What do certain cookies, dessert snack foods, steaks, chickens, turkeys, pork chops, dates, pigs, people, etc. have in common?
When stuffed, the middle makes it really good!
The middle is good. Yes, the new TV comedy is also good, but I’m really talking about middle, small “m” with a big impact.
Everything has a beginning and an end, but the middle may be the most important part.
If I had paid better attention to my middle, I would be healthier than I am.
If some businesses paid better attention to the middle, their bottom line would be better.
If everyone paid better attention to what happens in the middle of every minute, in every bigger segment of time, life would be better for everyone.
Most businesses, of any kind, are more concerned about the quality of bottom line numbers than they are about the quality of the middle. Ask the employees and you'll find out. Zappos.com is a great example of a company that pays attention to the middle.
Since I’m in the church business, most churches are also more concerned about the quality of the bottom line “numbers” than the quality of the middle. Yes, I know the tired statement: “Numbers are people.” People live in the middle not in the numbers or the bottom line.
The middle is always our behavior as individuals and organizations. The middle usually impacts people much more than either end.
Both the beginning and the end are exciting moments, but the middle is the truly impactful experience.
“The Dash” asks us how we’ve lived our lives. My whole life is a big thing to think about, probably too big.
How are we living the middle of every minute and every other segment of time that makes up the moments of our lives?
The attention we pay to these mini-lives paints the picture of our life.
I don’t always get it right, but I’m trying. Join me.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Real Mystery of Jesus, perhaps?
Christians understand why Jesus had to die, it was God’s plan. The human reasons were all about how He didn’t satisfy human perceptions of/on Him. He wasn’t the conquering hero. He didn’t go along with the religious leaders of the day. He challenged religious, political, and social status quo. In the perceived social hierarchy, He was trying to create a level playing field for all. And, unfortunately, the list can go on for a while. Even more unfortunately, He died for those reasons!
The real mystery, as to be discussed here, has little to do with understanding God’s reasons, but trying to understand how it all happened 2000 years ago and, today, the same human reasons are attempting to kill, and are killing, human spirit every day, everywhere.
On a very small scale, relatively speaking, I’ve experienced this personally. Every time I challenge the status quo, try to create a level playing field, challenge someone else’s notion of how things should be, I experience the side-affects/effects of “put down heaven.” “Put down heaven” is that place in which people, mysteriously, find great enjoyment in trying to kill someone’s human spirit by putting them down. There is obvious glee in playing this game. Many people consider themselves heroic if they can feel like they’ve killed someone else’s spirit.
As I said, my experience is on a very small scale. Sure, some think they’re dropping atom bombs of disrespect on me, but it’s really not anything to worry about. Then, why am I talking about it, let alone wasting a blog on it? Because I spend a lot of time with people whose lives are deeply affected, and effected, by this insane activity. I am tired of seeing people unnecessarily attacked for no other reason than, “They don’t agree with us, so, we must destroy.”
Suppose, ala HG Wells’ “War of the Worlds,” that Martians planted pearls of happiness, instead of Martians to conquer the world, within reach of every human being, and those pearls became evident to us at 12 noon tomorrow. As soon as everyone realized that everyone had happiness, no one would turn it down and life as we know it would change for everyone.
Well, that is essentially what Jesus did 2000 years ago. He died to conquer the worst in us, to give us a second chance, and to plant hope in every person so that it would grow and change “life as we know it.”
But here were in the year 2010 and it hasn’t taken hold. People want to damage, discount, hurt, and destroy other people’s happiness. Many would like to think they’ve created endless ways to do this, but have really only found a million or more variations of the same basic ways to smash happiness that have been around forever.
I know, I’m guilty, just like the rest of you. I’m exceedingly tired of it, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to pursue, share, and empower happiness as much as possible. Why is this so hard to do? If it’s important enough to do countless things to one another in order to steal, damage, and destroy happiness, why can’t we grasp the simple notion that if we worked as hard to make people happy our lives would be happier than we could ever imagine?
Jesus didn’t die so He could be a “get out of jail free” type of Messiah. He died because humanity could not grasp the simply concept of shared happiness. He rose from the dead to show that God’s love is more powerful than the worst we have to offer. It’s within reach for each and every one of us. It’s not just an altar call, or prayer of salvation, or any other thing like those. It’s deciding to live beyond our human nature and follow Jesus by living lives that recognize the human connection, the human desire for happiness, and the human ability to achieve happiness that can be shared with, and by, all. That’s why early followers were simply known as “followers of The Way.” The Way was a way of life that was full of joy and nearly impossible to resist.
Whatever reason you need to find to strive for happiness, take hold of it and run with it. You’ll never be alone, and you will find happiness, even in the midst of its opposite! May God bless you and may God’s love shine on, in, and through you! I mean it!
The real mystery, as to be discussed here, has little to do with understanding God’s reasons, but trying to understand how it all happened 2000 years ago and, today, the same human reasons are attempting to kill, and are killing, human spirit every day, everywhere.
On a very small scale, relatively speaking, I’ve experienced this personally. Every time I challenge the status quo, try to create a level playing field, challenge someone else’s notion of how things should be, I experience the side-affects/effects of “put down heaven.” “Put down heaven” is that place in which people, mysteriously, find great enjoyment in trying to kill someone’s human spirit by putting them down. There is obvious glee in playing this game. Many people consider themselves heroic if they can feel like they’ve killed someone else’s spirit.
As I said, my experience is on a very small scale. Sure, some think they’re dropping atom bombs of disrespect on me, but it’s really not anything to worry about. Then, why am I talking about it, let alone wasting a blog on it? Because I spend a lot of time with people whose lives are deeply affected, and effected, by this insane activity. I am tired of seeing people unnecessarily attacked for no other reason than, “They don’t agree with us, so, we must destroy.”
Suppose, ala HG Wells’ “War of the Worlds,” that Martians planted pearls of happiness, instead of Martians to conquer the world, within reach of every human being, and those pearls became evident to us at 12 noon tomorrow. As soon as everyone realized that everyone had happiness, no one would turn it down and life as we know it would change for everyone.
Well, that is essentially what Jesus did 2000 years ago. He died to conquer the worst in us, to give us a second chance, and to plant hope in every person so that it would grow and change “life as we know it.”
But here were in the year 2010 and it hasn’t taken hold. People want to damage, discount, hurt, and destroy other people’s happiness. Many would like to think they’ve created endless ways to do this, but have really only found a million or more variations of the same basic ways to smash happiness that have been around forever.
I know, I’m guilty, just like the rest of you. I’m exceedingly tired of it, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to pursue, share, and empower happiness as much as possible. Why is this so hard to do? If it’s important enough to do countless things to one another in order to steal, damage, and destroy happiness, why can’t we grasp the simple notion that if we worked as hard to make people happy our lives would be happier than we could ever imagine?
Jesus didn’t die so He could be a “get out of jail free” type of Messiah. He died because humanity could not grasp the simply concept of shared happiness. He rose from the dead to show that God’s love is more powerful than the worst we have to offer. It’s within reach for each and every one of us. It’s not just an altar call, or prayer of salvation, or any other thing like those. It’s deciding to live beyond our human nature and follow Jesus by living lives that recognize the human connection, the human desire for happiness, and the human ability to achieve happiness that can be shared with, and by, all. That’s why early followers were simply known as “followers of The Way.” The Way was a way of life that was full of joy and nearly impossible to resist.
Whatever reason you need to find to strive for happiness, take hold of it and run with it. You’ll never be alone, and you will find happiness, even in the midst of its opposite! May God bless you and may God’s love shine on, in, and through you! I mean it!
Friday, March 26, 2010
The Downside of Toilet-flushers
(Okay, this is a weird blog post. There is a reason for it, of which some will know. It’s allegorical, or perhaps simply metaphorical, pertaining to my perception of what people I love could possibly feel like because of the close proximity of the allegorical emotions. My apologies for the “outthereness” of it. Yes, I just made up a word because I can! Or, maybe I didn't make up a word and I'm just showing off my vocabulariousness!)
