by Molly Audiss
I had the idea this spring to make my own oat milk. From the online video tutorials, nothing could be easier! You know how it goes, 3 YouTube videos and you’re an expert! I got so excited, I immediately ordered, not 1, but 4 bags of steel-cut outs on Amazon. More is better. Ha! Oat milk for life! Well, you already know how that went. The bags sat on the counter forever, just reminding me of my dumb idea. By the next day I had lost enthusiasm and didn’t want to go to the trouble. I probably even bought oat milk from the store a few times as my bags of organic, steel-cut oats sat on the counter, a daily reminder of my impulsiveness. But, good news! I did follow through eventually. My day of making oat milk had so many interesting twists and turns, by the end of the process, I saw it all as a microcosm of my journey through the Christian life. I want to take you along on my thoughts from that day.
- Stop procrastinating. Just do it, already! Just as I felt guilty looking at my oats on the counter day after day, we sometimes get excited about something we feel led by the Lord to do, but we hold back. Each day we remember the change we desire to make, but we put it off. Is it spiritual, like getting serious with daily Bible reading, memory, etc.? Is it a change we know we need to make to improve our relationships? Is it physical? Like eating healthy and getting in shape? Possibly stopping a bad habit? Every day we continue to put it off, it robs us of joy as we “look at the oats on the counter.” Just start today!
- Once you begin, you will see the fear for what it was- not before. Act, then understand. So, I decided “This is the day!” Immediately I was excited again. I was going to do something new. I could do this! That is how all goals are. Once you actually commit and get started, the fear that kept you from starting earlier looks so silly. It dissolves and the good feeling of accomplishment fills its place. You don’t have to wait till the end of the process to get that feeling. The happiness comes as soon as the process begins! I put the oats and water in the blender. Not hard!
- When you’re happy and getting victory, something will happen- always. Yup, you’re moving along fine toward your goal, and BOOM! Something comes along to derail you. Life happens. Possibly a trial comes, or others react negatively. All sorts of things may show up to get you sidetracked. For me, on my day of making oat milk, I went to take a glass from the cupboard and dropped it onto the counter. Glass shattered into a million tiny pieces all over the place! Glass shards and dust to clean up from the counter, the floor, everywhere. I was trying to sweep and keep my dogs out of the glass. It was a royal mess! I got sidetracked. This will DEFINITELY, without a doubt, happen as you are working on improving yourself. Expect it. Don’t quit! Don’t go back when this happens. It is tempting to stop mid-way, because it’s easier or more familiar. You will have days that feel like failure. But you are not a failure. Get up and try again tomorrow! Refuse to quit.
- Others can be helped when you grow and begin to live differently. Remember this point when you are tempted to quit. Others need your example. When you succeed at positive change, others will seek your advice on changing their own lives. The week I made oat milk, a friend came over. She wanted to know what I did so she could make it herself at home. Your success will be a catalyst for others. Keep going! Refuse to stay the same through your life!
- There is so much joy with victory! Even in something as small as learning a new skill, to something that is very difficult and life-changing, you will find JOY when you reach your goal. It is always worth it to keep working on yourself. Don’t believe the lies that “you’ll never change,” or “you will fail like you have all the other times.” No! Today is a new day. God wants you to succeed. He will give you the grace to change and be more like Him. Lean on His strength and take it one day at a time.
You can do this!!
I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. – Phil. 4:13
