Behold the Turtle...

 "Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out."

-J.B. Conant

I like quotes. Short ones especially because I can interpret them as I wish. This one seems about right... 

Progress may be slow, but getting outside of our comfort zone is absolutely essential. Pick areas in life where you need to grow, or must grow, and set goals. Stick your neck out. Be vulnerable. 

And move forward.

It may be years before measurable progress can be charted, but progress surely comes. And no one ever regrets progress.

I can't help but add to this (because we all know the allegory): Run your own race. We each run a different course with different capabilities and resources, and one is not better than the other.

Thanksgiving is a time of year I can note measurable progress in my race. I'm getting nearer to attaining some goals I set in my mid-20's. There is still some distance between myself and the goal, but the start line is farther behind. Of course it hasn't been easy, but that's what makes it so satisfying. 

When it come to the setting of goals, I typically think in terms of being vs. doing. However, being and becoming the person I desire will requires action... and a whole lot of uncomfortably sticking out my neck!

Gratefulness for people and for relationship has been brought to the forefront of my mind this Thanksgiving season. Apart from this, I am thankful for the "course," capabilities, and resources he has granted me to nurture those relations.

If the summation of all that is good and right - all that which brings glory to God and joy to man - is to love God with our whole being and to love others as ourselves, then each person's race (life), capabilities, and resources must be oriented to these two loves. All that God grants us to enjoy is for these two pursuits.

May our enjoyment of God's gifts this Thanksgiving be our expression of giving thanks.

{We found this little guy last month at the beach. He's a dry-land tortoise, but he was being swept in and out of the surf after someone apparently dumped him and tried to pass him off as a sea turtle.

The lifeguard said he could call the Animal Control people, but my boys are opportunists. They took him home and enjoyed him for a few weeks; since we weren't interested in raising a tortoise for the next 100 years, my boys sold him on Craig's List for a pretty penny.}

~Katherine