As a youngster, I wanted to be a magician. I had a magician's kit and a book or two. I often put on shows for the family.
I just remembered the other day a lesson that I learned in one of the books:
"A Good Entertainer Leaves Their Audience Wanting More"
This idea can be applied to many things in life.
I'd like to explore a few:
1. A job interview - I've read in a book that when we're in an interview, use only 2 minutes to answer a question, then end with a statement something to the effect "I hope that answers your question; if you want to know more, let me know." Leave your interviewer wanting to know more.
2. Talking with other people (whether networking or someone you know real well)
I need to remember this probably more than anyone reading this, but as it's been said "God gave us two ears and one mouth, that's probably a hint as to how often we should use each" - As I mentioned above about interviews, we need to do the same while having conversations with people on any subject; talk less, listen more. I need to remember to give only the high level overview of my thoughts and let them ask for more.
3. When you are "entertaining" someone
Whether you play an instrument, sing, speak, throw parties, or cook for others, when you are entertaining someone it's good to keep this principle in mind. As some people say: "End on a good note." If someone gives you a standing ovation, it's time to stop. If someone seems to really enjoy something you did, that's when it's time to stop, We've all seen when someone had a really good performance of a song and then after everyone enjoyed it, they went on to do another that wasn't enjoyed as much. End on a good note.
What are your thoughts on this subject?
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Monday, June 04, 2012
2012-06-04 MoMenTum men's meeting: toxic environments
Speaker:
Pastor Bert Crabbe from True North Community Church. True North is one of the fastest growing churches on Long Island, a church that Bert planted with a team of passionate co-workers!
His blog: http://bertcrabbe.com/
Story: The 1911 NYC Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. The greatest factory disaster in history.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire
Point: it wasn't the building, it is still standing. It was the toxic environment (flammable materials, lack of safety equipment, etc.) that caused the fire to be deadly.
Text: 1 Cor 15:33
Many of us deal with Toxic environments: @work , @home, @team, @church group
How do we respond?
1. Acknowledge that there is God and I'm not him. We make bad decisions when our sprit and emotions are depleted
2. Pray for gratitude - ask God to give you a spirit if thankfulness
3. Decide that you will change: I won't let it burn me down. Be a thermostat instead of thermometer. A thermometer just complains: "it's really hot in here." A Thermostat thinks about how to make a change
Col 3:22-24
We are cultural architects, God created us to be creative. We have never had a neutral conversation in our life. Our interactions effect others in one way or another. Also, some people are givers and some are takers.
Instead of changing things by accident, change things intentionally.
Pastor Bert Crabbe from True North Community Church. True North is one of the fastest growing churches on Long Island, a church that Bert planted with a team of passionate co-workers!
His blog: http://bertcrabbe.com/
Story: The 1911 NYC Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. The greatest factory disaster in history.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire
Point: it wasn't the building, it is still standing. It was the toxic environment (flammable materials, lack of safety equipment, etc.) that caused the fire to be deadly.
Text: 1 Cor 15:33
Many of us deal with Toxic environments: @work , @home, @team, @church group
How do we respond?
1. Acknowledge that there is God and I'm not him. We make bad decisions when our sprit and emotions are depleted
2. Pray for gratitude - ask God to give you a spirit if thankfulness
3. Decide that you will change: I won't let it burn me down. Be a thermostat instead of thermometer. A thermometer just complains: "it's really hot in here." A Thermostat thinks about how to make a change
Col 3:22-24
We are cultural architects, God created us to be creative. We have never had a neutral conversation in our life. Our interactions effect others in one way or another. Also, some people are givers and some are takers.
Instead of changing things by accident, change things intentionally.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Archiving old family photos
I've found several sets of very old family photos on both my father's and mother's side of the family.
I've been wondering the best way to archive them.
I've decided to:
1) Use jpg files for digitizing the old photos
2) Use Picasa for adding captions (I've been told that it has the added advantage of face recognition, so it may help to identify relatives in photos if you have them identified in one photo and want to figure out what other photos they are in)
3) Probably buy two external hard drives to store all our photos on: one for hear at the house and the other at a relatives house for an "off-site backup"
4) I will keep the old photos since that seems the safest way of preserving them
Here are some websites I've found helpful:
I've been wondering the best way to archive them.
I've decided to:
1) Use jpg files for digitizing the old photos
2) Use Picasa for adding captions (I've been told that it has the added advantage of face recognition, so it may help to identify relatives in photos if you have them identified in one photo and want to figure out what other photos they are in)
3) Probably buy two external hard drives to store all our photos on: one for hear at the house and the other at a relatives house for an "off-site backup"
4) I will keep the old photos since that seems the safest way of preserving them
Here are some websites I've found helpful:
- National Archives - Don't throw away old photos after digitizing them
- Caring for your Family Archives (From the National Archives)
- National Archives Blog post on digital preservation "Four Easy Tips for Preserving Your Digital Photographs"
- The Best way to add captions to digital photos (this also names 4 good tools for photos)
- Archival File Formats for Digital Storage (recommends formats, media and more)
- A few methods to archive
- Wikipedia Article on Digital Preservation
- White Paper "Digital Imaging for Archival Preservation and Online Presentation: Best Practices" from Michigan State University
Do you have any questions or suggestions along these lines? Please comment!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
About Accepting Invitations (a life lesson)
I've been thinking that I'd like to start a series of writings about things that I've learned in life and pass them on to my children. I thought it might also benefit others as well, so I decided to post them on my blog.
About Accepting Invitations
This morning I read Matthew 22:1-14 in my daily bible reading.
This parable that Jesus taught is about a king who prepared a wedding banquet. Take a few minutes to read it and then return here.
I learned a long while ago (I believe from a wise parent who had adult children) that they make an attempt to always say "yes" to invitations from their adult children: to baby-sit their grandchildren, to come for a visit, or to help with something. Why? because if you say "no" too many times, then eventually people will feel you are not interested and will no longer extend the invitation.
In this parable, Jesus made the point about the Kingdom of God. God invites people to come to his banquet, but some are just busy. Look at verse five. They were busy with their field and their business. They saw the invitation as an interruption, but if they thought about it, the interruption was more important than their plans.
We need to be very careful to accept God's invitation to his banquet. I've accepted the invitation to his Eternal Kingdom Banquet (I've accepted Christ as my savior). And, also, I know that I need to learn to accept his daily invitations to his "kingdom banquets" that are right in front of me each day.
By the way, on a related note, verses 11 through 14 confused me about the wedding clothes until I read the commentary. Accepting the wedding clothes is also an invitation to receive a gift. This part of the story is symbolic of how Jesus provides us with the gift of righteousness that we also must accept.
I hope that you'll accept God's invitation to real life that has been extended to us through Christ Jesus.
And, I hope that you'll also think about accepting the invitations that people make to you. If you can't accept an invitation, then take the time right then and there to set up a time when you can make it work rather than letting it drift off into nothingness.
One rule that I try to use when deciding between two competing events that I can attend is to consider how often they occur. For example, when we have invitations to a 50th birthday and an invitation to dinner with friends on the same day, I will take the 50th birthday invitation because it only occurs once in a lifetime for that person when the dinner invitation could be postponed to another date.
People invite you because they need you and/or care for you. Life's interruptions are where real life happens. Try to say "Yes" (or at least set up a firm postponed time so that it's a delayed "yes").
Please comment with your thoughts on this subject.
