The Power of Persistence

Last night, I watched the Pioneers of WBU take on teams from Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) in basketball matches. The women's game was an absolute blowout! The men's game was a lesson in persistence.

The men's game was hard fought throughout. The Pioneers were down at the half and by the closing minutes of the game things didn't look good for the men of WBU. Nothing seemed to be going right for our team. Despite their best efforts, the ball simply would not fall through the hoop. Easy shots that I had watched them make with ease at other games were just not finding the net. The only thing I can say is that it just wasn't their night. Still, the men pressed on to make the best of a tough situation.

As the game was beginning to wind down, the pep band and I had a clear revelation that there was a good chance the game would not end in time for us to make our weekly trip to the Donut Shop before their 10pm closing. The band had to break down their set up...and there were only a few minutes left in the game....so I decided to leave early and make a dash to get our donuts for the night. (Hey! When there's a decision between watching the final minutes of a basketball game and getting yummy donuts, is there really a choice to be made? Really?)

When the music students entered the building after the game, I knew that something had happened. There was excitement in the air and the fans could hardly contain themselves. The students began to tell me that in the final minutes of the game -- just after I left -- the tide turned and WBU sent the game into overtime. The Pioneers continued to rely on the things they had practiced and invested so much time in....and things began to pay off! The victory was decisive and Wayland outscored the Lions of SAGU 108-90.

Those of you who know me well are asking yourselves by now why I am even talking about a basketball game. (My Pepperdine friends are probably surprised that I even understand the basics of the game!) Here's why I was so inspired by last night's performance. I'm sure it was tempting at times for the men's basketball team to just shake their heads in frustration and give up. It would have been easy to say that things just weren't going their way and they would save their energy for a later game where they might have a better chance of winning. But they didn't....they pushed through the difficulties and ended up achieving success.

Whatever our individual pursuits, we all face difficulties in accomplishing tasks from time to time. We simply cannot find the correct words to use for the report. A musical passage seems beyond our grasp no matter how often we repeat it. The mountain of paperwork on the desk never diminishes. Successfully accomplishing the task seems hopeless. The Pioneers' game reminds us that persistence pays off. When we continue to take the steps that we know are required, we make progress. The progress may be minuscule, but it's a step in the right direction. Hard work and patience -- the essential elements of persistence -- always pay off in the end.

The Apostle Paul says this of persistence:

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Phillippians 3:12-14, NASB)

Whatever our task today, let's reach higher and faithfully persist. The task will ultimately be accomplished and we will see the reward of our hard work.

Square Donuts

Last week, I was introduced to the joys of the square donut here in Plainview. I had heard about the students' weekly donut runs for these amazing treats, but had not experienced them for myself. I was intrigued and finally decided to join the fun on Thursday night. The donuts were good; the experience was amazing.

Square donuts are sold by a small shop that I had passed many times while driving around town, but never noticed it was a bakery. The pastries are sold early in the mornings as you would expect -- but they are also available from 8-10 at night. Of course, college students are going to opt for the late night food run! The donuts were light and fluffy. Flavors of maple butter and warm glazed donuts were mouth-watering. Inexpensive donut holes were a treat to find as well. Where else can you buy a single donut hole?

While sitting in the drive-thru, I began to think the students' enthusiasm for donut night was just about the tradition. That opinion quickly changed when we returned to campus. Students piled in the hallway with their band director and that's when I witnessed the magic. Laughter and fun filled the air. As the night progressed, conversations took a more serious turn. What I witnessed was amazing! Students began to share their fears, hopes, and failures with their mentor who poured words of truth and Godly counsel into their lives. I quietly sat back and watched, fighting back tears as I silently interceded for the unexpected moment of ministry that was unfolding before my eyes. THIS is why I choose to work in a Christian institution. It's not about making money or having a prestigious position. It's not even completely about the music making...it's all about investing in the lives of young men and women who are seeking answers to life's challenges. It's all about sharing passion for Him with the next generation.

I certainly don't need to add more donuts to my diet or waistline, but now that I've witnessed the power of the Square Donut Run I plan to be visiting the bakery more often. And I'll continue looking for other opportunities to meet students where they are.....and do anything I can to point them to their loving Savior.

What an awesome privilege I have!

Making an Impact

As I continue to make preparations to move to Plainview, I'm also finding it necessary to close things here in Memphis. With each announcement of my new adventure, I repeatedly find myself surprised by some of the people with whom I have interacted and hopefully have impacted in a positive way. Last night featured one such encounter I didn't expect to have such a powerful effect on me.

