Make Art, Not War

How Do I Love When I Don't Feel Like it?
by Cory MacNeil

Most of us have believe that love feels great.  You know, the way you feel when you read the words in a Hallmark card.  The  cards show us  pictures of cupids shooting arrows into people's hearts.  The victims live happily ever after.  But lets face it, love doesn't always feel good!  In fact, sometimes it feels a lot like an arrow in the heart.  Country artists make a fortune singing about relational scars.  The tabloids at the check out feature people who failed to love well. The truth is, some of you are at wits end right now in some of your relationships.  The problem is, loving is easy, until there are actual people involved!  So, what is the solution?

Maybe you've tried to feel good about someone and it just didn't work.  Try as you might, the ugly feelings just wouldn't go away.  In fact, you felt worse, because guilt kicked in.  We're so good at criticizing ourselves.  We say things to ourselves like: "I'm just not a good Christian".  Or, "I'm a terrible pastor, or spouse, or daughter".  You get the idea.  

The problem with guilt is....it leaves you feeling guilty.  Right when we're supposed to be loving others, our sight turns inward.  Sometimes we feel helpless.  The last thing you want to do while feeling helpless, is love someone with all your might.  Guilt also tells us to overcompensate.  It makes sense to take the kids to Disney to make up for all the missed ball games and daddy dates throughout the year.

Jesus never meant love to be so complicated.  Few places in scripture  tell us how Jesus felt around difficult people.  What we do have are records of how he acted and behaved.  We too, are leaving a record for the public as well as our loved ones.  The question is, what kind of videos are we leaving?  Are we known  as someone who loves well?

Instead of examining our own feelings, what if  we took our eyes off of ourselves.  Why not focus on the needs of others?  After all, our feelings deceive us, right?  We've all  had those days when we FEEL like we're dying, when in fact we're healthy. We've all felt insignificant, when in fact we are helping many people.  You get the idea. 

When we take loving actions, sometimes the feelings will follow...sometimes, not always.  Feelings are never to take the place of real love.  We love our wives, whether we feel like it or not.  We work and provide for our families whether we feel like it or not.  We take care of our bodies, especially when we don't feel like it.  If  you wait for loving feelings, you may be waiting a loooooooong time!

What if you decided to just obey God's command to love Him and others.  That kind of obedience brings a blessing.  It's not a matter of how you feel, it's a matter of taking action!  Love takes out the garbage.  Love does the dishes.  Love listens.  Love turns the other cheek.  Love goes the extra mile.  Love blesses those who persecute her.  Love takes an active interest in the lives of others, especially those most unloveable.  Love is a verb.  

This is the mature love the Apostle Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians, chapter 13.  He teaches us that love is supreme.  Gene Getz put it this way, "Love is the capstone for faith, because love believes all things.  It is also the capstone for hope, because "love hopes all things".  Love is the greatest, because it "never fails" (The Measure of a Man, 2004, pg. 51).

There was a man named John in the New Testament who learned how to love.   The son of a wealthy fisherman, John left his nets to follow Jesus.  The bible tells us John was an angry man. He and his brother were the 'sons of thunder'.  

John also wanted power.  His mother made a special request of Jesus.  She wanted him to give her sons prominent places of honor in Jesus' kingdom.  She wanted them to be his left and right hand men.  To make matters worse, she voiced her petition in public.  Still,  Jesus had a special love for John despite  John's faults!  You or I would have unfriended  John, but Jesus took pains to lead and teach John.   

Because of the love Jesus showered upon John, John went on to write The Gospel of John.  He also penned first, second, and third John as well as The book of Revelation.  How was this all possible, you may ask?  The answer is simple.  Love.

John learned how to love by being the direct recipient of love.  And not only just any kind of love, but the love of the master!  John chose to love others after experiencing the life changing love of Christ.   A man who longed for power, prestige and peace found all these things.  But he found them by going around the barn.  He found them when he discovered his position in Jesus.  He learned God really loved him despite his weaknesses and lack of social graces.    

He later wrote: "These things have I written into you that believe on the name of the Son of God:  that ye may know that he have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God". (1 John 5:13).  Wow!  What better way to say 'I love you.'  

John loved us so much, 

he left us these beautiful words 

to remind us how much God loves us!  

Loving God and others isn't measured by the depth of our warm fuzzy feelings.  Yes, feelings can be wonderful, but they're not always trustworthy.  True love trusts God's command to love him and others despite our feelings.  Even when it doesn't feel good.

One Opportunity You Don't Want to Miss
by Cory MacNeil

As a pastor, I'm always looking to take things to the next level.  The looming question is, "what can I do to improve this situation, relationship, infrastructure, etc?  The problem is it's so easy to get caught up in progress that we fail to do one important thing.

The fact you are reading this post indicates your interest in getting the most out of life.  But when is the last time you took time to celebrate your accomplishments?  What happens is that things in motion, have a tendency to stay in motion.  While you're busy getting slimmer, wiser, savy, and more spiritual, don't miss the plot.  Take the opportunity to reflect and appreciate your hard work.

"All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy."
"All work and no play, makes Jill a dull girl."

Rainy days can be an overachiever's worst enemy or their best friend.  Why?  Because they derail progress for the day (or can).  Or, you can use them to do something you ordinarily wouldn't.

Last night I went to bed an hour early.  This morning I got up an hour late and drove the length of Lake George.  I bought a cup of coffee from Stewarts.  Once home, I walked barefoot in the yard on the wet grass.  I talked with my one remaining chicken for a few minutes.  Her name is Peaches, in case you were wondering.  I put out the recycling and trash cans.  I stood back and looked at my half- painted house from a distance.  I caught up on social media and email.  And now I'm taking a few minutes to write.

So when is the last time you ditched your routine for awhile and smelled the coffee?  It may sound ironic, but sometimes less is more.  Less sawing and a little sharpening makes for more cut wood.  It's SO easy to keep hacking with a dull ax when it only takes a little bit of time to resharpen and refocus.  This principle applies to all areas of life, not just wood chopping.

A few moments or hours of reflection can take you farther than a years worth of work.

During your downtime, you can watch your children play- study their motions, watch them swim.

Reread a small piece of your manuscript and make a few corrections.

Watch the wind make the flowers, grass and trees in your yard dance.

Study some ants on your sidewalk for twenty minutes.

Walk your yard and check out the details.

Write a poem.

Pen a love letter to your spouse.

There is a difference between working for a living and living for work.  Work is wonderful, I don't know where I'd be without it. But it's also wonderful to stand back and appreciate our work and be thankful.

How about you?  I know you work hard, and I know you want to keep moving forward.  But you exist to do more than work.  If it's been awhile since you took sometime to reflect, what better time to start than TODAY!  Better yet carve out some time in your daily routine to rest and refuel.

