Category: Thoughts (page 6 of 15)

February 9, 2013 / 0 Comments

Some Thoughts That Spilled Out of My Mind…

(Image via flickr.com/Fricke_K)

Just some Saturday randomness…

I love finding new stuff! Call it serendipity. New songs, new books, new ideas, new friends…all make the start of a new day worthwhile!
By all accounts, I should be a liberal. I like so many people who claim to be. I love hanging out with “creative” folks, who of course, by definition, have to be liberals.
Except I’m rather fond of the ideas of liberty, freedom, order, and personal responsibility. Which seem to me to be the kinds of ideals creative folks ought to espouse. I’m just thinking out loud here…your mileage may vary.
The difference between liberals and conservatives, at least as I see it, is that conservatives think liberals are wrong, not stupid.
If I base whether or not to include people on my social media lists on what I think they’ll think about what I tweet or post, then maybe I shouldn’t include them. Or maybe I should rethink what I post or tweet.
More and more, I think I may have blown it when I moved away from the city. I didn’t appreciate living in the city when I actually lived there. And once upon a time, when I had the chance to immerse myself in the city, I opted for the “safety” of the suburbs.
On a related note, I’ve never been to the great cities of our country. I need to go to Washington, D.C. and New York City some time before I leave this planet for good.
In case it’s a shocker to you, I’m 52 years old, and I’ve lived a pretty sheltered life. I’ve never been to Washington, D.C. or New York City or Boston. I’ve never seen the Pacific Ocean or the Grand Canyon. I’ve also never been on a cruise or traveled outside the United States.
I’ve read a lot. And I just may the Barney Fife of my generation, knowing just enough about a lot of things to be dangerous. And completely useless.

January 10, 2013 / 0 Comments

If I Were a(n) ____________…

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“If I were a(n) ____________, what would I be doing today?”

Many of us feel like we’re stuck in our jobs. What we’re doing right now is not paying the bills. Or it’s not fulfilling. Or it’s not fun anymore. Or it’s boring. Or it’s not making a difference. Or whatever.

Many of us think about changing jobs, about quitting our humdrum career and doing what we were made to do.

But most of us won’t. Why? Because we have fantasies about what that “dream job” would be, but we lack direction or courage or confidence or skill or whatever the excuse du jour.

I’ve been thinking about that lately, and I keep coming back to what a lot of others have said…

The first step to becoming a __________ is to think of yourself as a ____________.

Let’s take that a step further.

If I were a ___________, today I would need to be ______________.

How do you fill in those blanks?

If I were a pastor, today I would be preparing for Sunday’s message. I would be studying the Scriptures, praying over the truths and insights. I would be crafting the message so that I could most effectively communicate the Word to my congregation. I would be finishing up preparation for the rest of the worship service. I would be calling a few people to check on them. I would be planning the next few weeks and months and looking at ways to fulfill the tasks of the church. I would be devising strategies for increasing the church’s impact in the community and the world. I would have a full agenda. I would be busy.

If I were, say, a writer, today I would be writing. I’d be sitting at my computer or in front of my typewriter. I would have my pencil and notebook. I would be putting fingers to keys or point to paper. I would be thinking of the right words to say what’s on my mind. I would be agonizing over grammar and syntax and spelling. I would be busy.

Let’s say I were, I don’t know…a designer. I’d be upping the level of my creative skills so that I could take my designs to another level. If I were a salesman, I’d be calling on customers and familiarizing myself with my products so I could match the two in effective ways. Suppose I were a teacher. I would be helping my students grasp some concept. I would be grading their work and providing feedback to help them improve.

And so on.

The point is that if I want to be a(n) ______________, I need to start doing the things that ___________s do.

I need to stop making the excuses and get busy. I might not become the next great ___________, but I will likely be closer to it that way than if I sit here in a subjunctive mood.

What do you want to be? What would you be doing right now?

Why not do it?

January 1, 2013 / 0 Comments

Happy New Year…

Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelotuscarroll/6506931829/

Happy New Year, everybody! All two of you loyal readers, that is!

Like everyone else, I’m looking for ways to take stock and take action toward becoming a better person in this, my 52nd new year. And like most people, I’ll set some big goals, make some big plans, and take some very little steps.

