Shade Tree Wisdom 3/31/08

The last day of March and it seems to be ‘going out like a lamb’. At least the morning air was rain-washed and refreshing, and the walking was just fine. It has been pointed out that the internet says that 2,000 steps are equal to a mile. Well, I didn’t get quite that far. The problem is counting my many blessings added to counting steps is a bit of a stretch. In the early morning my motto is “Keep it simple”.

But the steps show again that little by little any task gets done. It is often not the big thing, it is often, or is it always, the little things that matter most. We learned to read bit by bit, or mastered a bit of history bit by bit, or learned our understanding of how things work bit by bit. And in that process, there are set-backs, mistakes, frustrations, and “I will never get it right” thinking too. That’s all part of the learning process, isn’t it?

Just finished reading a new book on Martin Luther and his times by British author Derek Wilson. It’s interesting and quite informative and balanced, I thought. One thing about humanity that made his struggle so harsh is that, and I quote Mr. Wilson, “The overriding preoccupation of any human establishment is self-preservation”. So when Luther posted his 95 thesis to discuss the sale of indulgences, Tetzel, who was the chief salesman and whose sales presentation Luther especially found offensive, protested vehemently. In doing so, it was Tetzel who really stirred up the debate, for he brought in many items that Luther had not even mentioned.

But isn’t that the nature of debate? Much of it never really touches the point at issue, it is mostly hot air and just meaningless words. And that leads others astray, till there is general anger, angry speeches, and stirring up of passion, an endless rousing that settles nothing. Out of this comes mob rule with a “we’ll show ‘em” attitude. Most people don’t even know what it is all about except they like to yell and stir things up.

How did I get here?

Ah, the refreshing morning walk. Then my thoughts usually are on God’s rich blessings to me, mine, and those around me I care about. And those blessings are really too numerous to count. I daily give thanks to God for them. Don’t we all?

GPD 3/31/08