How To Have Your Best Vacation Yet!

by Cory MacNeil

You've worked hard all year, and now it's time to take a break....the question is, what makes a great vacation?  After all, you only have a limited amount of time and you want to make the most of it.  We're glad you asked!  Taking a vacation doesn't have to be difficult.  A vacation can be an amazing part of your year....a time to recharge and make great memories with friends and loved ones.

The problem is, the human experience doesn't go away just because you have a week's worth of free time.  Let me explain.  Just because you have a week off, it doesn't mean your marriage is going to improve if it's been on the rocks awhile.  This applies to every area, including personal debt, health, spirituality, fitness, etc.  It's great, that you have a week off, but if you've let the chickens out during the last year, be sure they're going to come home and roost!

Maybe by now, you're not so excited about your upcoming vacation because there are issues you'll have to deal with.  Relax, there's hope.  You can still have a great vacation.  In fact, it can still be your best vacation yet.  Here are some tips to help.  But first, a bit of wisdom.

"Go to the ant, you slacker!  Observe its ways and become wise.  Without leader, administrator, or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest."  Before you get all out of sorts about the slacker bit, think about what the writer in Proverbs 6:6-8 is saying.  Although you lack wisdom, it's yours for the taking if you'll take time to take ONE small step.

If you're thinking about stopping for an extended period of time, it MAY do you some good to stop beforehand.  Look before you leap.  Huge change doesn't happen over night, it's a result of lots of baby steps.  Ants are tiny, but they are able to do great works over a period of time, by carrying out small, simple tasks on a daily basis.  By the way, a slacker is someone who avoids pain.  We all get that.  Most people prefer comfort and pleasure.  Let's be honest.  Those aren't bad things.   Beware: don't  allow yourself to gravitate toward ease and the path of least resistance.  It's easy to stop doing difficult things that will improve not only the quality of your own life, but the life of others.

If you're planning on having a great vacation, the first step you might take is to make a plan.  A failure to plan is a plan to fail.  Sit down with a cup of coffee, some paper and a pen.  (Yes, paper!).  There's just something about writing things down.  Now, write down 5 or 10 things you'd like to do on your vacation.  If you're planning on a stay- cation, still take the time to make a list.  The weakest ink is stronger than the strongest memory.

Believe it or not, a lack of finances doesn't have to be an issue.  You're not taking a break to spend money, you're taking a vacation to spend TIME.  You can have just as much fun at the local public beach as you can in California.  Your wish list might include visiting an old friend.  Do some gardening, complete an unfinished product, meet with a spiritual mentor, etc.  Write down whatever comes to mind, you can always edit later.  The list doesn't mean that you have to do everything on it.  At this point, you are brainstorming.

If you've decided to work on one of the issues that surfaced earlier in this post, write it down!  You don't have to stress and work on it for your entire vacation, but you can take an ant step.  For instance, if it's personal debt, plan on taking a book out from the library that will educate you.  Plan to meet with someone who seems to have their financial act together, over coffee.  Balance your checkbook.  Look at your bills and identify needs and luxuries.  You get the idea.

The key is balance!  Too much of a good thing can be a not so good thing and this includes vacations.  Scrap your fitness routine for a week and you'll see what I mean.  Sleep in every day until noon and you'll understand.  Go on a drinking binge and eat fast food every meal....Ignore your relationships.  You get the idea.  Disrupting a routine you've worked hard to establish will derail your growth and progress.

Congratulations!  If you're about to take a break, you have a wonderful opportunity to experience your best vacation yet!  Hot dogs on the grill with some good friends can be just as wonderful- if not more- than an extravagant meal at an expensive restaurant.  Besides, that kind of meal won't take you ten years to pay off!

Are You Average?

by Cory MacNeil

Let me predict the future.  Walk into any public area today and you’ll see everyone looking at the same thing- their cellphones.  It’s reached epidemic proportions, especially on the highways and byways.  Most of us wouldn’t dare drink and drive, but few people can resist the urge to answer a ringing cell phone while driving, or worse yet, texting.

Now here’s a question.  Do you consider yourself average?  Most of you consider yourself above average in a certain area or two.  Maybe you believe you’re above average in looks, social skills, leadership, etc...intelligence, earnings.  If so, great.  Maybe you are.  That’s wonderful.  Congratulations!

And if you have no self-control?  Congratulations!  You’re average....or maybe just immature.  Being average is no big deal, that’s par for the course for most people.  And being immature is no big deal, either....if you’re 12 years old.  The good news is you can be above average and mature.  It’s your choice.  But you can’t be either without a dose of self- discipline.

If you are a leader, being average is a big deal and so is your immaturity.  Remember the thoughts on texting and driving?  Texting or talking while driving, displays not only a lack of character, but immaturity as well and it’s a good way to kill yourself or somebody else.

In fact, most workplaces have strict cell phone usage policies in place.  However, as Kingdom Workers, what does our own personal cellphone policy tell us about how seriously we take the Great Commission?  Funny isn’t it?  It’s a serious issue during a temporary, earthly appointment, but irrelevant when it comes to the most important eternal occupation ever.

As a pastor, I’m concerned about seeing people walking around like Zombies.  Not only is there a lack of focus and productivity in the world today, media addictions are destroying relationships right and left.  Write it down!  Cellphone abuse is tearing our families apart rather than uniting them in most cases.  If you disagree, go eat a pint of Hagan Daz.  

For instance, you wouldn’t dare stab a needle full of Heroin in your arm and push the plunger day after day, would you?  However, we’ve accepted the idea that an unhealthy addiction is o.k as long as it has a colorful screen and wi-fi connectivity.  Unhealthy addictions in any shape or form are not acceptable.  One shot of Heroin lasts for God knows how long....you can ‘shoot up’ with media, day and night, day after day.  Too much Heroin and you die....too much media and you get to go on living in a self- induced semi- coma.  Studies have actually shown that constantly looking at a screen reconfigures the hard wiring of your brain.  

How many of you have been in the middle of a conversation when the other person’s phone rings?  Instantly, you wonder what's going to happen.  There’s the moment of truth....will they answer it, or won’t they.  You’re about to find out how you rank in that other person’s world, aren’t you?  If you answer (I realize there are emergencies), congratulations!  You’re average.  Again, that’s your choice.  You may have both character and maturity, but the signal you send MAY be interpreted differently.  The message you send may say “I’m average and immature, and I have no self- control.  Want to buy some of my stuff?

Why?  Because our actions in public are a reflection of our habits behind closed doors.  In fact, private decisions always go public.  Based on my purchases, you know what kind of car I thought about buying....house, shoes....the wife I thought about marrying.  The visible is always a picture of the invisible.

