First, I
would like to thank Landy for contacting me to write a blog for this amazing website.
I am truly humbled and honored. I have never really written any blogs, but as
I thought about a topic to speak about, the first thing that resonated in my
mind was the word perseverance.
Before I
begin, here is a little bit about myself.
I am a full-time musician, middle school band director (which I
absolutely love), engaged to a beautiful and loving fiancé; I have an older
brother and also a younger sister. I
obtained a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Music Education and most
importantly, I love God. Growing up, I
was raised and nourished by amazing parents who taught me the importance of
having a relationship with God. They
also taught me the importance of persevering through tough times and situations,
for that I am very grateful.
In a time of
immediate gratification or what I call “the microwave mentality,” I have found
the importance of perseverance. As a
child, I was always looking to be great at something. That “something” for me was drumming. This was my outlet in life, my daily escape
and continues to be. I was never great
at sports, video games, or even being “Christian” (this is a whole other blog),
but for some strange reason, I felt like if I was going to be great at
something, why wouldn’t it be something that I love to do? When I decided to commit my life to the art
of drumming/music, I had to make a lot of sacrifices in my life. I missed a lot of precious family time, lots
of parties, events, girlfriend time, hanging out with my friends, social
events, etc. However, I knew that if I
wanted to be great at something I had to sacrifice a substantial amount of time. Why did I do this? I distinctly remember one day I was watching
the Jenny Jones show and I saw a young kid playing and he was literally killing
the drum set. I did not know who this
kid was and I was literally flabbergasted at what I was seeing and hearing (by
the way the drummer was Tony Royster Jr).
At the time I became so discouraged because I was only a couple of years
older than this prodigy and I was literally light years behind. I looked over my shoulder and my dad who was
right next to me told me something that I will never forget. He said, “Carlito, there will always be a
better musician out there in the world, but you’re the only one who can control
how hard you work.” My parents both
worked in factories while I was growing up and I saw the sacrifices they made
for our family. For years my dad would
work the graveyard shift and we would have very limited time with him while he
was sacrificing for our family. I did
not grow up in the slums, poverty, hood etc. but my parents did not make a lot
of money. However, we were never
deprived because we lived within our means and we understood that God was
watching over us.
Seeing my parents’
sacrifice made me realize that if I wanted to be successful, I had to not only
sacrifice a lot of things, but also persevere.
That’s when I decided to really
practice and learn the ins and outs of music.
I was enthusiastic about making the decision to become a musician/educator;
however I really did not know what I was getting into.
No one
warned me about the lifetime amounts of practicing, listening, studying,
frustration, and stress that came along with my decision. I second-guessed myself and asked, “Do I
really want to do this?” My parents
never forced me to get into the music business, but they always told me, “If
you’re going to do something, make sure you do it right.” That “all in” mentality has been engraved
into my DNA and till this day if I decide to commit to something, I’m in it
until I complete my goal(s).
However,
sometimes I get so caught up with my “flesh goals,” that I forget about my
spiritual goals. As great as my flesh
goals may be (receiving my Bachelors, receiving my Masters with a 4.0 GPA summa
cum laude, 2002 DCA snare drum champion, DCA World Champion, 2012 Guitar Center
Drum Off National Champion, etc.), I struggle daily with my spiritual
goals. Why is it so difficult to fulfill
my spiritual goals? Why do I fail so
much? I have found that it is harder to pursue goals that you do not receive
immediate gratification for or cannot “see” in the natural. This “microwave mentality” has clouded my
spiritual eyes and has held me back from receiving many things that God wants
not only for my life, but also for those around me. I’m
sure many of you have felt this way at some point, however God says in James
1:12, “ Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he
has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to
those who love him.” My question to you
is, are you willing to persevere through your trials, tribulations, hate,
anguish, and frustrations in order to fulfill God’s purpose for you? Are you willing to trust God with your life
and have Him help you? At times I have
forgotten about God because I was “busy” trying to run my own life, achieve my
own success, however, realize that the Almighty One has your back and He will
guide you every step of the way. People
have said to me, “Dude you’re living the dream.” However, what you may not know is, my
drumming is only a tool or an outlet to reach people. My “drumming legacy” is
not my primary focus in life. What I
want to evoke is a character that God would be proud of. There’s
nothing like having someone tell you did a great job, but imagine hearing God
saying, “Well done son,” when you get to heaven. Finally,
in order to really fulfill your purpose, God has to test your character. God will not let you receive your blessing
until you have a mature character. So, while
you are being tested; stay strong, stay focused, but more importantly persevere
through the trial. Lastly, I challenge
you to smile, say hi to someone, answer someone’s email, or even pay for
someone’s meal. You never know whose
life you may change because of a simple act of goodness. Love you all!
Take care and God Bless you.
Juan
“Carlito” Mendoza
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