Why don't we just re-route the whole stream?

As we think about changing who we are or what we do, why don't we just make big changes?

Big changes are hard, but I think the thought of big changes is harder. We fear that we won't be able to really do it, or that it won't turn out quite like we planned.

It is all about harnessing our fear.

But it is amazing that when we try something long enough, we lose all fear, though we retain our respect for the challenge.

For example, people say that speaking in front of groups is one of the biggest fears there is. I've done it well over a thousand times now, and so it no longer holds any fear. But I know what it takes, and I know that I must prepare well or the results may be disastrous!

The Swiss couple that is biking throughout North and Central America helped me realize that if I have a goal (or even a wish), I need to act on it, and not put it away, fearing that I will not be up to the challenge.

Maybe it won't be exactly as I planned or dreamed, but it will never be at all unless I do. Always waiting for the right time will never make it so. Time to plan, prepare, and do, without fear, but with respect.

I had the strangest dream last night

I won't go into all of the details, because dreams are normally quite strange...

But I walked into an office of a business prospect with others from my company, in the normal course of business. Nothing different than a normal sales call.

But then I was introduced to the man to whom we were going to present our solutions. I recognized him, as someone who had hurt me and my family deeply. As I shook his hand, I pulled him close and whispered in his ear, "I remember you, and I remember what you did."

He pulled me close and whispered in my ear, "I remember you too."

Then, I woke up. But I really wondered. Had I really forgiven him, or did I just put it out of my mind? Did I harbor bitterness towards him because of the pain he had caused, or had I really cleansed my mind and heart, and allowed myself to be healed?

Bitterness and unforgiving is such a fruitless activity. It is such a disruption to your soul. It creates long-term ripples that hurt yourself much more than anyone else, though it can definitely affect others, too. I need to examine my soul, to examine my heart, and root out all bitterness, anger, and resentment.

Every day is a good day to forgive.

New Friends From Switzerland

I am a member of a group called warmshowers.org. There, you can sign up to host people who are on cycling tours, where you offer up a warm shower, and dinner, a warm bed, and some conversation, if you are so inclined.

Raphael and Julia are from Switzerland on an epic tour. They started last summer in Calgary and cycled to Panama. Then they rode back to San Jose, Costa Rica, flew to Las Vegas, and are now headed to Alaska.

We are pleased to host them for an extra day due to bad weather, and it has been wonderful to visit with them, see their pictures, and to enjoy their stories. I have done a little touring (VERY little by comparison), and it has always been very scheduled, had to arrive at this place by this time, and so on. That is in major contrast to Raphael and Julia. They have goals to go to specific places and general times to arrive, and then they play it by ear. They don't like to ride in bad weather, so they don't. In a year and a half, only a couple of times have they ridden in the rain. They just wait out the storm, and then go.

I need to learn to do that more. It is not necessary to plan every minute. It is OK to change what you have planned, so you can enjoy.

One of the other things they did was to stay in Honduras for an extra week so they could learn how to scuba dive. Wow! How cool is that?

I need to learn to be more spontaneous. I need to learn to be more accepting of what happens, and then just make the best of it, instead of having to control things...

Hmmm...

What a great pebble in my stream.

Racism Always Troubles the Waters

The other day, I had an opportunity to go see West Side Story, produced by our local high school drama class. I am always amazed at young talent, and there were some outstanding performances by some of the kids.

But what strikes me today is the sadness of racism. What a complete waste of energy! What a missed opportunity!

In the play, there is a line that refers to the fact that we are all immigrants or children of immigrants. Unfortunately, that comment falls on deaf ears to the kids who are bent on driving others out, or forcefully taking what is "rightfully theirs."

I had an opportunity to be in the slums of Chicago one day many years ago, and I learned a valuable lesson: People are the same, and they want the same things--to be safe, to be loved, to have enough for themselves and their families, and to give their children the best life they can give.

It's time to get over it!

Foreign Rocks in Our River

We've had lots of rocks thrown in our stream over the years. One of the most interesting, and one of the most life-changing is the addition of exchange students. We have had 7 students stay in our home, and for the most part, it has been a wonderful experience.

Yang Lou--Columbia
Katrin--Germany
Mika--Japan
Jorge--Brazil
Marina--Brazil (Jorge's sister)
Samuel--Brazil
David--Australia

It has enriched our life greatly, and changed it significantly.

Tomorrow, Miriam will join us for a few weeks from Germany, with her classmates staying at other homes of our daughter's friends. Should be fun!

If you want an opportunity to host an exchange student, there are two organizations (that I know of) which facilitate that: ERDT and the Rotary Club.

If you just want to dip your toes in, try warmshowers.org or couchsurfing.com. You can have travelers visit your home, and that pebble will definitely change your stream for the better.

Great big rocks!

I know this blog is about pebbles, but sometimes, there are great big rocks thrown into your stream. The other night, my son and daughter-in-law stopped by to tell us that they were expecting their third child!

Now that is a BIG ROCK!

No longer can one of the parent's have a hold of all of the kids!
No longer can the parents fully "divide and conquer!"
Someone has to sit next to a sibling in the car!

But you know what? I am so glad that we didn't stop at two kids either. Our stream has lots of big rocks in it, and the sound of the rushing water over the rapids is music to our ears. Sure, it is neat to have some quiet time now and then, but the thrill of our lives is to be in and to hear the tumbling, rumbling water that our family brings.

A Pebble in the Stream

I often think of how my life has been changed by little decisions and events. How different my life would have been if a different girl would have been available to play racquetball 29 years ago. Or even three years ago when I sent my resume to a friend, on a whim.

Those are just a couple of the "Pebbles in My Stream."

Nobody stops us and tells us, "Hey! Wait a minute! This decision you are making right now will change someone's life." And you were just trying to decide if you were going to buy the cheeseburger, or sit in row 4 on the Southwest airlines flight.

The changes may be big, they may be small, and sometimes they may seem to be completely irrelevant and meaningless. But there is a change, nonetheless. And only time can tell us the magnitude of the change.

I also recognize that sometimes I have been like a pebble (or even a big stone) in the lives of others, and hope that the impact I have made is a positive one.

It is impossible for me to control what pebbles are thrown into my stream. What I hope and commit to do in my life is to be a positive pebble if I am thrown into the stream of others. I want to help counteract the bad, the evil, and even the worthless by highlighting the good that I see, the good that I feel, and the good that I hear about.

So, join me as I tell you of the pebbles in my stream, the people who have thrown pebbles in my stream, and the impact it has had on my life.