TMI: Too Much Information

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You and I have a vast and almost immeasurable wealth of knowledge and information at our fingertips. Global communication, real-time news, and the internet have opened doors that no generation before us could have imagined possible.

But is that abundance of knowledge truly beneficial? Is all of the available information a good thing?

Here are some quotes relating to knowledge and information:

"Knowledge is power."

"Information is liberating."

"Ignorance is bliss."

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."

"Knowledge is happiness."

"Power corrupts. Knowledge is power."

And now allow me to make a statement:

"While seeking to be informed, we've become desensitized to truth."

Do you think that our exposure to knowledge and information has robbed us of truth?

What are your thoughts on this? Share your thoughts below in 'comments'.

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My Credit Card Number Was Stolen

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Last Friday I attempted to purchase a $1.99 app for my iPhone from iTunes. I was informed that my payment information was incorrect. I re-entered my card information but was told that my payment method was invalid, to choose another form of payment.

That wasn't what I planned on hearing, so I immediately called my bank. Sure enough, my card had been placed on hold because of a potential unauthorized online purchase. I didn't make the purchase. Neither did my wife. My card number had been stolen.

I cancelled my card, had new cards issued, and even requested that they be delivered overnight to me.

I am grateful for the fraud protection algorithms that are in place to target unusual activity that deviate from regular purchase patterns. (You mean there aren't 50 people in a room sitting in front of computer monitors watching purchases for millions of consumers? I don't know, are there?)

The bottom line is this: My credit card number was stolen, and I moved quickly to reverse, repair, and restore it.

What do we do when our dreams are stolen? Is there an agency in place to notify us when there is questionable activity? Do we rush in to repair and restore our dreams? Do we have safeguards in place that trigger when someone steals our dreams? Do we dispute when our dreams are no longer ours?

I believe that many people value their money over their dreams. They are quick to argue an unauthorized purchase, but allow dreams to dissipate without a second thought. And as a result, many of them wander through their lives focused on nothing more... than their next purchase.

Preserve your dreams, guard your aspirations, think big! Don't allow your dreams to be stolen. And if they are, go get them back.

Question: What do you do to preserve your dreams? Share your thoughts below in 'comments'.
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A Boston Marathon

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Here's a compilation of a few posts and tweets from my Facebook friends and people I follow on Twitter:

Proud of the pedestrian who chased and tackled suspect.

Horrible happenings in the Boston area today. Humans can be so evil.

They are saying a "Saudi National" did the bombing.. Why don't they just say a Muslim did it?? That is the motivating force behind all this demonic activity.

Your tears are our tears. #prayforboston

We are Boston!

Urgent Prayer- Boston Marathon Explosion.

Two bombs went off, a third one was found in Boston.

Prayers going up for the victims and their families as well as all the police, fire fighters and medical personnel.

#PrayersForBoston

Let us all pray for the Boston victims.

My prayers go out to all my people in Boston.

Pray for wounded @ Boston Marathon area. @PrayforBoston

Praying for those hurt in the Boston bombing today!

Oh, they are already saying two confirmed dead in Boston.

Praying for all of those people in Boston!!

Our prayers go out to all those at the Boston Marathon...today and in the days to come.

Praying for Boston.

Praying...

Praying for the city of Boston.

Wow.

Sad time in our lives...when is it enough...:( Hoping everyone is okay...

Two explosions near Boston Marathon finish line. My heart is aching for all affected by this tragedy.

Thinking of, and praying for the people in Boston. :(

You just never know when tragedy will strike! Prayer is essential !!!!

Praying for the situation in Boston right now. So scary!!!

Prayers for Boston and everyone involved.

 

Hmmm...There seems to be a theme here: I wonder if it is the collective heartbeat of our nation, or simply the type of people I follow and friend.

Question:  What are your thoughts? Share below in 'comments'.

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Storytelling

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Tell me a story... I bet almost every parent has heard those words from their child.

While awaiting a flight with my 24-year-old son Zach, who was with me on my recent trip to India, I began to tell him stories of when I was 24 years old (and a youth pastor). One after another the stories flowed from my memory into his heart.

As I was storytelling, Zach continually remarked, "I didn't know that about you", and, "I've never heard that before".

I have been reflecting on that special moment during our trip, and I find myself wondering if I had spent enough time storytelling with my children. Do they know the parts of my life that have become my history, and therefore my story?

My reflections have crystallized into these thoughts:

• Everyone has stories. You may not think the story of your life is compelling, but the uniqueness of your life compared to everybody else, makes your story a very interesting one.
• Everyone can tell stories. The art of storytelling is about creating a word picture. Don't just give the facts: Tell about where those facts took place, what was going on around the facts, and who was affected by those facts.
• Everyone needs to pass on their life to others (especially their family). Perhaps a great disservice is being perpetuated because storytelling is being replaced by reality TV and video games. Turn off the television, pop some popcorn and spend an evening telling stories. (You might consider a weekly family storytelling evening to help children value their and your stories, and develop their storytelling skills.)
• Every story is worth telling. Don't sell yourself short: Even the smallest and seemingly insignificant detail that defines your life is worth a share. The cumulative life experiences that have become your story make for a compelling tale, especially to your children and grandchildren.

Share your life. Pass on your experience. Tell your story.

Question: What experiences have you had that will make a good story? Share your thoughts below in 'comments'.

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How Twitter Changed Me

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Created in 2008 as a social networking site by Jack Dorsey, a New York University undergraduate student, Twitter is an online social networking service and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based messages.

But you probably already knew that.

Boasting 500 million registered users and over 200 million active monthly users, Twitter is one of the 10 most visited websites on the Internet.

But you probably already knew that also.

The word twitter is defined as to talk lightly and rapidly, especially of trivial matters; chatter.

While you may know that, it is worth mentioning.

Meaningless opinions are sent during televised sporting events, shows, and specials. Companies market through Twitter. Celebrities use Twitter to build their fan base and stroke their ego.

You may not only know that, but also participate...

What you may not know is that Twitter has changed the way I communicate.

We have become a culture that interacts in short bursts. We spread ourselves around. We multi-task. We get bored easily.

Our 140 character culture has caused me to pay more attention not only to what I say, but also to look closely at how I say it.

Evaluating every thought, every sentence, and every word is now a top priority for me. Making sure the clutter is gone has become my new standard.

But that is a difficult thing to do. It requires much self-discipline. It requires scrutiny and constant review. But I believe it is worth the time, effort, and energy if I want to effectively communicate with our culture.

Question: How has Twitter affected the way you communicate? Share your thoughts below in 'comments'.

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.