When you flush the toilet and find out there were people in there when you sat down, even if you did hurt your finger, you have to take responsibility for your actions.
First of all, you should have looked before you sat down. Yeah, we all have stuff and we often need to get it out, but it should never be on somebody else. Every action we take will probably affect somebody else. It’s very rare, if ever, that we do something that only affects me. It doesn’t take long, and it’s not that hard of work, to think about what we do and the possible affects and effects our actions just might have on somebody else. Personal responsibility is a good thing.
Secondly, flushing doesn’t erase that you’ve put your stuff in somebody else’s life. Flushing usually just gets it out of your sight and you pretend you don’t know where it went and that it might mess up somebody else’s life. Looking at it isn’t necessarily the worst thing that can happen. When you’re enjoying the pool and then have to swim with somebody’s stuff, it’s not cool anytime, anywhere, anyhow!
Oh, you were in a hurry to flush and you hurt your finger on the handle! I’m sorry, but it doesn’t erase that somebody may have gotten flushed and others have been forced to swim in what seems like an endless swirl of your stuff. Oh, you lost part of your finger and you’ll never be able to flush the same again?! I’m sorry, but maybe you should jump in the pool and see if that isn’t much worse than the loss of part of your finger and not being able to flush properly! You will heal in many ways, but those people are still swirling round and round with your s……..tuff, and it doesn’t easily come off, if it ever will!
Oh, you’ve walked away from the toilet and “out of sight, out of mind” is working for you? Well, what you didn’t see, can’t see, but hopefully will see is the beauty of those who are being forced to swim in a swirl. Not only are they beautiful and loving people, but they are loved by many. The love they have, and the love directed toward them, will bring them healing and wholeness, eventually. What, probably, hurts the most is that, ordinarily, they would do anything they could to help you before, during, and after you flushed.
If you’re in the toilet, we love you, pray for you, and hope for hope for you. We’re sorry for the days we don’t jump in and swim with you, for the days we walk around the rim and can’t seem to find a ladder or rope that will rescue you, etc. We know that just because there are flushers, God didn’t flush and loves you every minute of every day. Those who get taken by the swirl are experiencing God’s love in a way we don’t know how to describe. Every day we pray that flushers stay where flushing is approved, and only do it the approve ways, in the bathroom, until their business is done and they can help make the outside world better than it was when they went into the bathroom.
When you flush the toilet and find out there were people in there when you sat down, even if you did hurt your finger, you have to take responsibility for your actions.
First of all, you should have looked before you sat down. Yeah, we all have stuff and we often need to get it out, but it should never be on somebody else. Every action we take will probably affect somebody else. It’s very rare, if ever, that we do something that only affects me. It doesn’t take long, and it’s not that hard of work, to think about what we do and the possible affects and effects our actions just might have on somebody else. Personal responsibility is a good thing.
Secondly, flushing doesn’t erase that you’ve put your stuff in somebody else’s life. Flushing usually just gets it out of your sight and you pretend you don’t know where it went and that it might mess up somebody else’s life. Looking at it isn’t necessarily the worst thing that can happen. When you’re enjoying the pool and then have to swim with somebody’s stuff, it’s not cool anytime, anywhere, anyhow!
Oh, you were in a hurry to flush and you hurt your finger on the handle! I’m sorry, but it doesn’t erase that somebody may have gotten flushed and others have been forced to swim in what seems like an endless swirl of your stuff. Oh, you lost part of your finger and you’ll never be able to flush the same again?! I’m sorry, but maybe you should jump in the pool and see if that isn’t much worse than the loss of part of your finger and not being able to flush properly! You will heal in many ways, but those people are still swirling round and round with your s……..tuff, and it doesn’t easily come off, if it ever will!
Oh, you’ve walked away from the toilet and “out of sight, out of mind” is working for you? Well, what you didn’t see, can’t see, but hopefully will see is the beauty of those who are being forced to swim in a swirl. Not only are they beautiful and loving people, but they are loved by many. The love they have, and the love directed toward them, will bring them healing and wholeness, eventually. What, probably, hurts the most is that, ordinarily, they would do anything they could to help you before, during, and after you flushed.
If you’re in the toilet, we love you, pray for you, and hope for hope for you. We’re sorry for the days we don’t jump in and swim with you, for the days we walk around the rim and can’t seem to find a ladder or rope that will rescue you, etc. We know that just because there are flushers, God didn’t flush and loves you every minute of every day. Those who get taken by the swirl are experiencing God’s love in a way we don’t know how to describe. Every day we pray that flushers stay where flushing is approved, and only do it the approve ways, in the bathroom, until their business is done and they can help make the outside world better than it was when they went into the bathroom.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wanna go sailing?
Life without prayer is like sailing without a sail. Prayer allows us to catch the wind of God’s Spirit. Once we catch the wind God places our hand on the rudder and, with God, we navigate through life. In a pond or small lake it doesn’t seem to matter as much, but the larger the body of water the more it does matter that we have good sails. Does a body of water get any larger than life? When we’re stuck in the middle of water without any means of moving, except for the current, we are exposed and helpless in the midst of any “weather” that comes our way.
So, why does any of this matter? If I don’t sail and don’t care about prayer, why should it matter?
Well, first of all, we’ve got nothing to lose. Prayer is expressed in either thoughts or words. How many times a day do we think or say things to ourselves that are far more meaningless than the words of even the simplest prayer? So, if I happen to spend time praying, in whatever form I want to pray, if it’s nothing more than a vent or rant, it’s okay and can be helpful. But, if I believe that prayer is opening myself to catch the wind of God’s Spirit, something incredible just might, and probably will, happen.
So, if I take a chance, pray, and “accidentally” discover that God is real, then, I have truly found a buried treasure, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, etc., etc. Is there anybody who doesn’t benefit from having a positive work relationship with our boss? Probably not. When the boss appreciates our work, good things generally happen. How much better is it if we have a good working relationship, based on trust, with the One who has made and sustains the life in everything?
When we have wind, sails, and a rudder we can reach the destinations we desire. That works very well in a real sailboat, and when using it as a metaphor for life. Yes, I know that sometimes there just isn’t any wind out on the water, the wind will change direction, and sometimes other conditions set us on a different course. When we’re talking about life there are more serious similarities and differences. The unexpected things of life always have a greater impact than those on the water. (Yes, if your sailboat gets caught in a very bad storm it can be as serious as it gets. That’s exactly what I mean.) On the water, we have no control over the conditions, only over what we do under those conditions. Life is pretty much the same, other than, when we open ourselves to The Wind/God of life, God always wants the best outcome for us. The conditions of life never stop and ask us what we want, nor do they try to make the best happen for us.
I have been sailing several times in my life. Once on a friend’s boat that was around a 30 footer and it was on Lake Erie. The other times were on much smaller boats, and bodies of water, and were with my wife. So, every time I’ve been sailing has been a great experience no matter what the conditions might have been. I can say the same, even more so, about my sailing experiences with God in life. All the water experiences were with God too! It really is a win-win. Like everything else, you really do get out of something what you put into it. Have a great life!
So, why does any of this matter? If I don’t sail and don’t care about prayer, why should it matter?
Well, first of all, we’ve got nothing to lose. Prayer is expressed in either thoughts or words. How many times a day do we think or say things to ourselves that are far more meaningless than the words of even the simplest prayer? So, if I happen to spend time praying, in whatever form I want to pray, if it’s nothing more than a vent or rant, it’s okay and can be helpful. But, if I believe that prayer is opening myself to catch the wind of God’s Spirit, something incredible just might, and probably will, happen.
So, if I take a chance, pray, and “accidentally” discover that God is real, then, I have truly found a buried treasure, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, etc., etc. Is there anybody who doesn’t benefit from having a positive work relationship with our boss? Probably not. When the boss appreciates our work, good things generally happen. How much better is it if we have a good working relationship, based on trust, with the One who has made and sustains the life in everything?
