2/25/25- Rinse & Repeat

Do you find it hard to get out of bed every day & repeat the same tasks with a twist?

We are living in 2025. This blows my mind. I remember pondering about living in the year 2025, when I was a young girl. Now to actually be living in 2025 is a culmination of so many gifts, blessings, lessons learned, and tasks repeated. The gifts and blessings have resulted in my life, because I have done the work. It is only for this reason that I am able to see and acknowledge these gifts and blessings, I have received daily in my life.

Every day life has many tasks we must repeat, especially in this society. Repeating the same task can become mundane. Many of us are wired for routine, and many are not. I believe those who are not, tend to rely on God more earlier in life. However, they only rely on God if they know about Him, and all of His goodness. Otherwise, temptations can grab hold, and individuals may turn to substances or bad habits to numb the annoyance of getting on the gerbil wheel every morning.

Starting at the age of 10, my mornings began with a wake up alarm at 4:50am. I would then sit in the dark peering out the dining room window by myself, waiting for a car to turn into my driveway. Dashing through the darkness, to reach the car full of friends, was always a bit eerie. (The darkness didn't feel as eerie when my brother started attending morning practice, for I was not alone). The drive to practice was never long enough with anticipation of jumping into a cold pool looming. After overcoming the thoughts of cold water submersion, the repetition of swimming lap after lap began.

While swimming up and down the pool, my focus would be on how to improve hand position, kick beat, approaching the wall, flipping and pushing off every wall with force, and so many other little details. Why did I do this repeatedly some 9 practices a week, because I longed to become the best. I wanted to win and stand on top of the podium and receive a gold medal around my neck. I wanted to swim faster than every other girl/woman competing in my event.

There is an innate desire in humans to thrive and survive. God made us this way. Alongside the repeating of menial tasks, most of us grow and expand every day in different areas. We excel and gain more wisdom, if we apply ourselves. When referencing "apply," there is no getting around the fact that we must "do the work." The same is true for establishing and building a relationship with Our Maker.

I was 10 years old when I traveled with the NC All-Star swim team to Philadelphia to compete in my very first "travel meet." This meant that my parents did not come to the meet. We traveled as a team via bus. We slept with our teammates in a hotel room. It was during this stay, in a hotel room, that I learned that every single room had a Bible in the bedside table. I opened the drawer and saw The Bible. Amazed that it was there, I then proceeded to close the drawer. I did not touch The Bible. I simply looked at it, and was amazed.

Some 40+ years later, I am amazed and in awe of what I have learned and applied from "The Word," after opening The Bible, repeatedly and studying what God's word has, in turn, made me see. The Bible is like a puzzle that requires us to keep searching for the last piece to put in place. (It is always a great feeling to be the one to place the last piece of the puzzle). Yet, every time I open The Bible, something new is revealed to me. The one thing that does remain constant is that every time I open The Bible and study, I learn something new. I become closer to God. Closer to becoming complete. Closer to winning the race that God set before me to complete. Closer to receiving His glory. Ultimately, the only glory that truly matters in this lifetime.

My gold medals have lost their shine. I no longer have that feeling of elation from the win. Most of the blue ribbons and gold medals have been discarded or sit in a box in the attic. However, the closer I become to God through reading His word, praying and sharing His goodness, the more I become fulfilled. After receiving Jesus into my life, I am no longer alone.

My hope is that all whom I encounter will "do the work." That every single individual will find enough faith within himself/herself to desire to connect every day with God. Repeating this one task, of turning to God's word in The Bible, will result in elated glory for eternity, in His presence. There will be no medal placed around our necks. We will not have the feelings of doing this mundane task again and again. The gift of joy will be with us forever. We will be reunited with God, Our Maker.

"Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" -Acts 2:38

While flipping through my Concordance this morning, I counted 137 words that began with "re" in my Bible. God knew that all of His children would need to "repeat" constantly throughout our lives, because we are all sinners.