It Matters to This One

I remember a trip to the lake quite a few years back.  I was traveling with my parents and brother when my Dad saw a road he'd not seen before.  My Dad is known for exploring dirt roads and always having to see where it goes.  This time we were pulling a boat on a trailer behind the car.  After Dad had done some exploring and we were about to get back on our way Dad noticed the boat was not sitting right on the trailer.  He stopped and got out to investigate.  A bolt had come loose on the trailer causing one of the rails to pop out of place.  Had we gotten on the highway and gone on we likely would have lost the boat in the middle of the road.  Dad found another bolt to replace it and we all got behind the boat and started pushing it back into place so that the bolt could slide in on the trailer.  One simple bolt could have ruined our entire weekend and many trips to come.  It's like breaking a small bone in the foot and hobbling around on crutches.  One little thing breaks and it causes so many other things to topple.  But we see it differently when it comes to fixing things.  I am reminded of the story of the small boy out on the beach filled with starfish.  One by one he would pick up the starfish and toss it back into the water.  There was no way he'd ever be able to make a difference out there.  The job was too big and he couldn't even throw in a fraction of the starfish.  Most of the starfish would simply die there on the beach.  A man watched for awhile then finally approached the boy and asked why he was bothering with his task.  He wasn't going to be able to make a real difference.  All his efforts weren't going to matter to all those starfish dying on the beach.  The boy picked up a starfish and said, "It matters to this one."  Then he tossed it in the water.  Which example fits each of us?  Are we the broken toe that cripples the body?  Or are we the child doing whatever we can to make even a small difference?  Too often I'm afraid I'm the broken toe.  Content to sit where I am and wish there were something more I could do.  I can't feed all the hungry or change the attitudes of the hopeless.  But I can pick up a few cans of food and contribute.  I can encourage one person, smile at one person.  I don't have to be the entire solution.  But I at least need to be part of it.

Photo Challenge Still going

I took photos this week of the old Hotel in town.  Now it's privately owned and people live there.  But historically it was a hotel.  It's a great well preserved building here. 

I also love my new yarn and spindle.  the yarn was hand spun by a very good friend.  I can't wait to learn how to use it.







This is my mother's Christmas tree just before I took it down this year. 

Last is a photo of the fog I had to drive through this morning.  I heard it was

worse to the north.  This photo is looking back toward the Interstate and the town. 

 



Photo challenge

I read a facebook post about a photochallenge.  It somehow involves taking a photo per day.  I wondered what would happen if I took 1 photo per day.  Would it be random photos that left me wondering why I did this?  Will it cause me to stop and look at the world around me?  Will my photography improve?  Is there any benefit at all?  Is this just a random challenge someone made up to see how many people would fall for it.  I don't know what to do with the photos so I thought I would post here. These are my first two photos.  I guess we'll see where this little challenge takes me. 

Hello 2013!!

Happy New Year!!  Hoping for a very good year!  Not so sure about the number.  2012 was a very nice number.  2013 is very iffy as a number.  But we've started by getting a couple inches rain yesterday.  Congress has apparently averted the fiscal cliff.  I'm sure they'll have plenty of bad stuff to say about each other, but they got something done.  I got some really cool stuff from my Grandma;s pie safe.  Stuff I didn't even know she had.  I love the triangular plates with a place for the matching cups to sit.  I doubt any of it has value to anyone, but me.  And the deli was open at the grocery store.  So I got a great dinner.  I am finally home with nothing I have to go do.  Cool.
This year I want to improve at work.  Nothing huge, just step up a little.  I want to knit hats to give to the Lord's Pantry or something like that.  I want to serve God.  I don't want to be on a committee at church.  I want to make a housing change.  I want to visit my parents at least every four weeks.  I want to be more active physically.  I want to continue painting ceramics.  It's just too fun.
I will not promise to be organised or cook.  I will not promise to exercise every day.  I will not promise to read 20 books.  Not going to happen.
Hoping for a great year.  Trusting God through it all.