He said, "Vision without effort is daydreaming, effort without vision is drudgery; but vision, coupled with effort, will obtain the prize."
I want to have the vision and gather my effort so I can obtain the ultimate prize of eternal life. In pondering this the thing that stuck out to me was that I needed to seek learning in order to obtain the vision. Today we have so much information available to us through the internet, good books, and even the people around us that we really have no excuse. If I expand my knowledge on all things, then I will be able to expand my vision and strengthen my efforts together. This will then lead me to eternal life and becoming the 'finisher' I seek to become. All will happen naturally.
I am promising you now (so you can hold me accountable) that I will reach for the understanding of all things starting today. If I don't understand something someone is talking about I will not be afraid to ask questions. I will begin to learn more from those around me. If I see a book that grabs my attention, I will commit to reading it. If I hear of a topic I know nothing about I will use my resources available to me to learn more about it until I understand it.
Upon pondering this idea it brought me to another weakness of mine. I will need to smooth it over before I can truly conquer the task of gaining knowledge and obtaining the vision and effort to become a finisher. I decided I needed to create a 'sub-resolution': to finish the books I never finished. I need to make sure to grab a book and commit to the end. I have a bad habit of taking a good book, starting it, then getting too excited about another book and starting the new one when I haven't even finished the first. Yes... very bad habit. So then I end up with tons of books I have only read half way through. This year is my year to be a finisher... and re-read all of the books I have never finished.
In President Monson's talk he shares a poem:
“Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you;
Beginners are many, but enders are few.
Honor, power, place and praise
Will always come to the one who stays.
“Stick to your task ’til it sticks to you;
Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it, too;
For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile
Will come life’s victories after a while.”
—Author Unknown
I, again, am promising you that I will sick to my task until it sticks to me. I will start a book and commit to the end without beginning another.
And so it begins... Here is my report so far.
The first book I have finished is 'King of Kings' by Bruce D. Porter. This book was all about the Savior and His life from beginning to end. Through reading this it has brought me closer to Him. I read it in a week and plan to post my notes using this blog as I have done in the past with other books. I have found that blogging on books I read is an easy way to remember what I have learned, AND it is a great way to reference back on material I want to share with others.
The second week I conquered 'Of Pigs, Pearls, and Prodigals' by John Bytheway. I will also be posting my notes and thoughts on this as well. This book was great! It goes through every parable told by the Savior and gives a commentary as well as a way we can apply it in our lives. I highly recommend it!
As part of my resolution to become a 'finisher', this also includes seeing my goal through until the end. I will need to take it and run with it. My husband and I will be welcoming a new baby in a week from today (if not earlier), so I know I will not be able to keep up reading a new book a week. But I will keep the effort strong and the vision in sight.
With love,
jm
“For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: ‘It might have been!’”
—“Maude Muller”
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