Hey everyone! Welcome to Torah Home. I can’t believe I am actually sitting down and typing at this moment.
Don’t get me wrong, I have thought about this moment for years. I have planned many times over to sit down as I am now and begin the journey into blogging.
Yet, it never happened. Time after time I said to myself that I don’t have time.
Recently, I was doing a teaching from the book of Hebrews, chapter 13 and I was struck by my own words. The words stated that a great accomplishment is only achieved when it is started. A goal only happens when small incremental steps are undertaken, one at a time, until “tada,” the goal is achieved.
I once worked for a friend constructing fencing. He loved the job and often talked fondly of it. I once asked him why he liked building fences so much. His answer fits with what I am saying. He liked fencing because he could always look back on the completed fencing and see what he had accomplished that day. He could see the incremental steps he had accomplished toward the completed task or goal.
When it comes to tackling projects for our families and homes, whether it is organizing our lives, starting to budget our groceries, beginning to homeschool, or redecorating a room, it all can seem overwhelming when we look at the goal first. What must be done is to stop looking at the end of where we want to be and start doing the small steps necessary to actually accomplish the goal.
I far too often look at the goal. I may succeed in chasing that goal for a day, a week, maybe even a month! But, the result is always the same… failure.
In the book of James it warns against making too big of plans and scheduling too far into the future.
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15, NIV)
So, instead of looking to a year from now and becoming overwhelmed by the amount of work involved in developing this website, I am taking my own advice… or should I say the master Yeshua’s advice:
28 “For who among you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost to see whether he has resources to complete it? 29 Otherwise, perhaps, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to complete it, all who see it will begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to complete it.’ (Luke 14:28-30, NIV)
In these verses, Yeshua is talking about discipleship and the development of those who are following him. He wanted them to grow from being followers to being disciples. He wanted them to not just enjoy the moment of being with Him, but to accept the challenge of spreading truth and the Word of God beyond His ministry.
I am taking this parable and applying it to every activity we seek to do. In every undertaking, we must count the cost of involving ourselves, our spouses, our family in the project. Will it be for our Heavenly Father’s glory, will it be uplifting for my family, will it serve a purpose for His kingdom, will it spread beauty to others? That is what I had to ponder and pray about as I debated the choice to take on this website and this blog.
My desire is to be an encouragement to all of you both in your spiritual walk and in the opportunities you have to bring beauty into this world, whether in your home, your family, or your little corner of the world. I hope you can come along with me and learn to tackle your big dreams and plans by smaller, simpler steps. Before long you can look back and rejoice in all the fences you have put up.
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