In four months….

I saw one of those silly internet videos and it got me to thinking. It’s a video featuring a cat. If you have a couple of moments, watch it. I promise, there is a point. https://www.facebook.com/video.php? V+10152178314081006

(I am not sure that you can see the video if you are not on Facebook, so let me give you a summary. On the floor is a small hammock hanging on a metal frame. A cat tries to get on to the hammock and has no success. There is a lot of falling, hammock overturning, and frustration. But, a second series of videos shows the cat four months later. Now, the cat has no problem getting onto the hammock. And, we get to see the cat relaxing, grooming, sleeping, and generally enjoying life on a hammock. The video ends.)

After watching the video the first time, a question came to me: Where will I be in four months? There are several challenges in front of me – things that I cannot do or have not done.  In four months, will I be any closer to doing those things?

Oh, you could consider the cat video as inspiring. “See, Jill,” you might say, “If a cat can, in four months, learn to get into a hammock, you could learn something new.” But, that is what concerns me.

Will I spend my precious time and energy to get better at that frivolous things like that pesky solitaire game on my IPhone? Will I spend four months getting better at knowing the calorie content of food items but not change my eating habits? After four months, will my ability to “work up a good mad” be sharper?

Where will we be in four months? Four months from now will find us with winter over and spring in full bloom. Graduation season will be underway and summer will be fast approaching. What could we get done or learn to do if we used the next four months to focus on something lasting, on something important?

In four months, will we be different?

Consider the possibilities.

Draft the plan.

Start the work.

 

“There is surely a future hope for you…” (Proverbs 23:18a)