Finish What Was Started

Whimsical Blue and White Ottoman

       It is hard to believe that we are almost a month into 2020. Most people have made and forgotten New Year’s resolutions and everyone is busy finishing up things from last year so they can finally start this year. The end of one year and start of a new one is always a tough time for me. I think of all the things I didn’t accomplish in the past year and feel overwhelmed with the amount I want to accomplish in the next 365 days (366 with the leap year!). 
         As the new year came, I realized that an ottoman project I was hired to do back in September was still sitting in my storage only half done. Christmas is a hard time for us Ciccozzi’s to do anything that is not holiday related. The tree farm was busy this past year and we are so grateful! In the same breath, I think of all the things I put on hold to support my family business. 

---

​         I took a few days off after new year and decided then and there that I was going to finish the ottoman project. That fresh first week in January, I also read one of the most soul awakening Bible verses. Psalm 37 verses 7-9 read, “Rest in the lord, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his ways, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen. Cease from anger and forsake wrath. Don’t fret, it leads only to evildoing. For evildoings shall be cut off, but those who wait for the lord shall inherit the land”. What I forget sometimes is that there is a season for everything. This passage commands us to be patient in the lord. He will provide the resources and time you need to get the job done. But he will also wait until the right season. 
         I thought of those words as I took out the ottoman and continued to work on it. This was one of the first times that I worked on a project and didn’t feel anxious, angry, or resentful. I took my time, enjoyed each step of the process and when I made a mistake, I took a deep breath and asked, ‘What can I learn from this?’ 

---

         As I took the staples out of the old fabric, I first struggled with tearing the fabric underneath that I wanted to reuse. I stopped trying to rip the staples out with plyers got a small screw driver. With a little patience and using leverage from the tool, the staples easily came out. I kept a light heart and thought threw my challenge instead of turning to my wicked ways and getting angry. If you are stuck and feel like you are unable to finish something because you are not smart enough or don’t have enough experience, turn your mind to God. Find his peace and do everything to the glory of the Lord. Make a small pivot and see how much of a difference it makes. You will feel so accomplished in the smallest of successes. 
         I got this little ottoman sanded, painted, and upholstered in just a few hours. I didn’t feel proud of myself. Instead, I felt so grateful that my Lord helped me. Philippians 1, verse 6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”. God brings us work and gives us dreams in our hearts. He would not give you those gifts if he was not going to equip you with everything you need to succeed and give glory to Him.  

---

       ​If something is weighing on your mind because you have been pushing if off, don’t fret. God is waiting for the right season for you to accomplish those things. This is challenging to accept! Believe me, I am a human who feels like if they have a task to do, they need to do it right away. Many people see that as a strength, but it actually makes me feel very weak. When I cannot accomplish that thing right away, it makes me feel defeated and worried that the people who depend on me are going to be disappointed. I found from my client for this beautiful little ottoman, it could not be farther from the truth. She was so grateful and said it was done just in time for her newly remodeled office to be furnished! 
         Even though Christmas is over a month gone, let’s remember why Jesus was sent to earth. He had one purpose, and that was to save us from our sins. Jesus Christ died so we can live. On the cross, his second to last words spoken were ‘It is finished’. Jesus is an example of how we are to live. We are to serve God and see his plan through. He will give us what we need in the exact right moment. 

---