Here we are a couple of weeks into the New Year and still talking about our resolutions. It does seem to be a topic the media have a hard time to put down. Radio, tv, newspapers, even facebook continues to offer me ads about fixing my unsuitable tummy. Now I'm not opposed to folks trying to live healthy or improve their habits, be more fit, eat organic...whatever.
My problem is just how much everyone seems to be so focused on their flaws! I mean, really, what happened to our enduring values about the worth of all persons (and that includes ourselves, by the way), our belief that we're all called according to our gifts? And to me that really, seriously implies that we all have gifts.
Yesterday Carman was celebrating a bright new beginning; and Matthew reminded us that we're all at the beginning of something. He's right you know. Our challenge is to see that for ourselves, to imagine ourselves into that new future. There are people ready to help us find a direction and start to plan strategies to get it.
But as long as we're focusing on who we're not or how we're flawed in some way, we're going to have a much harder time imagining that very fine future.
I know I've talked about this with you before. Do you remember this? Whether it's a personal thing or a congregational thing we'll spend lots less time and effort achieving our vision for a bright future if we focus on our gifts and our worth rather than focusing on our flaws. May I count on you?
Posted by Marion
Showing posts with label gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gifts. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Monday, September 6, 2010
Seeds
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Let anyone with ears listen!" - Matthew 13:1-9
Jesus loved to teach using metaphors, which is why we remember his stories so well. They stay with us, and surface in our memories when we least expect them. We ponder them and perhaps even think about what they might mean in our lives. “Let anyone with ears listen!” Indeed!
The story of the sower (above) surfaced for me as I was out for my walk one morning last week. What is it that the sower sows? What is the seed that the sower distributes freely on the ground? The reason for your hope? Good cheer? A friendly greeting? A bit of happiness and optimism with which to start the day? It could be anything, couldn’t it? It could be any gift you have to share.
What do I have to share? Joy? Hope? Love? Peace? Good cheer? A friendly greeting? A bit of happiness and optimism with which to start the day? Perhaps it is time to scatter a few seeds.
I see a certain farmer getting into his tractor; he always seems to be so grumpy. I wave and call “Good morning.” He knows I saw him, so waves back but turns away. Hmmm…not very fertile ground there it seems. I walk on.
Soon I see another man sitting on his front porch. “Good morning,” I say. “Nice morning.” He appears to think that over since it is already hot, but then says, “Yes, but I’m hoping for a little rain.” I think he probably needs it.
Soon I am met by a lady walking her dog. Usually I am wary of dogs on the street, but this one looks friendly, and besides, I want to try out my seeds. “Good morning,” I say. “Out for a walk with your beautiful dog!” “Oh thank you,” she replies. “She is, but she is very friendly and just wants to be loved.” I stop to pat the dog and talk to her for a moment. The lady smiles appreciatively and then moves on, but both she and the dog seem to have a happy smile. Perhaps my seeds have finally found fertile ground.
As we go throughout our day, lets look for chances to plant some good seeds today, okay?
Posted by Carman
Let anyone with ears listen!" - Matthew 13:1-9
Jesus loved to teach using metaphors, which is why we remember his stories so well. They stay with us, and surface in our memories when we least expect them. We ponder them and perhaps even think about what they might mean in our lives. “Let anyone with ears listen!” Indeed!
The story of the sower (above) surfaced for me as I was out for my walk one morning last week. What is it that the sower sows? What is the seed that the sower distributes freely on the ground? The reason for your hope? Good cheer? A friendly greeting? A bit of happiness and optimism with which to start the day? It could be anything, couldn’t it? It could be any gift you have to share.
What do I have to share? Joy? Hope? Love? Peace? Good cheer? A friendly greeting? A bit of happiness and optimism with which to start the day? Perhaps it is time to scatter a few seeds.
I see a certain farmer getting into his tractor; he always seems to be so grumpy. I wave and call “Good morning.” He knows I saw him, so waves back but turns away. Hmmm…not very fertile ground there it seems. I walk on.
Soon I see another man sitting on his front porch. “Good morning,” I say. “Nice morning.” He appears to think that over since it is already hot, but then says, “Yes, but I’m hoping for a little rain.” I think he probably needs it.
