Friday. And I wonder this week, like every other week, did I really complete anything? OK, sure. Dinner, dishes, laundry, and maybe a phone call or two, but those intended projects, the ones that continue week after week to fall off my radar? What about them? Is it that I’m not up for the challenge? What is it that pushes some tasks lower on the priority rung? Completing projects can be tough! The struggle is real. I may have discovered the answer while helping a group of 4 year old children with a craft.
Do you remember the creation story? In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) Are you with me so far? Remember that God created something every day for six days. Let me refresh your memory.
Day 1 – 
Night and Day
Day 2 – Created Sky and separated it from Water
Day 3 – Plants and vegetation
Day 4 – Sun and Moon
Day 5 – Birds and Fish
Day 6 – Animals and People
We reviewed the story with our pre-schoolers and asked them to use pictures, stickers, and crayons to show what God created. These two pictures illustrate my dilemma of when tasks and steps of a project lead to a successful completion. Notice how the picture above is sparse while the one below has interest, character, and looks more complete. As they ran from the craft table to get on with activities of ‘higher priority’, each child proclaimed their projects – COMPLETE!
This was my aha moment! One barrier to completing projects is vague specifications. It isn’t that my projects aren’t important. It isn’t that my interest has waned. Similar to how my preschoolers approached their pictures, I have tools, supplies, resources, and definition; after all, my projects have names. But I lack specification that determines progress leading all the way to – COMPLETE.
And by the way – on day 6, God was satisfied with all the work He did and said it was Very Good! Then – He rested all day on the 7th day. I promise. He rested from his work and he wasn’t even tired. He rested because he wanted to enjoy what he completed.
For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. Deuteronomy 16:15b
Great thoughts. Thanks for sharing, I think sometimes things don’t get complete so its hard to sit back, rest and enjoy what have done.
Thank you for reading and your kind words, Kathy. You are my first reader on my blog. In fact, I don’t even think the site is done – but I decided if I could post, I would do it. Looks like it worked. Thank you for being first!
I enjoyed reading your thoughts here! I love how we can learn so much from children! Visiting from FMF #24.
Lesley, thank you so much for your comment on my post for Five Minute Friday. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reply. Travel and blogging are not good companions when there is very scant Internet service. I hope you’re doing well on the daily prompts. I have a lot of catching up to do, but I won’t be posting all of them at the same time. That would be almost spamming my readers. I appreciate you for taking time to read my blog and respond with kindness.
Dear Jane, I like how you illustrated, through children, our need to complete work and to rest from it so our joy may be complete. I always learn way more than the children I’m teaching do.
Blessings ~ Wendy Mac
Wendy, I apologize for not replying earlier. Traveling and blogging when there is rare Internet service isn’t a good practice. I’m so far behind now, I will be in November before I finish all the prompts. Thank you so much for reading my post and taking time to comment. You are so thoughtful. I hope you’re doing well with the daily prompts. I need to get out there and start reading again too. Be blessed.
You’re off to a great start on your blog. Thank you for sharing these lovely works of art. My husband is doing a study of the creation and it’s lovely to see this likeness here.
Erendira, thank you so much for your sweet comment. Our church is studying Genesis right now. That’s how I had the illustrations. 🙂 I apologize for not responding sooner. I’m terribly behind due to constant travel. I hope you are doing well with the daily prompts. Kate comes up with some excellent prompts to think and write about. Be blessed.