Damien Rice - O

Words... are so powerful, aren't they? Words that describe things, words that injure... lies, or painful truths... or compliments... it amazes me how things we say so strongly and visibly affect those around us...

I'm reading a good book. Well, not that the book is anything special; it's good, but it in and of itself is not changing me. But do you ever have those moments, when you're reading... and you finally get something? I had that today... I know it's long, but I have to share it with you because it changed me...

"In the Christian community thankfulness is just what it is anywhere else in the Christian life. Only he who gives thanks for little things receives the big things. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things? If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ."

And my thoughts... on scrap paper... in Starbucks... "How can one small paragraph change my entire outlook on life? It's a concept that I acknowleged some time back, but I think it's just now making sense. When I long for more, when I wish that things were better, in actuality I'm wasting what I have now... I'm spitting on it. I'm saying it's not good enough for me - that I deserve more, or better. And it's not true. Nothing can be better than what has come from the hand of my Father. Nothing. The 'now' that I have is a gift.

"And I know it all breaks down - one can become complacent, too content if you will... and that can destroy just as easily... are we all looking for that balance?

"Oh, the realization that I'm the cause of my own pain! And I can't help but to wonder if all this was because of my stupidity... or was is a necessary leg of my journey?"

Thoughts?