RESTART
I noticed a facebook pic posted by multiple people that simply had the following words on it:
“Maybe it’s not always about trying to fix something broken. Maybe it’s about starting over and creating something better.”
I’m torn by this statement as I struggle with some of my own convictions, dreams and desires. I’ve always been the kind of guy that loves restoration. I love to fix things that people throw away assuming that they are junk sometimes just to prove them wrong but sometimes to avoid wasting something of value. Since I was a young boy my dad and I fixed small engines (mowers, trimmers, chainsaws…etc) that were often found in the trash as a side job and often to put food on the table. I love it when people restore old cars and I now have a ’65 Mustang and an ’85 Kawasaki motorcycle to restore. I love restoring old houses that have a good foundation but need a makeover. I have a ’93 Ford Ranger that has been totaled four times with over 250,000 miles on it but I keep restoring it to working condition because I can’t stand to waste a good thing. I have a 1945 farm house (The Hobbit House) that I’ve been restoring for a few years with the help of my wife, my dad and a few others. I also have a passion to see people restored, relationships restored, passions restored, health restored, hearts restored…etc. You get the point… I’m in the business of restoration.
Sometimes restoration is good but sometimes it’s imperative to hit the “restart” button to start over and create something better. Sometimes you need to redirect your attentions and efforts to get the most out of your investment. Some things you can’t technically start over but you can begin each day as if it were a fresh start. You can’t really go back in time to change things but things progressively change anyways. You have to roll with the punches and adjust accordingly sometimes too.
Think of a potter that is making a clay pot and has a major blowout during formation. Sometimes it’s better to start over and regroup to avoid tremendous frustrations with little chance for success. You may want to hit the “restart” button with your career, your relationships, your resolutions, your dreams, your health, your geographic location and the list goes on and on but you will have to assess the situation to make wise decisions as you consider change. There are risk and reward factors involved and sometimes we have to take the risk to have a chance at the reward but sometimes a safety net may be the wiser choice. It’s not a cut and dry methodology so it becomes very frustrating at times. I’m a 1 + 1 = 2 kinda guy so I just want answers.
As I know I have a heart for restoration, I also have a relentless dedication to responsibility. Sometimes I eliminate the potential rewards by taking the more responsible route and putting security above my desires. I have visions and dreams of big things and they have only gained strength over the years but they continue to be on the back burner as I pursue this game of life. I often prayerfully consider my decisions, request clarity and peace in God’s timing and wait patiently until my time has come. This is a tough process but I believe character is built during these times. I often look forward to hitting the “restart” button but I recognize that it’s merely a new season in the life of my story. I need to embrace the history of my story and use it as a testimony to press forward in the pages that are yet to be written….
Psalm 32: 8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”