Unfinished

 Have you ever started something, but didn't finish it? I'm sure we can all relate! Perhaps you were cleaning or sorting through items and then your phone rings or you receive a text. Maybe your phone happens to be nearby you and you pick it up for a minute. That minute turns into hours and before you know it, an hour (or more!) has gone by because you were scrolling social media. Perhaps you started an assignment you were working on for school, college, job-related and it gets started, but it doesn't get finished. As a teacher, I've seen students turn in work that was incomplete. When completing assignments and paperwork for myself, I've had to check it over and finish it because I left it undone. Now, when I talk to my students about incomplete assignments, I get several reasons why it's unfinished. Some have missed that there was another side to a sheet or two parts to a question. Some didn't feel like completing the work and left parts blank on purpose. Then, there are still others who were working on an assignment, but got distracted before they could complete the task. Perhaps one or more of those scenarios happened to you. What have you left unfinished? What have you started, but need to go back to complete? Perhaps it's the goal or dream you have and it seems out of your reach. Maybe it is the cleaning and sorting through items in your house that need taking care of. That's what I'm currently working on and need to continue to do more consistently😊. In fact, just this morning, I was cleaning out spaces in my room! You see, I've also been cleaning and sorting through things in my Mom's room. Recently, I was talking to one of my cousins about the cleaning/decluttering situation as she's also in the process of doing the same thing. One of the things we talked about was taking 15-20 minutes each day to clean some space in the house (a closet, basket, a corner). Doing this each day can help us be consistent and make progress. It's definitely working for me. Now I had a few days last week that I wasn't taking that time, but I can see progress for sure 💜!! I've been working hard in my Mom's room for a while with noticeable change. I spend a lot more time in her room now 💜. My brother saw it and said that looks really nice 😊. I said to myself that I need to start hitting my room more, which is why this morning my room was the focus. There's something else that I have left unfinished and need to go back and complete- my second book. For those who may be new to my blog or did not know, I published a book in 2020 titled, "Grow Gracefully: Devotions To Change You From The Inside Out." It is a collection of blog posts and can be purchased on lulu.com, Amazon and Barnes and Noble online. My second book will be another collection of blog posts. I have started working on my second book, but I just need to finish 👏. On my professional journey, I am in a certification program for my gifted education endorsement. I need to keep working hard in my classes and do my best so I can cross the finish line on that later this year! Yes, we have to watch out for distractions that keep us off track and cause us to not complete something in its entirety. I don't know what you have left unfinished today as it could be the cleaning or book like me. It could be another goal or dream like starting a podcast, applying for a new position at your job or a different job, going back to college or receiving certification. It could be making that call to someone, having that hard conversation or the project you started, but for whatever reason, it remains incomplete. Today, I want to encourage you and myself to keep working on what's unfinished 💙. I want to encourage you to finish what you started. Look at what steps you can take today, no matter how small the steps may seem. Steps forward get you closer to being finished no matter the size. It may be the 10 minute cleaning, printing off an application, asking someone questions, reading a few pages in your book or turning that assignment in. However that may look for you today, it's okay 😊. Let's be finishers. God will finish the work He is doing in us (Philippians 1:6). Today, I come to be your cheerleader. Regroup, reset, readjust, take a quick break and then get back on course to finish. Get help, set a timer, ask questions, have a check-in person, and remove distractions. Set aside time each day or a few days to work on the goal. You see, with my cleaning, I know I have at least two sister cousins I can check with and be accountable to for that 💜. With my book, I have family and friends that ask me how it's going in the process and I appreciate them getting and keeping me on track. All of these keep me accountable. We all need someone to be accountable to. I have other goals I am working on as well 😊. We can cross the finish line. Keep going. Don't quit. Let's finish and then we can say "Done 👏." Let's be finishers! Let's finish well what we started ❤.