironically, doing my work.

I’ll be honest; there’s always this little feeling of excitement once I get started.  I can’t wait to see what will appear on the screen as my fingers move across the keyboard.  I can’t wait to see what the Muse will give me.  Every day it’s something new.  Here are some reminders from the last few days.

·      Doing my work makes me special and unique whether it gets noticed or not.

·      Every time I write I have won a victory over my baser nature.

·      Nothing in this life is mine.

·      Creativity is the one thing that doesn’t get easier with practice.

·      When it comes to Purpose, emotions don’t matter – not happiness or sadness, apathy or excitement.  The only thing that matters is action.

It’s interesting, but I had to review my blogs to remember the lessons of the last few days.  It was very uplifting to read things that encouraged me, things that I wrote.  I don’t mean to be vain, but I really enjoy my writing.  Maybe I enjoy it because it’s not really mine.  It comes from God and I’m just lucky enough because He uses my fingers to put His message across.  At the same time, this work is mine.  Yes, it’s on loan, but until God comes back for me, this work is mine.  And if I may be immodest, 204 blogs is an impressive body of work.  I feel pretty good about myself, not from vanity but from joy at having the privilege of this gift.

I think God lends us our gifts for two reasons:

First, He wants to see what we’ll do with them.  Will we use them, develop them,

waste them, or squander them?  Will we hide them?  Will we use them to hurt or mislead other people?   Abraham Lincoln and Adolf Hitler were both gifted orators.  A gift is meant for good.  It is meant for healing and for growth.  Always.  Any gift that is misused becomes a tool for hell.  Literally.

Second, He wants us to enjoy them.   Gifts are meant to be enjoyed, even the ones that are lent to us.  When I am using my gifts I feel powerful, calm, loving and purposeful.  I’m no longer looking for the approval of others. I’m not giving in to the demands of people or circumstances.  I’m not regretting the past or fearing the future.  I’m right here in the right now.  The only emotions I’m feeling are gratitude and humility.  I’m also praying that I will use my gifts wisely and well.

So I sit here and write from a position of responsibility and joy.  My responsibility is to myself, to take care of myself by doing this.  Then I’m far more equipped to take care of others the rest of the day.  The hardest part about the rest of the day is to remember to stay present.  Writing is not my only purpose.  That’s why I keep my 3x5 cards with me, to remember my other responsibilities and gifts.  I don’t only need daily reminders; I need minute-by-minute reminders.

I thought I was a long way from home, but I just flew closer.   I think the lesson here is to keep writing, no matter what I’m feeling.  Today, because I was having a hard time with this blog, I started a new one.  I liked it.  When I came back to look at this one, I liked it too.  To Keep Going doesn’t mean that I can’t take another path.  It also doesn’t mean that I can’t return to this path.  It just means to not stop.  Get Started.  Keep Going.