Piloting Faith: The weight of a snowflake...
A Word for the Day...
In "A Tale for All Seasons" by Kurt Kauter, he writes about "nothing more than nothing."
“Tell me the weight of a snowflake,” a coal-mouse asked a wild dove.
“Nothing more than nothing,” was the answer.
“In that case, I must tell you a marvelous story,” the coal-mouse said.
“I sat on the branch of a fir tree, close to its trunk, when it began to snow—not heavily, not dramatically — no, just like in a dream, snowing without a sound and without violence. Since I did not have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3,741,952. When the 3,741,953rd dropped onto the branch – nothing more than nothing, as you say – snap, the branch broke off.”
Having said that, the coal-mouse then flew away.
The dove, since Noah’s time an authority on the matter, thought about the story forawhile, and finally said to herself, “Perhaps there is only one more person’s voice lacking for peace to finally come to the world.”
Sometimes it is hard to see the difference you are making. But keep the faith. Every time you are brave and kind and creative you are shaping the world into a more peaceful place.
Keep it up. It's your voice the rest of us need.
- Rev. Cameron Trimble, author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation Take Flight
Prayer for the Week
Teach me a child's way of living in my heart and mind today:
playful
open
curious
unguarded
innocent
quick to giggle
delighted in the moment
easily contented
ready for hope - and hope big - all over again
forgetful of yesterday
I want to change and become little in my spirit. Teach me what that looks like.
Help me to let go of the grown-up stuff I'm so prideful about, like what I think I know, especially about you.
Remake me like a child in all the right ways, that I may walk the path of love.
Amen.
(adapted from The Prayer Wheel by Patton Dodd, Jana Riess, and David Van Biema)