When we have wind, sails, and a rudder we can reach the destinations we desire. That works very well in a real sailboat, and when using it as a metaphor for life. Yes, I know that sometimes there just isn’t any wind out on the water, the wind will change direction, and sometimes other conditions set us on a different course. When we’re talking about life there are more serious similarities and differences. The unexpected things of life always have a greater impact than those on the water. (Yes, if your sailboat gets caught in a very bad storm it can be as serious as it gets. That’s exactly what I mean.) On the water, we have no control over the conditions, only over what we do under those conditions. Life is pretty much the same, other than, when we open ourselves to The Wind/God of life, God always wants the best outcome for us. The conditions of life never stop and ask us what we want, nor do they try to make the best happen for us.
I have been sailing several times in my life. Once on a friend’s boat that was around a 30 footer and it was on Lake Erie. The other times were on much smaller boats, and bodies of water, and were with my wife. So, every time I’ve been sailing has been a great experience no matter what the conditions might have been. I can say the same, even more so, about my sailing experiences with God in life. All the water experiences were with God too! It really is a win-win. Like everything else, you really do get out of something what you put into it. Have a great life!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
A Blessing from a Scam
You may know that about a month ago I did something I knew I shouldn’t – I tried to get a “free iPad.” Nice FREE gifts are enticing and most of us will think, “What if it’s true?”
Yesterday, March 23, the best thing from this “momentary lapse of reason” came in the mail. No, it wasn’t an “iPad.” It was the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine. “Wow.” You may be saying. “That’s a real treasure, Greg. You know you’ll have to pay something if want a real subscription to Rolling Stone, don’t you?” Yes, but this issue was heaven-sent. Some of you probably know or have figured it out, because you know me very well. Yes, it contains the first ever interview of Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck together! Wow!
I love listening to great passionate guitar music. Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, in my opinion, are two, on a fairly short list, guitar players who have a genuine gift from God to create passionate musical art on the guitar. After reading the Rolling Stone interview I can say my reasons for feeling this way are communicated in the interview.
First of all, they are extremely gifted/talented/skilled at playing the guitar. The kinds of skills they possess come only from: God, recognizing the gift, practicing that gift as often as humanly possible, learning every day, and never feeling they’re the best ever at what they do.
We all have skills. Do we recognize them as a gift from God? Do we practice them every day, as often as humanly possible? Do we feel as though there’s something new to learn in our skills every day? Do we know that we are the best me, and someone else is the best them, and so on?
This leads to number two on my list about Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck: They are both pretty humble. In the interview, neither wanted to say they were better than the other, or others. Maybe it wasn’t always that way, but life has taught both of them the great lesson known as humility. It makes them better people and better guitar players. They both willingly admit they owe who they are and what they do to others and what they’ve learned from the others.
A friend of ours, Robin W., used to say, “He/she thinks they’re all that and bag of potato chips.” Robin was only 13-14 the first time we heard her say that. She knew, then, that some people were like every bag of potato chips: mostly air with a few chips. It’s important to be confident in our “skills.” It’s equally as important to be humble learners. We know that there is always somebody better, but I’m the best me, and I can learn every day and become a better me every day.
Which, of course, leads to number three on my list about Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck: They were genuinely excited to be together talking about a big passion in their lives. They are going to do some concerts together in the coming year. These concerts will be, in many ways, legendary. It will not be two egos colliding, though the result of that big bang would be amazing. It will be two artists working together to create beautiful music for themselves, but, most of all, for the world to enjoy!
Who’s on your “team?” Who do you work together with for the sake of the enjoyment of others? Of course, we all need and want affirmation, but can we let go of 99% of that to do what we do for somebody else? Beautiful music is many notes. The night sky is many stars. A beautiful painting is many colors. We are our best when we work together!
Skills + Humility + Sharing = WOW! This formula works for EVERYBODY!
Well, I’ve got to go, I think I heard the doorbell, it might be my “iPad” being delivered!
Yesterday, March 23, the best thing from this “momentary lapse of reason” came in the mail. No, it wasn’t an “iPad.” It was the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine. “Wow.” You may be saying. “That’s a real treasure, Greg. You know you’ll have to pay something if want a real subscription to Rolling Stone, don’t you?” Yes, but this issue was heaven-sent. Some of you probably know or have figured it out, because you know me very well. Yes, it contains the first ever interview of Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck together! Wow!
I love listening to great passionate guitar music. Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, in my opinion, are two, on a fairly short list, guitar players who have a genuine gift from God to create passionate musical art on the guitar. After reading the Rolling Stone interview I can say my reasons for feeling this way are communicated in the interview.
First of all, they are extremely gifted/talented/skilled at playing the guitar. The kinds of skills they possess come only from: God, recognizing the gift, practicing that gift as often as humanly possible, learning every day, and never feeling they’re the best ever at what they do.
We all have skills. Do we recognize them as a gift from God? Do we practice them every day, as often as humanly possible? Do we feel as though there’s something new to learn in our skills every day? Do we know that we are the best me, and someone else is the best them, and so on?
This leads to number two on my list about Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck: They are both pretty humble. In the interview, neither wanted to say they were better than the other, or others. Maybe it wasn’t always that way, but life has taught both of them the great lesson known as humility. It makes them better people and better guitar players. They both willingly admit they owe who they are and what they do to others and what they’ve learned from the others.
A friend of ours, Robin W., used to say, “He/she thinks they’re all that and bag of potato chips.” Robin was only 13-14 the first time we heard her say that. She knew, then, that some people were like every bag of potato chips: mostly air with a few chips. It’s important to be confident in our “skills.” It’s equally as important to be humble learners. We know that there is always somebody better, but I’m the best me, and I can learn every day and become a better me every day.
Which, of course, leads to number three on my list about Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck: They were genuinely excited to be together talking about a big passion in their lives. They are going to do some concerts together in the coming year. These concerts will be, in many ways, legendary. It will not be two egos colliding, though the result of that big bang would be amazing. It will be two artists working together to create beautiful music for themselves, but, most of all, for the world to enjoy!
Who’s on your “team?” Who do you work together with for the sake of the enjoyment of others? Of course, we all need and want affirmation, but can we let go of 99% of that to do what we do for somebody else? Beautiful music is many notes. The night sky is many stars. A beautiful painting is many colors. We are our best when we work together!
Skills + Humility + Sharing = WOW! This formula works for EVERYBODY!
Well, I’ve got to go, I think I heard the doorbell, it might be my “iPad” being delivered!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Beauty of a Mess
A friend once told me that when he sees a lawn with tall grass, weeds in the garden, and even litter in the yard he also sees the probable evidence of someone with a busy life. Wherever work is being done, there is usually an accompanying mess. It’s inevitable. The key questions are: Why was the mess made? And, what are we going to do with it?
Politics in the United States appears to quite messy right now. Why? The mess is here partly because great issues are being wrangled and worked out by many. The mess is here partly because those who aren’t sure how to work it out plow ahead anyway, unfortunately, often like a bull in a china shop.
I have just begun to read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s great book “A Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” I wanted to read it because it’s about how rivals came together to accomplish something that changed the world. While Lincoln was President, he and others pursued the end of slavery, and quite a mess was created. A civil war through which many Americans divorced themselves from others, hurt one another, and killed one another all because they stood on opposing sides of the issue. In the end, Abraham Lincoln lost his own life over it. All of this was the “bull in the china shop” part of the mess. In the end, a new door had been opened, and is still being opened, to help us live up to a foundational belief of our nation: all people are created equal.
On page 60 of the book, Goodwin quotes Alexis de Tocqueville from his book, “Democracy in America.” He basically says that you can barely arrive in the United States before you find yourself immersed in the energy and furor of political discourse at many different levels and locations. That we have a vision, disagree about how to achieve that vision, and have millions of heated discussions about such things is part of the basic fabric of democracy and of our nation.
The “Why?” isn’t hard to figure, but the “What?” seems to be a bit more complicated. What do we do with ignorant name calling, from any side? What do with do with senseless acts of violence over issues? What do we do with widespread disagreement and disapproval of the way things are?
