Monday, September 27, 2010

Step by Step by Step by . . .

Today has been more of a struggle than the last few weeks have been in regards to doing my weekly blog posting.  I’ve had to fight off the urge to dawdle with just about anything else and get my butt not only into the chair in front of my computer, but to quit reading what other people have taken the time to sit down and write (even as it made me tear up and laugh and think). 

Then I was reminded of something I read on Twitter from the associate pastor at my church: 

Most growth happens as a result of many small steps.
The key is to keep taking them.
- Darryl Harms

Now this may not be big news to many of you.  However, I’m the type of person who has tended to (I’m starting to change!) look at the sum of everything that needs to be done for a project, become totally overwhelmed by the perceived vastness of it all and end up doing nothing.  It could be changing a habit, giving my house a thorough cleaning, preparing for a trip, or working on a writing project.  But I’ll see the point where I want to be or need to be, be overwhelmed by the distance between Point A and Point B and then sit down on the road and there I sit.  The irony is I’m not content in my current position, my spot of inactivity either.  I want to move forward, but I feel like I have no clue as to how to get going. 

No journey is made in one fell swoop, with one giant leap.  I didn’t move from being a baby to a 38-year-old woman in a blink of an eye.  I didn’t learn how to drive after getting behind the wheel only one time.  There are many things in this life where perhaps the best thing to do, really, is to yes, keep the destination in mind while focusing only on the next step.  Don’t look back at all the times you tried before and failed, don’t look at how far away Point B is from your current location. Don’t get caught up in all the things needing to be done today or tomorrow or this week.

Pause.  Take a breath.  Look at what you can do next.   And take another step.


The LORD directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
For the LORD holds them by the hand.
- Psalm 37: 23, 24 (NLT)


4 comments:

Essay said...

I'm a terribly erratic blogger too, but when I remember that there are people who actually read what I write, it motivates me a bit.

I agree as well that the sum of any project is far more intimidating than its parts! What is it they say about eating an elephant?

crosscribe said...

Keeping in mind I *do* have some readers motivates me as well, Essay. :)

And the ol' elephant is eaten one bite at a time. (My dad has a similar saying involving a frog, but I can't remember it. It did make me laugh . . .)

Heather said...

Hi Michelle I love your blog!

crosscribe said...

Thanks, Heather! :) And now I'm off to check out yours!