Sacrifice

While driving home from this last trip out-of-town, I was reminded of a saying I once heard:

"Do today what others won't, so you can do tomorrow what others can't."

Now, when I first heard that saying it was in the context of building a financial foundation for myself. It's true, that if you want to be set up for the future, financially, you have to go beyond what the average Joe will do. But, you know, it applies to so much more than just money...
Unfortunately, in our quick-fix, instantly gratifying society, most people miss out on so much. Take a fulfilling relationship, for example. If we want to go deep with friends, we must cultivate that relationship. It takes time to grow in understanding someone. Sure, there can be an instant connection and relativity; but, in order to really know someone, you have to take time to build the relationship.

It's like a tree... it starts with just a little seed, but, over time, trees become some of the largest organisms on the planet.

Whenever we start something new, we should count the cost; however, that cost must be weighed out over the long-term gain. Some things may look like the cost is too high - if we only consider the short-term results. We've got to consider the Big Picture - that's why God can say He works out everything for Good. He does see the end from the beginning, and knows how it's all going to turn out in the End.

So, don't be afraid to jump into something that will take a lot of time and toil. If you know what can come in down the road, and stick to it, doing everything that must be done, you can be sure that the treasure will be yours.

Two worlds

For the last two, and for the next two weeks, I am out of town during the week, and home for only two days... well I'll also be home on Monday the 23rd b/c it's a Canadian Holiday. I've got to say, this travel is wearisome. But, it's got to be done. I don't mind sacrificing short-term to build long-term gain, because with the work I'm doing, I'm not only building something that will benefit the people in this city for years to come, but I'm also building a residual income - that is why I'm doing what I'm doing. I know that the seeds I am sowing now, in this arduous travel, will payoff many times over down the road - for example, I'll probably see ~$10,000 in a year from the work I'm doing this month.
I had two guys working for me in this city, but they packed it in because it was too hard. Sometimes, it amazes me how shortsighted we can be. Our society of instant gratification seems to have a hard time recognizing the way seed-time and harvest work. You don't get a tree the instant you plant the seed; in fact, in order to get a huge tree from just a tiny seed, we have to wait tens, even hundreds of years. Sure, we can cash-in on the benefits of that tree earlier; but, they won't be nearly as bountiful as if we'd waited.
Patience is the key. I'm learning that it's often most beneficial to wait just longer than it feels posible. Like this job for example, I wanted to leave a couple of years ago, and even got hired at another place paying twice what I was earning here. However, that company was bought-out just two months later, and everyone was laid-off; conversely, my income almost doubled at my current job. I just had to wait a bit longer than I thought I could. Another time, I wanted to leave, but I held on... now I'm managing expansion at the company, and like I said, will likely see a $10,000 annual raise from this project alone. Patience pays off - in my experience, every time.

So, as I am away from home so often this month, longing for my own bedroom and bed, I choose to persevere, here, knowing that in the long-run, it will pay-off quite nicely.

Shalom

Moving

I think I'm about finished moving now. This has been one of the shortest moves I've had. I switched bedrooms. I love my new room b/c it has so much space; plus, as I was setting up the furniture, I got this awesome idea for a new fish tank.

I want to focus on a geography that I haven't in a while - a tank w. fish from Africa's Great Lakes. Some of these fish are so colorful - yellows, blues, orange - and, others have interesting habits - male/female brooding young in the mouth, building sand pyramids with a seashell penthouse suite, viciously defending a 3" x 3" territory because it's a great place to eat. I find it all so fascinating!

Here are some pics of the fish I'd like to have:

Julidochromis regani 

Shell Dweller 

Demasoni sp. 

Yellow Labidochromis