At any rate, here are a couple of ideas I’ve been thinking about during this first day of 2013…

Looking Backward/Looking Forward. This is certainly one of the most common themes for any new year. In my line of work, a lot of guys will pull out familiar words to help focus on the future. While this is all well and good, some of them will miss an important admonition just a few lines down. Yes, 2012 is in the rear-view mirror. And yes, 2013 is out the windshield. And I know that if you focus more on the mirror than the windshield bad things are bound to happen. But don’t forget to hold the ground you’ve already taken. Be sure to secure your progress. And you can only do that if you think on the lessons learned and continually improve on the things that got you where you are.
Seasons. Every year I read through the Bible using the One Year Bible reading plan. It’s familiar, yet surprisingly fresh every time! I’ve read Psalm 1 hundreds of times in my life. And today, as I kicked of the OYB plan, I noticed this phrase: “They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.” Our lives consist of seasons, it seems. Just as the winter gives way to spring, and the summer loses its identity into fall, so our lives reflect a passing and changing seasonal nature. One of my areas of improvement this year is to recognize the season in which I find myself. I’m not the man I was 30 years ago, or even six months ago. I hope! So, my new year prayer today is: “Lord, let me be fruitful in this season.”
Challenges. Every new year presents new opportunities for growth. We often fail to realize those opportunities are disguised as challenges. We tend to see the obstacles and make excuses, rather than focusing on the opportunities and developing new skills and strategies for moving through the difficult spots. What obstacles are in your way as 2013 unfolds? Are there any opportunities waiting within the obstacles?

I hope your new year will prove to be a season of growth and success. I pray that for you, your family, and your team. Happy New Year indeed!

December 14, 2012 / 0 Comments

I Want to Write…

Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/re_birf/68815967/

I want to write.

I want to write because of a fourth-grade reading book that took me from my little first-grade table to the whole wide world.

I want to write because of “The Turkey from Albuquerque,” The Odd Sane Dog, and “Behold the Man.”

I want to write because of Kirby Bunton, Jim Wells, and Brave New World.

I want to write because of the grammar errors I found. On the college English exemption exam.

I want to write because of Dr. Patrick Spurgeon, Dr. Hollis Cate, and Strunk & White.

I want to write because of Ernie Wyatt, The George-Anne, and Dr. Pamela Bourland-Davis.

I want to write because of Ralph McGill, Furman Bisher, and yes, Lewis Grizzard.

I want to write because of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Max Lucado.

I want to write because of John Milton, Langston Hughes, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway.

I want to write because of William F. Buckley, Thomas Sowell, and “The Perils of Being a Young Conservative.”

I want to write because of Moleskines and Mirado Black Warriors and Pink Pearls.

I want to write because of William Zinsser, Anne Lamott, and Stephen King.

I want to write because of Jeff Goins, Jason Brooks, and Michael Hyatt.

I want to write because some days, I have words that are straining to get out.

I want to write because I can’t draw or paint.

I want to write because it’s crazy to say you’re teaching someone how to do something you don’t do a lot of yourself.

I want to write.

So let’s get to it…

November 9, 2012 / 0 Comments

Today Has Felt Like a Morton Salt Slogan…

“At or during which time water vapor condenses and precipitates downward from the upper atmosphere, such precipitation flows intensely and unabated.”

Let the reader understand.

November 7, 2012 / 0 Comments

Heartbroken and Overwhelmed…

Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/dhammza/136486993/

On top of the status quo* election results, we got word today about a situation in which someone very close, whom I love dearly, is in major trouble for doing the right thing. This person has spent their entire life investing in some of “the least of these.” The world is topsy turvy, when junk like this happens.

The most frustrating part is there is nothing I can do or say that makes it any better.

I haven’t just sat and cried in a long time. My streak is over tonight.

___________________________

*status quo: Latin for “the mess we’re currently in”

November 4, 2012 / 0 Comments

Sunday Night Unwind, 11.04.12…

Image via: flickr.com/photos/moonlightbulb/2999692351/

The crepe myrtles are fiery red at the old Just Charlie hacienda! They may be my favorite fall trees. They’re not the biggest or the most unusual, but they are to me, the very picture of fall!

