Wednesday's Warrior~"Don't Despise The Days Of Small Beginnings"

     "Don't despise the days of small beginnings." I try and think of these words often because it's an easy thing to do. It was what I was thinking of today as I was dragging through my hours of what for certain were ones of many small beginnings.
     Small beginnings come with hard work and sometimes little help, pain with no gain, brilliant ideas and little resources, humble budgets with plentiful defeats and questioning looks with little encouragement. Have you ever enthusiastically announced something just to have it shot down with misunderstanding or doubt? We've all been there.
     Small beginnings can feel like things will always be the way they are right now, never progressing or changing, but anything good takes time and patience to grow
     Recently, we had the chance to see The Tribute Quartet, a well known Southern Gospel Band from Tennessee. Their harmonies were beautiful, moving, and very tight. That's not something that happened overnight.
     Our family got to sit on the left side of the stage because the church was so packed with people and we got there a little late. We could see right up close to an act that took years, if not decades to come into being. We were impressed at the level of professionalism, the vocal range of the singers and the little antics that took time and practice to execute. It was well worth the gander.
     Earlier today, we were looking at pictures of when the kids were a few years smaller. It gave me a brutal reminder of how quickly things pass and of what was and is now gone. All of the kids were little. I was worn looking, heavier and remember feeling like the sleepless nights would never end. I remember the sarcastic remarks and displeased looks that started to come along after the words,"We're gonna have another baby!". Sometimes it almost felt like a crime. I look back on those early days with satisfaction, knowing that it was what I wanted for my life and I stuck it out. It was (is) hard, but all good things are.
    Loretta has a little somethin' to say about that:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMzSYyjNb74
    Sometimes, I want to try and skip over the little things to get to the prize, but I have remember that whether it's growing blueberry bushes, raising respectful children, getting an education, losing weight, patiently waiting for a baby, or praying for an answer, it all takes plenty of time and grit.
     For everything worth while, there is a small beginning. Today I need to remind myself to embrace and tend to my small beginnings, because they too, will soon be gone. Going, going. gone...*poof*
                                                       Stacey