I don't remember exactly what grade I was in
when it happened. All I remember is that suddenly Math was no longer
fun. Since the first grade I had always loved Math. I was a wiz at
adding and subtracting. I got 100 percent on almost every paper I did.
All at once, though, we were doing something called multiplication and I
was no good at it. I struggled on my first few worksheets until the
teacher gave us each a card. On it were written the multiplication
tables. I stared at them and smiled. Here were all the answers I needed.
I read them over and over until they became stuck in my head. On our
next test I did great again. I continued to love Math until I reached
high school and encountered something horrible called Algebra.
I also began to notice how multiplication
flowed through God's Creation. I saw how a tiny handful of seeds could
produce a garden full of food. I saw how having two rabbits could soon
give you twenty. I saw how tossing a little pebble into a pond could
produce ripples that seemed to go on forever. I also saw how a single
prayer could sooth my soul's troubles. I saw how a few caring words
could heal a hurting heart. And I saw how a single act of
loving-kindness could travel from person to person, heart to heart, and
soul to soul until it circled the world.
The truth is we are all multipliers in this
life. The only question is what are we going to multiply. Are we going
to multiply the fear, anger, and distrust that exists in this world? Or
are we going to multiply the love, kindness, and forgiveness that God so
freely gives us? I for one choose the latter and I hope you will do the
same.
Be a
multiplier then. Help God make this world a better place. Spend your
days sowing smiles. Spend your days planting kindness. Spend your days
sharing love. You will be amazed at how much and how rapidly it
multiplies. You will be amazed at the harvest you will reap.
Joseph J. Mazzella
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.