If you’re only 50 pounds overweight....Congratulations!  If you spend inordinate amounts of time on FB....Congrats!  If you take your spiritual life or leadership lightly....Congratulations!- you’re average.

Speaking of statistics, 84 percent of people surveyed in a new TIme Mobility Poll said they couldn’t go a single day without their mobile device in hand.

One in four people check their phones every thirty minutes, while one in five check every ten.

Time Magazine’s Deputy Managing Editor, Nancy Gibbs, wrote: “It’s hard to think of any tool, any instrument, any object in history with which so many developed so close a relationship so quickly as we have with our cell phones.”

The same article shared this great quote: “Thumbs are stronger, attention shorter, temptation everywhere.  We can always be mentally, digitally, some place other than where we are.”

If you don’t have anything better to do than play Candy Crush Saga or Angry Birds, while people’s eternal destinies are hanging in the balance, perhaps it’s time for a change.

If you’re sexting with someone other than your spouse and thinking it’s not going to have long term consequences, think again.

If you take your cellphone to bed with you, don’t be surprised if you end up exhausted or dead of a heart attack or stroke before 50.

The following story illustrates why this issue is so critical in our homes and families.  Years ago, I bought a new guitar.  Although I had a new one, my 6 year old son noticed I continued to play with my old guitar.  One day he observed, “Dad, you don’t like your new guitar, do you?”  I was shocked!  How did he know?  “How did you know?” I asked him.  “Easy,” he said, “you never play with it.”  (Out of the mouths of babes and infants).

Friends, what if our kids have gotten to the point where they believe we don’t love them because we never play with them? 

What if our spouses believe our media is more alluring to us than they are?

Conversely, what would happen if we exercised self- control and discipline in all areas of our lives?  I know, you’re Spirit-led except when it comes to using your cell phone.  I wonder if Jesus was alluding to the numb, half-lived existences people are experiencing today when he said: “I came so they might have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of?”  John 10:10 (The Message).

You’ve seen the cartoon.  A man is standing at the gates of heaven and St. Peter says: “You had such a wonderful life....the problem is you spent it staring at your cellphone!”  Friends, the kingdom deserves better than that.  Jesus deserves better than that.  Our friends and loved ones deserve better than that.  Lets stop acting like a bunch of dummies when it comes to using our cellphones!  Are you with me? 

How Do I Overcome F.O.M.O?

by Cory MacNeil

F.O.M.O is a common disease today.  The crux of the matter is there is so much going on in the world that we can't possibly keep up with it.  People are making new posts, new inventions are being announced, there's now a better way of doing things than yesterday....It leaves us with F.O.M.O (Fear of Missing Out).  Did anyone like my post?  Did anyone text me about going out for coffee this afternoon?  You get the idea.  The easy stage of F.O.M.O is the diagnosis, the difficult part is treatment.

A common form of F.O.M.O takes place on Facebook.  You find yourself checking out the site despite the fact that it always leaves you feeling numb.  Why?  The problem is that people on FB tend to put their best foot forward.  If you're not careful, you'll find yourself comparing your average day to other people's highlight reels.  And rest assured people will post about the smallest highlight.  They'll show you a picture of their gourmet lunch, their weight loss graphs, the receiving of their honorary degree and their acceptance at Harvard.

If you struggle with F.O.M.O, it's quite possible that you are trying to keep up with others.  Degrees are wonderful and so are blessings as well as honors and weight loss.  Kudos to you if you've posted about any of these things.  But if the success of others is causing you grief, chances are there's a lack of contentedness in your own life.  If this makes you backup for a minute, that's o.k.  If it makes you hot under the collar, get over it.  Instead of trying to keep up with others (impossible in some cases) you want to GROW, and anytime you attempt to do so, there will be growing pains.  So grow up.

Ask yourself why you're dissatisfied with your own reel.  Maybe it's time you unplug from the media stream for awhile or make a rule for yourself about constantly checking for updates.  Turn off the notification noises on your phone.  Read a good book anytime you get the urge to surf.  Take a walk.  Reflect.  Write a letter.  Call a friend (I like that one but it's amazing how little we optimize it with the advent of texting).  Instead of copying the reels of others, recognize the intense beauty and uniqueness of your own.  When you cherish the intimate moments in your own life (your child attempting to catch raindrops under the eaves while waiting for the bus) you begin to build a treasury archive that is a limited edition for you and you alone.  Post all of your highlights and you'll be left with nothing of your own to relish.  Rather than being dissatisfied, choose today to bask in your own contentedness.

If none of these things work, there's something else you can do.  Celebrate with others who are celebrating!  That's right, it's counter intuitive.  You don't have to flatter people....that's not right either, but you can rally with people who have something to really celebrate.  Someone has said, never have so many lives so little lived, been so highly recorded.  That may be true.  But some people really have something to be happy about.  

Looking for a change?  Rather than posting every highlight of your own, post sparingly about yourself.  Instead, go about affirming others.  Make encouraging comments.  Use exclamation points!  Add value to their lives.  Be a Facebook pastor (encourager).  But don't be a cop either.  Many times, LOVE keeps it's mouth shut and prays.  Affirm the positive and disregard the mess.  Don't you just love it when someone notices every little thing you do or say that's wrong?  Let's face it, despite all of the negative things that have come along with media, there are some wonderful aspects.  Make the transformation from a critic to one who inspires. 

It's fine if you hate FB.  Join the crowd, many do.  But it's still a wonderful way to monitor what's going on in the lives of the people you care about.  And it's a wonderful way to bless others we don't see on an ordinary basis.

Posting valuable content and only receiving a couple likes while watching a "shallow" post garner 150 likes is only frustrating if you allow it to be.  (Tweetable).

If you're like most, you're not only afraid of missing out on new info, you're afraid of missing out on the wave of popularity others are riding.  Nobody likes to eat dust.  Most people like instant success and popularity, but the problem is IT doesn't work that way.  Begin adding value to the lives of others (especially the obscure and unloved) and this can change, but it doesn't happen overnight.  In the meantime, you have to believe that what you're doing is noble and worthy of your time.  Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning.  The problem is some nights last for months and years and many aren't willing to wait that long.  Are you with me?

But the artist creates, regardless of recognition or positive feedback.  They don't demand rewards from the Law of Reciprocity for every little bit of value they add to the lives of others.  The artist is happy with little or no reward if only he has the opportunity to exercise his craft.  

So, the good news about F.O.M.O is that it's curable.  Rather than falling victim to it, celebrate not only your own journey, but the journey of others.  You be the cheerleader of others regardless of any return and you might just experience something greater than a like or two.  

