Skip to main content

Quitting

Quitting was not a word heard very often on the Sanders farm where I grew up. Daddy was a cotton farmer…and my sister Lavern, my Mama and I were the biggest part of his “equipment”, so to speak.
Cotton farming was hard work….but I can honestly say that I could count on my two hands the number of times I ever heard Ernest and Lillie Sanders say they were tired after working in the field from sunup to sundown, literally, with about a 30 – 45 minute break for lunch, which Mama had cooked before leaving for the field very early in the morning (and this was after she’d cooked a full breakfast).
What I did hear a lot of was “well, we got a lot done today”, or perhaps “feels good to be tired so I can sleep better”.
So, I often say…. when somebody questions me as to how I drive the long hours, stay in a studio for an eternity to record an album, personally stay in touch, as much as I possibly can, with all those who communicate with me on email, Facebook, via my website’s fANN forum message board, chatroom, etc….after farm life, all of this is a “piece of cake” ). I guess you could say that I had good “preparation time” .
I have to confess that there have been times I should have “quit”…you know, those times when you’re more or less “beating a dead horse”?? I hope I’m learning that “quitting” isn’t so bad since in quitting, we often begin to experience something new and fresh. “Letting go of those things which are behind so as to reach forward to those things which are ahead”…is that it???

Comments

  1. UnknownApril 28, 2011 at 8:43 PM

    I seem to remember that a famous singer wrote a song called "I Quit". Very impactful in it's message.

    ReplyDelete
  2. LaDonnaApril 28, 2011 at 8:46 PM

    Wow! Looking at it this way, I think I'm at that "quitting" stage, AnnD. Wish there was a "LIKE" button here. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. LaDonnaApril 28, 2011 at 8:48 PM

    Absolutely LOVE that song, Karen. Has really ministered to my heart!!! That's not a very easy thing to do though...just to give it all to Him. But, I'm so thankful for the experiences I've had when I HAVE quit and given it all over to Him.

    ReplyDelete
  4. laydieadaemensahApril 28, 2011 at 9:31 PM

    Sometimes, it's not until we are ready to "quit" that God can actually begin.. and intervene. Joyce Meyer puts it this way, "you do what you can, and GOD will do what you can't." I love that!
    God bless you Ann. I met you one year at the TN retreat. I'm delighted to follow you on FB. I was so surprised to see you there!
    LaydieAdaeMensah***

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Courteous Listening

The act of being courteous takes very little effort. I’m one of the worst to get involved in what is going on at that moment in my life, probably trying to figure it out, fix it, find a solution….you know, MOVE ON WITH IT.  All the while, I frequently miss what’s happening right in front of my face. When we stop and think about it, a lot of us probably come across as disinterested, impatient with, and/or bored by what others are saying.  In politeness we nod, maybe touch an arm as if to say, “I hear you.”  I know a lot of the time we’re sincere, but more often than not, we’re probably thinking about the next thing on our own agenda forgetting what we’ve heard only five minutes later. If I’m thinking about this, the light bulb may be going off in your head, too.  Maybe all of us can put forth a more concerted effort to be effective listeners and be as truly attentive as we try to make people believe we are.
Post a Comment
Read more

From here to there

A lot of you are familiar with or at least know of my only niece, Scarlett (or Sweet Scarlett, as I often refer to her). A brilliant gal in the prime of her life and career was involved in a horrible car accident at the age of 36, leaving her with a severe brain injury. God has brought her so far….so many accomplishments that she wasn’t “supposed” to ever achieve. A couple of years ago while she was going through a particularly hard struggle, she said to me, “Aunt Ann, I know I’m gonna make it, but right now I’m in that in between place”. I knew exactly what she was saying…and I’d imagine you do, too, right? We believe that God’s gonna walk with us and get us to the other side…however, sometimes it just seems like a longggggg way from here to there, doesn’t it? We’re gonna make it..but there are times we sure do need a hand to hold or place to rest on the journey….’cause we aren’t “there” yet…and we need to hear from somebody, who actually cares where we are struggling, that w
6 comments
Read more

Faith Giving

My parents taught me about being quick to give but to use good judgment and wisdom in who to give to and making sure I give for the right reasons. I’ve been truly blessed these past few days by true givers.  Typically January is a slow month for traveling ministries like Downing Ministries.  This month has been especially challenging in that one weekend had only one booking and this past weekend just didn’t book at all.  Having seen the major snowstorm that blew through late last week, we wouldn’t likely have been able to fulfill dates if they had scheduled.  I’ve been hesitant to do a “plea” as such for help, somehow feeling that God had this and could work far better than I could.  I want to report, as I do the happy dance, that “giving folks” have started doing just that…GIVING out of their hearts to Downing Ministries.  To make the happy dance last longer, let me say that most of these gifts are from some folks I KNOW don’t have it to give in the natural, but in the spiritual, it m
6 comments
Read more