About Accepting Invitations
This morning I read Matthew 22:1-14 in my daily bible reading.
This parable that Jesus taught is about a king who prepared a wedding banquet. Take a few minutes to read it and then return here.
I learned a long while ago (I believe from a wise parent who had adult children) that they make an attempt to always say "yes" to invitations from their adult children: to baby-sit their grandchildren, to come for a visit, or to help with something. Why? because if you say "no" too many times, then eventually people will feel you are not interested and will no longer extend the invitation.
In this parable, Jesus made the point about the Kingdom of God. God invites people to come to his banquet, but some are just busy. Look at verse five. They were busy with their field and their business. They saw the invitation as an interruption, but if they thought about it, the interruption was more important than their plans.
We need to be very careful to accept God's invitation to his banquet. I've accepted the invitation to his Eternal Kingdom Banquet (I've accepted Christ as my savior). And, also, I know that I need to learn to accept his daily invitations to his "kingdom banquets" that are right in front of me each day.
By the way, on a related note, verses 11 through 14 confused me about the wedding clothes until I read the commentary. Accepting the wedding clothes is also an invitation to receive a gift. This part of the story is symbolic of how Jesus provides us with the gift of righteousness that we also must accept.
I hope that you'll accept God's invitation to real life that has been extended to us through Christ Jesus.
And, I hope that you'll also think about accepting the invitations that people make to you. If you can't accept an invitation, then take the time right then and there to set up a time when you can make it work rather than letting it drift off into nothingness.
One rule that I try to use when deciding between two competing events that I can attend is to consider how often they occur. For example, when we have invitations to a 50th birthday and an invitation to dinner with friends on the same day, I will take the 50th birthday invitation because it only occurs once in a lifetime for that person when the dinner invitation could be postponed to another date.
People invite you because they need you and/or care for you. Life's interruptions are where real life happens. Try to say "Yes" (or at least set up a firm postponed time so that it's a delayed "yes").
Please comment with your thoughts on this subject.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Bible Passages About Love for Valentines Day
Here are some Passages and verses about love. These would be good to read and use for Valentines Day. They can be read to yourself, at the dinner table by family, or used in a note to someone you love.
I've put these in no special order and only gave you the references so that you can have the opportunity to look them up yourself.
I've put these in no special order and only gave you the references so that you can have the opportunity to look them up yourself.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
- 1 Corinthians 13:4
- 1 Corinthians 13:7-8
- Ephesians 3:17-19
- 1 Corinthians 13:13
- 1 John 4:9
- Hebrews 10:24
- 1 John 4:7
- 1 Timothy 4:12
- Psalms 118:29
- Ephesians 5:25-28
- 1 Peter 4:8
- John 13:34
- Colossians 3:14
- Ephesians 2:4-7
- 1 John 3:11
- John 15:13
- Galatians 5:22-23
- Ephesians 5:1-2
- Romans 5:8
- 1 Corinthians 16:14
- Galatians 5:14
- Galatians 2:20
- John 15:12
- Romans 12:10
- 1 John 4:9-11
- John 3:16
Monday, February 06, 2012
Bible Meditation: an offer for you
A few months ago, I restarted something that I had done on and off for years: sending out a weekly Bible Meditation scripture selection to my family.
Since it's easy for me to add people to the list that I send this to (and I send it BCC so nobody sees each others email addresses) I've been able to add other people to the list.
So, I'm opening this up now to whoever is interested. If you would like me to add you to the weekly email, please let me know. And, if you ever want to be removed from the list, just ask. I'll add or remove people, no questions asked.
Another thing that I started doing lately is also texting the same weekly Bible passage to whoever would like to receive it in a daily text message (about 5:30pm Eastern time each day). This helps us to meditate on the scripture because we're seeing the same one each day. I'm also offering this to whoever is interested. Just let me know. And, just like the weekly emails, I'll add or remove you whenever you want without asking any questions.
Since it's easy for me to add people to the list that I send this to (and I send it BCC so nobody sees each others email addresses) I've been able to add other people to the list.
So, I'm opening this up now to whoever is interested. If you would like me to add you to the weekly email, please let me know. And, if you ever want to be removed from the list, just ask. I'll add or remove people, no questions asked.
Another thing that I started doing lately is also texting the same weekly Bible passage to whoever would like to receive it in a daily text message (about 5:30pm Eastern time each day). This helps us to meditate on the scripture because we're seeing the same one each day. I'm also offering this to whoever is interested. Just let me know. And, just like the weekly emails, I'll add or remove you whenever you want without asking any questions.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Guitar resources
I realized today that I have a bunch of ukulele resources listed on a previous post, it's time that I made a similar post about guitar resources (especially since I started playing guitar in 2008 and the Uke in 2010).
Guitar Lessons:
Guitar Lessons:
- Someone today (2012-01-03) suggested Justin's Guitar Lessons. They are free and there are more than 500 videos available! If you like them, consider making a financial contribution or buying something in his store.
- Christian Guitar has some free lessons
How to play certain chords, use a capo and such:
- Barre Chords, Minor and m7 Chords on the Guitar
- Links I posted about using the Capo
- Some info I was taught bout Guitars, anchors, capos, chord shapes, and hammer-on
Just I have with the Uke Resources page, I'll be adding more information here as time goes on!
Friday, November 04, 2011
Innovation and Productivity: Addressing that Stack of Work on Your "Plate"
I found this old post that should have been posted here...
It's from 07/27/09
Just had a great discussion with Bernie Michalik, a Senior I.T. Architect.
We talked about Innovation and Productivity.
Innovation:
Bernie and I are both interested in innovation. We talked about how read blogs (using a feedreader) (or even reading twitter feeds) allows us to hear about new topics that we otherwise wouldn't have thought of, which also helps with "out of box" thinking.
Productivity:
I mentioned to Bernie that I had someone just a few weeks ago talking about how their work was more than they could get done. Bernie made some great points that come from the 7 Habits of effective People and Getting things done books. I've melded them here with my thoughts into some major points:
Don't get in a panacea of being bogged down in logging and analyzing tasks. Getting things done mentions that if something only takes 5 minutes, then do it right away rather than logging and tracking it. This is generally good advice, but sometimes I've found that I end up just doing 5 to 10 minute tasks and the important items are skipped. Don't get stuck in analysis paralysis of your tasks.
Instead, follow this general timeboxing process (adopted from Agile Development methodologies)
1. Log: Get a list of tasks
2. Decide: determine the length of the time box (an amount of time you will execute tasks before starting the next timebox). This can be 2 hours, a day, a week or whatever
3. Analyze: Prioritize the top tasks to fit them into the timebox.
4. Validate: Get agreement on the task list with someone in authority (your manager, client, yourself, your spouse, your family...)
5. Execute: Do the items on the task list (don't look over your shoulder to see the list of new tasks coming in)
6. Record: Document your results / lessons Learned
7. Repeat
Analyze - A few thoughts on this important step.
Bernie mentioned that, as per the "7 Habits," concentrate on the items that are important and urgent. Look for what is critical and essential. What would burn you if it didn't get done?
Bernie also gave me an acronym he learned several years ago that he still uses to this day for the "Analyze" step:
E : Eliminate: Remove items, delegate, say "no." Either way, get rid of items you can
S: Simplify : take the list that's left and try to reduce the steps needed for the tasks
S: Standardize: try to use common standards to make the work repeatable and more efficient. Work from a standard set of tool(s) and a standard approach
A: Automate: work towards automating the work
I: Integrate: Merge together items to reduce the work
Bernie made the point that we need to start at the top of the list and work down the steps. If we start with the integration step (which is often done when integrating two systems for example), then many times it would have been better to have first started with the "Eliminate" step to remove some items in thus reduce the amount of overall work.
