Guts to Guard the Gate

Great quote from Larry Osborne...

"The best time to reduce conflict is before it breaks out. The best way to do that is to keep contentious people (and those with an ax to grind or competing ministry vision) off the leadership team. I look at it this way: If I don’t have the guts to guard the gate, I have no right to complain about who’s in the pen."

http://churchexecutive.com/archives/meet-larry-osborne

WORKING 9 TO 5 WHEN YOU'RE NOT DOLLY

The American workplace is dramatically changing. The traditional “Dolly Parton…Working 9 – 5” is ancient history. I just checked out a copy of Michael Gerber’s book Awakening the Entrepreneur Within: How Ordinary People Can Create Extraordinary Companies. Wide ranging reading and studying all kinds of different academic disciplines is a passion and pleasure of mine. The focus of Gerber’s book fits well with a recent email newsletter from Dan Miller http://www.48days.com/

You're already self-employed

In last week’s newsletter I talked about how smaller companies offer most of the new jobs. What are those “jobs” likely to look like? Work models are changing. The traditional 8-5 employee is becoming a less common model of work. We are rapidly approaching the time when only 50% of the American workforce will be “employees.” 50% of American workers will soon be: · Free-lance workers · Consultants · Contingency workers · Independent contractors · Temps · Entrepreneurs · Electronic immigrants These are legitimate, growing and profitable work models. Different perhaps from what we are used to, but real opportunities nonetheless. If you are determined to get a traditional 8-5 job with benefits, you are looking for a shrinking work model. If you can flip hamburgers, make French fries, restock the ketchup, and sweep the floors, you can get a “job.” But what if you have a highly developed skill in: · writing proposals · mediating conflicts · analyzing data · or setting up demonstrations? Or maybe you are talented in: · auditing financial reports · training · handling complaints · or coaching individuals. Maybe your talents shine in · designing websites · managing Twitter and FaceBook updates · writing press releases · and creating compelling videos. You will find that 95% of the companies out there are not large enough to hire you to do just that one task. Thus you will be expected to go back to being the generalist. OR – you could find 8 or 10 companies that would love to use your specialized skills in that area – 1 day a week, or 2 days a month. Can you adapt to the new model of work? AND – you may find it’s easier to find the 8-10 mini-jobs rather than the 1 big traditional (pay me take care of all my needs) job. In today’s workplace we’re all “Self-Employed.” Whether you choose to have one customer or several is not as big a leap as you may think.

Jill's puppy Niko singing on Christmas Day

Anyone else can play the piano and Niko doesn't give them a glance, but when Jill sits and plays, Niko starts jumping around and "singing!"

He is such a fun little puppy.

Christmas 2009

Had a wonderful Christmas this year.

It rained most of the night.

41 degrees this AM and looking at green grass!

The temp started plummeting and the snow started falling as soon as I took the turkey off the grill!

Kept a fire going in the fireplace.

Enjoyed great food.

Beautifully set table.

And the traditional post-turkey meal walk.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Do you really like saying "Happy Holidays" or prefer "MERRY CHRISTMAS?"

For me, it is all about Christmas. Yes, Jesus is the reason for the season. After all, if it weren't for our Heavenly Father sending His Gift of salvation, there'd be NO reason to celebrate, right?!

I like how Dave Barry says it,

"In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukka' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukka!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'"

So, MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my friends!

Lessons From An Epochal Leader

Thom Rainer, president and chief executive officer of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention recently had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Billy Graham in his home in Montreat, North Carolina.

Billy Graham has to be one of the most well known men on the earth. He has preached to well over 2.2 billion people and according to his BGEA staff more than 2.5 million people (as of 1993) have "stepped forward at his crusades to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior."

I have observed the ministry of Dr. Graham over the years and if I were to choose two words to define his ministry, it would be INTEGRITY and CONSISTENCY.

Thom Rainer posted some of his comments and observations about his visit with Dr. Graham. Some of Rainer's key points in the article:

• A LIFE PLEASING TO THE LORD IS A LIFE OF INTEGRITY. Leadership at any level cannot begin to function well unless the leader has integrity.
• OUR FIRST MINISTRY IS TO OUR FAMILY.
• LISTEN TO THE CRITICS, BUT DON'T DWELL ON THEM. When asked about how he dealt with the critics, he smiled and said, "I ignored most of them." Graham seemed to know that dwelling on criticisms would distract and harm his ministry.
• HUMILITY IS ONE OF THE GREATEST VIRTUES OF LEADERS. He counseled presidents and kings. He personally preached to more people than any human that has ever lived. Some see him as one of the most influential people our era. One word you will hardly ever hear him continue to use is "I".
• JESUS IS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS. When all is said and done, all that really matters is Jesus.

None of us will ever be like Billy Graham; at least, I'll speak for myself, but we can sure all apply these great lessons to our lives.

God bless you Billy Graham.

Subliminal? I don't think so.

This past Sunday, while in church, I created a new word. Sublaminal – pronounced SUB-BLAM-INAL

Definition – an intentionally over emphasized subliminal message. As in “BLAM”, in your face.

According to Wikipedia, a subliminal message is a signal or message embedded in another medium, designed to pass below the normal limits of the human mind's perception. These messages are unrecognizable by the conscious mind, but in certain situations can affect the subconscious mind and can negatively or positively influence subsequent later thoughts, behaviors, actions, attitudes, belief systems and value systems.

Within the church world, I think we are often guilty of SUB-BLAM-INAL. We want to get a message across to the folks/fold, we don’t want to be overt, but we are a little too obvious… BLAM, suBLAMinal.

What are some good examples of suBLAMinal? I am trying to recall some I have been part of.

A few years ago, when we had a Sunday evening church service, we’d want to encourage people to make the effort to come out for that service, yet we’d try to not-so-subtly hint that “real Christians” come out for the service. There probably are some more substantial measurements of a “real Christian.” In fact, I read several of them in Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians today.