Thoughts At 3 AM: Work and Time

You know what's awesome? God's Providence. It's what kept me tossing and turning tonight, drinking tea at 2 AM, reading a huge chunk of a book, then surfing on my phone and finding a really amazing blog.

After marveling over the blogger's witty writing style and drooling over how aesthetic the blog layout was, thoughts began to swarm in my groggy mind on how I could make my blog look that awesome. But, then a different thought hit me. What if I wrote a post about waiting? About work? About how things just don't happen overnight? I pushed the thoughts away as I grabbed my devotional, hoping reading a chapter out of it would help me get to sleep.

Opening the book, I began to read. "Oftentimes, when we want change, we want results instantly." I almost grinned. The timing couldn't have been more perfect. This is why I am sitting on my bed at 2:54 AM right now, writing this with prize worthy bags under my eyes and very interesting bedhead.

I know this is something we've all been through. We look at other people's photography, art, writing, blog, faith . . . ect. and think: "Man, I wish I had that." or, "I wish I had that talent." YOU CAN HAVE IT. Your own version of it anyway.

Here's the thing though, it takes time. Everything worth something does. Even learning THAT takes time, a life time actually. I'm eighteen and I feel like I've just begun to realize it. This world loves to believe in the "magic pill." This magic pill will make you lose ten pounds in a week, be a master photographer by reading one blog post, or a faith giant because you followed the five steps to walking faithfully in the Lord.

You know what's funny about this mysterious "magic pill?" It's results don't last too long. Most times you might just find yourself in the exact same place you started, wondering why it didn't work.

Alright, I want you to take a deep breath because I'm about to tell you something radical. The following statement will also be for future Shelby whenever she feels like being a bum and not working.

EVERYTHING TAKES WORK AND TIME.

A lot of work and time. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's not. Even with our hobbies, if we want to improve we have to keep practicing.

Keep drawing pairs of eyes until they look remotely similar. Keep playing the frustrating measure of sixteenth notes until it's branded in your brain, keep baking that bread until you remember it needs salt so it doesn't taste like . . . bread without salt, (Hey it's 3 AM guys. I'm not functioning enough to come up with a comparison that'll make you snort. Also, the bread thing is inspired by true events that may or may not involve me.) keep on jumping from that plane until you can sky dive in your sleep. Just throwing random hobbies out there now. If sky diving is one of yours, that's cool. I've never done it before but I know you're probably NOT supposed to do it in your sleep so please don't.

Where was I? Oh yes. Work and time.

Six months ago, I was all kinds of messed up. I was depressed, trying uber hard to be healthy, and was weak in my faith. I wanted change. But, I wanted it without the work and without the time. It was a never ending cycle of me trying out new things to try and get me back on track, then ending up right back where I started.

If you look at any successful person, they might look like they got where they were easily and it all couldn't have been as hard as they said so. But, it is. It really is guys. If you want to be anything or do anything you have to be willing to put time into that baby. Stop reading the "Ten Things That Will Make Your Novel Be Number A #1 New York Time's Bestseller!" Or tempted to read further into the ads that say, "This Detox Changed My L I F E!" Instead, close the laptop, take a deep breath, and start.

Most times, we already know what we want to do. We might even already know how to do it. It's just tempting not to because we're lazy or afraid. Guys, one of the best feelings ever is the feeling of accomplishment. I don't even have to describe the feeling, you're probably already getting it just reading the word.

Time is so precious. It's something that we can't control and never will. I know sometimes we just want to lay on the floor on our phones and let the minutes tick by. But honey, ain't nobody got time for that! We were CREATED to work. God didn't make Adam and say, "You're free to lay around all day and listen to birds chirp in the trees." No, he made Adam then put him to work naming the animals! Hey, and even God took six days to create the universe when he could have just done it with ONE WORD. Our Lord took time to create everything in existence.

Have I convinced you work is important and things take time yet?

I really loved was the description that was used to picture how things take time in my devotional. It went something like this: It would be really strange if we planted some apple seeds and the next day end up with this gorgeous tree covered in blossoms and fruit! Just as that seed takes time to grow into a tree, so do we take time to grow into our better more awesome selves.

Maybe you don't believe change has happened? I didn't until I read my old journal for devotions from only a few years back. One of the entries I found in cringe worthy handwriting said something along the lines of: "God, I love you and please make me a better person." I look at my journal now and sometimes I've used an entire page to pour out my heart to God, telling him what I've been struggling with and asking for him for guidance.

CHANGE IS THERE.

Put in the sweat, work, time, hours, and tears, and I promise you there will be change.