Thanks Bernie, I hope this information will be of use to others!
It's from 07/27/09
Just had a great discussion with Bernie Michalik, a Senior I.T. Architect.
We talked about Innovation and Productivity.
Innovation:
Bernie and I are both interested in innovation. We talked about how read blogs (using a feedreader) (or even reading twitter feeds) allows us to hear about new topics that we otherwise wouldn't have thought of, which also helps with "out of box" thinking.
Productivity:
I mentioned to Bernie that I had someone just a few weeks ago talking about how their work was more than they could get done. Bernie made some great points that come from the 7 Habits of effective People and Getting things done books. I've melded them here with my thoughts into some major points:
Don't get in a panacea of being bogged down in logging and analyzing tasks. Getting things done mentions that if something only takes 5 minutes, then do it right away rather than logging and tracking it. This is generally good advice, but sometimes I've found that I end up just doing 5 to 10 minute tasks and the important items are skipped. Don't get stuck in analysis paralysis of your tasks.
Instead, follow this general timeboxing process (adopted from Agile Development methodologies)
1. Log: Get a list of tasks
2. Decide: determine the length of the time box (an amount of time you will execute tasks before starting the next timebox). This can be 2 hours, a day, a week or whatever
3. Analyze: Prioritize the top tasks to fit them into the timebox.
4. Validate: Get agreement on the task list with someone in authority (your manager, client, yourself, your spouse, your family...)
5. Execute: Do the items on the task list (don't look over your shoulder to see the list of new tasks coming in)
6. Record: Document your results / lessons Learned
7. Repeat
Analyze - A few thoughts on this important step.
Bernie mentioned that, as per the "7 Habits," concentrate on the items that are important and urgent. Look for what is critical and essential. What would burn you if it didn't get done?
Bernie also gave me an acronym he learned several years ago that he still uses to this day for the "Analyze" step:
E : Eliminate: Remove items, delegate, say "no." Either way, get rid of items you can
S: Simplify : take the list that's left and try to reduce the steps needed for the tasks
S: Standardize: try to use common standards to make the work repeatable and more efficient. Work from a standard set of tool(s) and a standard approach
A: Automate: work towards automating the work
I: Integrate: Merge together items to reduce the work
Bernie made the point that we need to start at the top of the list and work down the steps. If we start with the integration step (which is often done when integrating two systems for example), then many times it would have been better to have first started with the "Eliminate" step to remove some items in thus reduce the amount of overall work.
Thanks Bernie, I hope this information will be of use to others!
Monday, October 03, 2011
Traffic websites and apps for smart phones for traffic
Here are some traffic sites we use (and some apps for smart phones too)
- Waze - This service works via people sending reports from their cell phones, it is available on the web and on smartphones. As of 2011-10-02 this is my highest recommendation for accurate traffic on the web and on
- Maps.google.com (North Jersey traffic)
- Inrix Traffic - no web interface. Available for smartphones: iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows. They are supposedly going to be supplying data for Google Maps
- Sigalert (cities selection) (Northern NJ) Also has an iPhone app
- 511nj.org - New Jersey Traffic on the web - Many states have 511 sites, use google.com or your favorite search engine to find it.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Eric Mataxas Lecture on Bonhoeffer
This past summer, Eric Mataxas came to Ocean Grove for the new Elwood Stokes Lecture Series. He talked about his biography on Deitrich Bonhoeffer.
Here are my short notes taken on my mobile device.
2011-07-12 Eric Mataxas - OG Tabernacle
First in Elwood Stokes Lecture series
About Eric
Eric wrote part of Lyle Viking for the Vegie Tales videos and also was the narrator for the Esther Vegie Tales video. He attended Yale. His website is www.ericmetaxas.com. There are video interviews there.
Eric read the book "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
He wrote a book "Everything you Wanted to Know about God, But Were Afraid to Ask" He talked about it on CNN. He also wrote a book on Wilberforce. Someone convinced him to write about Bonhoeffer.
About Bonhoeffer
Bonhoeffer, after obtaining a doctorate in theology from Berlin@ age of 21, then came to USA and attended Union theological seminary. A friend invited him to Harlem Abyssinian Baptist Church and that moved him.
2 days after Hitler made was made chancellor, B. gave famous speech on radio:
Legit leadership is submitted to God and is a servant.
The Nazis didn't advertise neo-paganism, they just said it was the German church.
B. Felt it doesn't pay to run down corridor of train in opposite direction, need to get off the train, so he separated from the German state church.
in 1933: he preached about death, the final station on the way to freedom. If we've glimpsed the kingdom, our lives are forever and totally changed, we are homesick and live to walk in God's way.
Two central beliefs he had:
1. Church is a church for others: we are blessed to be a blessing to others. Who can't stand up for themselves? Those are the ones who we need to stand up for.
2. Religion-less Christianity: Religion to B. was pejorative: not just being moral, but to bless, serve, and help others.
We are to live our whole lives and give them to God. But, he would say we were just religion-less Christians, so the Nazis prevailed. This parallels our church today.
Here are my short notes taken on my mobile device.
2011-07-12 Eric Mataxas - OG Tabernacle
First in Elwood Stokes Lecture series
About Eric
Eric wrote part of Lyle Viking for the Vegie Tales videos and also was the narrator for the Esther Vegie Tales video. He attended Yale. His website is www.ericmetaxas.com. There are video interviews there.
Eric read the book "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
He wrote a book "Everything you Wanted to Know about God, But Were Afraid to Ask" He talked about it on CNN. He also wrote a book on Wilberforce. Someone convinced him to write about Bonhoeffer.
About Bonhoeffer
Bonhoeffer, after obtaining a doctorate in theology from Berlin@ age of 21, then came to USA and attended Union theological seminary. A friend invited him to Harlem Abyssinian Baptist Church and that moved him.
2 days after Hitler made was made chancellor, B. gave famous speech on radio:
Legit leadership is submitted to God and is a servant.
The Nazis didn't advertise neo-paganism, they just said it was the German church.
B. Felt it doesn't pay to run down corridor of train in opposite direction, need to get off the train, so he separated from the German state church.
in 1933: he preached about death, the final station on the way to freedom. If we've glimpsed the kingdom, our lives are forever and totally changed, we are homesick and live to walk in God's way.
Two central beliefs he had:
1. Church is a church for others: we are blessed to be a blessing to others. Who can't stand up for themselves? Those are the ones who we need to stand up for.
2. Religion-less Christianity: Religion to B. was pejorative: not just being moral, but to bless, serve, and help others.
We are to live our whole lives and give them to God. But, he would say we were just religion-less Christians, so the Nazis prevailed. This parallels our church today.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Origami !
I've always enjoyed Origami.
I really got interested in it a few decades ago when we visited the Japan Airlines Origami Christmas Tree in New York City. Then, in the 1990's a coworker friend made me some wonderful Origami. He made a mobile to hand from my car mirror that had a few Origami stars and a fish.
Tonight, when we ate at the local Chinese Buffet, one of the young ladies there had made a 3 Dimensional Origami swan. I also saw she made some stars and remarked about them. She made me one!
