Tuesday, October 24, 2006

... Do We Say Enough Good?


I love this picture to the right. Running and cycling races have the most gracious fans. They stand out in all sorts of weather and encourage people they don't even know for a second here and a second there. It makes a difference. Just when you think about giving up someone yells, "It's not far now, keep it up, you can do it!" This message needs to be ringing from our homes, from our churches, "Keep going, don't quit, keep it up, not long now!" How much time do we spend praising, encouraging...

In his book, The One-Minute Manager, Kenneth Blanchard recommends developing the practice of "one-minute praising," where the manager (or parent, spouse, etc.) tries to "catch someone doing something right" and then spend a full sixty seconds praising that person for the good deed.

This is a lot more difficult than it appears. Where we might not find it difficult to criticize someone for even sixty minutes, many times we find it almost impossible to praise someone sincerely for a full minute. And this is true for the church as well. It seems that it can be hard for some people to praise God. Even in our prayer time, we can sure list off the prayer needs but I think we find it difficult to come up with praises. The more we praise God for everything that He has given to us the less we will criticize others. The more we praise Him in the church the more we will see His hand and Spirit moving through others.

The more we praise others, encourage others, the less likely they will quit or give up. "catch someone doing something right" today.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

... Strikeouts or Home Runs!

I found this on one of the minister emails I get regularly:

In the Oct. 3 edition of Stan's Leadership Newsletter, Stan Toler writes, "It usually happens near the completion of a project. The deadline approaches. The troops are restless. The expectations are high. But it just isn't coming together. You're tempted to call it a day to quit. At first it seems like the easiest way out, if not the best way.

"In his speech at his induction into the hall of fame, baseball great Mickey Mantle turned to the baseball commissioner and said, 'Thank you very much, Commissioner. I would really like to thank you for leaving out those strikeouts . . . I was the world champion in striking out.' And he was. His 1,710 strikeouts topped Babe Ruth's record of 1,330. Yet both are recognized as some of the greatest baseball players in the history of the sport.

"What is that factor that keeps others going while you're ready to throw in the towel? Mickey decided to keep going. Tenacity is the ability to put a shoulder to the boulder. To keep pushing until there is a breakthrough. Mantle is in the hall of fame because he refused to let the strikeouts rule his thinking or his life. Because of his tenacity, Mantle is better known for his hits than his misses.

"What will be your story? Will you be known more for throwing in the towel than for carrying the torch? I like the story of the little boy who threw a baseball into the air and tried to hit it with his bat. After about six strikes he turned to his father standing nearby and said, 'You know, Dad, I'm a pretty good pitcher!'

"Decide to persevere. Acknowledge what you are able to do and what God is able to do through you and then simply use the best of your ability to keep going. Others have. So can you." (To subscribe to Stan's newsletter, visit here)

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

... about random things...


Random thoughts today:


1. 4"+ of snow on the ground today. It is October 18, in case you don't know. Colorado Springs, I have found, has lovely days in the summer, but spring and fall are another story altogether. In 2006, we had snow on May 5 I believe, and now October 18th. That's a 5 month break. Weird (not as much as Buffalo last week but...)


2. The US population reached 300,o00,000 earlier this week. The obvious question is: how do they count and keep track between census taking years? Someone explained it to me the other day but I still don't know. Did you know it took almost forty years for the US to go from 200 to 300 million but it took just less than 6 years for China to go from 900 million to 1 billion in the early 70's. It's all relative. We still have one of the lowest person per square mile ratios in the world.


3. This one is just weird: http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1322725, It kind of reminds me of a Ghostbusters quote: "Cats and dogs living together..."


4. My youngest child has turned into the "nose-hair" police. She'll tell me when they're getting long. Which begs the question: Why does hair begin to grow in undesired areas when we age and fall out in the places where we want it - like top of our head)?


5. Here's a great thought for today: Read scripture again for the very first time. Find a familiar section of verses and read it anew with a new outlook; for a new purpose; to learn some thing new (something new possibly about yourself). Try that one on.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

... and then someone asked me to answer a whole bunch of questions!

This morning as I was reading some blogs, I came across a list of questions, and after reading their answers they challenged their readers to anwer them. So here goes Andrea!

