Finish What You Start

What kind of person are you? Do you always like to finish the things you start? Are you perhaps someone who starts a project with the best intentions to finish, but never do? Maybe you could care less if something gets finished?

I usually find myself in the first group: I like to finish everything I start. This goes for small things like reading a book or watching a movie (even if it’s super hard to finish because it’s boring or just horrible for one reason or another), and for the bigger things such as finishing each day being able to say I was the best wife/mom/friend/etc. I could be.

However, there were a few things in my life that I found myself floating into the second group: wanting to have finished something, but just didn’t. And perhaps the saddest thing was I never gave much thought to it. Day in and day out I would live my life keeping some of those unfinished projects at bay. This year I said enough is enough.

As our church’s annual 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting came around in mid-January, I knew what I would give up. However, I wasn’t sure at first what I would do in my spare time. Then God gave me a revelation: I should finish all those tiny projects I have lying around. Thinking of them all, I decided my goal was to have all of them completed by the end of February.

Guess what?!?! I DID IT!

Here’s what I accomplished:

1. All baby books are now up to date – Deacon’s is completely finished!
2. Both boys have their scrapbooks done! It’s nothing spectacular. I just wanted to have a place to put a few of their things.
3. The Hoelsema Recipe Book is now complete! Instead of recipe cards here and there, everything is nicely typed out and placed in a neat binder.
4. And perhaps the biggest project I finished is my quilt!

Let me tell you about this quilt. I started this when (I believe) I was a junior in high school. I’m not sure when the last time I worked on this was, but I’m pretty sure it was before I got married. I know the sewing machine I had broke so that’s probably what made me stop, but that was still no excuse to not try other means to get it finished.

Finally, this year I got it out and got a hold of my sister-in-law who is the bomb at anything and everything DIY related. She was such a huge help, and gave me so much appreciated help. I told her my goal and she was more than happy letting me come over when I needed to just to get this finished. Tuesday, February 21, 2017, I can officially say it’s done! This is 15 years in the making, people!

Anyway, you can see the nice pattern on front (not perfect by any means), and then the back is the single fabric of those cats. Then for a binding, I have this nice navy color. I am really happy how it turned out!

I say all this because it feels good to finish what I start. I know that it would feel good for you as well. Is there something you need to finally finish? It doesn’t matter how long it’s been pushed to the side! In my case it was 15 years! The main thing is, get it out and get it done. You’ll feel proud of yourself, that you no longer have anything looming over your head. There will be no more loose ends. You’ll have this sense of accomplishment. Just think of the freedom!!