Five Kernels of Corn

Nearly 400 years ago, the Pilgrims landed in what would become Massachusetts after 66 days of perilous sailing across the Atlantic. Arriving 500 miles off course and later in the year than expected because of severe storms, they found themselves already deep into the winter of 1620, making planting any crops impossible and foraging for food only slightly more feasible. Their already meager supplies dwindled quickly and, at one point, daily rations were cut down to just five kernels of corn per person.

Nearly half of the 102 Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock perished during that first winter, most due to starvation or complications resulting from malnutrition. Yet, because of the grace of God and benevolent natives who were willing to share with the settlers and teach them how to farm in the New World, those who survived would later enjoy a bountiful harvest, leading to what we have come to know as the first Thanksgiving.

While you probably have never experienced the desperation and destitution those Pilgrims faced that first winter, I am sure there have been periods in your life where you felt like you were down to “five kernels of corn.” Maybe this was material impoverishment like the Pilgrims faced, or perhaps it was emotional or spiritual starvation you faced. Whatever the case, many of us have faced situations that had us feeling as if we were at the end of our rope and possibly even hopeless, not sure how we would continue on.

This Thanksgiving, in between the football and pumpkin pie, take a moment to consider five kernels of corn and the harsh “winters” in your life that God has seen you through, giving thanks for the “harvest” of blessings in your life. And, if by chance you are in one of those winters right now, I hope you can look ahead and see signs of spring.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Comments

Toxic Humility

We have all seen false humility: the guy who tries to hide his arrogance with feigned modesty. It’s usually pretty obvious and always obnoxious. But there is also another variation of false humility out there: toxic humility. This is often displayed in self-deprecating talk and a lack of self-confidence, belittling or undermining one’s own talents and abilities. The danger in this kind of behavior is twofold: it is too often accepted as true humility and like a virus, it spreads doubt and disbelief. To clarify, it is not that the bearer of this toxic humility isn’t honest about his view of himself. That is the very issue: he absolutely believes he has little value or utility. He thinks downplaying his own worth is humility but I disagree. CS Lewis said it best when he wrote, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking about yourself less.” His point being, true humility is not an ever-present raincloud of self-doubt that follows you around. It’s a focus on

Primed for Progress

Just as some pumps need to be primed to work effectively, our lives need to be “primed” to flow efficiently. Good mornings and productive days don’t happen by accident, and by “priming” your day, you can set yourself up for better results. Does it mean you won’t have bad days? Of course not, but it’s making your day happen instead of just waiting for what happens. Once again, it’s a choice of being proactive rather than reactive. You will still have challenges and difficulties, but how you face those hurdles and respond to the struggles will be different with a primed mindset. I am sure there are many ways to prime your day and set the tone for the hours ahead, and what works for one won’t necessarily work for all. However, the process of creating a plan or a model of how things should unfold is a great place for anyone to start. Also, as I have mentioned before, how you actually start the morning is critical - the battle with the alarm clock is your first chance at victory for

Flower Among Thorns

About six or seven years ago, my wife was around three months pregnant as we eagerly anticipated the birth of another child. One night, as I lay sleeping, I had a dream that our baby was born. It was a beautiful little girl with thin, wispy hair and large, bright eyes punctuating her beautiful face. I held her proudly in my arms and stared down at this precious little creation. I carefully handed her off to her older brother, who was just a toddler himself, as he sat on the coach, arms outstretched, anxiously awaiting the chance to hold his baby sister. I helped him prop up a pillow underneath his little arms to help support my daughter and then stepped back to take in the amazing sight as he gazed down at her with both pride and amazement in his eyes. As I stood there watching them, the dream quickly faded. When I woke up, my eyes met the tearful glance of my wife. “I’m bleeding,” she said as she fought back the emotions, “I think I am miscarrying.” Those words sunk deeply i

Mindset Matters

Search This Blog