So, I thought it would be interesting to post some info on Origami.
I really got interested in it a few decades ago when we visited the Japan Airlines Origami Christmas Tree in New York City. Then, in the 1990's a coworker friend made me some wonderful Origami. He made a mobile to hand from my car mirror that had a few Origami stars and a fish.
Tonight, when we ate at the local Chinese Buffet, one of the young ladies there had made a 3 Dimensional Origami swan. I also saw she made some stars and remarked about them. She made me one!
So, I thought it would be interesting to post some info on Origami.
- Here's how to make the star
- I didn't even realize that there are types of Origami (with instructions from Origami for Children to most complex types)
- Here's an Origami site with directions
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
My Notes from the "Love Worth Fighting For" Marriage conference
My Notes from the "Love Worth Fighting For" Marriage conference in Ocean Grove NJ on 2011-09-17)
Note: We have a DVD of the Marriage Conference and would like to loan it to you for 2 weeks if you just ask.
Kirk Cameron (from the old TV show Growing Pains) was the main presenter.
Four points:
1. The Heart of the problem is the problem of the heart: it is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). Only God can heal that heart bent on selfishness. Kirk realized he has a heart that could destroy the marriage from the inside.
In the Fireproof movie, the main character got the Love Dare book from his dad. The turning point was not the Love Dare, but it was when God changed him.
You can go for all the counseling, speak the love language, fill the love tank, do the love dare, but if your heart is wrong on the inside, it will not be possible to fix your marriage on your own.
You have to go to God who can transform you.
It isn't about saying a prayer to be saved, it's about a change of heart.
When he grew up he was "too smart" to believe in God. But then someone took the time to explain the Gospel to him. If we look at the ten commandments, many of us have stolen, used God's name in vain, lied... We've broken the 10 commandments.
When we lie to a child, the child will do nothing. If we lie to our wife, we will sleep on the couch; If we lie to our boss, we may lose our job; if we lie to the government, we could go to jail. It's all the same offense, but it's who you offend. We have all offended God. The good news (the "gospel") is that God sent his son to die in our place for the forgiveness of our sins.
What does it have to do with marriage? Everything! If we don't have that power of the Holy Spirit, we won't be able to live the marriage God intended.
2. There is only one person you can change and it's not your spouse. If you're trying to change your spouse, how's that working for you? Kirk believes that God reserves the right to change your spouse. And God reserves the right to change you.
We need to look for separateness and send off alarms when it happens. We need to move toward togetherness. If you see yourself drifting apart, it's time to go into rescue 911 mode.
When we start to realize how much God loves us and what Jesus did for us on the cross. We realize how much God did for us when we realize that we didn't care about him; he died for us when we didn't have a heart toward him. This realization is so great that when we realize God forgave us of so much, then we can forgive those around us.
Surrender yourself to the Lord. It's not about changing yourself, it's about asking God to give your spouse a new you!
3. I must have an effective war strategy to destroy sin in my life or it will destroy me.
This is also a change of heart. We can put up safeguards (like internet filtering for example) and that will help for a while, but we need God to change our heart and give us a new heart in order to make the change.
One sign of being a Christian is that there is a battle going on between sin and God's Spirit within you. The Bible says In 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Be so dazzled with God's love for you on the cross that you love your spouse more than your sin.
4. God has ordained for the man to be the head of the home. We are to be the leaders. This is a message to men for women
Kirk used the following material from a sermon by James MacDonald (from Walk in the word)
1 peter 3:7. The 6 verses before this one are for the women, but this one verse is for the man. God knew he had to keep it simple for the guys!
There are several points in this verse:
1. Dwell with them, spend time with them. Invest and share. This will radically transform your marriage. The way you get good is by spending time at it, whether it be getting better at playing music, golf or whatever. Spend time one-on-one 15 minutes a day just talking. Then, after a while, one night a week, then one day a month, then one weekend a year.
2. Dwell with them in understanding: study her, know her. Before you were married, you studied her like crazy. You wanted to know everything about her.
You have to keep studying: what fires her up, what brings her down, when is a good time to approach her, when is a bad time to approach her. They love when you understand them.
Romance springs from sacrifice and planning, not convenience.
Intimacy with your wife is icing on cake after a good day.
Being nice and giving complements can't be overdone.
A little help goes a long way: washing dishes or helping with something stressing her out. Keep a little 3 by 5 card of notes of what works and what doesn't
3. Give honor to your wife
This means more than respect; treat her as rare and precious. Think of a military general singling out one man to honor him. Be her biggest fan, honor her. Kirk told the story about kissing his wife instead of the actress in the movie fireproof.
You can honor your wife by how you talk to her amongst your friends. You could give her some money to buy whatever she wants. You can honor her in front of your children by giving her a day off and doing her work for her.
4. The wife is weaker
This is about protection, you are supposed to protect her. You should put your arm around her to give her Security to make her feel safe,
When she feels she's in danger, be patient with her, like if you're driving too fast.
You can make her feel safe in her absence. Many men have to travel, have neighbors or family watch out for her. Call her to let her know you're checking on her safety.
Protect her by managing your aggression during an argument with her. If you have to talk fine, but don't raise your voice or punch the walls or throw things.
Here they showed a clip of the fireproof meeting when Caleb lost his temper.
If your wife ever cowers in front of you, then you're being the coward
5. Joint heirs
In order to have that long term relationship you have to keep opening up to her. Wives want you open up so she knows who you are. She wants you to let her know about you. Are you a closed book to her? Maybe your wife has a good friend because this friend is listening and sharing feelings. (You should be the one she talks to). God revealed himself to us, we need to open up to her.
6. So that your prayers will not be hindered
If you feel your prayers are a struggle, cut off, or hindered, maybe because you're not doing these things.
When a man does all these things above, then a marriage can have life breathed back into it.
Yes, the wives need to be changed too, but "Everything rises and falls on leadership" and God has ordained men to be the leaders of marriages.
========
We have a DVD of the marriage conference and would like to loan it to you for a few weeks if you like.
Note: We have a DVD of the Marriage Conference and would like to loan it to you for 2 weeks if you just ask.
Kirk Cameron (from the old TV show Growing Pains) was the main presenter.
Four points:
1. The Heart of the problem is the problem of the heart: it is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). Only God can heal that heart bent on selfishness. Kirk realized he has a heart that could destroy the marriage from the inside.
In the Fireproof movie, the main character got the Love Dare book from his dad. The turning point was not the Love Dare, but it was when God changed him.
You can go for all the counseling, speak the love language, fill the love tank, do the love dare, but if your heart is wrong on the inside, it will not be possible to fix your marriage on your own.
You have to go to God who can transform you.
It isn't about saying a prayer to be saved, it's about a change of heart.
When he grew up he was "too smart" to believe in God. But then someone took the time to explain the Gospel to him. If we look at the ten commandments, many of us have stolen, used God's name in vain, lied... We've broken the 10 commandments.
When we lie to a child, the child will do nothing. If we lie to our wife, we will sleep on the couch; If we lie to our boss, we may lose our job; if we lie to the government, we could go to jail. It's all the same offense, but it's who you offend. We have all offended God. The good news (the "gospel") is that God sent his son to die in our place for the forgiveness of our sins.
What does it have to do with marriage? Everything! If we don't have that power of the Holy Spirit, we won't be able to live the marriage God intended.