How Long Should You Hold On?
by Cory MacNeil

Weeds!  Nobody likes them, but a lot of people tolerate them indefinetly.  It's just easier than buying some weed killer and taking the time to apply it.  Let's face it, WORK is a four letter word these days!  The problem is the presence of something unhealthy takes up the space of something healthy.  Get rid of the weed and a blade of grass can grow.  Today, you'll learn how to recognize when it's time to make a difficult change and how to go about doing it.

There are people who are aware of this principle and how it applies to their life.  Rather than allowing things to persist in an unhealthy state, they take action and get rid of the things between them and their preferred future.  Sometimes the things they get rid of can even be healthy.  It's not that good is a bad thing, good's just good.  But why stay with good if you can replace it with better?

Unhealthy people do just the opposite.  They may pull a weed or two in their life that is unpainful, but cringe at the thought of hurting someone elses feelings or being misunderstood.

A principle in the bible, no the other hand has better advice.  "A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it" according to Solomon in Proverbs 22:3.  And by the way, he was said to be one of the wisest men who ever lived.

When most people think about creating boundaries in their lives they believe it involves cutting ties with MGR's (Much Grace Required ) people.  If you do that, you may end up divorced and bereft of all friends and relatives.  After all, relationships can be hard work!  Rather than 'cutting bait' you'd do better to evaluate the relationship and determine if it's reparable or beyond repair.  Sometimes the  only way to find out is to get busy trying to fix it.  If you determine it's beyond repair, then you have to dump it.  Sounds harsh right?  The problem is that if you don't, it will come back to haunt you at the least opportune time!

For example, you don't replace a bald tire on your car.  It will hold up perfectly fine until you're on the way to your job interview.

Or, you don't pull the bad tooth.  Again, it doesn't break on Monday morning when the Dentist is open, it fractures at 6:00 p.m on Friday and you have to suffer all weekend.

Or, you have a heart attack the night before your daughter's wedding after decades of putting off physical exercise and a healthy diet.

So how do you know when it's time for a healthy ending?  After working on something and finding out it's unfixable,  you have to decide if the job, relationship, habit, hobby, situation, addiction is taking you in the right direction of your preferred future.  The choice to hang on when all other signs, evidence and experience dictates otherwise is just plain crazy!  Here are some weeds and possible ways of responding to them.

Not giving an alcoholic spouse an ultimatum is crazy!  Look, I love you, but I can't live this way.  I'm moving in with my sister until you get some help.  I don't want our children exposed to this any more.

Allowing someone to put you down after repeatedly asking them not to, is crazy!  Please don't call me anymore.  I appreciate our friendship, but I don't appreciate being the butt of all your jokes.  I've asked you in the past, so lets just take a break until you decide to make a change.

Lying for your co-worker for the four hundred and ninetieth time because you want to keep them happy is crazy! (Tweetable) Joe, the boss was looking for you again yesterday afternoon while you stepped out for two hours and I found myself making up another story.  As you know, this goes totally against everything I stand for and I can't do it any longer.

How do you know when something isn't quite right.  You'll know!  Listen to warnings and nudges from your inside in the form of inner dialogue.  You'll hear things like:

Something's not quite right here.

I feel like this happened before and I don't want it to happen again.

I told myself I'd never do this again, what am I doing here?

I'm going to regret this tomorrow.

This feels just like last time.

You get the idea....

There is no end to the hells you'll put yourself through if you are unwilling to take responsibility and control for your life.  

Too often, people 'put up' with nonsense when they could be making the changes that will take them forward.  Using Poison Ivy as toilet paper once happens, but why make the same mistake twice?  Is it time to hit the stop button on something in particular in your life that is unhealthy, maybe even good, that is taking up space for something that is healthy and life giving?  Pull the weeds, and plant a seed.

May you be blessed beyond measure today.  May you have the courage to cut the bait or make a change that's going to help you get healthier....socially, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, etc.  May God bless your small decisions and multiply your joy and sensitivity to Him.  May you share this principle with your friends and loved ones.

#38- The Point Is?
by Cory MacNeil

All I remember is one minute there was a man standing over a wagon hitch and the next minute he had dropped the hitch on his foot!!!!!

They brought the man into my Grandmother's house and took his shoe off.  There was lots of blood.  He sat in the chair my Great Grandmother always sat in when I tied her shoes for her.

What ever happened to the man, I'll never know.  I vaguely recollect someone saying he died an early death which isn't very surprising considering his previous track record.

I'm 100 percent positive this story happened, but I have no physical proof.  I'm sure it wasn't a dream, but again, I'm not 100 percent sure how I know that I'm 100 percent sure.

How about you?  Do you have any recollections like this?

I assure you I had no particular bible story in mind when telling this story.  It's just a story that I've  replayed in my mind for years and I just wanted to get it off my chest.  Funny how the mind and memory works isn't it?  

What are your thoughts?  Happy Friday, I'd love to hear from you.

The point of this post?  My motivation for writing it?  Fun!

Today, may you write a poem with your words and actions.  May you take time to wrestle with your mystery and history until the break of dawn.  May you get the world moving in a new direction.  May you love better than you did yesterday.  Be blessed!

#37- Change Your Playlist and Change Your Life
by Cory MacNeil

It's been a good morning.  The birds are singing.  The run is done.  Devotions were great.  There's a trajectory.  But things weren't always that way.  They mostly, never are.  Otherwise there'd be no growth....no development.

How about you?  Are you growing?  Are you chasing your dreams or still warming up?  Are you more loving than you were a year ago?  More patient?  Joyful?  At peace?  Maybe it's time to change some tapes.

If you're like a lot of people, you find yourself listening to the same old tapes all of the time.  There is the tape that tells you there is not enough time.  Maybe there's a tape that tells you it's too late.  There's the tape about the divorce.  The tape about your unloving father or your alcoholic mother.  The tape that life is a drag or survival of the fittest.  Right?

Why don't you change the tapes?  If you spend more time watching T.V, than reading the bible, you should change the tapes.  You wouldn't pump raw sewage into your basement, so why are you allowing your soul to be flooded with input that only discourages and depresses.  Maybe it's time to get the smell of couch potato off of you and go take a run or a walk.  Reconnect with a friend who fills your tank.  Lift some weights.  Rake a neighbor's lawn.  A rut is just a grave with both ends kicked out.

I know, you're spiritual.  I know you are probably doing the best with what you have.  I know you're a good mom.  But I also know that like most humans you need a little prodding sometimes.

Are the tapes you're listening to, helping you to move in the direction of your preferred destination or are they taking you further away?  Will your diet allow you to watch your kids graduate or will it lead to an early grave?  People who live dangerously and reckless lives are often shunned, while others are ignored while they slowly but surely kill themselves one Twinkie at a time.  (Isn't it funny now Hostess products always take the hit for junk food).  If you don't think Jesus has anything to say about this, think again...or Paul....or Peter.  Your body is your temple.