Here’s what’s going through my head and heart right about now…

I do love fall, but I’m not crazy about the time change. It’s great that first morning, when you get an extra hour of sleep. But it’s kind of killer that first night, when you realize it’s really an hour past your normal bedtime! And there won’t be the extra hour tomorrow morning!
We continued our Grow! series today, and talked about personal ministry as one of the things God uses to develop disciples and grow their faith. I used the story from Matthew 14 about Jesus feeding the 5000.
Quick recap? OK, here you go…Jesus extends compassion to everyone, and He expects His disciples to join Him in that mission. His disciples (then and now!) find all kinds of excuses why they (we!) can’t do the task Jesus assigns. Jesus equips us for that ministry when we bring the excuses and our resources to Him. He expands our faith and helps us see amazing things happen as a result. How’s that ?
Oh, and I had a real! live! Venn diagram for a practical challenge at the end of the talk! The upshot of the Venn diagram challenge?
One circle is marked Ability, and it comprises my talents, skills, training, etc. Another circle is marked Passion, and it is indicative of what jacks me up, floats my boat, or whatever other cliche you want to use! the third circle is marked Need, and it represents the opportunities for ministry that are all around me.
The intersection of those three circles represents where i could likely start being involved in personal ministry.
“I can’t do everything at once, but I can start somewhere.”
I told one of my favorite Rick Warren stories, about the auto mechanic who thought Saddleback should do something to help people with car repairs: “Aren’t you a mechanic?”
I’m doing a lot of reading lately. It’s harder to remember some of the stuff I read on my Kindle. I guess I really am a paper kind of guy!
The election is Tuesday. I did the early voting thing the other day. For only the second time in my life (nine Presidential elections) I voted against a candidate instead of for another one. We’ll see what happens…
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons will try to stay unbeaten against the Dallas Cowboys tonight. I won’t be watching. (See point above about the effect of the first night of the return of Standard Time!)
All my Windham Hill A Winter’s Solstice albums are queued up and on shuffle.

To all a good night!

October 21, 2012 / 0 Comments

Sunday Night Unwind, 10.21.12…

I’ve had this song on my mind since the message at The Crest this morning. It’s an oldie-but-goodie, I know. I should have used the video. Oh, well. Anyway, here’s what all two of your loyal readers have been waiting for with bated breath…it’s the almost county famous Sunday Night Unwind!

This week has been a little less stressful than last week. No shocking news, no disrupting any big plans, etc.
On the other hand, the lovely and gracious Mrs. Just Charlie is just about as frustrated as I have ever seen her. I still think it’s way past ridiculous that 11-year-old special education students – who function on the level of 3-year-olds – are supposed to master 5th grade math, including geometry! The lovely and gracious Mrs. Just Charlie is good, but even she can’t work that kind of magic! Pray for her if you think about it. Thanks!
The first words I heard at church this morning were about the AJC article on Andy Stanley. The big thing this person noticed in the story? “A $1.1 million dollar house!” Go figure…
Speaking of Andy Stanley, did I tell you that his books punch me in the gut within the first few pages? Deep and Wide is no exception!
In fact, I’m steali…I mean…borrowi…I mean…basing our current message series on some of his material!
I talked today about the difference between Jesus’s teaching and that of the scribes, the difference between information and transformation. ($1 to Rick Warren for that, as well!) And since focusing on the teaching part is just kind of “preacher-y,” I also talked about the learning part. And you haven’t really “learned” until you put it into practice.
Thus, the earworm above!
I gave away another copy of Brenda Ueland’s If You Want to Write. That makes about five copies I’v passed along or ordered for other people It’s old, but it’s one of those little books that will provide a few “hmmmm” and “aha” moments. Big thanks to Garr Reynolds for pointing it out in Presentation Zen.
Best baseball call of the week? “THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Yankees lose!” (OK, so that call didn’t really happen, but the Yankees did get swept by the Tigers!)
I got called out by my friend that got the Ueland book. After an interesting conversation, I think she just basically called me out and threw down a challenge for me to stop talking about writing, and get busy doing it! I guess it’s true: Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach. And there we are, ladies and gentlemen…
That’s enough to help you get to sleep without pills or sheep. See you later!