2. There is only one person you can change and it's not your spouse. If you're trying to change your spouse, how's that working for you? Kirk believes that God reserves the right to change your spouse. And God reserves the right to change you.
We need to look for separateness and send off alarms when it happens. We need to move toward togetherness. If you see yourself drifting apart, it's time to go into rescue 911 mode.
When we start to realize how much God loves us and what Jesus did for us on the cross. We realize how much God did for us when we realize that we didn't care about him; he died for us when we didn't have a heart toward him. This realization is so great that when we realize God forgave us of so much, then we can forgive those around us.
Surrender yourself to the Lord. It's not about changing yourself, it's about asking God to give your spouse a new you!
3. I must have an effective war strategy to destroy sin in my life or it will destroy me.
This is also a change of heart. We can put up safeguards (like internet filtering for example) and that will help for a while, but we need God to change our heart and give us a new heart in order to make the change.
One sign of being a Christian is that there is a battle going on between sin and God's Spirit within you. The Bible says In 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Be so dazzled with God's love for you on the cross that you love your spouse more than your sin.
4. God has ordained for the man to be the head of the home. We are to be the leaders. This is a message to men for women
Kirk used the following material from a sermon by James MacDonald (from Walk in the word)
1 peter 3:7. The 6 verses before this one are for the women, but this one verse is for the man. God knew he had to keep it simple for the guys!
There are several points in this verse:
1. Dwell with them, spend time with them. Invest and share. This will radically transform your marriage. The way you get good is by spending time at it, whether it be getting better at playing music, golf or whatever. Spend time one-on-one 15 minutes a day just talking. Then, after a while, one night a week, then one day a month, then one weekend a year.
2. Dwell with them in understanding: study her, know her. Before you were married, you studied her like crazy. You wanted to know everything about her.
You have to keep studying: what fires her up, what brings her down, when is a good time to approach her, when is a bad time to approach her. They love when you understand them.
Romance springs from sacrifice and planning, not convenience.
Intimacy with your wife is icing on cake after a good day.
Being nice and giving complements can't be overdone.
A little help goes a long way: washing dishes or helping with something stressing her out. Keep a little 3 by 5 card of notes of what works and what doesn't
3. Give honor to your wife
This means more than respect; treat her as rare and precious. Think of a military general singling out one man to honor him. Be her biggest fan, honor her. Kirk told the story about kissing his wife instead of the actress in the movie fireproof.
You can honor your wife by how you talk to her amongst your friends. You could give her some money to buy whatever she wants. You can honor her in front of your children by giving her a day off and doing her work for her.
4. The wife is weaker
This is about protection, you are supposed to protect her. You should put your arm around her to give her Security to make her feel safe,
When she feels she's in danger, be patient with her, like if you're driving too fast.
You can make her feel safe in her absence. Many men have to travel, have neighbors or family watch out for her. Call her to let her know you're checking on her safety.
Protect her by managing your aggression during an argument with her. If you have to talk fine, but don't raise your voice or punch the walls or throw things.
Here they showed a clip of the fireproof meeting when Caleb lost his temper.
If your wife ever cowers in front of you, then you're being the coward
5. Joint heirs
In order to have that long term relationship you have to keep opening up to her. Wives want you open up so she knows who you are. She wants you to let her know about you. Are you a closed book to her? Maybe your wife has a good friend because this friend is listening and sharing feelings. (You should be the one she talks to). God revealed himself to us, we need to open up to her.
6. So that your prayers will not be hindered
If you feel your prayers are a struggle, cut off, or hindered, maybe because you're not doing these things.
When a man does all these things above, then a marriage can have life breathed back into it.
Yes, the wives need to be changed too, but "Everything rises and falls on leadership" and God has ordained men to be the leaders of marriages.
========
We have a DVD of the marriage conference and would like to loan it to you for a few weeks if you like.
Monday, September 19, 2011
The FREE IBM Think Exhibit in New York City
IBM is opening the FREE IBM Think Exhibit to the public in New York City on Sept. 23 and it will run through October 23, 2011.
This exhibit is tied into IBM's 100 year birthday this year.
We went to a preview of the exhibit the other day. It was fun, well done, and informative. Here are my photos on flickr.
Someone asked me what it was like, so I thought I'd post something for all to see.
This Exhibit is FREE to the public, however you have to obtain tickets for a scheduled entry (I think plans are that you can walk up and get tickets for the next showing depending on how busy it is, or you can get them in advance on the thinkexhibit.com)
The exhibit is explained on the website at thinkexhibit.com
The exhibit is placed on a ramp near Avery Fisher hall (Lincoln Center) in Manhattan (New York City). Here's a Satellite view from Google maps. Zoom out to see the surroundings.
The Exhibit has four parts:
1. Waiting Outside at the "Data Wall"
Outside waiting area on the ramp where you can sit 0r stand and watch the 123 foot long "data wall" which is a constantly moving digital display of information presented in a very attractive media experience. People were stopping by the street and very interested in it. You can get your tickets at the end of this ramp and watch the data wall while waiting. There are also bits of information written on the opposing wall that help you to think about possibilities of what can be done to help our communities (locally and globally). The Data Wall was a real attention getter and very interesting!
2. Movie 12 Minutes
When you enter with your group, you go into a "room" at the bottom of the ramp that has 40 display screens, each one 7 feet high. Once everyone is in the room, the doors are closed and you watch a 12 minute media rich film that spans several of these screens. This was a great film to watch, well done. I liked the part when the showed people and sort of visually showed data within them.
3. Interactive Touch Screens: as long as you want, up to about 30 or 40 minutes
When the film ends, the display screens all turn into interactive touch screens. Each screen covers one of the five main topics of the movie (seeing, believing, mapping, Understanding, Acting). You can move to other screens to see the other topics. We saw adults and children of all ages interacting with these.
4. Exit walk: IBM's 100 Icon's of progress
After you leave the exit, there is a long white glass wall with all of the 100 IBM Icon's of Progress on it. You can read them all, or only the ones you are interested in, or you can just bypass the whole thing and exit. You can also see these icons of progress on the IBM100 website: IBM100.com
Here are some of my photos on Flickr that I took of the Lincoln Center area after seeing the exhibit. It was a bit dark, so I'm sorry for the darkness of the photos.
IBM has also posted photos on Flickr of the exhibit.
There is more about IBM Think on this website: http://www.ibm.com/ibm/think/
Coverage of the Think Exhibit in Media:
This exhibit is tied into IBM's 100 year birthday this year.
We went to a preview of the exhibit the other day. It was fun, well done, and informative. Here are my photos on flickr.
Someone asked me what it was like, so I thought I'd post something for all to see.
This Exhibit is FREE to the public, however you have to obtain tickets for a scheduled entry (I think plans are that you can walk up and get tickets for the next showing depending on how busy it is, or you can get them in advance on the thinkexhibit.com)
The exhibit is explained on the website at thinkexhibit.com
The exhibit is placed on a ramp near Avery Fisher hall (Lincoln Center) in Manhattan (New York City). Here's a Satellite view from Google maps. Zoom out to see the surroundings.
The Exhibit has four parts:
1. Waiting Outside at the "Data Wall"
Outside waiting area on the ramp where you can sit 0r stand and watch the 123 foot long "data wall" which is a constantly moving digital display of information presented in a very attractive media experience. People were stopping by the street and very interested in it. You can get your tickets at the end of this ramp and watch the data wall while waiting. There are also bits of information written on the opposing wall that help you to think about possibilities of what can be done to help our communities (locally and globally). The Data Wall was a real attention getter and very interesting!
