Ripples v9.46: Faith!

Ripples v9.46: Faith!
11/12/07: a free weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project

____________________PEBBLE ____________________

Faith and doubt both are needed, not as antagonists,
but working side by side to take us around the unknown curve.
-Lillian Smith, submitted by Judy A., Carbondale IL

____________________BOULDER ____________________

At the end of the day faith is a funny thing.
It turns up when you don't really expect it.
It's like one day you realize that the fairy tale
may be slightly different than you dreamed.
The castle, well, it may not be a castle.
And it's not so important happy ever after,
just that it's happy right now.
See, once in a while, once in a blue moon,
people will surprise you,
and once in a while people may even take your breath away.
-TV Show "Greys Anatomy", submitted by Megan W, Philadelphia PA

____________________PONDER ____________________

The word FAITH means different things to different people. It can be used to describe religious beliefs; it is also used to suggest confidence in or loyalty to someone/something.

FAITH is an important part of character--I think we need to believe in something larger than ourselves in order to be effective in our work and in our lives. Sometimes it seems we assume that everyone must believe in the same things in order to get along or work together, and that successful people must be able to maintain their faith despite difficult challenges. Successful teams need to be filled with people who hold a variety of beliefs, and each of those individuals (even the leaders!), will occasionally experience uncertainty. Diversity and doubt are both ultimately necessary to maintain and grow our faith, just as shades of gray and complete darkness help us to understand and appreciate the light.

What or who do you have FAITH in right now? If you have been doubting someone or something, spend some time reflecting on how you might be able to strengthen your belief or whether it might be time to adjust your compass and therefore alter your guiding beliefs: that is not necessarily a sign of weakness, and it could even be a sign of strength!

I can tell you one thing I have lots of FAITH in: the extraordinary power of RIPPLES and the 17,000+ members who spend 60 seconds each Monday morning spreading the Ripply faith! I count on you!

Peace,
Paul
P.S. PAUL DISAPPEARS into the Colorado Rockies in December so be sure to touch base soon if you need anything!