In 1968, Spencer Silver, a scientist at 3M Corporation was trying to make some kind of super glue. Instead the glue he designed could not even hold two pieces of paper together permanently. They easily pulled apart.</p><p>Although he didn't know what to do with the glue that wouldn't stick very well Silver thought it must have some value so he talked about it with other scientists. One of those was another 3M scientist, Arthur Fry.</p><p>Brother Fry sang in his church choir every week. At choir practice he would use scraps of paper to mark songs in the hymn book but to his annoyance they often fell out.</p><p>During one of those frustrating moments Fry remembered Silver's unsticky glue and was inspired! He attained and applied some of the glue to his bookmarks and found it worked beautifully. He could attach and detach the bookmarks without tearing up the hymnbook pages.</p><p>Although he told others about his semi-sticky notes there was no interest for them at 3M. Plus, he was informed that there was no machinery to manufacture them. So Arthur Fry designed and made such a machine in his own basement at home.</p><p>Still the 3M management wasn't interested. Not interested that is until Fry started supplying the executives with their own pads of non-sticky sticky notes. Then they finally "Got it!" and in 1980, twelve long years after Silver's discovery, 3M's Post-it&reg; Notes were officially released for sale. (story adapted from <a href="http://www.Vat19.com/brain-candy" target="_blank">www.Vat19.com/brain-candy</a>)</p><p>What a success story, based on Silver's initial super glue failure which, admirably, he was willing to share with other scientists. I can hear him at the symposiums, "Hey, guys, I was trying to make super-glue but couldn't figure it out. I know, I know&#133;great scientist, right? So, anyway, what do you think I can do with this not-so-sticky-stuff?"</p><p>Spencer Silver kept going even after a disappointing failure. That eventually led to Arthur Fry's determined success. It's a great story about taking steps forward even when we are not sure what we are doing.</p><p>Likewise, Abraham is commended for his faith steps. "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." (Hebrews 11:8)</p><p>Abraham "went out, not knowing where he was going." Isn't that great? Like Scientist Silver, Abraham knew enough. He knew he had something. He knew he was supposed to go obey God and go to the Promised Land even though he'd never been there and didn't know where he was going!</p><p>Nevertheless, he got up and went. There's a Nike-style, "Just Do It!" element to such success --- spiritual or otherwise.</p><p>Don't wait until you know everything there is to know before you take your step of faith. The psalmist sings to the Lord, "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)</p><p>Some scholars say this "lamp to my feet" was a foot lamp that lit the dark path just one step ahead and no more. That's how faith works, it seems. We are to take one step while "not knowing where" we "are going." So let's take it and leave the rest to the Lord!</p><p>Silver took one. Fry took one. Abraham took one. What's yours?</p><p>John Parker pastors ChristChurch, 260 N. Sixth Street, Chowchilla. See John at YouTube.com under search words "Peter Rocks1" Email: <a href="mailto:john@plugintolife.com">john@plugintolife.com</a>