It Has to be Done One Brick at a Time
It’s the start of another new year and if you’re like me you want a plan in place for what you’re going to accomplish this year, next year and the next five. I’m naturally a planner, so having a plan gives me a since of comfort.
However, when things don’t go as planned…it can be unnerving. This is why it’s hard to plan.
We don’t want to do something and then find out it was the wrong thing, so we just don’t do anything.
Life is like a construction project…you can have the best plans imaginable in the beginning, but it’s not always going to go as planned. We need to remember that building the best life, means it’s always under construction.
We have two choices…we can start building or not.
My life plan isn’t that different than most plans out there. It takes the big long-term goals and breaks them down into annual, quarterly, monthly and weekly goals. It is made up of visions, values, principles and areas of my life.
It starts with my God given purpose and mission; this is the cornerstone of everything else. Part of that foundation is my core values. I’ve written about most of these previously. (See the links at the end of the post)
One of my core values is (was) moving the mountain one shovel full at a time. This the same concept of eating the elephant one bite at a time. I changed it from eating an elephant to moving a mountain, because it seemed to fit my construction perspective better.
Just like I said that life is always under construction earlier…I’m changing this core value of moving the mountain one shovel full at a time. It’s now going to be:
Build God’s Kingdom one brick at a time
Ultimately, they both have the same foundational point. We need to focus on the small pieces so that we don’t get overwhelmed by the big things.
There are a couple of things I like about this change –
First – Incorporating “God’s Kingdom” helps me to remember that He is the Master Architect and that I need to build according to His plans.
Second – Building is constructive rather than moving a mountain or eating an elephant are destructive.
The most important thing to remember is to choose the right Architect to design your life.
If you don’t have a good plan the life you build will be a mess.
From the Master Architect’s Blueprint –
…but you are citizens together with God’s holy people. You belong to God’s family. 20 You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stonein that building. 21 The whole building is joined together in Christ, and he makes it grow and become a holy templein the Lord. 22 And in Christ you are being built together with his other people. You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit.
Okay, I need to quit putting off my 2022 life plan and get started laying the first next brick.
Previous core value posts:
Using core values as a life filter
The Importance of intentionality
Taking off the blinders and being more observant
Never be satisfied with mediocrity
Find and maintain the balance in everything
Move the mountain one shovel full at a time