Siru Thuli Peru Vellam

Little drops of water and little grains of sand make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land.

So the little moments, Humble though they be, Make the mighty ages of Eternity.

So the little errors Lead the soul away From the paths of virtue Far in sin to stray.

Little deeds of kindness, Little words of love, Help to make earth happy, Like the Heaven above.

Julia A. F. Carney (1823-1908)

For a ten minute writing assignment, in a summer teaching course, she picked up these first four lines from a short article she had written for Christian schooling purposes and extended the poem to its final form.

Punctuality, neatness and thoroughness are often derided as perfectionism.

There is nothing small in the work of the Lord... ...and thus nothing should be treated as little in God’s work.

Zechariah 4:9-11 (King James Version) 9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. 10For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

• If one does the little thing well then he’ll do a big job well. • The little often becomes big. • Don’t miss the little things • The big is often the joining together of a lot of little things done well.

Eccl. 9:10
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.