2. Movie 12 Minutes
When you enter with your group, you go into a "room" at the bottom of the ramp that has 40 display screens, each one 7 feet high. Once everyone is in the room, the doors are closed and you watch a 12 minute media rich film that spans several of these screens. This was a great film to watch, well done. I liked the part when the showed people and sort of visually showed data within them.
3. Interactive Touch Screens: as long as you want, up to about 30 or 40 minutes
When the film ends, the display screens all turn into interactive touch screens. Each screen covers one of the five main topics of the movie (seeing, believing, mapping, Understanding, Acting). You can move to other screens to see the other topics. We saw adults and children of all ages interacting with these.
4. Exit walk: IBM's 100 Icon's of progress
After you leave the exit, there is a long white glass wall with all of the 100 IBM Icon's of Progress on it. You can read them all, or only the ones you are interested in, or you can just bypass the whole thing and exit. You can also see these icons of progress on the IBM100 website: IBM100.com
Here are some of my photos on Flickr that I took of the Lincoln Center area after seeing the exhibit. It was a bit dark, so I'm sorry for the darkness of the photos.
IBM has also posted photos on Flickr of the exhibit.
There is more about IBM Think on this website: http://www.ibm.com/ibm/think/
Coverage of the Think Exhibit in Media:
Friday, September 09, 2011
Could Your Marriage Be Better?
Could your marriage be better?
I think everyone would answer that question with an emphatic "Yes!"
Here is some help if you want your marriage to be better:
1. Watch the movie "Fireproof" fireproofthemovie.com (if you want see it, or see it again, we can loan you a DVD).
2. There was a book showcased in that movie called "The Love Dare." I would suggest the Love Dare 40 day challenge book for you (here are some stories about it). I can get you a copy if you like.
3. Here is the link to the movie's Marriage 911 page to get help for your marriage:
http://www.
4. Also, Kirk Cameron, the star of the Fireproof movie (you might also remember him from the TV show "Growing Pains" that ran from 1985 to 1992), is involved in LIVE marriage conferences being held around the country. The Conferences are called "Love Worth Fighting For." You can find out more about local conferences here: feedyourfaith.org (and here's an interesting article about the making of the movie)
One of these Marriage Conferences will be one held in Ocean Grove, NJ ("God's Square Mile on the Jersey Shore) on Saturday Sept. 17, 2011. Here's a link for info: http://www.feedyourfaith.org/
Here's a short YouTube video from a past one of these conferences:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
I hope this information helps your marriage. Please share your thoughts in comments to this post. Also, please pass around this information and ask people to subscribe to my blog at henrywill4.com - thanks!
I think everyone would answer that question with an emphatic "Yes!"
Here is some help if you want your marriage to be better:
1. Watch the movie "Fireproof" fireproofthemovie.com (if you want see it, or see it again, we can loan you a DVD).
2. There was a book showcased in that movie called "The Love Dare." I would suggest the Love Dare 40 day challenge book for you (here are some stories about it). I can get you a copy if you like.
3. Here is the link to the movie's Marriage 911 page to get help for your marriage:
http://www.
4. Also, Kirk Cameron, the star of the Fireproof movie (you might also remember him from the TV show "Growing Pains" that ran from 1985 to 1992), is involved in LIVE marriage conferences being held around the country. The Conferences are called "Love Worth Fighting For." You can find out more about local conferences here: feedyourfaith.org (and here's an interesting article about the making of the movie)
One of these Marriage Conferences will be one held in Ocean Grove, NJ ("God's Square Mile on the Jersey Shore) on Saturday Sept. 17, 2011. Here's a link for info: http://www.feedyourfaith.org/
Here's a short YouTube video from a past one of these conferences:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
I hope this information helps your marriage. Please share your thoughts in comments to this post. Also, please pass around this information and ask people to subscribe to my blog at henrywill4.com - thanks!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Prayer conf call for OG hurricane
My wife, Ruth Will, and I are sponsoring a prayer conference call on Saturday Aug. 27 at 10am to pray for Ocean Grove in the face of the coming hurricane.
Ust this information to call in:
1-760-569-7676 access code 142349#
(note: This is NOT a toll-free call)
We will also have that line open throughout the day as a prayer line. See henrywill4.com for details.
Please join us and pass the word around.
If there is a specific time you'd like to pray other than 10am, please let us know by commenting on this post (or contact us another way if you've seen this posted elsewhere). We might be able to have other prayer times during the day too if there are several people who want to pray at other times. If we find out about any, we will post them here.
Questions and Answers:
Q: If we can't make the 10am call, can we pray later in the day
A: We will keep the conference call line open for the day. You'll hear "hold music" if you're the only one on the line. But, pray anyway please. Actually, you don't have to join the conference call to pray. Pray wherever you are!
Ust this information to call in:
1-760-569-7676 access code 142349#
(note: This is NOT a toll-free call)
We will also have that line open throughout the day as a prayer line. See henrywill4.com for details.
Please join us and pass the word around.
If there is a specific time you'd like to pray other than 10am, please let us know by commenting on this post (or contact us another way if you've seen this posted elsewhere). We might be able to have other prayer times during the day too if there are several people who want to pray at other times. If we find out about any, we will post them here.
Questions and Answers:
Q: If we can't make the 10am call, can we pray later in the day
A: We will keep the conference call line open for the day. You'll hear "hold music" if you're the only one on the line. But, pray anyway please. Actually, you don't have to join the conference call to pray. Pray wherever you are!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Global Leadership Summit 2011 Closing Session - Erwin McManus - Chasing Daylight
Global Leadership Summit 2011 Closing Session - Chasing Daylight
Erwin McManus - Activist; Filmmaker; Innovator and Cultural
Ecclesiastes Chapter 1:
...Everything is meaningless... The sun is forever...
He struggled with Solomon's sayings in Ecclesiastes Chapter 1. He told his wife that he disagreed with Solomon and she said “You're going to Hell. Please don't tell anyone.” He said he can prove Solomon was wrong.
Especially he had trouble with the statement “There is nothing new under the sun.” Many faith communities use that phrase. He was thinking of new things we can do to help our race, or people looking for God, or to reflect on the reality of God. People would give him a “theological pat on the head.” and say this phrase (“There's nothing new under the sun.”).
Solomon was wrong. There are new things under the sun. Why should we let someone who says “Everything is meaningless” shape our day. Is life just about “eat, drink, and be merry?” This has created an apathy that is killing the Church.
God walking among us, that was new. God being Crucified, that was new. The Resurrection of the dead Christ, that is new. In Isaiah 43:19 God says: “Behold I am doing a new thing.” His mercies are new every morning. You can't put this new wine in an old wineskin.
God began as an artist. God rested on the 7th day, not because he was tired, but because we have to take a day to celebrate. But, God's not finished, he's still creating.
We can say “Let's make history” but saying “Let's create the future” is something we have difficulty with. We are more than the created order. When we live our lives in the life of our creator, we become the creating order. We were created in his image. Good people sit idly by waiting for God to create a better world.
God saved humanity in the flood (though Noah) and he saved the world. But, we have a harder time saying Noah saved the Human race. But, he did! He chose to obey and build the ark.
