How To Eat An Elephant

Posted on 10.20.09 in Parenthood Thoughts and there are

I posted on Monday about how my 7 year old, entirely on her own, read through the entire Bible (regular, full version, no picture Bible).

That’s a pretty big book. Especially for someone who, when she started, had only been reading for about a year.

Not only has this challenged me spiritually (I’m still working on reading the Bible from cover to cover) but it’s also challenged my character.

I love that she just did it. She didn’t talk about doing it. She didn’t list the reasons why she couldn’t. She just did it.

One page at a time.

How To Accomplish Nothing

There are so many things I’d like to do. But I get distracted.

I accomplish the mundane at the expense of the miraculous. I do the dishes instead of play with my kids. I read about everyone else’s life on Facebook instead of making my own memories. I workout halfheartedly instead of really pushing myself.

That’s how a 34 year old accomplishes nothing.

How To Accomplish The Amazing

Here’s how a 7 year old accomplishes the amazing.

1. Passion

She wasn’t really trying to check something off of her to do list. She just really loved reading the Bible.

Lesson: Don’t try to do something amazing just because it’s amazing or because other people want you to do it. Do something you’re passionate about.

2. Focus

We actually had to tell her many times to put the Bible down - to eat or get ready for school. It’s what she defaulted to doing in her free time. That was the book she was reading and she was going to read it until she was done.

Lesson: Everything you add to your plate dilutes your ability to accomplish the amazing. Simplify.

3. Plan

She didn’t follow any sort of pre-made reading plan, because she’s wonderfully innocent (and wise). She figured “it’s a book” - you start at the beginning and read to the end. She followed God’s reading plan.

Lesson: Don’t worry about how other people say you should do something. Take time to hear how God wants you to do it. Make a plan, write it down.

4.  Be Faithful

She kept reading. Somedays she read a lot. Somedays she didn’t read at all. But she kept moving forward.

Lesson: Forward motion will ALWAYS get you to your destination.

You’re Turn To Do Something Amazing

What do you dream about doing?

Once you have your dreams in place, set some goals.

Once you have your goals in place, create a plan.

Once you have a plan in place, assemble your team. (A mentor and an accountability partner.)

Once you have your team in place, tell everyone you know. (Humiliation is a wonderful motivator).

Commit and be consistent.

Give yourself grace.

You don’t have to be perfect. Just do something.

Take The First Step

So what’s your dream? If we share our dreams, we’ll be that much more likely to realize them…

This post is part of WFMW

The Comments:

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I want to:
1. Read my Bible from cover to cover.
2. Run the Bearathon in under 2 hours.
3. Write cohesive and organized collection of my thoughts and such for my kids to read someday.

Incidentally, the title of the post is in reference to the famous saying, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

I want to take my family (hubby, 3 girls) to Cambodia for a week to serve the kiddos in an orphanage there (our church “owns” the orphanage).

I want to go to Australia (w/my family) and meet my friend Nicki and go to zoos.

I want to get completely out of debt.

I want to run a half-marathon.

Lovely steps - doing something your passionate about and a bit of forward motion will almost always result in success!  One bite at a time, and tiny bites if needs be, are surprisingly effective.
Kat and Marla, best of luck with your running!

Marla,
Come on down to Waco in March and run the Bearathon with me. It goes right past the Cameron Park Zoo.

Awesome goals. I look forward to reading all about them…

Struggler,
Thanks!

Wow. That’s all I can think to say. I have a 7-year old. And I just can’t imagine…

Good stuff Kat. 

This really got my attention.  I have been a Christian for a really long time.  During that time I have done so many bible reading plans, so many bible studies and the like that they started to be “my duty” to perform.

Last Sunday our pastor shared something profound.  He basically said that our time with God should spring from our passion for God.  “What do you want to teach me God?”

All those times I “needed” to read that passage of the day to “keep up” came to mind.  It was a breath of fresh air.  When I read you last post about your daughter it moved me.  She read it because she was genuinely interested.  She was drawn to it.  Not because she had to keep up, but she was drawn to the content. 

Thanks for moving me to action.  again.

WOW!! I am so impressed with your little girl and so impressed that you are humble enough to learn from her.  I guess that’s what it means to seek the Kingdom of God like a little child.

I haven’t read the entire Bible, but I read all 4 Gospels as my Lenten discipline in 2001.  (I was done long before Lent was over, so I read several other books of the Bible too.) It made a HUGE difference to me to read the whole thing instead of little bits here and there!  I found a lot of things that surprised me, in a good way. Christianity had seemed like something I was trying to do because I felt called to it even though it was an imperfect fit, but through reading the Gospels I found that it fit me much better than I had realized.

Wow wow wow. That is extremely impressive.  I have tried to read from beginning to end and not suceeded yet. I too choose to wash the dishes, fold the laundry etc rather than stop to play with the kids. When I do read the Bible my kids are alseep which is not good bc they don’t see me do it. 
I agree with Becca, it’s big of you to be so humble, but I am sure you deserve more credit for being such a passionate Christian mom. 
I am definitely motivated now.

Kat, Please help me out!  My daughter saved.  I mean s a v e d her money for almost a year to buy a $50 ipod shuffle. 

She loves it.  Got some toby mac rockin’ on it.  PurNRG.  Brandon Heath. Jonny Diaz.  Not to mention, Jasmine-that girl can sing for Glory.  So proud of my girl and the choices she makes for her little ears to hear.

But the ipod made it’s way through the washer tonight.  I know...my heart broke for her.

I remember a post from you about your phone(I think) making it’s way into water and you put it in rice????

Stop by my place and let me know…

Thanks.

Take care,
Amy

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