Soon I am met by a lady walking her dog. Usually I am wary of dogs on the street, but this one looks friendly, and besides, I want to try out my seeds. “Good morning,” I say. “Out for a walk with your beautiful dog!” “Oh thank you,” she replies. “She is, but she is very friendly and just wants to be loved.” I stop to pat the dog and talk to her for a moment. The lady smiles appreciatively and then moves on, but both she and the dog seem to have a happy smile. Perhaps my seeds have finally found fertile ground.
As we go throughout our day, lets look for chances to plant some good seeds today, okay?
Posted by Carman
Friday, August 27, 2010
Better
You've heard it. You've probably said it; I know I have. "I wish I were better at..."
You name it. We wish we were better golfers, writers, time managers, bookkeepers, housekeepers, better with children, better at making new friends. Being involved in some planning sessions, identifying visions, missions, setting goals and objectives, we're all wishing we had some better church planters, outreach specialists, creative worship planners, visionaries, transformation specialists, and on and on.
Today I found this list that really contains nothing much new , despite the fact it comes out of Harvard! It's pretty simple; if you truly want to get better at something, you can do it. Any human being can, in fact, develop any given skill or capacity in the same systematic way you do a muscle, by "pushing past your comfort zone, and then rest." We tend to fall back on the old assumption that some of us are just naturally gifted with certain talents and abilities. But this author Tony Schwartz says that's really just a cop-out. It's that we don't work hard enough at it.
His advice does speak about a need for passion and prioritizing and focusing. And if those are problems for you, you can fix that too.
It's that time when we're starting to think about going back--to school, to church. Is there some area you've been wishing for better? Look into this concept and see how it works for you.
Here it is again: Six Keys to Being Excellent at Anything, from the Harvard Business Review
Posted by Marion
You name it. We wish we were better golfers, writers, time managers, bookkeepers, housekeepers, better with children, better at making new friends. Being involved in some planning sessions, identifying visions, missions, setting goals and objectives, we're all wishing we had some better church planters, outreach specialists, creative worship planners, visionaries, transformation specialists, and on and on.
Today I found this list that really contains nothing much new , despite the fact it comes out of Harvard! It's pretty simple; if you truly want to get better at something, you can do it. Any human being can, in fact, develop any given skill or capacity in the same systematic way you do a muscle, by "pushing past your comfort zone, and then rest." We tend to fall back on the old assumption that some of us are just naturally gifted with certain talents and abilities. But this author Tony Schwartz says that's really just a cop-out. It's that we don't work hard enough at it.
His advice does speak about a need for passion and prioritizing and focusing. And if those are problems for you, you can fix that too.
It's that time when we're starting to think about going back--to school, to church. Is there some area you've been wishing for better? Look into this concept and see how it works for you.
Here it is again: Six Keys to Being Excellent at Anything, from the Harvard Business Review
Posted by Marion
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Musicians
Last Sunday afternoon I spent a couple of wonderful hours with my youngest son, Dan, listening to an incredible collection of guitarists and other musicians playing a 2007 benefit concert for the Crossroads Centre in Antigua. Crossroads is a premier centre for the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction established by the legendary Eric Clapton following his own struggles with those elements.
Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Buddy Guy, John Mayer, Robbie Robertson, Doyle Bramhall II, Susan Tedeschi, Jeff Beck, Cheryl Crow, Johnny Winter B.B. King, Willie Nelson...the list goes on and on. These are the best of the best. It was as close to musical heaven as a non-musician like me is ever likely to get.
Beyond the incredible music, what impressed me is the fact that all of these people came together for a benefit concert. It was the willingness of this group to give their music away for the benefit of others that I find positively inspiring. Each one has spent years and years practicing and practicing to become great at what they do, and then they give it away for free for the benefit of a bunch of drug addicts and alcoholics! In that incredible gift, I find evidence of divinity.
Namaste.
Posted by Carman
Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Buddy Guy, John Mayer, Robbie Robertson, Doyle Bramhall II, Susan Tedeschi, Jeff Beck, Cheryl Crow, Johnny Winter B.B. King, Willie Nelson...the list goes on and on. These are the best of the best. It was as close to musical heaven as a non-musician like me is ever likely to get.
Beyond the incredible music, what impressed me is the fact that all of these people came together for a benefit concert. It was the willingness of this group to give their music away for the benefit of others that I find positively inspiring. Each one has spent years and years practicing and practicing to become great at what they do, and then they give it away for free for the benefit of a bunch of drug addicts and alcoholics! In that incredible gift, I find evidence of divinity.
Namaste.
Posted by Carman
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