Just One Degree

While I was waiting for some soup I was making to come to a boil, I noticed first the steam started rising and slowly the bubbles started popping one by one in various places. Then it finally came to a full boil before I turned it down to simmer awhile.

As I watched, I thought about what a difference just one degree makes. The temperature can’t be one degree less than the boiling point, or you can wait day and night, and it will never come to a full boil.

In thinking about my life, I thought that was an appropriate analogy as well. For many years I’ve had a particular dream and big goal I’ve aspired to. I’ve kept the dream alive and simmering over the years. There have been occasions when I’ve turned the fire up a bit and things have been steaming hotter towards my goal. But somehow, I never was able to sustain the intensity of the fire long enough to bring it up to boiling and get to that next level where things are really cooking!

That’s why I’m excited that recently I’ve seen a way to move forward with that big dream I’ve had. I’ve lit the flame and have been tossing on the fuel to help it turn into a big glowing bonfire this time! I trust that you will see the result of that as things come to pass within the next 12-18 months, which I’ll share with you along the way.

What level of intensity are you experiencing with your biggest dreams and goals? Are you getting close to where you want to go? Do you need to turn it up a degree and get your activities to the boiling point to make your goal happen the way you really want it to?

Usually it just takes time added to activity sustained in order to accomplish a goal. So just keep on doing what you know and turning up the flame till you get where you want to be – and your life is bubbling over with happiness and pride of accomplishment!

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. - Philippians 3:13-15, NIV

In the meantime, I’ve discovered a great video that illustrates this principle of 212 degrees. Enjoy and be inspired! http://tinyurl.com/212insp

Great food for thought!

P.S. The picture above is of a painting I did, titled "Changes of State."