I have been teaching at Bartlett Music Academy for nearly eight months. I have maintained a small studio and enjoyed working with the kids. Last night was the final session of a theory camp including a young man who has struggled in his private lessons, but has made significant strides in his reading and rhythm skills in our brief time together. This boy came to know me because his younger sister is one of my piano students. After our class together, J. informed me that his family had a card for me.

I accompanied J. to his family's van. From the back emerged a teary-eyed girl who stretched out a card and gave me a huge embrace. As her dad looked on, he explained that L. had just learned earlier in the day of my departure. The student could say nothing; I was fighting tears as well. In that moment, nothing else mattered more than the realization that I had significantly influenced this precious child.

Isn't that what we all want -- to know that our efforts have made a difference? I'm not looking forward to Saturday's piano lessons. I expect some more difficult goodbyes. But I also have the confidence that even though the time I spent with these students was short, I am leaving them better than they were first introduced to me. My prayer is that my impact has extended beyond the music and that they are confident that their teacher cared for them deeply.

The Diet Center

This year, I have set a goal for myself to lose ten pounds. I know that it's possible and that there are plenty of ways to do it. I decided to get some help and joined The Diet Center to see if I could have a little more success. Here is the brief story of my experience with the program.

When I was first introduced to the Diet Center, I thought this was going to be the easiest program ever! Basically, you are to eat 3 meal replacements daily in the form of either a bar or a shake. At least 64 ounces of water are consumed daily along with fiber tablets and supplements. The day ends with a sensible dinner.

For the first week, life was great! The program was manageable. The water I was consuming was flushing my system and I experienced rapid weight loss. Then life returned to normal and I found that I wasn't getting the promised results. The meal replacements were bland and unsatisfying. (This is not to say that I was hungry while eating the bars; I just grew to hate them.) I was lucky to lose a pound each week. It was rather disappointing to put myself through the program's expense and frustration without seeing consistent results.

I also found the weigh ins annoying. I didn't object to visiting the center twice each week to step on the scale and replenish my supply of bars, supplements, and shakes. I grew to detest the sugary sweet ladies that worked there who could turn into a nagging monster on a dime. I became frustrated as it became clear that false statements were made about the program's ability to work in light of my personal relationship with food (since I am a picky eater who refuses to eat veggies). It became rather evident to me that I had gotten taken in by a well-played sales pitch. I don't know if the science the Diet Center proclaims actually supports their claims or not. I really don't care. I just know that the program was a joke for me personally.

I know that the solution to weight loss for me is eating sensibly and getting back to the gym. The reality is that my current lifestyle does not include the luxury of free time. But now I know that the Diet Center is clearly not the way for me to go.

Harvest Time

Leaves are turning beautiful shades of yellow and red. The air is crisp and cool. Crops are being brought in at a rapid pace in an attempt to avoid Winter's first freeze. All signs suggest it is harvest time in the South.

Harvest does not just happen. It is a labor intensive process that consumes the farmer's year. The ground is prepared and the seed is sown. For what feels like an eternity, there is no visible sign of life. Then the first sprout of green appears. The farmer patiently waits for the plant to mature, vigilantly protecting the seedling from destructive forces. A watchful eye is kept on the sky while praying for the perfect balance of sun and rain.

Once a healthy plant appears, the waiting process continues. It takes time for the crop to yield its fruit. The farmer patiently observes the field's development, waiting for the perfect opportunity to harvest the best crop. If the farmer attempts to harvest too soon, the fruits of his months of labor have not reached their full potential. Conversely, if harvest is delayed too long, a bountiful crop will be lost and cannot be recovered.

Doesn't that sound like our lives? No wonder Scripture is filled with allusions to farming and harvest. The principle applies to our vocation, parenting, and spirituality. We would all benefit from becoming students of the soil.

Some crops require more growing time than others. It becomes difficult to patiently wait while other farmers joyfully go to the fields to harvest their crops. The same is true in life. It can be challenging to watch others experiencing fulfillment and success while you remain in the growth process. Whatever stage of the farming process your life is currently in, take hope. As sure as the sun rises, harvest time will eventually be yours. Don't get in too big of a hurry and try to rush the harvest. The patient farmer that carefully watches for the prime harvest season will reap the greatest yield.