the Butterfly Effect

The BUTTERFLY EFFECT is a metaphor for how a small and insignificant behavior or happening can cause a major change in circumstances. [google ref]

It's hard to believe that a butterfly flapping its wings in New Mexico can ultimately cause a hurricane in China. Although it would take a very long time and the conditions would have to be right, some believe it's possible.

Today, I'm not talking about science, history, or the movie that Ashton Kutcher starred in, although these are each worth checking out. I am considering attributes like patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness...

You don't have to travel the world to make a difference. You don't have to stand on a street corner with Bible in hand to declare God's incredible love. Just be you in your own seemingly small and insignificant way--where you live, where you work--and reflect Christ love for others by being patient, kind, good, gentle, and, let's not leave out, faithful.

Just maybe you'll start a reaction that will be sweeping, extensive, pervasive.
Think of the joy!

Who knows what impact you may be making.

Let's be butterflies.

Rockin' the Boat Gently

I recently read, The cemetery is full of people who didn't rock the boat.

Don't rock the boat! implies.... don't make trouble, keep your mouth shut, don't mess with Pandora's Box. There's a certain amount of wisdom here; however, rockin' the boat, at times, gets things done, encourages transformation.

When Jesus began to reveal who He really was, He was rockin' the boat. When He healed on the Sabbath, the Pharisees called it blasphemy. When He ate with sinners and sought out the sick and needy, He caused political turmoil. Jesus allowed the boat to be rocked literally before He calmed the storm--with His disciples and him in the boat--possibly to get their attention. "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

The Fruits of the Spirit include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Although these don't seem like "rock the boat" attributes, perhaps they are as we don't see much of any one of these in our world today.

We were each given unique gifts. Perhaps spreading joy, sharing peace, being patient during difficult times, using self-control when it would be easier to explode, and being faithful is your way of "rockin the boat."

I'm speculating that if I had to choose between two epithets,

She rocked the boat ...or... 

She didn't rock the boat, 

I would choose 

She Rocked the Boat --and let's add-- Gently.

Remembering Mom

I thought my mom would live forever. That's what most of us think until illness sets in and perceptions do a flip. My mother's birthday was yesterday. She would have been 94. Instead, she died several years ago at 85 of a very rare cancer.

Mom had always been the energy bunny in the family, the Martha in the kitchen. When she would come to visit, she would fold the clothes, help prepare a meal, shadow me from floor to floor and fill me in with the latest news of family and the community I came from while giving me a hand at whatever task I was at.

However, when death got it's grip, she quieted. She no longer had much to say. She sat in her favorite chair staring at the TV-- or was it the picture window behind the television where the trees twisted in the breeze and the birds flitted and twittered. She answered questions with a single word or a shrug. Her smile disappeared.

Being the active and chatty person who she was, I imagined that as she grew older and closer to dying that she would share memories of our growing up years, that she would give us words of wisdom that would help us going forward in our own lives, that she would tell each one of her children how much she cared for and loved us. Didn't happen....

She withdrew.
It hurt.
I didn't expect it.

I do not love her any less because of the way she left us.
I catch myself using her mannerisms, her expressions; she's somewhere inside me still.
Life is full of change and mystery.
God and His love is the only constant.
Stay close....