1) What books are you reading now? The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini & Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson
2) Favorite magazine? Golf
3) Favorite smell? Brewed Gourmet Coffee
4) Least favorite smell? B.O.
5) What's the first thing you think of in the morning? 15 more minutes, just 15 more minutes… 6) How many rings before you answer the phone? Never get to, children, teenagers in my house…
7) Future children's names? I’m closer to having grandchildren…
8) If you could have any job what would it be? Golf Pro
9) If you could have any color hair what would it be? Not grey
10) Glass half full or half empty? It depends on whether I am going to finish drinking it or not (half full)
11) Favorite movie? Lord of the Rings – waited 28 years for it!
12) Do you type with the correct fingers on the keys? Never took a typing class, what do you think?
13) What is your single biggest fear? Taking a bunch of clothes to Goodwill and finding out a few weeks later that they have been purchased again!
14) Favorite song? U2 – “40”
15) Favorite soft drink? Diet whatever – Dr. Pepper, I guess
16) The best place you have ever been? Lake Louise, British Columbia, Canada
17) What is your nickname? The only one I ever had was in college, named after a Budweiser Pit Bull – Spuds (MacKenzie) – Thanks Budweiser!)
18) Favorite NEW food? Chipotle’s Chicken Burrito…
19) Ever been toilet papering? No, but I have had it done to me by people that read this blog regularly… you know who you are...
20) Favorite day of the week? Sunday. What?! I’m a minister?
21) Favorite restaurant? One I eat regularly - Chipotle; When I have $$$$$ -- Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
22) Favorite sport to watch? Golf, Football, College Football, College basketball - Tournament
23) Favorite ice cream? This one hurts cuz I can’t have it anymore but 0 Blue Bell’s Vanilla Bean
24) What do you do when you are bored? Never bored: three kids, their sports, ministry, stuff to do…
25) Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Golfsmith
26) Bedtime? When I can’t hold my eyes open anymore…
27) What (or who) inspires you? Jesus – The Sermon on the Mount, My wife, my kids…
28) Beach, city, or country? Country, close to a city
29) What kind of car do you drive? 2005 Dodge Minivan, 1993 Grand Am
30) What characteristic do you despise? Non-listeners & Whiny People
31) Favorite flowers? The ones I give my wife?
32) Where would you like to retire to? A house near a golf course
33) Are you a morning person or a night owl? Morning
34) Have you ever been fired from a job? Nope
35) If you could permanently smell like any scent from the smelly markers collection, which one would you choose? What kind of question is that?
36) Favorite Memory: When my wife said she would marry me…
37) Current Occupation? Minister

Monday, October 09, 2006

... and looking at my day planner...

For those of you who checked your day planners today, you noticed that, not only is it Columbus day but it is Canadian Thanksgiving as well. I know it begs an explanation, so here goes (I got this off the web):

In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Unlike the American tradition of remembering Pilgrims and settling in the New World, Canadians give thanks for a successful harvest. The harvest season falls earlier in Canada compared to the United States due to the simple fact that Canada is further north.

The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an English explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. He did not succeed but he did establish a settlement in Northern America. In the year 1578, he held a formal ceremony, in what is now called Newfoundland, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. This is considered the first Canadian Thanksgiving. Other settlers arrived and continued these ceremonies. He was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in northern Canada named after him - Frobisher Bay.

At the same time, French settlers, having crossed the ocean and arrived in Canada with explorer Samuel de Champlain, also held huge feasts of thanks. They even formed 'The Order of Good Cheer' and gladly shared their food with their Indian neighbors.Eventually in 1879, Parliament declared November 6th a day of Thanksgiving and a national holiday. Over the years many dates were used for Thanksgiving, the most popular was the 3rd Monday in October. After World War I, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving were celebrated on the Monday of the week in which November 11th occurred. Ten years later, in 1931, the two days became separate holidays and Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day.Finally, on January 31st, 1957, Parliament proclaimed..."A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed ... to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October.

There you have it. I guess as long as we're thankful, does it matter when we celebrate it? Shouldn't we always be thankful? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says: "Give thanks in all circumstances".
Here are some Canada pics for ya:
Toronto skyline first
Niagara Falls
and some fall colors by a lake near where I was raised


Wednesday, October 04, 2006

... what's your dream car?

My friend Danny Sims posted on his blog today asking questions about everyone's dream car, forcing us to choose between a smart car or a hummer. I thought I would respond to his "dream car" question by posting it on my blog.

I have always been fascinated by the British and European small convertibles (not the pricey Italian ones). My dream one was always the 1976 Triumph TR6, dark blue:


(not a great pic, I know) (here's another)
I loved the MGB's and Fiat's as well:


The Triumph had the beautiful wood dashboard and itjust looked like a fun car to have. Not ever practical in Canada growing up, but when I moved to Texas I entertained (for a minute maybe) the idea of buying one. When I realized I would have to drive three hours to get service for it, I gave up and bought my friend Danny's old Subaru.
Actually, my dream cars lately have been the ones that are paid for and that run. I am thankful that I have a car at all, and for the ways that we have been blessed. Still, it never hurts to dream? What was your "dream car" growing up?