When a bull gets into a china shop and starts destroying everything, we don’t let it go and accept it as part of life. We do whatever it takes to corral the bull so that people, property, and the bull don’t get injured, damaged, and/or destroyed. We, then, take measures to make sure it doesn’t happen again. In other words, we believe in the possibility of a creative and effective solution. That the United States of America exists and has over 200 years of history is strong physical evidence that we have tremendous creativity and we can find effective solutions to disagreements. We can quote all the great ones, but can we put our feet to the street and live the way they did, beyond words?
When we see someone with a messy yard, house, life, etc. we can either believe there’s a good reason why and wait for the chance to help (if needed), or, we can live contrary to faith and country and treat them as less than human and unequal to us.
When we have disagreements in the arenas of politics, religion, life, etc., we can either listen to the other to find out why they feel that way, try to find common ground, agree to disagree, or even work out a positive solution. Or, we can live contrary to faith and country and treat them as less than human and unequal to us.
The beauty of a mess is always the creative ways we can make an effective solution happen. We can do it because life is a dream we live to make come true!
Politics in the United States appears to quite messy right now. Why? The mess is here partly because great issues are being wrangled and worked out by many. The mess is here partly because those who aren’t sure how to work it out plow ahead anyway, unfortunately, often like a bull in a china shop.
I have just begun to read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s great book “A Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” I wanted to read it because it’s about how rivals came together to accomplish something that changed the world. While Lincoln was President, he and others pursued the end of slavery, and quite a mess was created. A civil war through which many Americans divorced themselves from others, hurt one another, and killed one another all because they stood on opposing sides of the issue. In the end, Abraham Lincoln lost his own life over it. All of this was the “bull in the china shop” part of the mess. In the end, a new door had been opened, and is still being opened, to help us live up to a foundational belief of our nation: all people are created equal.
On page 60 of the book, Goodwin quotes Alexis de Tocqueville from his book, “Democracy in America.” He basically says that you can barely arrive in the United States before you find yourself immersed in the energy and furor of political discourse at many different levels and locations. That we have a vision, disagree about how to achieve that vision, and have millions of heated discussions about such things is part of the basic fabric of democracy and of our nation.
The “Why?” isn’t hard to figure, but the “What?” seems to be a bit more complicated. What do we do with ignorant name calling, from any side? What do with do with senseless acts of violence over issues? What do we do with widespread disagreement and disapproval of the way things are?
When a bull gets into a china shop and starts destroying everything, we don’t let it go and accept it as part of life. We do whatever it takes to corral the bull so that people, property, and the bull don’t get injured, damaged, and/or destroyed. We, then, take measures to make sure it doesn’t happen again. In other words, we believe in the possibility of a creative and effective solution. That the United States of America exists and has over 200 years of history is strong physical evidence that we have tremendous creativity and we can find effective solutions to disagreements. We can quote all the great ones, but can we put our feet to the street and live the way they did, beyond words?
When we see someone with a messy yard, house, life, etc. we can either believe there’s a good reason why and wait for the chance to help (if needed), or, we can live contrary to faith and country and treat them as less than human and unequal to us.
When we have disagreements in the arenas of politics, religion, life, etc., we can either listen to the other to find out why they feel that way, try to find common ground, agree to disagree, or even work out a positive solution. Or, we can live contrary to faith and country and treat them as less than human and unequal to us.
The beauty of a mess is always the creative ways we can make an effective solution happen. We can do it because life is a dream we live to make come true!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Who knows you, and still gives you hope?
A lifetime ago, I was interviewing a potential employee for a grocery store my dad and I operated. As I began asking some questions and getting personal information, the man said, “I need to tell you that I was recently released from prison.“ I said, “Ok.” He then continued, saying, “And I also need to tell you that I was in prison for murder.” He went on to briefly explain to me why he would be a good employee, all things considered.
The whole story of this man’s life was never discovered, by me. He was a great worker. He always did what was asked of him, was prompt, courteous, kind, and all that good stuff. He worked for me until he found a better paying job, at which time he apologized for having to quit, thanked me for hiring him and giving him a chance to start over. Everything I knew and, now, remember about this man tell me that he’s probably living a decent life as a hard working American. I hope so.
Okay, so there’s this story in the Bible about a time Jesus met a woman at a well in the middle of the day. She came to the well at that time because no one was usually there and she could get precious water without the hassles her lifestyle and reputation usually brought her. Jesus asked her to get Him a drink of water. She basically said, “What!? I’m a Samaritan woman. You’re a Jewish man. Our people and genders don’t usually express that sort of kindness toward one another!” Jesus went on to tell her all about herself. We can only imagine the looks on her face and the possible fears welling up inside of her as this stranger, a member of the enemies of her people, was reading her like a book nobody but God could write. Even more vivid in my imagination is the look that must have been on her face when Jesus offered her a hope beyond her wildest dreams. He offered her hope of which He described as never ending. What a gift for, what many would call, an undesirable character of a person!
Jesus looked beyond outward perceptions and circumstances to look at her real character and offered her the hope that few people understand for themselves let alone from a stranger who also represents the enemy.
There are dangerous people in the world. There is no doubt about that. There is also no doubt that people who are far from dangerous are too often denied a crumb of hope by the self-appointed character and hope judgers of the world.
Who really, I mean really, knows you, warts and all, and still loves you and gives you hope every day? They are gifts to be treasured more than all the gold in the world! How many people do you know, warts and all, and still take them for the hope that lives within them? When we give someone’s true character a chance, they will rarely disappoint us. Most people disappoint us because we really don’t expect anything different from them.
I’m a Popeye, sweet potato sort of person: I yam what I yam! I figure that what’s good enough for Jesus ought to be good enough for me. You, whoever you are and whatever is going on in your life, are full of hope because God made you and that means you have a spark of life in you that made everything that is! May we all take a chance on that hope in each other!
The whole story of this man’s life was never discovered, by me. He was a great worker. He always did what was asked of him, was prompt, courteous, kind, and all that good stuff. He worked for me until he found a better paying job, at which time he apologized for having to quit, thanked me for hiring him and giving him a chance to start over. Everything I knew and, now, remember about this man tell me that he’s probably living a decent life as a hard working American. I hope so.
Okay, so there’s this story in the Bible about a time Jesus met a woman at a well in the middle of the day. She came to the well at that time because no one was usually there and she could get precious water without the hassles her lifestyle and reputation usually brought her. Jesus asked her to get Him a drink of water. She basically said, “What!? I’m a Samaritan woman. You’re a Jewish man. Our people and genders don’t usually express that sort of kindness toward one another!” Jesus went on to tell her all about herself. We can only imagine the looks on her face and the possible fears welling up inside of her as this stranger, a member of the enemies of her people, was reading her like a book nobody but God could write. Even more vivid in my imagination is the look that must have been on her face when Jesus offered her a hope beyond her wildest dreams. He offered her hope of which He described as never ending. What a gift for, what many would call, an undesirable character of a person!
Jesus looked beyond outward perceptions and circumstances to look at her real character and offered her the hope that few people understand for themselves let alone from a stranger who also represents the enemy.
There are dangerous people in the world. There is no doubt about that. There is also no doubt that people who are far from dangerous are too often denied a crumb of hope by the self-appointed character and hope judgers of the world.
Who really, I mean really, knows you, warts and all, and still loves you and gives you hope every day? They are gifts to be treasured more than all the gold in the world! How many people do you know, warts and all, and still take them for the hope that lives within them? When we give someone’s true character a chance, they will rarely disappoint us. Most people disappoint us because we really don’t expect anything different from them.
I’m a Popeye, sweet potato sort of person: I yam what I yam! I figure that what’s good enough for Jesus ought to be good enough for me. You, whoever you are and whatever is going on in your life, are full of hope because God made you and that means you have a spark of life in you that made everything that is! May we all take a chance on that hope in each other!
Monday, March 15, 2010
What do we do with our time, our energy, our ego?
The following comes from Seth's Blog at sethgodin.typepad.com. Seth's blog is always worth the read. He's got some great insights for inside and outside the world of marketing.
"But it's better than TV
At the local health food store lunch buffet, they offer stir fried tempeh.
I never get it. Not because I don’t like it, but because there are always so many other things on the buffet that I prefer.
