Impulsive

Did you know a new pencil can make a line 35 miles long? My friend downloaded Trivial Pursuit onto her ipod and we answered a few questions so that I could see how the nostalgic game is meeting a new technology. When I was answering the question about the pencil I wanted clarification: is it a golf pencil, is it a hard-lead or soft-lead pencil, and is the surface smooth or pebbled? Of course no one could offer those further explanations and we found ourselves remembering the adage when taking a multiple-choice test, “follow your first impulse.” It’s amazing how many times that proves true in Trivial Pursuit. There are times you can throw out one answer and you have a 50% chance of getting the right one, so your odds have increased to pick the right one, but you still have to make the choice. For the question above the choices were: 1 mile, 35 miles, 10000 feet. In my faltering math I had a hard time converting feet to miles so I focused on 1 mile or 35 miles. I chose correctly! Personality tests reveal I have an INFP profile (Introverted preferred to extraversion; iNtuition preferred to sensing; Feeling preferred to thinking; and Perception preferred to judgment). Wow! Seeing it all together, even to me, sounds like I live in a constant state of impulses! I know that plans are helpful, but I also know that plans are subject to change, and in fact should be expected to change. There is still something about that first impulse that makes you gauge your decisions afterwards. Often it’s not the first impulse I have a problem with, but the second step – what you do about the impulse.
“Faithful discipleship has nothing to do with your first impulse; it has everything to do with your second impulse.” – Laurie DeMott

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You are the catalyst for ideas, plans and works that bring the world closer to healing and wholeness. Let us open our minds and hearts to receive the promptings that will allow us to give more than expected; More of ourselves, our gifts, our time, our energy, our thoughts, and our hearts. Give us the next longing to fulfill these desires. As we work side-by-side, gifts balancing gifts, we can provide the planning, or the intuition, that the next person requires. Together, our efforts will go the extra mile towards showing and sharing the Love of Christ. We cannot fathom how far the possibilities will take us. Let us not second guess your will, but honor that first gesture of invitation. Amen.

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”
– Vincent VanGogh