Improve With Effort By Craig Ruhl
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8 ESV) To say I was not a stellar student in grade and high school would be an understatement. At best, I was a middle-of-road, grade ‘C’, kind of guy. If one could sum up my childhood report cards, I would use the phrase, average, could improve with effort. There is a lot of meaning packed in that statement. At first glance, the term average is non-threatening, even commonplace, if you will. If we add in the, what now may be considered an old-fashioned, method of grading on a curve, it makes average seem a bit higher than maybe it should be. To my mind, the variable, could improve with effort, is where the rubber meets the road. Is the ‘C’ student at that level because of his or her ability, or is it more likely to be attributed to concepts such as attitude, interest, or aptitude? The teacher’s remarks I am referring to imply I could have achieved a ‘B’ grade level if I had applied myself and worked harder on my studies. I don’t disagree with that at all. I sure could have done better in school. Perhaps my mind was filled with other non-scholastic thoughts. Daydreaming came naturally to me, with no additional effort required. I loved to read from a very young age and that likely spurred my creative mind away from some of the technical academic subjects and into realms more suited to a reader and writer. Please don’t get me wrong, I am very thankful for the excellent education I was provided with and for all the opportunities I was offered. My disclaimer states: All of the errors of commission or omission in my life are my own.
Of course, those old report cards and scholastic assessments have long ago been relegated to attic boxes or lost forever through changes in geographical locations over the years. My formal education is finished and my long business career concluded a number of years ago. But retirement does not men idleness and I continue to embrace life and learning. Now, in my 75th year, I compare how I learn today with back then. One stark difference is I do not have to learn anything new. No required studies, no tests, and report cards are a distant memory. I am free to investigate, learn, explore, and fill my memory with all that I deem beneficial. Pretty liberating stuff, right there. And so, I have allowed myself to grow into a more literary lifestyle. Knowledge is delivered differently than it was when I started school in 1952. The internet and Google have placed what once was contained in a massive library in the palm of our hand. Information in the blink of an eye, and faster. We now are in the age of information overload and we need to be vigilant of what we place in our minds. I have written previously about the joy I have in writing in my journals using my collection of vintage fountain pens and inks. Reading continues to be a pleasant pastime, although I seem to do more of it on a computer and the internet than I prefer. Devotional themes, testimonies, and stories of everyday people living their lives in the Christian faith are among my favorite reading materials. I enjoy the occasional action-adventure novel and still follow a few prolific writers in that genre. Writing and editing for our magazine, Faith On Every Corner, our primary mission field, allows me to interact with over 30 other writers and authors each month, reading and editing their words, learning from their experiences, and storing up reinforcement for my own faith. Karen and I are helping other writers and authors with their literary efforts by editing, designing, and formatting books for publication. That has added an extra dimension to my study, learning, and retention.
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