Too often, salvation and eternal life are viewed as Fire Insurance and not a way of living.  Yes, Heaven is going to be a wonderful place, but what about NOW?!  What are you being saved from now?  Is your marriage the pits or is it being rescued from sliding over the cliff?  What about your neighbor?  You do know her name, right?  And her hobbies?

Jesus was quoted as being about his father's business.  Which begs the question what is his business? You may be wondering what the family business is all about.  Good question.  Let's flesh that out a bit.

"My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves." 1 John 3:18-20.  The Message

(I underlined the section in the verse because it ties in with the idea of changing the tapes.)

The only way to rise to the top of a family business that makes any sense at all is to start on the ground level.  That by the way is very Tweetable!  You start with basic responsibilities and advance as you master the small things.  That probably reminds you of another scripture or two.  The reason, unsuccessful people never master the immensities of life is because they promote themselves too quickly without mastering the basics.  Love is one aspect they never master from top to bottom.  And in our Family Business as believers, love MUST be mastered from top to bottom.  Very often, people are placed on a pedestal because of their ability to earn, but it's not very often when people are scored on their ability to love.  Do you want your children to be successful financially or are you more concerned with how well they treat God and others?

So what tapes do you need to change today?  If you already have friends, maybe it's time to start meeting with some mentors.  Is there anything on your hard drive that needs to be replaced?  Your bookshelf?  I realize you're probably doing the best with what you have right now, but if what you have is taking you in the opposite direction of your preferred destination, then it needs to go!  Today.  Period.

1)  Why don't you do something practical and make up a quick playlist on your iPhone of songs that inspire you to run your course?  Add an encouraging sermon or podcast while your at it.

2)  Now time the length of your playlist so that as you get ready in the morning it ends when it's time to head out the door.  Chances are a normally mundane part of your day will start to be enjoyable. Make the playlist 30 minutes long or so and you have something to play in the afternoon if you need a time to renew or divert.   It's better than Facebook and won't leave you half as blue.

And now for the benediction.  May you have the courage to evaluate your life and dispose of harmful habits and routines.  May you be filled with and experience the joy that comes when you put the rights of others before your own rights.  May you find the energy to throw the football on the front lawn with your son before the bus comes.  May you be conformed to the image of the Son.  May you be BLESSED!

#36- Ghost Post
by Cory MacNeil

It's three thirty a.m and I'm sitting in the parking lot of Grace Fellowship Church in Latham, waiting to pick my oldest daughter up from a field trip to Pennsylvania.  Most of the other cars have their lights off.  A couple have parking lights on (presumably new car owners who don't want to incur dents or a full on collision).  A few are texting.  One lady has her interior lights on (probably reading my blog....or not.  Ooops!  The bus just arrived.  Be back in a few.

I've decided to write this morning, because I believe I'm experiencing something holy.  This morning I'm part of a group in process.  Many times, life seems circular and repetitive.  Today it feels linear....like this is all going somewhere.  It's not that it's not going forward all the time, it just doesn't feel that way sometimes.  Sometimes it's just plain hard.

The moment the bus pulls in is always a joy!  You get out of the car and walk through the dark toward the light and YOUR amazing person walks back into your life.  It's like you're meeting them again for the first time.  You realize you don't know who was driving the bus and they could have ran the thing off the road and killed everyone.  You can't wait to hear her story.

The story is not all that long, but AMAZING!  She shares it in bits and pieces.  "Philadelphia was really cool!"  At Sights and Sounds Theatre, while watching the Joseph story from the bible, "they lifted him up above the stage during the dream parts by wire".  O.k, not long stories, but pretty incredible coming from a teenager who normally has to be prodded.

In the car you talk and ride through the darkness.  Everything bright and beautiful is punctuated in the darkness.  She falls asleep in the passenger seat after a twenty four hour day.  It feels amazing to be of service in a special way.  As a bonus, there are a couple of deer mulling around on a lawn in the middle of the city- someplace you'd normally never see them in the daylight hours.  

A car goes whizzing by very fast.  What?  A lone soul is walking the streets.  Are they heavy hearted?  Working toward a dream?  Sad? ______________?

On the highway a car goes by doing about ninety miles per hour.  Is this an epidemic?  What's the hurry? You roll down the window, but rather than shouting profanities, you listen to birdsong.

You decide to get off the highway and take the slow way home.  You decide to drive past your first apartment and your first home.  What a blessing to be able to revisit two such important mile markers on Memory Lane.

As you pull off the highway, the firmament (fancy name for sky from the bible in Genesis chapter 1) is amazing like Philadelphia.  You decide it would make a great scene in the movie you've been wanting to make.  It's Charles Dickensian behind the stark outlines of the new Schenectady Community College Dorms, if that's a word.  If not, who cares?

Pretty soon it will be 7:00 in the morning- your routine wake up time.  Pretty soon it will be time to rerise, put the coffee on and lace up your running shoes.  Part of you thinks about ditching the routine for the day, given your mid night excursion, but you decide not to.

You decide to run because lately you feel amazing.  You run because you're more alive then you've ever been.  You run because everything is going in the right direction and it feels good to battle the oncoming traffic of life.  For the first time in a long time you have PEACE.  For the first time in a long time something tells you everything is going to be more than fine.  For the first time in a long time you're not wondering if you're going to get a flat tire today or die of a stroke at 50.

We pull into the drive way and park.  I tell my daughter WE'RE HOME.  She forgoes a bowl of cereal before crashing.

Today, may you find joy in ordinary occurrences.  May you inflate your routine with something wonderful and sugary to your soul.  May you take time to reflect and renew.  May you rerise a thousand times today.  May you be a blessing to someone who least deserves it.  May you have a ....GOOD MORNING!

#35- What Drives Habits?
by Cory MacNeil

I'll never forget my life coach's reaction as I sat across from him in his office.  I was in the middle of making an excuse for my lack of performance in an area we'd talked about, when he put his hand up.  I stopped speaking and he made me realize what I was doing.  Why?  He knew that if I stayed on my current path, I'd keep getting the same results.

Habits can be our enemies or our friends.  For most people, the word habit suggests something bad.  Either way, your current habits are giving you the results they're designed to give.  If you are looking for better results, you need better habits.  There are no shortcuts.

Fortunately, small changes in your habits can lead to dramatic results.

The first step is to identify your cravings or motivations.  Why do you need to walk to the corner store to buy chocolate every afternoon on your break?  Is it possible that you are using chocolate to feel better?  Maybe you aren't in the position to change careers at the moment, but you could call or text a friend or relative- did you catch that?  As if relatives aren't friends. Who wants to be a millionaire?- making a purchase that only provides temporary satisfaction and long term guilt.