To all a good night!

October 7, 2012 / 0 Comments

Sunday Night Unwind, 10.07.12…

Back in the Christmas mood for the ol’ Sunday Night Unwind soundtrack. John Rutter’s Christmas Album is by far my favorite choral Christmas music. I’m especially partial to “Jesus Child,” and I really wish we had been able to pull that off at The ‘Crest a few years back. Oh, well…

It’s Sunday evening, and we know what that means, boys and girls…it’s time for all two of you loyal readers to tune in for the Unwind! Here’s what’s going on in my head and heart tonight…

Tonight may be the first “sock night” of the season. Maybe in the 40s for a low!
Interesting day at The ‘Crest.
We finished a series on Galatians last week. Today, I had more than one person ask, “What are we going to do now that we’ve finished Galatians” I reminded them that there’s a lot more in the Bible. I’m pretty certain there’s plenty of preaching material left!
I did a standalone message today entitled “The New Normal,” and I used that familiar phrase to talk about our church’s future in a dramatically changed culture and context.
We surveyed the first nine chapters of Acts, focusing on the first part of Chapter 8.
Oh, and one guy made a beeline to me afterwards to ask if I knew “The New Normal” is a TV show about same-sex marriage.
Speaking of marriage, I had an interesting wedding over the weekend. Good service and all that. Let’s just say I don’t think I’ve ever seen that little dress material and that much ink in one place. And we may want to re-think opening the bar before the wedding next time.
I started reading Andy Stanley’s Deep & Wide and Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert’s When Helping Hurts this week. Both books are wrecking me. I just wonder if I’ll have the guts to do anything about it.
Come to think of it, everything Andy Stanley writes punches me in the gut within the first few pages.
Before this week is over, I will have been negatively affected by my own inability to say “no.” Not much I can do about it now, but it won’t be pleasant when all is said and done.
In sports news, I’m sure you’ve heard by now that the state of Georgia was 0-for-South-Carolina yesterday. The Jackets made a game out of it before the inevitable conclusion, but UGAg surprised everyone with how sorry they were.
Oh, and in other sports news, they’ve completely redesigned the infield at Turner Field.
But, hey! How about those Atlanta Falcons?!?!?

Long, complicated week ahead. I’m out. To all a good night!

October 2, 2012 / 1 Comment

My Biggest Blunders, Part 1…

I’ve made plenty of stupid, boneheaded mistakes in 31 years “in the ministry.” Most of them have been relatively minor, and the relatively major ones were graciously forgiven by God and His people.

The biggest blunder in my ministry – and the one which has impacted me the most since – was going to a church without really “going to” that church. The second biggest was leaving that church before it was time, because I had never really “gone to” that church in the first place.

One of my heroes in the ministry once opined that there are two kinds of pastors in Georgia: the ones who want to go to Atlanta, and the ones who want to leave. I’ve been both.

Sixteen years ago, I was serving my first church out of seminary. It was small, rural and south of metro Atlanta. Our church was the product of that Southern Baptist phenomenon, “evangelism by church split.” A friend got himself recommended to the search committee of a 100-year-old church in the city of Atlanta. At the same time, he had just accepted a position at one of our seminaries. So he passed my name along to the Atlanta committee.

Long story short, God led me to northwest Atlanta. I went.

About the same time, I was learning about the strategic nature of cities in God’s redemptive plan for the nations. It seemed like a perfect fit: a city church in need of renewal, a neighborhood on the cusp of renewal, and a pastor who was hearing God talk about the importance of cities. There’s where the first big blunder happened.

Instead of embracing God’s call “to” that church in that neighborhood in that city, I chose to carry on the myth of suburban pastor commuting with the majority of his people to a building in that neighborhood in that city and then retreating to the “safety” of the suburbs. Like the majority of my people, I paid lip service to the desire to see God do something new in that church in that neighborhood in that city. I listened and nodded as the older members spoke lovingly of the church’s “glorious past,” and commiserated with the long-time members about the glory days. All the while, we met, we ate, we sang, we prayed, we wrung our hands, we wondered, we reminisced, and we went home to our comfortable and safe suburbs.