theROCK

Measure Twice

My dad would often say, “Measure twice, cut once.” As an engineer and general handy man, this had quite a significance for his work. As I’ve grown older, I have come to appreciate the deeper meaning to this phrase.

For me, the literal meaning is true, but also a deeper meaning. The deeper meaning is to take the time to measure a situation before you act, so you don’t make an error you can’t reverse. Once you cut something, there is no going back to fix it. If we spent more time weighing situations, whether it be the words we say, actions we take, or time we use, we would spend less time having to repair the damage. I also thought about how to spend differently. I intentionally purchased gifts for family and friends from independently owned and operated stores vs. big box stores. I prayed for inspiration when purchasing gifts to make sure they were meaningful and personal.

Then I thought about how I needed to spend time differently – to measure twice and cut once. I have been trying to stop and be present in every situation rather than multi-task. Multi-tasking does not allow me to measure wisely. I have made some cutting errors when I am not careful. This is what I have decided to make as my new year’s resolution: to spend less time being in so many places at once and spend more time being present. I owe it to the people around me to do that. I owe it to myself to do that. The work will always be there, but the people won’t. People matter.

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

When Dr. Seuss was 53 years old, he was fed up. The children’s book author and illustrator was tired of the noise, the constant activity, and the busy-ness that was attached to Christmas. His desire was that people would celebrate the joy and peacefulness of the season without all the hoopla detracting from it. So he did what any great writer does. He wrote a story about it. How the Grinch Stole Christmas has become a classic, spanning over five decades.

It’s funny that in today’s world we think of the Grinch as an awful and mean creature. We forget that he actually transformed his attitude about Christmas. He saw the Whos in Whoville celebrating together, even without the gifts and food. He discovered that it was about being together and sharing this special day with each other.

“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more.

And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day.”

How is your Advent going? Are you caught up in the gifts, food, and busy-ness? Are you finding yourself getting anxious about all the things to do and people on your shopping list?

What is your focus as we approach Christmas Day? Are you finding time to pray, reflect and give thanks for the miracle of Christmas? Are you setting aside time to be fully present to those you love and those you meet?

How big is your heart this Christmas season?

Impossible

How would you like to prepare a meal for 4,000 people?

Many of us have cooked Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners with tables full of people. It’s takes planning and coordination. And it takes a bit luck to make sure everything is ready to eat at the exact same time.

But making a meal for 4,000 people? I think most of us would say one simple word: “Impossible.” In today's Gospel, we read how Jesus and his disciples went up to a mountain near the Sea of Galilee. The crowd that was following Him had been with Him for three days, and Jesus knew he needed to get them something to eat. But when He made the suggestion for a dinner break, the disciples responded with their own version of “impossible.” "Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?"
Needless to say there were no nearby grocery stores and the ability to call for take-out wouldn’t be invented for a few thousand years.
But of course we know how this story ends. We’re all familiar with the loaves and fishes and the extra baskets of scraps.

How quick are you to say something is impossible in your life? How often do you reject an idea or a thought simply because you don’t think you’re able to follow through on it? We often find ourselves rejecting our abilities and talents, or questioning our place in the world. "I'm not good enough. I can't do it."

The Feeding of the 4000 is a lesson for us all. It’s a simple reminder that we can easily turn the word “Impossible” into two words: “I’m possible.” All we need to do is repeat one simple sentence: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”-Philippians 4:13