Phone a friend.  Phone your spouse.  Get an accountability partner.  Take a walk- minus chocolate.  Listen to a motivational audio book or some soul lifting music.

An Olympian once said: "Poetry, music, forest, oceans, solitude- they are what develop enormous emotional strength.  I came to realize that spirit, as much or more than physical conditioning, had to be stored up before a race." -Anonymous.  Did you catch that?  Spirit and energy are resources that can be stored up?

Success as the world defines it today is based on what's happening on the outside.  You can fix up the outside all you want, but the question remains: how often do you focus on renovating your inner life?

It's been said it's not a question of what you're eating, but what's eating you.  Again, the first question to ask is why am I doing this?  This can actually be not only very disheartening, but very freeing.  That question can also take you on a wild goose chase if you entertain indefinetly- peel one layer of the onion and there are more below it.

At the end of the day, your cravings drive your habit.  For example, some people repeatedly spend more money than they have because they crave status.  Some people eat to "feel good".  Some people habitually put others down, to make themselves feel and look better.  Some people work incredibly long hours and neglect their family and end up losing everything they worked for.  Why?  Cravings.

A better question is: what am I going to do achieve my goals?  Doing is an action that can be measured.  Sit-ups can be counted.  Accountability software for your computer is tangible, etc.  While you're at it, visualize the steps you need to take.  Imagine yourself walking around your neighborhood after work and imagine how good it will feel, knowing you are working towards a goal.

There are healthy and unhealthy ways to satisfy cravings.

Maybe you already have a P.O.A (plan of action:- small doable steps that add up to large results).  But what you really need is a better one.

I take that back; most people have a P.O.A to reach their goals.  Successful people have a plan B, unsuccessful people "wing it".  You don't just need a plan for when things go smoothly....you need a plan for when things don't go as planned.  So if you plan on jogging, what do you plan on doing if you have a sprained ankle?  See the difference?  Successful people have a plan to "power through setbacks."

So what is your plan?  Maybe you're perfectly content with your current results.  Congratulations!!  If not, maybe it's time to start examining the results you're getting and come up with a plan to get the results you want.

Going back to what my Life Coach did....if you are unhappy with the results you're getting, but intend to keep on doing the same thing over and over again- STOP!!!  If you want to change your life, you have to change your habits.

#34- Building the Stairway to Your Dreams

Have you ever known anyone like my Grandfather?  He was a farmer who woke up early and worked all day....almost everyday.  Only towards the end of his life do I remember him taking a brief nap after lunch before resuming his labors.  That kind of role model impacts you for life.  In fact, as you get older you begin to ask yourself how they did it. 

The answer is simple, successful people realize the power of....habits.  His drive, momentum, and flow were the result of not just one, but many habits he had developed over the years.  Take a look around and you’ll see people like this everywhere.  Great athletes know this (investigate the daily habits of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps).  Tiger Woods knows this secret.  CEO’s as well as godly parents know this.  Success does not come by accident, it is achieved not just by the development of one habit (though one habit can transform many as you’ll learn in a later post).

The power of habits works both ways.  For instance, maybe you decide to stop for a donut on the way home from work because you need some energy.  The next day you stop again.  Now a month later you are ten pounds heavier and sixty dollars poorer according to your bank statement.  Why?  You’ve developed a new habit.  Unfortunately, what seems harmless in the beginning can turn out to be dangerous.

Or maybe you decide to start walking everyday.  It’s been a month now and your jeans are a little less tight.  Because your jeans fit better, you started feeling better about yourself.  Feeling better about yourself, you decided to stop visiting the donut bakery after work and because you stopped that habit you are now sixty dollars richer according to this month’s bank statement.

If you’re wondering what new habits are worthy of developing and which ones you need to ditch, play the video.  If you stay on the path you’re on, and continue to practice your current habits, what is your destination going to be?  Will you be healthier and happier five years from now?  This sounds harsh, but will you even be alive?  Imagine what would happen if you die because of your habit and your family is left to fend for themselves.  Imagine you’re wife for instance.  She is a homemaker so now that you’re dead she has no income.  You’re children have no Dad to help them navigate their teenage years.  You’re wife finally gets a job but it’s not enough to pay the mortgage so she has to sell the house and get an apartment in the city.  You’re teenaged daughter longs for attention and starts dating a guy who is concerned with nobody but himself.  You get the picture.  

You're dreams aren't just going to fall into your lap.  You have to chase them.  Why do successful people enjoy performing mundane tasks like farming?  Successful people see ordinary tasks as stepping stones to achieving the life they've always dreamed of.  

The video we just watched is more than just a little unnerving.  If you decide to change your habit, maybe the video will play out like this.  You start walking every other day and talk with others who are trying to get healthier.  Better yet you start a walking group.  Five years later you attend your daughter’s graduation from college.  Five years later you get to walk her down the aisle.  Ten years from now you hold your first grandchild in your arms.  You get the picture.  No, we’re not in total control of our destiny, but we can stack the deck and be proactive.

There are three steps when it comes to forming new habits.  We’ll talk about these three things more in our next posts.  But for now, what is one small change you can make today that is going to take you in the direction of your dreams?  While you're at it, spend some time playing the video of how this might impact your future.

#33- Are You Becoming or Doing?
by Cory MacNeil

Remember Christmas Eve as a child?  You could hardly sleep in anticipation of Christmas Day.  The first brother or sister to wake up would get every other child up and run and jump on Mom and Dad's bed.  Finally, with a bit of coaxing and rough housing, my parents got out of bed and us kids would tear into our presents.

I'm not sure if I could lay a hand on a single Christmas gift I received as a child.  Most of them ended up broken, abandoned or sold at a garage sale.  But as long as I live, I'll never forget the anticipation of waking up to wonderful gifts.  Isn't it ironic that as children we were so anxious over temporal gifts and as adults we are so bored with eternal gifts.

In the last post you learned about the magnetic power of your future and destiny.  You learned that a bright future has the power to pull you forward.   You learned that you can tie a rope to hope or drift. In the meantime, is today going to be a significant milepost in your journey or just another chalk mark on the wall of your cell?  What is it about today that gives you something to look forward to?

Like most people, you probably think you have a problem.  What is it....an insensitive spouse....a rebellious child....unstable or diminishing finances....failing health?  Regardless of how old you are, some of these things may never change.   That's the bad news.  The good news is YOU can change.

Again, you may not be able to change your circumstances, but you can change your response.  More than problems in your life, there are patterns.  Patterns can be either your friends or your enemies.  For example, when your spouse refuses to help with the dishes, you can either yell at her or go out and buy a new flat screen for your man cave.  Just kidding!  But you get the idea.  We can resist openings to stand up for our rights or we can follow our egos like an Ox to the slaughter.  Once we nail down the idea that we can resist temptation and begin to experience the joys that come with victory, things begin to change.  Again, your wife may or may not start helping with the dishes, but your won't have oil under your nails and your monthly credit card bill will go down.

