Live Expectantly and Embrace the Process

The air was thick on

 this hot and sticky South Carolina night.

There I stood along side of what seemed like 50 other women.

Women ranging from barely 18yrs old, like myself, to 27'ish.

Women who chose to pick up the torch and march on to serve her country.

It was less than a year ago that I had decided to
to serve my country

and now it seemed unreal that my name was now Private.

Just a few months before this day
 I was in high school, a cheerleader, an athlete, 

a kid and now was issued boots, BDU's, and a M16.

I prepared for this mentally. 

I told myself that this will be like hell on earth.

It will be mean, it will hurt, it will be one of the toughest things I've 

ever done.

I told myself that for months.

The day came when my platoon is full and ready to start training.

We are screamed at, picked on, and harassed.

It was all part of it.

I was ready.

I didn't care that I had to wear my rain jacket in the hot steamy night 

while I ate and marched to our barracks making it much hotter.

Was it uncomfortable? Yes

Was the salty koolaid nasty? Yes

But I was ready.

None of us really knew what we were doing. 

It become somewhat of an advanced game of follow the leader.

When the night drew long and we got to our barracks many of the ladies 

thought the first night horror show was over.

But they were wrong.

I wondered why they thought that. 

I was ready.

We stood at attention at the foot of our bunks...sweating.

"GET DOWN AND GIVE ME PUSHUPS"

"FLUTTER KICKS!"

"ATTENTION!"

"PUSHUPS" "FLUTTER KICK' PUSHUPS" "FLUTTER KICKS"

"NOT FAST ENOUGH!" 

Again and again this went on and on.

And I was ready.

Some weren't.

I heard women crying, whining, with snot and slobber 

flying out of them like a toddler throwing a fit.

Some even faked an injury, they didn't last long.

I was ready.

It was hard, I was exhausted, hot and very sweaty but

My mind set was ready for hell and that first night wasn't.

Weeks went on and little by little a soldier emerged inside of me.

It was challenging and it was meant to be.

It's part of the process of building a Solider.

Like it or not you have to tear away the civilian before building 

the soldier.

The best of the best accepted this tear down and was open to the process.

Others didn't and their time in Basic training was tougher and some didn't make it.

The tear down part is never fun but required.

Just like how exercise literally breaks down the muscle tissues to 

rebuild to bigger better muscles.

Yet if left alone, those same muscles will atrophy.

A gardener cuts many of its plants and trees to help it grow 

and beautify.

A parent has to dish out lots of consequences in the lifetime of 

their kids to raise good kids.

The tear down part is part of every build up.

Just embrace it.

It's not fun, comfortable, clean, and shiny.

It's hard, painful, and dirty.

But what else are you going to do?

Your choices are:

Embrace it, put your blood, sweat, and tears in and work hard through it.

Stay focused on the end goal no matter how long it takes or how painful it is, 

and find joy in the process.

OR

Fight it, get choked on discomfort, sit and pout in the dirt, and 

give up...never seeing your goals come to life. 

You'll still get dirty, you'll still be in pain, and 

you'll never have anything to show for it.

Don't give up!

Be Patient!

Embrace the process in this journey!

Have you ever hard the of the Chinese Bamboo Tree?

It's a great example to understand the concept of 

patience, faith, perseverance, growth & development and

human potential.

Like all plants, the Chinese Bamboo tree requires nurturing -

Water, fertile soil, and sunshine.

In 4 whole years of caring for this tree, you will see no growth.

Nothing.

but on year 5 the tree emerges to grow 80 feet tall in just 6 weeks!!

Remarkable.

Some may look at it and say, 

"Wow, it finally grew!"

But the wise gardener will tell you that the tree had been growing 

the whole time.

It's wasn't sitting dormant for 4 years.

This little tree was growing underground, developing a root system

strong enough to support it's outward growth of that 5th year and beyond.

If the tree had never developed that strong

unseen foundation, It could never sustained it's life as it grew.

The same principle is true for all of us.

We must embrace the journey, press on towards our goals, 

build strong character in the process while overcoming adversity, 

growing that strong internal

foundation to handle the success.

There are two common threads in each one of these examples.

~PERSERVENCE AND FAITH~

The growers of the Chinese Bamboo Tree had to keep their faith that

all their hard work will result in the tree growth. 

If they dug up the seed each year to

 to see if it was growing, it would've stunted it's grow.

The parent has to keep their faith that rules and consequences

will give their child the best foundation as adults and that process

takes 18-25 years.

The athlete has to keep faith that the tough workouts and burn in 

it's muscles will make them stronger.

The Soldier must keep the faith that their tough training

and process of breaking off the civilian in them 

will prepare them to face their enemies.

To withstand the storm of war and the responsibility of 

protecting this great nation.

The tear down is uncomfortable 

but keep the faith,

 keep working hard and pushing forward, 

knowing this is part of God's divine plan.

Find joy in your journey. joy in the storm, 

joy during those tough dark days.

Remember your work is not for nothing.

And get ready, be prepare for your goals to be met and

dreams to be reality!

~Prepare yourself and live expectantly~