Life’s lemons

Kaylene Vieselmeyer
Columnist
May 6, 2004, Page 4

Finishing faithfully! This catchy phrase can help describe the final stretches of the school year. I also heard someone call it today, “a rush to the end.” So how can we finish it all and yet maintain our sanity. Well, for starters we can’t do it all in one day, even God took six days to create the universe and then rested on the seventh day (Genesis 1-2).
When it comes to finishing the race faithfully the first thing is about sometimes starting correctly or maintaining the course. Now we may have false started at the beginning, tripped on a hurdle or just got off the course. The important thing is that you finish. It’s true that many times we won’t win the race , but the important thing is that we started the course and finished.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers when ever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may mature and complete, not lacking nothing” James 1:2-4.
Out of this race of life we have gained maturity, wisdom, patience and perseverance. The same is true for our time at Doane. Many times its easy to get off course and forget the reason that we are here. We may trip at the beginning, be stopped by a hurdle or just deviate off the course. But the main thing is to finish what we begin. For many seniors this will be some of their last days at Doane and we wish you the best as you have grown in this maturity and use this knowledge granted!
The course maybe uncertain, but do not give up hope and more importantly never lose sight of the end. Finishing faithfully means believing to the end! Just like Paul put it, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained” Philippians 3:14-16.
More importantly just remember that the growing pains of life may over take us sometimes, but they need not defeat us. Chart your course on Christ and you will never go wrong, it may not be easy, but He will see you to the end!
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day” 2 Timothy 4:7-8.