That's why I don't watch TV. At all. There are so many other things I'd rather do in that moment.
Broadcast TV was a great choice when a> there weren't a lot of other options and b> when everyone else was watching the same thing, so you needed to see it to be educated.
Now, though, you could:
•Run a little store on eBay
•Write a daily blog
•Write a novel
•Start an online community about your favorite passion
•Go to meetups in your town
•Volunteer to tutor a kid, in person or online
•Learn a new language, verbal or programming
•Write hand written thank you notes each evening to people who helped you out or did a good job
•Produce small films and publish them online
•Listen to the one thousand most important operas
•Read a book or two every evening
•Play a game of Scrabble with your family
None of them are perfect. Each of them are better than TV.
Clay Shirky has noticed the trend of talented people putting five or six hours an evening to work instead of to waste. Add that up across a million or ten million people and the output is astonishing. He calls it cognitive surplus and it's one of the underappreciated world-changing stories of our time."
Now from me, Greg: I watch a lot of TV, and it's entertaining, but basically very unproductive, aside from the occasional sermon illustration I can find. Somebody once told me about relative who gave up television for Lent and learned a foreign language that year. Even if I gave up an hour of television watching per night to devote to anything from Seth Godin's list, or something I came up with myself while thinking about it during the first hour or two of television free thinking. I have already chosen one thing I can do that could be more productive: writing something creative in this blog.
This could be another in a series of how we can always be more resourceful in a positive way, if we just take the time to think about it, use the energy to do it, and trust that we're on the right track. It's nice to think that what we do makes a positive difference in the world. It's encouraging to think that we have the potential, in a small way, to impact even one person around us because we want to make a positive difference in the world! The ego is a wonderful thing when used for good, isn't it?
"But it's better than TV
At the local health food store lunch buffet, they offer stir fried tempeh.
I never get it. Not because I don’t like it, but because there are always so many other things on the buffet that I prefer.
That's why I don't watch TV. At all. There are so many other things I'd rather do in that moment.
Broadcast TV was a great choice when a> there weren't a lot of other options and b> when everyone else was watching the same thing, so you needed to see it to be educated.
Now, though, you could:
•Run a little store on eBay
•Write a daily blog
•Write a novel
•Start an online community about your favorite passion
•Go to meetups in your town
•Volunteer to tutor a kid, in person or online
•Learn a new language, verbal or programming
•Write hand written thank you notes each evening to people who helped you out or did a good job
•Produce small films and publish them online
•Listen to the one thousand most important operas
•Read a book or two every evening
•Play a game of Scrabble with your family
None of them are perfect. Each of them are better than TV.
Clay Shirky has noticed the trend of talented people putting five or six hours an evening to work instead of to waste. Add that up across a million or ten million people and the output is astonishing. He calls it cognitive surplus and it's one of the underappreciated world-changing stories of our time."
Now from me, Greg: I watch a lot of TV, and it's entertaining, but basically very unproductive, aside from the occasional sermon illustration I can find. Somebody once told me about relative who gave up television for Lent and learned a foreign language that year. Even if I gave up an hour of television watching per night to devote to anything from Seth Godin's list, or something I came up with myself while thinking about it during the first hour or two of television free thinking. I have already chosen one thing I can do that could be more productive: writing something creative in this blog.
This could be another in a series of how we can always be more resourceful in a positive way, if we just take the time to think about it, use the energy to do it, and trust that we're on the right track. It's nice to think that what we do makes a positive difference in the world. It's encouraging to think that we have the potential, in a small way, to impact even one person around us because we want to make a positive difference in the world! The ego is a wonderful thing when used for good, isn't it?
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Who do we pay attention to and why?
The recent flood of news surrounding Glen Beck caused me to think: Who do we pay attention to, and why? I have listened to Glen Beck from time to time. Sometimes he has caused me to think about things I wouldn't have thought about. Usually, because our views differ, I don't listen too long. His recent venture into my area of expertise not only raised my ire, but my remarks raised the ire of friends who read and listen to Mr. Beck. Since my problem was his totally inaccurate perception/communication about a fundamental principle of Christianity, social and economic justice, I had to wonder: What makes Christian people listen to him more than Jesus and, in many cases, more loyal to him than Jesus? What makes Christian people more committed to paying attention to somebody like Glen Beck than to Jesus? Am I meddling? I guess I could be. Oh well.
God believes in the positive potential in every human being. God has given us the freedom to make choices, both good and bad, but hopes, beyond our ability to comprehend it, that we will make good choices that have a positive impact in the world.
People like Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh have tremendous amounts of people listening to them. They may be trying to make a positive impact in the world, but it is always at the expense of someone else's integrity. What would happen if they decided to look at the positive potential that respected everyone's integrity. In other words, honestly, what if instead of looking at those who disagree with them as objects to ridicule, they looked at them as fellow human beings who may think differently, but deserve the same respect they want for themselves?
Some may be getting mad at me right now, don't sell me short, again. I know there are people on all sides of the "political" culture who do the same: they treat others as objects instead of people. I don't like that from anyone.
I don't believe it's "pie in the sky" idealism to believe that if we focus on the positive in people it will have a tremendous positive impact in the world. I believe people are people, children of God, and people of worth. When we assault those people we are acting as though they are objects of no value.
I make no apologies that I would rather listen to what God and those who strive to follow the path God is leading them down, than those who may say they are but whose words and actions run contrary to what God has said for us.
The old anti-drug commercials, in which I believe Nancy Reagan was the spokesperson, said, "This is your brain" showing an egg representing the potential of something yet to be born. Then an egg being fried in a pan with the words, "This is your brain on drugs." We can rejuvenate the campaign and say, "This is your life," and show an egg, a symbol of life. Then, show an egg being fried, and say, "This is your life with hatred and objectification." Of course, somebody will say, "Okay, I'll just eat the egg, then what will you do?" That's okay as long as it's not somebody else deciding that you are their egg!
From all that I am, may God's light shine on, in, and through you, and everyone you know, love, like, and even dislike.
God believes in the positive potential in every human being. God has given us the freedom to make choices, both good and bad, but hopes, beyond our ability to comprehend it, that we will make good choices that have a positive impact in the world.
People like Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh have tremendous amounts of people listening to them. They may be trying to make a positive impact in the world, but it is always at the expense of someone else's integrity. What would happen if they decided to look at the positive potential that respected everyone's integrity. In other words, honestly, what if instead of looking at those who disagree with them as objects to ridicule, they looked at them as fellow human beings who may think differently, but deserve the same respect they want for themselves?
Some may be getting mad at me right now, don't sell me short, again. I know there are people on all sides of the "political" culture who do the same: they treat others as objects instead of people. I don't like that from anyone.
I don't believe it's "pie in the sky" idealism to believe that if we focus on the positive in people it will have a tremendous positive impact in the world. I believe people are people, children of God, and people of worth. When we assault those people we are acting as though they are objects of no value.
I make no apologies that I would rather listen to what God and those who strive to follow the path God is leading them down, than those who may say they are but whose words and actions run contrary to what God has said for us.
The old anti-drug commercials, in which I believe Nancy Reagan was the spokesperson, said, "This is your brain" showing an egg representing the potential of something yet to be born. Then an egg being fried in a pan with the words, "This is your brain on drugs." We can rejuvenate the campaign and say, "This is your life," and show an egg, a symbol of life. Then, show an egg being fried, and say, "This is your life with hatred and objectification." Of course, somebody will say, "Okay, I'll just eat the egg, then what will you do?" That's okay as long as it's not somebody else deciding that you are their egg!
From all that I am, may God's light shine on, in, and through you, and everyone you know, love, like, and even dislike.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Boner and Hope
It's not what you might have thought. When I heard about the death, and surrounding circumstances, of Richard Stabone, who played "Boner" on Growing Pains, I was saddened. Yes, I liked his character as Mike's(Kirk Cameron) goofy friend, but that's not why I am saddened. Read about it, if you don't know, before you continue with this.