What needs to happen to create the future:
1. We need to be curators of yalent
We need to be the creators of talent and develop people to their fullest potential
Acts Chapter 7. He worked with his church group on the Super Bowl commercial for Doritos and it won. He believes that the church has to be the epicenter of human creativity. There is no conflict between human talent and the glory of God. We don't have to have a false sense of humility. The best of us can't be a threat to God.
2. We need to be narrators of the Human story
We used to be the best poets. People would listen and realize “that's me!”
What would happen if you needed to tell the King what he did wrong? You'd probably write a book or make a movie about it. Nathan did this with King David in the Bible.
Whoever tells the best story shapes the culture. We're just not telling better stories than Star Wars or Avatar.
He told a story about how his church is helping artists to come to Christ and use their talents for God.
Jesus makes all things new!
===============================
For more information on the Leadership Summit and Ocean Grove (“God's Square Mile on the Jersey Shore”) where their mission of Spiritual Birth, Growth and Renewal is lived out in community, visit my earlier post:
http://henrywill4.blogspot.com/2011/08/info-on-leadership-summit-im-attending.html
You'll also find links there to other great bloggers and tweeters on the conference.
You may also like my post about "Drinking from a Fire hose or quenching your thirst with a cup of water" http://bit.ly/nZBA88
Leadership Summit 2011-08-12 Session 6b: Henry Cloud: The Evil, The Foolish, The Wise
Leadership Summit 2011-08-12 Session 6b: Dr. Henry Cloud: The Evil, The Foolish, The Wise
(I like his first name :)
Leaders will talk to him about this “guy” that they're having problems with. If you can implement what we talk about today, you can save years of time.
Wherever you are, God has called you to be a steward over a vision, to change a world, a nation, a city, a family.
Are you going to let this “guy” prevent you from fulfilling the vision. It robs you of your job, and keeps you up at night. Sometimes this “guy” stops the organization and stalls the vision.
Truth / Reality - First task is to figure out what reality is. Most people don't like to deal with reality. How many of you like to tell people about reality.
He was having issues with exercising, he lost structure with his traveling.
Where you are not able to structure your own life, get someone/something external to help you get the structure. He got a trainer and said a few weeks in that they forgot to take the “before” picture, she said “it's ok, we still can.” Some feedback just is difficult.
Some people, maybe you, take the feedback and adjust and get better. The problem is that you lead like that. But, not everyone is the same, not everyone is like you. You can't deal with everyone you lead the same way. You need to diagnose the people you're talking to and deal with them appropriately.
Three categories of people:
This comes from the Bible and other research.
A. Wise
B. Fools
C. Evil
Everyone has all these parts, but some make a career out of one of them.
Wise – When the light comes, they adjust themselves to the light. When the truth comes to them, they change. Bible says that if we correct a wise person, they get wiser.
Another quality of the wise person, when you confront them you see a smile and get thanks. You coach these people and give them feedback, give them resources. The leadership challenge: make sure they are a match for what you need them to do. Give them good feedback and coaching, keep them challenged appropriately.
Fools - May be the smartest and brightest and most gifted, often they are. When the light shows up, they adjust the light (it hurts their eyes), they try to dim it. A wise person changes themselves, the fool tries to change the truth or shoot the messenger. They will also point things back to you, or find blame. When they start to externalize the problem, you know you're dealing with them. They will deny, minimize, externalize, shoot the messenger, they aren't happy to hear it and get angry, they will have a meeting after the meeting and try to triangulate against you. This splits the organization and the church.
One of the worst feelings of the leader is hopelessness. The reason is that the problem isn't in the room. The fool doesn't own the problem, they can't make themselves part of the problem. A nice responsible leader has hope that a fool will one day start listening.
As a leader, you need to get hopeless. Insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting different results. The Bible says don't try to correct a fool; Don't confront a mocker. The Bible tells us to stop talking becase the fools are stopping the vision, the plan. Their reality has now stopped the vision. Bring them in and talk to them and tell them you're not talking to them any more about the problems. Take it up to the pattern that you don't know how to give you feedback that changes anything, it makes me hopeless. When it happens, I have to protect the vision (protect the quarterly results, protect the vision of the team, etc.). I am going to limit my exposure to this problem, I may have to remove you. Please let me know how I can talk to you that will make a difference. Sometimes this softness will make it work. Maybe they will ask you to make a change that will make it work. But, what will we do if I do that and the change doesn't happen. What will we do then? What are the specific consequences?
Change comes to fools when they are confronted with the truth, own it, and know the consequences. The pain of not changing needs to be greater than the pain of changing.
Good news about fools is that many of us are recovering fools, Christ changes fools.
Leadership challenges: Limit your exposure, clarify consequences, give them a choice, follow through.
EVIL – They want to inflict pain, they have destruction in their hearts. Paul says we should reject a desicive person after the second warning.
We go into protetection mode with these: Lawyers, Guns (sometimes you need to call the police), and Money.
Leadership is about getting the people to work the plan. Take the challenge to not let someone's character stop the vision.
===============================
For more information on the Leadership Summit and Ocean Grove (“God's Square Mile on the Jersey Shore”) where their mission of Spiritual Birth, Growth and Renewal is lived out in community, visit my earlier post:
http://henrywill4.blogspot.com/2011/08/info-on-leadership-summit-im-attending.html
You'll also find links there to other great bloggers and tweeters on the conference.
You may also like my post about "Drinking from a Fire hose or quenching your thirst with a cup of water" http://bit.ly/nZBA88
Leadership Summit 2011 Day 2: Drinking from A fire hose or being quenched by a cup of Water? Time to Apply it?
Drinking from a Fire Hose or being quenched by a cup of water?
Some have said, as they did last year, that the Global Leadership Summit was like drinking from a fire hose. If you've ever seen a fire truck pumping water on a fire through their hoses, you can see the imagery here that drinking from a fire hose would just be so much more water than you could ever take in. I can see why people would say that. There is so much to learn at the Summit and it's all filling us up so fast that there is hardly enough time to soak it in and assimilate it.
Maybe you've felt the same way when you've had the opportunity for some learning opportunity.
I'm attending The 2011 Global Leadership Summit at a satellite location in Ocean Grove NJ, God's Square Mile on the Jersey Shore. So, yesterday during the lunch break, my wife and I took a walk along the shoreline. I was talking to her about how usually when I go for learning opportunities (which are abundant in my church, my profession being a PMP, and the company I work in), I usually take the approach of observing as much as I can and hoping that some of it will soak in and take root. I am thinking that maybe instead of "drinking from the fire hose" and hoping some will "soak in, maybe it's time to just take a cup of that water and drink it fully and be quenched by it. It's time to figure out how to apply it.
I was talking to God about it last night. Maybe, it's time that I stand back a bit from the "fire Hose," of all this teaching, and consider how to apply it. A few years back, this was same idea was given to me by my career coach when he told me "Henry, you know so much, you need to work on applying it."
Sure, today I'll spend more time at the Summit, but just maybe I'll take some time aside to pray and ask the Lord how he wants me to apply all of this.
What are your thoughts?
Some have said, as they did last year, that the Global Leadership Summit was like drinking from a fire hose. If you've ever seen a fire truck pumping water on a fire through their hoses, you can see the imagery here that drinking from a fire hose would just be so much more water than you could ever take in. I can see why people would say that. There is so much to learn at the Summit and it's all filling us up so fast that there is hardly enough time to soak it in and assimilate it.
Maybe you've felt the same way when you've had the opportunity for some learning opportunity.