Put another way, imagine if you decided to build a shed in your back yard.  Things are going well.  You finish the foundation and begin the walls.  Then, for various reasons you begin to spend increasing amounts of time, tearing down what you've built.  For instance, you get mad because your son spills the bucket of nails and tear down a wall.  Another day you kick a door down because your neighbor complains about all of the banging.  If you're not careful, the shed will never be completed.  Why?  Because something that takes years to build can be torn down in a matter of minutes.  This applies to marriages, character, reputation, ministries (times two!) and so on.

This principle can also be applied as follows.  Great works take time.  So why not start today.  Begin with this question:  are the patterns in my life giving me my desired results or does something in the mix have to be adjusted?  The real conundrum is not what are you doing, but what are you becoming?  If your desired self portrait at the end of your life is a woman surrounded by children and grandchildren who love her, are you more patient at the family gathering on Thanksgiving than you were five years ago or do you still fly off the handle when your five year old grandson spills the gravy boat?

Now, to get back to your day.  I know you are not messed up, but your friends are, so the following advice may help.  What should I do today is a good question.  But a better question is what am I going to change today to become the person God wants me to be....that version of myself that's been alluding me for years?  Another tip is to keep your eyes on God's performance rather than your own.  His performance inspires, ours tires.

You may decide to begin by altering your calendar or the contact list on your cellphone.  But wait a minute, before you get any ideas about axing your friends on Facebook, or quitting your job, you might consider adding a few friends or expanding your work circles.  Why not kill two birds with one stone and schedule lunch with someone who is positive and successful?  After all, you're not looking to downsize, you're looking to grow, right?

When you begin to look at each day as an opportunity to become all you were designed to be and not just slots to fill with activities, an amazing thing begins to happen: you begin to live and dream and not just drift.  So why not program a better destination into your GPS today and begin the journey.  The only other option is to leave the car in park and we both know that will get you nowhere.  Besides, have you ever noticed that you can't change direction in a car unless it's moving?

#32- How Can I Secure My Future?

by Cory MacNeil

If you're like most people right now, you're beginning to wonder if Spring will ever come again.  This winter in the Northeast has been one for the books and it's taken it's toll on many.  If you're not careful, you can get to the point where you think nothing's ever going to change.  But that's not the voice of God talking to you.  Left unchecked, your hopelessness can infect not just your immediate future but your destiny.  What if one realization could change all of that?

In the bible, we learn that our futures are anything but bleak!  The book of Genesis begins in a garden and in the book of Revelation we find out there is a city beyond our wildest dreams.  Not the kind of city we're familiar with- a place of poverty, ruin and despair- but a place where there is order and beauty and great joy!  Not only that, but Jesus is there and will wipe away every tear.  Yes, there is ruin in this lifetime, but there is also redemption and restoration.  The world is a mess, but Sunday is coming!

If you're not careful, you can long for this kind of world to the point that you become inactive in this one.  When you do, you miss out on the opportunity to be a light to the people who are in darkness here.  The people who especially pay the price for our lack of presence are the ones we care for the most.

So what is the key?

The key is to reexamine your beliefs.  Do you believe there is someone larger than you who has your best interests in mind and they are drawing you to themselves?  Or do you believe it's all in your control?  Jesus frequently used the image of fishermen who used nets.  Peter, James and John were this type of fisherman.  When Jesus first encountered them, they were mending their nets.  Jesus told them if they followed him, he would make them fishers of men.

Today if you've been captured in the net of God's love, I want to remind you that you have a brighter future than you could ever imagine or believe.  What if your only requirement was to trust.  Stop flopping around in the net and let a power bigger than you haul you to shore.  

Common thinking tells us to resist power outside of ourselves.  We'd rather fight or flee than rest and see.  

So what impact is your future having on you today?  Is it strong and powerful?  Are you confident it has the strength and ability to reel you in or are you hopeless and just floating around in the flotsam and jetsam?  

What if you started viewing the brightness of your future in such a way that you ran towards it?  To know God is to love God.  So do you know Him?  If so, how well.  Maybe part of the reason you're not to excited about what lays in store is because you don't know Him all that well and the plan He has for you.

Paul said to the believers in Thessalonica: "It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special."

Maybe it's time you traded in your version of your story and started believing God's version of your story.  Your story is a jewel embedded in His story.  Just imagine, in His story you are a trophy beyond compare....so much so that He brags about you!  Catch a glimpse of that kind of future and you'll run for it!  

#31- What’s in Your Pot?

Noah Rondeau, the renowned Mayor of Cold Brook- population of 1- was a hermit known for his everlasting stews.  Those who visited him at anytime of the year were sure to be served a meal from his pot.  The only problem was you never knew what you were eating and how long it had been cooking!  Noah, you see, would simply cook whatever he could get his hands on, be it a rabbit, deer, bird or....well you get the idea.  Thus the creation of his Everlasting Stews.  Rule number one was he never started a fresh stew, he always added to the old one!  As eccentric as Noah was, he may have been onto something.  The question today is what’s in your pot?

Maybe in your quest to launch new projects and ideas, you’ve forgotten the long lost art of having a ‘work in progress’.  Some people have mastered this concept.  I know a guy who never finishes anything.  His whole life is one big ball of loose ends.  We’re not promoting that path.  Others on the other hand, never start anything, let alone finish it.  As author Dave Kraft says, “They are so afraid of making mistakes that they never make much of anything.”  Then there is a third type, someone who always has something in the pot.

Here’s a question to better help you understand this concept.  What do you do when you are bored?  If you have no work to fall back on, when you are bored, you’ll constantly attempt to be creative at a time when your creative energies are at their lowest!  We’re not talking about using work to muffle the emptiness or loneliness in your life.  We’re talking about working from your sense of fulfillment.  You realize life has meaning and you can contribute in a meaningful way.  Are you someone who works to live or someone who lives to work?

Author F.B Meyer was someone who did both.  He enjoyed his life’s work to the fullest, but it was not an escape from a life half lived, but a joy he embraced whenever time allowed.  Most of his books were written during brief intervals while waiting for trains, in a dentist’s office, during lunch, using snippets of time that would otherwise be wasted.  C.K Chesterton, a literary giant in his own right, possessed the same habit as well.  These men were masters of the Everlasting Stew.

So what’s in your pot?  Is there a meaningful project you can work on while you are waiting for fresh cascades of inspiration, or are you passing the time unproductively?  It’s your time, and you can do what you want with it.  But if your looking to pass the time in a productive manner maybe this is just the recipe you’ve been looking for.