How much of a difference does positive human contact make in a person's life? I'm not saying Richard didn't have positive human contact. It's just that when someone feels so (whatever the right word might be) that they don't see any options for vitality in life and, thus have no hope, something is not as it should be. Greg's personal philosophy, that keeps coming round and round to me, is that Jesus had it right - we can change the world for the best by loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
Can any of us honestly say we don't like positive influences in our lives? No, we can't. Do they make a difference? Yes, they do.
Our culture, unfortunately, seems to thrive on insults, put downs, and making someone feel bad about themselves. We rarely recognize the fact that whether it's in fun or not, it always has a negative impact.
Everyone needs hope! Hope is nothing less than someone feeling as though they are loved and will be loved unconditionally no matter what. That's really all God wants any of us to know!
Yes, I know I don't get it right all the time. No, I don't like that. What can we do to help someone feel loved? Do we understand that accomplishing that is truly a priceless gift we can give one another?
Dear God, I pray that we find the strength and courage to follow You by doing the best we can to make people feel loved and experience hope. As You know, nobody should die because they feel hopeless. We should, as You said, have life and have it abundantly because we have found hope in Your love. Make it so! But it's not simply about "me" or "us", Lord. We pray for anyone and everyone who feels unloved and are losing, or have lost, hope. Fill them with love and hope and give us whatever we need to be Your helpers in that respect. Amen.
How much of a difference does positive human contact make in a person's life? I'm not saying Richard didn't have positive human contact. It's just that when someone feels so (whatever the right word might be) that they don't see any options for vitality in life and, thus have no hope, something is not as it should be. Greg's personal philosophy, that keeps coming round and round to me, is that Jesus had it right - we can change the world for the best by loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
Can any of us honestly say we don't like positive influences in our lives? No, we can't. Do they make a difference? Yes, they do.
Our culture, unfortunately, seems to thrive on insults, put downs, and making someone feel bad about themselves. We rarely recognize the fact that whether it's in fun or not, it always has a negative impact.
Everyone needs hope! Hope is nothing less than someone feeling as though they are loved and will be loved unconditionally no matter what. That's really all God wants any of us to know!
Yes, I know I don't get it right all the time. No, I don't like that. What can we do to help someone feel loved? Do we understand that accomplishing that is truly a priceless gift we can give one another?
Dear God, I pray that we find the strength and courage to follow You by doing the best we can to make people feel loved and experience hope. As You know, nobody should die because they feel hopeless. We should, as You said, have life and have it abundantly because we have found hope in Your love. Make it so! But it's not simply about "me" or "us", Lord. We pray for anyone and everyone who feels unloved and are losing, or have lost, hope. Fill them with love and hope and give us whatever we need to be Your helpers in that respect. Amen.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Tigers, Baseball, and the Church
Well, baseball season is almost here. The Tigers have signed yet another player with lots of experience, if you catch my drift, and we hope this is a good year. As I reflect on baseball, we can see that the teams that have quality seasons year after year, generally have a great, quality system in place. Well, enough about baseball. What do I know, except that I'll also be rooting for the Reds this year because Chad Reineke is in their system and will make a difference for the Reds this year!
Now, to the Church. What kind of system do we have? Is our system designed to follow our mission from side to side, top to bottom, and everything in between? Do we have people at every level who know the mission and are pumped to make it happen? Are people at every level motivated to move up to the next level, as often as possible, for the rest of their lives?
Sometimes, okay, often, I think we're (the Church) like a baseball system that spends money bringing in players with years of experience (hope you catch my drift) without trying to develop quality clubs and players at every level. We focus on worship (Please, I do know that worship is very important!) and keeping members happy instead of working (hope you catch my drift) to develop and form disciples. Our primary mission is to make disciples who will love God with all they are and love their neighbor as themselves. Yes, we want to have quality worship and all that, but if we're not developing and forming disciples at every level, we are failing big time!
At Grace Church, the number one ministry we have right now is a free soup supper every Tuesday night at 5 pm. The food (soup and other things) is top quality and mostly homemade. It doesn't cost a centot eat it, and anyone can take a healthy portion home with them. We deliver meals to those who need it (about 14-15 households every week). There are people from various churches, those who don't go to church, and from Grace church who are helping Lila (the 80+ year old originator of the ministry) to make it happen every week. There are various people in a wide variety of life circumstances who enjoy the great food every week. I have gotten to know most of them on a personal basis. I've developed relationships with several, which has allowed me to have some very meaningful conversations of the spiritual and non-spiritual nature. There isn't a person involved in this ministry in any way who doesn't know this is a God thing through and through. The really cool thing is that I am just one of many people who take part in this ministry.
I am so proud of Lila and the others from Grace church who make this happen every week (I would start naming names, but I would forget somebody and I don't want to do that.)! If this was a baseball system, the soup supper would probably be seen by many to be a single A club. But, this single A club could be thrown into the World Series any day and hold their own against any of "the bigs!"
No ministry in the Church is more important than another, not even the soup supper. When we focus on being a system full of teams all working together we become a life giving part of the Body of Christ. When we're only trying to create little kingdoms, others can't see God and we lose our saltiness, as Jesus said.
I have called it the "Church" with capital letters because I'm not just talking about Grace church, I'm talking about the Church in general! I love God and the Church through which God's disciples operate! We can do it because God is with us and we are God's disciples!
Now, to the Church. What kind of system do we have? Is our system designed to follow our mission from side to side, top to bottom, and everything in between? Do we have people at every level who know the mission and are pumped to make it happen? Are people at every level motivated to move up to the next level, as often as possible, for the rest of their lives?
Sometimes, okay, often, I think we're (the Church) like a baseball system that spends money bringing in players with years of experience (hope you catch my drift) without trying to develop quality clubs and players at every level. We focus on worship (Please, I do know that worship is very important!) and keeping members happy instead of working (hope you catch my drift) to develop and form disciples. Our primary mission is to make disciples who will love God with all they are and love their neighbor as themselves. Yes, we want to have quality worship and all that, but if we're not developing and forming disciples at every level, we are failing big time!
At Grace Church, the number one ministry we have right now is a free soup supper every Tuesday night at 5 pm. The food (soup and other things) is top quality and mostly homemade. It doesn't cost a centot eat it, and anyone can take a healthy portion home with them. We deliver meals to those who need it (about 14-15 households every week). There are people from various churches, those who don't go to church, and from Grace church who are helping Lila (the 80+ year old originator of the ministry) to make it happen every week. There are various people in a wide variety of life circumstances who enjoy the great food every week. I have gotten to know most of them on a personal basis. I've developed relationships with several, which has allowed me to have some very meaningful conversations of the spiritual and non-spiritual nature. There isn't a person involved in this ministry in any way who doesn't know this is a God thing through and through. The really cool thing is that I am just one of many people who take part in this ministry.
I am so proud of Lila and the others from Grace church who make this happen every week (I would start naming names, but I would forget somebody and I don't want to do that.)! If this was a baseball system, the soup supper would probably be seen by many to be a single A club. But, this single A club could be thrown into the World Series any day and hold their own against any of "the bigs!"
No ministry in the Church is more important than another, not even the soup supper. When we focus on being a system full of teams all working together we become a life giving part of the Body of Christ. When we're only trying to create little kingdoms, others can't see God and we lose our saltiness, as Jesus said.
I have called it the "Church" with capital letters because I'm not just talking about Grace church, I'm talking about the Church in general! I love God and the Church through which God's disciples operate! We can do it because God is with us and we are God's disciples!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
What is "higher intelligence?"
We continue to marvel at how quickly our nearly three year old grandaughter masters playing games on the computer. She can maneuver the mouse wherever it should be, left click at the right time, click and drag, etc. As we talked about it tonight, a couple of the things we mentioned were: 1) All kids have that innate intelligence, and computers provide a vehicle through which this intelligence can operate. 2) Kids, the younger the better, don't have enough learned experiences to close off the great sense of imagination and possibility.
Our artist friend, Bob, once told me that he likes teaching art to people who don't think they have any artistic aptitude. He likes them because they don't typically have any preconceived notions about anything and are very open to learning, imagination, and creativity. When he told me that I was inspired and impressed. Thanks, Bob!