I'm attending The 2011 Global Leadership Summit at a satellite location in Ocean Grove NJ, God's Square Mile on the Jersey Shore. So, yesterday during the lunch break, my wife and I took a walk along the shoreline. I was talking to her about how usually when I go for learning opportunities (which are abundant in my church, my profession being a PMP, and the company I work in), I usually take the approach of observing as much as I can and hoping that some of it will soak in and take root. I am thinking that maybe instead of "drinking from the fire hose" and hoping some will "soak in, maybe it's time to just take a cup of that water and drink it fully and be quenched by it. It's time to figure out how to apply it.
I was talking to God about it last night. Maybe, it's time that I stand back a bit from the "fire Hose," of all this teaching, and consider how to apply it. A few years back, this was same idea was given to me by my career coach when he told me "Henry, you know so much, you need to work on applying it."
Sure, today I'll spend more time at the Summit, but just maybe I'll take some time aside to pray and ask the Lord how he wants me to apply all of this.
What are your thoughts?
===============================
For more information on the Leadership Summit and Ocean Grove (“God's Square Mile on the Jersey Shore”) where their mission of Spiritual Birth, Growth and Renewal is lived out in community, visit my earlier post:
http://henrywill4.blogspot.com/2011/08/info-on-leadership-summit-im-attending.html
You'll also find links there to other great bloggers and tweeters on the conference.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Global Leadership Summit 2011 – Session 3b Seth Godin “Poke the Box”
Global Leadership Summit 2011 – Session 3b Seth Godin “Poke the Box”
Sethgodin.com and squido.com
Someone watching this today is going to change everything and do something that matters: not because their boss says so, not because it's their job, but because they want to and it's important.
Seth talks about the founder of ASPCA, Nathan Winograd. He was one guy.
This is the opposite of Betty Crocker, a ficticous person. They went on the radio and had many people signing her name to letters. The ledend is faded. They were promoting from a position of power, that is the notion that we are based on the concept of “more.”
Seth mentions someone in Kenya who is a millionaire: she owns land and animals. She found the resources she needed and moved ahead.
The TV-Industrial complex is a model: buy ads, sell products, buy ads: Products that appeals to the masses: average products, mass marketed so they appeal to everyone by definition. The record industry, the newspaper industry, the book industry: all going away.
30,000 items in most supermarkets, look in the phone book at churches: many choices.
Revolutions destroy the perfect and allow the impossible.
The death of the industrial age. It is being replaced by different people wanting different things: tribes. People who want different things and share a common bond.
Experiment: Clap your hands slowly and in unison. The crowd was able to do this. That is what a tribe is: people in sync with each other.
People want us to show up and get us in sync. Some tribes are invented: like Nike. Others, like the Beatles, didn't create teens, they already existed.
The Laptop lets you connect around the world, let's you order, give, help. It is the new tool. It's up to us how we use it. A long time ago, it was hunting, then it was farming, then in the industrial revolutions people could get a job. Now, we have an economic crisis. There is something after the job, Seth calls it “Being an Artist.”
Art is a risky human act of doing something you haven't done before with someone and for someone. Experiment: Raise your hand as high as you can, now raise it a little higher. The reason is that we have to hold back when serving our boss because they will ask for more. Henry Ford changed the economy by putting the assembly line together so people can be most productive: the factory. Managers just try to get everyone to do the same thing. But faster. Not just interchangable parts, but interchangable people. People need to fit in, because that's what makes the factory work: compliance. We do that in churches and in schools. If you can write it down, then anyone can do it.
Free hugs movement (see youtube) is undercutting the people who are charging high prices for hubs. If all you can offer is that you're the local church, it's the same as saying you're cheap. It's like bottled water, if it's all the same, we just buy the cheapest. Everyone has seen the brown cows, so they won't talk about them. People talk about the purple cow though.
We can find answers on the internet, what we need is for people to solve interesing problems. We need people to find better answers. Don't wait to be picked, pick yourself. The internet is giving you the way: there is a microphone, there is you tube, there are blogs so you can write. You can pull people together for a goal. You will do art and you will fail, but that's what makes it art. The blackberry is there so we can just keep checking to make sure everything is alright.
Lizard Brain: We have a part of our brain that protects us in dangerous situations. It has a good use, but it also stops us from going forward sometimes.
You need to go something worth talking about. You give gifts, hoping that someone will spread it. It's like the carrots at the end of the day of the farmer's market. If you don't give them away, they will rot. Many people are walking around with the carrots and they're rotting.
We are constantly looking for a reason not to do our art, to blame it on someone else. How many people want your seat, for your platform, for your place to influence people.
Go. Make something happen.
If it's worth doing, what are you waiting for.
Inside the box, it's too dark to do anything. Outside the box, nothing to lean on.
On the edges of the box, there is a place to a place to dance, connect and lead.
A six word invitation: What the world is saying, what they're begging for is that they need you to lead them.
(note: Seth had some rather entertaining slides in his presentation, one of the last one's was a team of firefighters posing in a group photo with a building on fire in the background. Also, there was a photo of a seagull on top of a sign that was a seagull with a cirle and line drawn through it. He said he has the worlds largest collection on photos of cafeteria ladies and showed some. There was also an early one of a boy crying next to a tombstone with Santa Claus on it. So, if you can find the video someplace, you may find it worth the time to see them)
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For more information on the Leadership Summit and Ocean Grove (“God's Square Mile on the Jersey Shore”) where their mission of Spiritual Birth, Growth and Renewal is lived out in community, visit my earlier post:
http://henrywill4.blogspot.com/2011/08/info-on-leadership-summit-im-attending.html
You'll also find links there to other great bloggers and tweeters on the conference.
Global Leadership Summit 2011 Session 3A Courageous Leadership for Catalytic Times
Global Leadership Summit 2011 Session 3A Courageous Leadership for Catalytic Times
Rev. Brenda Salter McNeil
Chuck Yaeger was the pilot that broke through the comfort zone and into space.
Acts 1:8 You will receive power... you will be witnesses
The mandate is to take the message to others: the whole human race.
Jerusalem is symbolic of our home turf, where we're comfortable, our place of connection: the place where people are most like us. We need to witness to the good news there.
Judea – this is where we look alike, but there are divisions and differences. It is where people are all from the same place, but people don't understand each other. But, there is a church in NJ where an elderly woman had been a victim of predatory lending and the church bought her home and sold it back to her for one dollar.
Samaria – these are the neighborhoods where we drive through and lock our doors. It's a prison, places of the poor, sex trafficing, child soldiers, corporate greed, drug dealers, poor. This is also were we need to witness. There are stories of christians helping in these places. We need to be witnesses of the Good News in these places.
The church needs a catalytic event to push them beyond their “sound barrier.” In Acts 2:1-11. They were in the prayer meeting and they caught on they caught on fire!
Maybe the economic crisis is God's way of bringing us together. Maybe he's bringing together people who wouldn't work together to partner together.
So, the questions is: are you ready to break through your sound barier.
1. Pray for a divine mandate
Ask God what things have my name on it? What is it our organization should be doing?
Name your catalytic events
===============================
For more information on the Leadership Summit and Ocean Grove (“God's Square Mile on the Jersey Shore”) where their mission of Spiritual Birth, Growth and Renewal is lived out in community, visit my earlier post:
http://henrywill4.blogspot.com/2011/08/info-on-leadership-summit-im-attending.html
You'll also find links there to other great bloggers and tweeters on the conference.
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