With the advent of technology in the form of laptops (even smartphones) you can carry your work with you at all times.  Never before have we had such amazing tools at our fingertips at all times.  Imagine!  We can singlehandedly carry the libraries of the world in one hand!

For you, maybe it’s not a book or an entrepreneurial pursuit, maybe it’s redecorating the Dining Room or building a boat with your son or daughter.  Perhaps it’s your marriage or a relationship with someone you are trying to reach with the Gospel.    Use the otherwise wasted time in your schedules to follow these pursuits and you may be surprised.  

In the meantime, pass me some Everlasting Stew!

#30- Steer by Starlight!
by Cory MacNeil

"I do some of my best work in my sleep!"

Those words were spoken by a contractor friend of mine during a conversation we had about the challenges of building.  He explained that quite often, he simply thought about his problem before going to bed and when he woke up the answer would come to him.  This idea may sound crazy on the surface, but what if there is really some truth to it?  Is it possible to be most productive when you are least active?  We're going to talk about that in today's post.

During the past couple of weeks you've been learning about the importance of creating and illustrating a healthy culture, be it in your home, organization, club, etc.  If you attempt to create and live out a better life for you and those in the boat with you, you'll soon realize how much creativity it requires.  After all, you only have so many hours in the day, so what do you do?

What if I told you the answer is as simple as going to sleep?  Without going into all of the mumbo jumbo on this topic, your mind continues to work while you are sleeping.  However, in the age we live in, sleep is looked upon as a waste of time; something we do because we have to; it's a time when we have no choice but to forget about everything until we can get up and actively pursue our goals and dreams.  Right?

Wrong!

We truly can do some of our best work in our sleep.

Now hear me out.  What I'm talking about is not some new whimsical idea that hasn't been tested or proven.  Here's how it works.

1.  Before you go to bed, ask yourself a question.  Stick with just one question.  Once you see how effective this is, you might be tempted to ask 5, 10 or twenty questions.  You'll have plenty of time to do that in the future.  For now, focus on ONE challenge you are facing.  Write it down.  If it makes you more comfortable, call this prayer.  If you're not comfortable with that word, call it putting your subconscious to work.  If you've given up on prayer before bed time, this will show you the importance of sticking with it.  For example, you might pray: "Lord, How can I be more productive throughout my day?"

2.  Now imagine what it will look like for you to be more productive.  Maybe greater productivity looks like you waking up and being refreshed and ready to study the bible and pray before work.  Maybe being more productive looks like you having more energy for your spouse and kids at night.  Maybe being more productive looks like you assembling an energetic team that excels at coming up with new and cutting edge ideas.  Whatever you do, really take some time to think about what the solution to your problem looks like.

3.  Next, imagine how it's going to feel when you receive the answer to your question.  Imagine how it's going to feel to have your sermon finished by Wednesday or your series completed a month ahead of time.  Imagine how it's going to feel when your presence with your wife and kids grows and they realize you are engaged, not just putting in your time.  Imagine how it's going to feel to not just go through the motions on a daily basis but to live with purpose and more energy.

Before you object, give it a try for yourself.  If you choose to accept the challenge, here are a few more tips: First, keep a journal or voice recorder next to your bed.  Why?  You might receive some of your best answers in the middle of the night.  So be ready.  You'll cringe when you wake up in the morning and realize you forgot something that was totally revolutionary and fresh the night before.  Second, take time to look at your notes in the morning.  Make this a part of your launch for the day.  Reflect on what you wrote down and further research things that intrigue you.  Search the scriptures.

While you're at it, have some fun.  Wouldn't it be ironic if you discovered that what you think is one  of your most unproductive times of the day turns out to be one of your most productive?  Someone once said the only thing you can expect from God is to do the unexpected.  At the end of the day, He is more interested in us than we are in Him.  Just imagine....although you're in a rut today, you may be one night away from a life beyond your wildest dreams!

Ephesians 20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.  The Message

#29- Visible Change

Last week you learned about creating a culture where people can speak and be heard.  So how do we illustrate that our culture is changing?  

Ten years ago when we moved into our current home, we decided to paint the kitchen Forest Green.  I still don't know what we were thinking.  We told ourselves we liked it, but admittedly the already dark room became darker and smaller.  Last week I decided enough was enough and repainted the kitchen a very light shade called Glowing Green.  The color is actually like a very pale shade of Robin's Egg.  What better way to spend the last freezing day of cold weather and get in gear for Spring?  And what better way to show others that change is taking place within you or your organization?

Boiling this down some more, people need more than just lip service, they want to see results.  It's one thing to tell your boss you are becoming a more productive worker; it's another thing to show your sales numbers are up 3 percent over last year.  You can say you're really learning a lot from the bible, but the question is where is is sticking out in your life?  How would your spouse rate your growth?  You say you love her, but do you still wait until she nags before taking out the garbage?

How do you know you're growing?  You know, when you start not only thinking differently, but acting differently.  Growing people are not comfortable with the status quo, they are people who chase what could and should be.  If you don't like the color of your kitchen or the state of your marriage or your job or the choices you are making, do something about it!  Better yet do something for others.  Take the first step in completing the project your wife has been talking about.  Pour the wine down the kitchen sink.  Send out your resume.  Stop being grumpy.


By now, you may be thinking I can't do all of those things by myself.  You're right.  But with God's help you can do a lot more than you could ever ask, imagine or think!  God hasn't left you here to be miserable and lonely and depressed, He wants you to have not just eternal life, but abundant life.  Yes, you will experience heart ache and loneliness, depression, and rejection, but that doesn't have to be the end of the story.  Ask God to help you write a better next chapter.  You can triumph over tragedy.  You don't have to live in the dark, depressing kitchen, you can paint it.

1.  Budget- If you're going to make some practical changes in your life, it might be helpful to budget.  I used to just dream and swipe, but last week I decided to withdraw a certain amount of money before going to the Home Improvement Store.  In the long run, I got the paint I needed and only 2 of the 4 LED lightbulbs I am using to replace the existing recessed lights in my soffit, but I experienced an unexplainable joy knowing I had exercised self- discipline while making my purchase.

2. Prioritize- Take some time to decide what really needs to change and focus on one project at a time.  Maybe right now you are unsure what your next project is.  Work on the last job God gave you until He shows you something different.  Don't forget that He is perfectly capable of inspiring you.  If you're not inspired at the moment, maybe it's because you haven't completed the last project.

I'm sitting in our 'new' kitchen as I write and it's amazing.  A once dark and dreary room is now fresh and bright and ready to receive huge infusions of Spring.  How about you?  Are the changes taking place in you or your organization being reflected in your physical environment?  Or is it business as usual?  You can tell people that change is taking place in you and/your organization, but unless they see some kind of tangible proof, chances are they won't believe you.