CHANGE YOUR STARS – PERSEVERANCE
Repost and edited from October 2010. I write because I enjoy it. When I can relate to others with words it brings gratification. Like many labors of love, the payoff is worth the struggle. The process to change your stars takes perseverance.
Sometimes when I write, the words push out of my pen sorta’ like pushing a rope uphill. Other times the words flow from the end of my pen like water from a faucet.
A blank page or screen is available to everyone. What a person does with their thoughts and a blank page or screen can be magical. The world of words is like everything else in life, it’s crowded. There are far more books written every year than get published.
There are scads of wildly gifted writers who’s work will never see the light of day. Being gifted alone will get a person almost zero. A God given gift without perseverance is like trying to see the world by sitting on your couch.
It doesn’t matter what the dream is, without perseverance it’s not going to happen.
I enjoyed the movie “A Knights Tale,” starring the late Heath Ledger. It was a story about a peasant who worked hard to hone the gift of Jousting, a sport restricted to Noblemen. The character William was sent away by his father as a lad to apprentice for a Noblemen. As William was disappearing into the fog his dad shouted after him. “CHANGE YOUR STARS, WILLIAM!”
When it was discovered during a Jousting match that the grown up William was not of noble but of peasant ancestry, he had a chance to run in order to save his life. He chose to stay and face imprisonment because he believed, and said, “I am a knight”.
Though it’s a fictional story, that is a truth of this life. What you believe defines who you are in all aspects of life.
When a person sets their sights on “Changing Their Stars,” they come in conflict with the rest of the world. Whatever it is we’re trying to change there will be forces trying to prevent it. Just like that story, so it is with the story of real life.
The Noble’s don’t want competition. They want to keep their small world unchanged. The door to their exclusive country club is not open with a tidy welcome mat.
Likewise, the masses want to keep the rest of us equal with them. They don’t want to see someone “Change Their Stars”. Misery loves company. The masses have settled for mediocrity and don’t want to be reminded of that fact by someone getting ahead.
For anyone who has broken through the barriers to “Change Their Stars”, my hats off to them.
If someone has changed their stars due to a gift from God that they’ve coupled with perseverance and desire to accomplish it, I say, “Good for them”. That means it can happen again, it’s not impossible.
I’d be disappointed in myself if I gave up striving, that’s for the masses.
The truth is I just need to persevere to change my stars. Isn’t that the true definition of success?Recognized for it or not, I’ll write…
Lisa notes
Sunday, January 21, 2018 @ 12:29 pm
“What you believe defines who you are in all aspects of life.” So true. Sounds like a great sermon lesson. Thanks for writing back then and for continuing to write now, Floyd. It blesses us.
Dikkon
Sunday, January 21, 2018 @ 7:27 pm
As Lisa says above, Floyd, thanks for writing back then and continuing to write now.
Today, if we look at the governmental world, we see “elites”–the knights–who want to keep their little powerful worlds exclusive and who are offended when someone not “of the purple” comes along and promises (as someone has promised recently) to shake things up and to let the commoners have access to the power. Thanks for reminding us about the Knight’s Tale!
June
Sunday, January 21, 2018 @ 8:17 pm
Great post, brother. I believe we are all given God-given gifts. Those who use them will change the world in the way God intended. Write on!
Martha Orlando
Sunday, January 21, 2018 @ 8:51 pm
God has our future planned, and He will take care of us to see it through. Of this, I have no doubt. Only humans define others by class and ability. God tells us we are on a level playing field with Him. We need to trust, believe, and move forward with courage.
Blessings, Floyd!
Hazel Moon
Sunday, January 21, 2018 @ 10:07 pm
Sometimes pushing up hill, and other times flowing. Writing is like that. I enjoyed the story too, and know that what you believe you can have. It is a decision in life to consider that you can accomplish anything you set out to do. Sometimes it just takes longer. Then again it can happen today instead of tomorrow. Thank you for sharing this post with us. Often older is very good.
Cheryl
Monday, January 22, 2018 @ 12:10 am
I am so thankful for this encouragement and glad you re-posted this post. “Change your stars”…I have never heard that phrase before, but it really inspired me. The enemy wants us to think we will never see anything other than defeat, but I loved what you said, “If someone has changed their stars due to a gift from God that they’ve coupled with perseverance and desire to accomplish it, I say, “Good for them”. That means it can happen again, it’s not impossible.” That gave me a lot of hope right now and encouraged me not to give up on a dream. Thank you, brother.
bill (cycleguy)
Monday, January 22, 2018 @ 7:02 am
perspective changes a lot of things-for us and for those who are affected by us. I’m glad you are still writing Floyd. May your pen flow uphill or downhill. 🙂
saleslady371
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 @ 8:37 am
Persistence is a goal in achieving success in anything especially writing. I recently read a blog post written by a knitter who will not stop knitting because it is her passion, even though it would be simple to purchase the hats and scarves she knits. She sees it as a gift and suggests each one of us pursue that passion, that gift, inside us that defines us! To your point about mediocrity of the masses that do not cheer us on to change our stars, I can’t help but think about the wonderful spiritual lessons I learned over the years from Joyce Meyer. She taught me that true success (the Kingdom way) comes from investing in others. For example, if my friend writes a great book while I’m waiting for my own recognition, I should be happy for her and not jealous. I try to do this. In fact, a girlfriend just released a page turner that I could not put down. I wrote about it on social media in three places and gave it a great review in Amazon. My friend never acknowledged my efforts but you know, that’s okay (: because I truly did put into practice what I believe. Thanks for listening!
Betty Draper
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 @ 8:14 pm
Hey, I am glad you did not quit writing brother.
Jason Stasyszen
Thursday, January 25, 2018 @ 9:17 am
Reminds me of something that I’ve held onto for quite a while now: potential is cheap, it’s perseverance that makes the difference. It’s easy to believe you’re great if you never try anything that would disprove it. Then of course all you have are theories instead of experience. Believing we have potential without ever doing anything? I guess that’s what they call being a “legend in your own mind.” No thanks. It’s hard and there are times I want to give up, but I’m with you–I’m going to persevere. Thanks Floyd.
donna
Thursday, January 25, 2018 @ 3:06 pm
I have discovered my greatest joys through perseverance. Excellent Post.
Ed
Monday, February 19, 2018 @ 6:02 am
Although sitting at the round table would always be preferred there is something about striving to become what one hopes to become. A peasant will always look for greatness down the road. It keeps his feet on the ground. It keeps him humble.