The internet is amazing. I found Eric Whitacres’s presentation at an April 2011 TED conference to be inspirational and moving. There is no better time in the history of mankind than right now to connect the people of the world with a common interest. The result is beautiful.
I have a new reason to love the ABC sitcom “The Middle.” Besides being true to life in that it depicts a REAL modern family who’s father is in charge and a little gruff at times, a mother who’s trying to hold things together in a not always perfect way and teenager antics so real they are funny, the star is a Christian. [NOTE: If you’ve never seen the episode with...
I’ve never felt okay ignoring people who are putting themselves out there for my protection. Several airplane flights ago I gave in tomy unease and started watching the flight attendants during their safety brief. Along the way I began noticing something peculiar…they never make eye contact. This was confirmed when during a very rare first class flight (I’m usually in coach) I...
“Just do good work. Work, and do it well. Don’t put too much thought into what it is and what it can do for you and how it will be perceived before you even make it. You don’t have control over those other things. Learn your stuff. Do it well. Show up on time. You’ll work”. Actor Steve Zahn quoted in the May 2011 American Way magazine describing advice from older...
Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. What happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning – Warren Bennis
At work I am often asked to write policy letters to cover every possible contingency of human behavior. These policy letters are reviewed by lawyers to ensure every lawsuit is avoided, operations officers look for the impetuous for action, the employees immediately look for a loop hole which, when found, prompts more policy letters. ENOUGH! You can’t write a standard operating procedure for...
There a few phrases I use almost like mantras with my daughters. One I find using more and more is “lower your expectations without lowering your standards.” It’s a phrase born in a desperate discussion with my oldest when one of her friends had been caught drinking. The choices were to break-up with her friend or lower her expectations and maintain an influence. The message is...
Just watch and try to not be amazed at the simplicity of the Good News of Jesus Christ our Messiah.
The traditional interpretation of the parable of the Parable of the Hidden Treasure describes the value of the kingdom of heaven (treasure) and the process by which one acquires that kingdom (sell everything). But there is more to this short parable, when placed in context and in light of all teachings of Jesus the interpretation gets turned on its head. Jesus sold everything and bought us (the...
Inspired by a tweet from Brian Chen @bxchen who referenced a 2006 article in Wired magazine I asked a couple Twitter followers to compose a six word story using the Bible as inspiration. The Wired article promoted the concept of a six word story which is based in a work Ernest Hemingway considered some of his best that only used six words, “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Here...