I see the static consequences of not thinking this way every day. I see people who seem resistant and/or closed to possibility, new learning, and wide open creativity because everything is skewed by fixed thoughts created by what they already know.
There's a reason we only use a small percentage of our brain power. God left lots of room for imagination, creativity, and possibility based learning. The firm rules of today, when opened up and given air to breathe, expand into a million new ideas and incredible inventions of tomorrow. Every wonderful convenience of every type that we enjoy today came out of someone's wide open, no boundaries, thinking.
Of course there are things a three year old doesn't no that can inhibit their learning or put them in harms way, or some other less than ideal situation. Imagine what happens when you combine your knowledge with the wide open possibility thinking of a three year old. Could that be the difference between the great creative people of history and those of us who aren't so creative?
I remember an episode of Sponge Bob Square Pants in which Sponge Bob and Patrick used their "imaginations" and any thing was possible!
Try it and be amazed at what you're capable of doing, inspite of what others think about you! Be careful, though, because when you think wide openly, the ones who think they have the market on thinking cornered will get mad at you because they didn't think you were capable of leaving them in your dust! That's okay because if you move forward you will change the world in which they simply exist. And if they decide to try it because of you, then the world becomes an even better place! It becomes a big WIN-WIN for everybody!
Our artist friend, Bob, once told me that he likes teaching art to people who don't think they have any artistic aptitude. He likes them because they don't typically have any preconceived notions about anything and are very open to learning, imagination, and creativity. When he told me that I was inspired and impressed. Thanks, Bob!
I see the static consequences of not thinking this way every day. I see people who seem resistant and/or closed to possibility, new learning, and wide open creativity because everything is skewed by fixed thoughts created by what they already know.
There's a reason we only use a small percentage of our brain power. God left lots of room for imagination, creativity, and possibility based learning. The firm rules of today, when opened up and given air to breathe, expand into a million new ideas and incredible inventions of tomorrow. Every wonderful convenience of every type that we enjoy today came out of someone's wide open, no boundaries, thinking.
Of course there are things a three year old doesn't no that can inhibit their learning or put them in harms way, or some other less than ideal situation. Imagine what happens when you combine your knowledge with the wide open possibility thinking of a three year old. Could that be the difference between the great creative people of history and those of us who aren't so creative?
I remember an episode of Sponge Bob Square Pants in which Sponge Bob and Patrick used their "imaginations" and any thing was possible!
Try it and be amazed at what you're capable of doing, inspite of what others think about you! Be careful, though, because when you think wide openly, the ones who think they have the market on thinking cornered will get mad at you because they didn't think you were capable of leaving them in your dust! That's okay because if you move forward you will change the world in which they simply exist. And if they decide to try it because of you, then the world becomes an even better place! It becomes a big WIN-WIN for everybody!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Why is everything a battle?
If someone offered you a really good pepperoni pizza for free, would you argue about it? If you're carrying some boxes and they're about to fall and somebody offers to help carry them, are you going to fight them over it? Why does it seem that many positive common sense ideas and or things we do meet with what appears to be "automatic resistance?"
Today, I did 123. A few people thought I was crazy because everybody knows "you don't do that, duh!" Instead of talking about how to get through it in a positive way, lines are drawn and the feeling of an impending battle takes shape. Instead of saying, "How about doing 13 because that's a better fit." We want to make it a battle. Sure, I could have said what if we try 13. I did ask the so-called expert what could be done. No solution except anger and frustration was offered.
The truth of the matter is that 123 was done and there was absolutely no permanent or temporary damage done to anyone in the least bit. What's the point?
Okay, this is all symbolic to protect the sensitive, but the absurdity of it happens way too often in situations as ludricous as trying to figure out what 123 really means.
I recently finished reading a great book called "The Anatomy of Peace" put out by the Arbinger Institute. The way to peace as outlined in the book begins by treating each other as human beings. Not a novel concept, but one that is practiced so little that it should be a serious concern for all. For example: If someone finds out a friend is of a different political persuasion, they suddenly become a worm crawling on the ground to be stepped on. It really doesn't make any sense at any level, except, perhaps, because we truly have decided that the value of human life can be discounted on a whim.
The book suggests and then gives great steps through which we can reclaim integrity and see one another as human beings and treat each other as such.
It is written in story form, kind of like the Ken Blanchard business and leadership books only in much more detail. It's compelling and changed my way of thinking.
Using its principles allows us to look at conflicts of all levels and find practical, common sense, and compassionate solutions that benefit everyone.
In my opening scenario, when I did 123, a compassionate and human integrity focused response would have been: This is going to present problems. I know you probably didn't think about it, here's what I think we can do to accomplish what we all want...
It requires maybe taking a step back, a breath to gain composure, an attitude of win-win solutions rather than I win-you lose, and with a spirit of compassion and peace working out a solution. Everybody wins and the whole, including the others who are always involved, becomes better for it.
Sorry for a rambling, maybe frustrating, blog but I am extremely frustrated by the widespread attitude of "person as object" toward each other. I have changed and am working to change further because of this book and the impact it has had on my thinking and life. This blog allows me to vent, think,and clear my head so that I can better respond from the perspective of person to person. I ask for yourprayers, good thoughts, etc. not simply to help me do this, but to help all of us do this.
A world full of people treating each other as people may seem like a naive pipe dream, but it's a whole lot better than a world in which we treat each other as objects to be squashed. It just takes a small amount of effort, really.
God bless you all!
Today, I did 123. A few people thought I was crazy because everybody knows "you don't do that, duh!" Instead of talking about how to get through it in a positive way, lines are drawn and the feeling of an impending battle takes shape. Instead of saying, "How about doing 13 because that's a better fit." We want to make it a battle. Sure, I could have said what if we try 13. I did ask the so-called expert what could be done. No solution except anger and frustration was offered.
The truth of the matter is that 123 was done and there was absolutely no permanent or temporary damage done to anyone in the least bit. What's the point?
Okay, this is all symbolic to protect the sensitive, but the absurdity of it happens way too often in situations as ludricous as trying to figure out what 123 really means.
I recently finished reading a great book called "The Anatomy of Peace" put out by the Arbinger Institute. The way to peace as outlined in the book begins by treating each other as human beings. Not a novel concept, but one that is practiced so little that it should be a serious concern for all. For example: If someone finds out a friend is of a different political persuasion, they suddenly become a worm crawling on the ground to be stepped on. It really doesn't make any sense at any level, except, perhaps, because we truly have decided that the value of human life can be discounted on a whim.
The book suggests and then gives great steps through which we can reclaim integrity and see one another as human beings and treat each other as such.
It is written in story form, kind of like the Ken Blanchard business and leadership books only in much more detail. It's compelling and changed my way of thinking.
Using its principles allows us to look at conflicts of all levels and find practical, common sense, and compassionate solutions that benefit everyone.
In my opening scenario, when I did 123, a compassionate and human integrity focused response would have been: This is going to present problems. I know you probably didn't think about it, here's what I think we can do to accomplish what we all want...
It requires maybe taking a step back, a breath to gain composure, an attitude of win-win solutions rather than I win-you lose, and with a spirit of compassion and peace working out a solution. Everybody wins and the whole, including the others who are always involved, becomes better for it.
Sorry for a rambling, maybe frustrating, blog but I am extremely frustrated by the widespread attitude of "person as object" toward each other. I have changed and am working to change further because of this book and the impact it has had on my thinking and life. This blog allows me to vent, think,and clear my head so that I can better respond from the perspective of person to person. I ask for yourprayers, good thoughts, etc. not simply to help me do this, but to help all of us do this.
A world full of people treating each other as people may seem like a naive pipe dream, but it's a whole lot better than a world in which we treat each other as objects to be squashed. It just takes a small amount of effort, really.
God bless you all!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Why God loves Tiger Woods
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me." Psalm 51:10-11
Personally, I give Tiger a lot of credit for having the courage to ask the above in front of the whole world. He could have done it privately, which wouldn't have held him accountable to anyone, but himself. That didn't work too well before. Now he has told the whole world and has asked for help. What else could anyone do, even any of us?
