real talk // being good at things

there's so many things i want to be good at. i want to be good at blogging. i want to be good at the piano. i want to be good at running. but when it comes to putting in time and effort into those things, that's when i start to lose motivation.

my sister played a classical song on the piano at the church christmas party, and she NAILED it. hands flying everywhere, arpeggios at 60 mph, etc. after the classic piece, she on the keyboard, my brother on the upright bass, and a few others played multiply by needtobreathe. the instruments sounded just like the original, keyboard leading in the introduction and guitar plucking its riff. such, such talent. those songs didn't come easily, though.

she had to practice those runs up and down the piano a hundred times before her fingers memorized the pattern. and my brother had to practice with the group so that his bass helped build towards that chorus.

even though seeing talented people do talented things can discourage me--they are so good! i could never get on that level!--i'm choosing to see those expressions as encouragement. encouragement to practice, to carve out time in my day, to keep going when i want to give up.


photo taken after an all-day hike in upstate new york. 
la vida with gordon college, 2011

here's to working hard on the things we want to be good at. all for his glory, right? 

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