For Nuttin'

I can think of few things in life more exasperating than the realization that something was done in vain. And I will gladly give you some choice selections from my Experience Portfolio to illustrate what I mean. One example would be practicing for hours on a crazy-hard song to find in the end that it was never to reach the ears of an audience. With a maniacal fist shake I say "Those practice room walls better have enjoyed what they absorbed." Or another example of vain experience would be painstakingly stitching frog slippers for a friend, only to find out that the slippers were several sizes too small for the recipient of the gift (The slippers fit okay on their hands, though, which is a thought I often comfort myself with). Other things done in vain: thinking up the ultimate super power that I would choose to possess if I were indeed a super hero. But alas, even this in the end is vanity! Let's face it, that ingenious super mutation would never occur, even if I did happen upon a vat of radioactive goo or decided to drink mysterious liquid from a fuming beaker. Now I suppose you could rationalize each of these experiences, and say that those practice hours made me a better musician, and that those tiny stitches built up much needed hand muscles, and that those super hero musings were... okay, those were just a waste of time. But there are some things we could say were done just PARTIALLY in vain.
In addition to vain things in life, there's always the sneaking suspicion in the back of my mind that something MIGHT be done in vain, and therefore not worth my while. When I am in the throws of gathering up the guts to walk across a room to talk to someone who is standing alone at a social function, I think to myself "This could be for nothing." You gotta weigh the odds of whether that person wants to talk to someone who answers to your name, or if they would rather sip punch, or if you will be able to quickly think of anything worthwhile to talk about with them. Or maybe you're that punch sipping wallflower that's wondering why you even came to the party. Was it in vain that you used the gas money to drive you to where you are at? Or, say you're filling out a job application for the umpteenth time, and the thought occurs to you that filling out applications might just be a way that you are using your free time, you know, that it is turning into a hobby like fly fishing. Are you actually going to gain meaningful employment, or are you just filling in the provided blanks, like a form of silly sudoku? And at the pinnacle of those lurking vain thoughts rest deeper questions, like "What if I set my heart on something that I cannot have? Or that I cannot achieve? Or the timing is just super wrong? Is it going to be in vain?" Aye there's the rub! That's where things get tricky; when you are not very sure if something falls into the vain category or not; if something has the potential to lead to disapointment, or worse yet, a bit of pain.
All this is just a very round about way of saying that I like the following verse:

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15:58

I think that says it all. Here is something you can stake everything on.