He and his family are in my prayers, as are all of you. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game. Almost all of us have probably watched him play, hoping he would show us that greatness. Why not hope the same thing for him as a person?
At the same time Tiger was giving the statement, I was reading a post from a friend. He was saying he watched an animated version of Dante's Inferno. The big message I got from my friend's post was that God loves us so much that, for God, forgiveness is easy. Cool! That's why I do what I do. Hoping that everyone can come to understand that.
God loves it when we believe we can do better. The number one thing God asks of all people is to love God with all we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Everything else is details. I choose to live toward the bigger target and let the details fall into place after that! Go for it, Tiger! Go for it, all of you!
Personally, I give Tiger a lot of credit for having the courage to ask the above in front of the whole world. He could have done it privately, which wouldn't have held him accountable to anyone, but himself. That didn't work too well before. Now he has told the whole world and has asked for help. What else could anyone do, even any of us?
He and his family are in my prayers, as are all of you. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game. Almost all of us have probably watched him play, hoping he would show us that greatness. Why not hope the same thing for him as a person?
At the same time Tiger was giving the statement, I was reading a post from a friend. He was saying he watched an animated version of Dante's Inferno. The big message I got from my friend's post was that God loves us so much that, for God, forgiveness is easy. Cool! That's why I do what I do. Hoping that everyone can come to understand that.
God loves it when we believe we can do better. The number one thing God asks of all people is to love God with all we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Everything else is details. I choose to live toward the bigger target and let the details fall into place after that! Go for it, Tiger! Go for it, all of you!
Friday, February 12, 2010
God loves the Olympics
Why would God love the Olympics? The one line answer: Because the diversity of God's creation comes together, competes together, and lives together in apparent unity, forgetting about all the dumb things that generally divide us and pit us against one another! Hey, I didn't promise or sign any document saying it would be a simple line!
Many of us watch the Olympics, not necessarily every moment, from the opening ceremonies to the closing ceremonies and everything in between, with great enjoyment. We don't generally care whether or not an athlete, or group of athletes, is a different color or ethnic group than we are. We can't, truthfully, or generally, tell which athletes are heterosexual, homosexual, or some other such category. If we can tell, they may have very different political or world views than we have, but we'll cheer anyway. And so on, but I think you probably get the picture.
I believe with everything I am that God loves every human being, every part of creation. That doesn't mean God loves everything we do, and it doesn't mean we know what God likes or doesn't like. I have family and friends of various religious, political, ethnic, sexual, etc. status, or whatever other word fits. I love them all. The only time I really get upset is when someone of a different situation than I'm in tells me that I'm less of a person than they are because I'm different. I, truthfully and wholeheartedly, apologize for any time I've ever put anybody in the position I just said I don't like to be in. And, even more importantly, I ask God, and you, to forgive me for those times.
You see, I also absolutely believe in, and want to live by, what Jesus called "the greatest commandment": to love God with all I am and to love everyone as I love myself. Jesus didn't make any of the distinctions we make when He said this. He didn't say "love your neighbor as youself, except for ..."
No matter how tough somebody is, there will always be somebody who is tougher. That's frightening.
No matter how loving someobody is, there will always be somebody who is more loving. That's pretty cool!
On with the Winter Olympics, may we get the courage to live in the spirit!
Many of us watch the Olympics, not necessarily every moment, from the opening ceremonies to the closing ceremonies and everything in between, with great enjoyment. We don't generally care whether or not an athlete, or group of athletes, is a different color or ethnic group than we are. We can't, truthfully, or generally, tell which athletes are heterosexual, homosexual, or some other such category. If we can tell, they may have very different political or world views than we have, but we'll cheer anyway. And so on, but I think you probably get the picture.
I believe with everything I am that God loves every human being, every part of creation. That doesn't mean God loves everything we do, and it doesn't mean we know what God likes or doesn't like. I have family and friends of various religious, political, ethnic, sexual, etc. status, or whatever other word fits. I love them all. The only time I really get upset is when someone of a different situation than I'm in tells me that I'm less of a person than they are because I'm different. I, truthfully and wholeheartedly, apologize for any time I've ever put anybody in the position I just said I don't like to be in. And, even more importantly, I ask God, and you, to forgive me for those times.
You see, I also absolutely believe in, and want to live by, what Jesus called "the greatest commandment": to love God with all I am and to love everyone as I love myself. Jesus didn't make any of the distinctions we make when He said this. He didn't say "love your neighbor as youself, except for ..."
No matter how tough somebody is, there will always be somebody who is tougher. That's frightening.
No matter how loving someobody is, there will always be somebody who is more loving. That's pretty cool!
On with the Winter Olympics, may we get the courage to live in the spirit!
Friday, January 15, 2010
On being mad at God
We all find it easy, too easy, to get mad. We get mad at a person who cuts in front of us in the grocery store, did it prevent us from getting groceries? We get mad when somebody's mouth is quicker than their brain, did it really harm us? You probably get the idea and can make your own list. Some are probably mad at me for a perceived idealistic attitude and outlook!
Since God is the "maker of all things" (going back 50 years to my Roman Catholic catechism) we find it very easy to get mad at God for anything bad. That's okay. It really is. God can handle and God understands it. Why? Because God did create us and really does understand us better than we do.
What's my point? My point is this: With God and anyone else, we know what happens when we get mad. It might feel good, but it never solves anything. What if we decided to spend twice as much time loving God and others as we do getting mad at them?
Okay, believe me, I know there are people we could never walk up and give them a hug. My family knows that we all have one person in mind right now of whom it would be impossible to give any sign of affection. I couldn't. But I can love God, which tells God I trust God and know God will take care of things. More importantly if I spend more time loving God and loving others, the world will change for the better.
Don't kid me, or yourself, love isn't all about touchy-feely-pie-in-the-sky stuff. Love takes all the touchy feely stuff, mixed with every other emotion we have, and surrounds it and permeates it with the best that love is. Love can, and does, take all the bad and lets it soak into the best, thus creating a larger dose of goodness in the world than was previously there!
"Yea, right!" some might say. Look around. Look at the tons of love pouring into Haiti right now. The amount of love pouring in way outnumbers the amount of pain. Our family recently experienced a horrible tragedy with the loss of our neice Sarah in a vehicle misuse incident. The amount of love that poured into the lives of her daughter, parents, brother and family, sister and family, very significant other (her man), and everyone was tremendous. The pain was and is severe, but the love has definitely been more abundant!
It really is that simple. As a certain athletic shoe company says: Just do it!
Since God is the "maker of all things" (going back 50 years to my Roman Catholic catechism) we find it very easy to get mad at God for anything bad. That's okay. It really is. God can handle and God understands it. Why? Because God did create us and really does understand us better than we do.
What's my point? My point is this: With God and anyone else, we know what happens when we get mad. It might feel good, but it never solves anything. What if we decided to spend twice as much time loving God and others as we do getting mad at them?
Okay, believe me, I know there are people we could never walk up and give them a hug. My family knows that we all have one person in mind right now of whom it would be impossible to give any sign of affection. I couldn't. But I can love God, which tells God I trust God and know God will take care of things. More importantly if I spend more time loving God and loving others, the world will change for the better.
Don't kid me, or yourself, love isn't all about touchy-feely-pie-in-the-sky stuff. Love takes all the touchy feely stuff, mixed with every other emotion we have, and surrounds it and permeates it with the best that love is. Love can, and does, take all the bad and lets it soak into the best, thus creating a larger dose of goodness in the world than was previously there!
"Yea, right!" some might say. Look around. Look at the tons of love pouring into Haiti right now. The amount of love pouring in way outnumbers the amount of pain. Our family recently experienced a horrible tragedy with the loss of our neice Sarah in a vehicle misuse incident. The amount of love that poured into the lives of her daughter, parents, brother and family, sister and family, very significant other (her man), and everyone was tremendous. The pain was and is severe, but the love has definitely been more abundant!
It really is that simple. As a certain athletic shoe company says: Just do it!
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