Finishers Wanted!

Driving to and from Costco I always see this big building and wonder about it's story.  What happened???  Partnership gone bad?  Failed finances???  Most likely prospect in my view....

 Luke 14....

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and ^acounteth the ^bcost, whether he have sufficient to ^cfinish it?

 29 Lest ^ahaply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to ^afinish.

Finish is the key word here.  I remember a talk that President Monson gave years ago about a sign that he saw in a furniture shop window--

One Wednesday I paused before the elegant show window of a prestigious furniture store. That which caught and held my attention was not the beautifully designed sofa nor the comfortable appearing chair that stood at its side. Neither was it the beautiful chandelier positioned overhead. Rather, my eyes rested on a small sign that had been placed at the bottom right-hand corner of the window. Its message was brief: “FINISHERS WANTED.”

The store had need of those persons who possessed the talent and the skill to make ready for final sale the expensive furniture the firm manufactured and sold. “Finishers Wanted.” The words remained with me as I returned to the pressing activities of the day.

Enjoy President Monson's fantastic talk, Finishers Wanted, from 1989  here

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The Savior as ever was the perfect example of endurance and the ultimate finisher.   

John 17

1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy ^aSon, that thy Son also may ^bglorify thee:

 2 As thou hast given him ^apower over all flesh, that he should give^beternal life to as many as thou hast ^cgiven him.

 3 And this is ^alife ^beternal, that they might ^cknow thee the only true ^dGod, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast ^esent.

 4 I have ^aglorified thee on the earth: I have ^bfinished the work which thou gavest me to do.

John 19

 28 ¶After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with ^avinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is^afinished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

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 I've decided that I'm not a finisher.  I have desire to do a million things, start on one hundred and seldom finish even single digits, I mean really finish the job.  I'm the plate spinner in the circus.  all those little plates on poles, spinning like crazy, and me running around trying to make sure they don't fall off and crash and burn.

Evidence abounds of my non-finishing efforts.  I do have great desire...great ideas...great plans but in many respects I'm like that building by Costco.  Or am I?  Is there hope for one that has unfinished items like....

a metal gate hid behind a tree.  love it.  for what?  Hmmmm...Terry do you like it?  oops.

a cement sconce so heavy it would pull the house down.  beautiful!  Nestled in the rocks and twigs.

some of fabric for who knows what? 

a block for a crazy quilt.  Now we're talking sense.  Loved this.  gave the blocks away though.

baby quilt top made so perfectly that you can barely tell the front from the back. unfinished. top of picture is back.

and the beat goes on...and the beat goes on!!!  split personality???

things from when I taught Seminary.  empty cigarette pack.  soap for repentance.  you never know!

wicker file/Mother's suitcase/green trunk  filled with letters/genealogy/writing ideas

contents of trunk.  letters from forever.  blue corduroy baby shoes worn by my 4 sons.

I thought about that unfinished building and the importance of finishing things and as I looked at these things that are unfinished, I thought about their value.  True, they are of interest to me and valuable in that respect but ultimately, except for the information in the trunk stack, they will not have huge impact on my afterlife.  They are a part of my life, my enjoyment, my challenges etc. but if they were lost, my life would be okay.  Many times they rule over me and gobble up my time and attention or cause me stress in various degrees.

My focus needs to be firmly centered on things of lasting worth, before all the endless projects I take on to my frustration, because ultimately I want to be able to say as Paul did in...

Acts 20
 24 But none of these things ^amove me, neither count I my ^blifedear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the ^cgospel of the ^dgrace of God.

and Paul spoke again of my ultimate desire in ...
2 Tim 4
  7 I have fought a good ^afight, I have ^bfinished my course, I have kept the faith: