Little by little

My son told me today that he learned at school that a curve is really just made of lots and lots of little straight lines.  Being skeptical, I asked him to explain.  He said that if we could zoom in closer and closer to look at a curve, we would notice the line getting straighter and straighter.  This, he explained, was why a curve was really just a lot of tiny straight lines put together.  I tend to believe that it is just an illusion.  Because, the samples are really just infinitely straighter and straighter, but never fully straight.  That would be impossible. 
So, like our lives, when a change is made, it can occur gradually over much time, and seem like no change whatsoever has occurred.  I have heard that this sort of thing is actually used as a tactic in mind-control, called the Hegelian dialectic, where small changes over periods of time add up to the desired larger change.  Like the proverbial frog in the boiling water, we measure things by their relation to something else, rather than their absolute value.  Is definitely something to think about.
"Little by little an hour, little by little a day.  Little by little you reach your goal, or let it slip away...."  May we always be mindful of absolute truth, and the Giver of it, so that we can measure our lives appropriately, and not get overtaken by those with evil intent.  By the same token, may we always keep trying, keep believing, and keep trusting, so that our small steps in the right direction will turn into a pattern, then a habit, then a lifestyle.
May the Giver of Life pour blessings upon you.....

Wow - draft saved from 5/19/2013

Sometimes "Wow" is all I can say.  It's when something so magnificent has happened, and there are no words that adequately describe it.  Such is life when dealing with the supernatural, the workings of G-d in and through our everyday lives.  But today was totally one of thoses days where all I can say is, you guessed it, "Wow."  Blessings abounded in so many areas, from safety, good health, terrific weather, good company and conversation, to simply being able to have a day off work to enjoy all of the aforementioned things.  What a tremendous peace overwhelmed me today, and I believe it was supernatural.  Gratitude for one nice day, like a shiny gem in the midst of some ordinary rocks, is all I have to offer in response to this precious gift.  THANK YOU, L-RD.  How could I ask for more?

Being present

I was thinking today, as I was driving home from work, that too often situations in my life have ended up the same.  By that I mean, I have found myself in multiple situations where, being the new kid on the block, I felt "less than," because I had not "paid my dues," so to speak.  And I know I am not the only one.  Growing up, when I moved to a new town, I didn't feel like an insider for YEARS.  Similarly, at work, I have felt at times like I didn't belong, because I wasn't a part of the original group from the "old" office.  At church, I have felt that way, because I wasn't part of the original group that started the ministry.  I know I am not unique in feeling this way. 
I believe that, too often, we focus on what has been, and not the present circumstances.  Sunday school classes have plaques hanging on the walls, listing the former members of the class.  Colleges and universities name buildings after dead people.  Statues are built to honor important figures from the past.  Hallways and floors in hospitals are named for past doctors and nurses, etc.  We spend our lives thinking about what has been and what occurred.  But, you know, I bet not one of those dead people cares that a building was named after them.  In fact, I wonder what they would say if they had the chance to come back and say a few words.  Ironically, I bet they would say something like, "Tell them you love them while you have the chance.  Don't wait until it's too late to appreciate the people in your life....."
Don't get me wrong.  I think it is important to remember our heritage, so that we may appreciate the work and sacrifice that brought us to where we are today.  I just think that appreciating the "now" and the people living their lives now, making a difference now, serving, loving, sharing, and caring, now, is very important, and can get lost in the towering shadows of yesteryear's glory.
My goal - to appreciate the people in my life right now, and not wait until they are gone to let them know how much they mean to me, and how thankful I am for their presence in my life.  And also to honor the past, but not let that honor overshadow my first goal of being present.