Tuesday, May 31, 2016

When You Wish Upon A Star

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Most of us recognize that song, or at least make a connection to it from their visits to Disney World.

Released in 1940 as part of Walt Disney's adaptation of Pinocchio, this iconic song ultimately became the representative song of the Walt Disney Company.

Is life that easy? If all we have to do is Wish upon a star, then will all of our dreams come true?


I don't think so. I am not taking this space to criticize the Walt Disney Company (Disney was, and still is a big part of my childhood, my children's childhood, and their children's childhood). I must though, take issue with the fantasy of simply wishing and waiting. There must be some working also.


If wishing and waiting were all that is needed for dreams to come true, then why aren't all of the people who buy lottery tickets instead of looking for supplemental income (or primary income jobs) rich?


I am not simply advocating that if we work hard and stay diligent, we will be successful. Look at all of those who have worked hard and failed. (Interestingly, most of those who have worked hard and failed, continued to work hard and ultimately succeeded.)


What about luck, knocking on wood, and lucky stars (there I go wishing upon a star again)? Well this guy finds no scientific, statistical, or even anecdotal evidence that luck plays a factor in success.


Understand also that my Christian worldview is tied to faith: I believe that God wants to work in my behalf to bring about events, relationships, and "open doors" that will lead to my success and benefit as it relates to His plan for me. It's not "name it and claim it". Nor is it "woe is me, I'm just a sinner saved by grace".


I believe that God wants to bless me. But I also believe that God is more concerned with my holiness then He is concerned about my happiness.

So what do we do? I believe it's good to:

  • Dream. Picture how you would like to see yourself in the future. Hopefully it's not you doing and being exactly the same as you are now, just older.
  • Conceptualize. List some specifics. Have some measurable goals that will help you see your dreams fulfilled.
  • Plan. Put together a strategy that will allow you to reach your goals, and to measure your progress towards them.
  • Work. You must work your plan. No plan will ever come to pass without the effort invested.
  • Pray. I wouldn't leave this to last, but rather I suggest starting with prayer. Ask God what His dreams are for you. Dreaming His dreams are guaranteed to set you on the right path.
All of us eventually go home from visiting Disney World. But that doesn't mean we have to stop dreaming. Dream yes, but also do!

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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Leveraging Your Resources Revisited

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I was preparing to write about encouraging people to use what was available to them, rather than buying the latest and greatest. I remembered a Blog post of mine from eight years ago. I felt the thoughts that I wrote back then are still relevant now...
I once heard that leveraging your resources is one of the most effective ways of being successful. When it comes to creativity, I think that this is even more true. Here are some thoughts:
  • Look around and see your resources. Many times we miss seeing the resources at our disposal because we are too focused on the task. A few years ago I was invited to lead a weekend conference for the youth staff at a church in Nashville. My closing topic was "101 Creative Ideas for Student Ministry". Desiring to show that all people can be creative, I chose to develop 101 fresh ideas by simply using what I had in my office. I chose objects, photos, t-shirts, a bag of cookies, books, etc. (remember, I was a youth pastor so my office was a bit of a cabinet of curiosities). I compiled my list of ideas and shared!
  • Don't say you need to have the newest tools to be creative, rather creatively use the tools you have to meet your needs. Many people can't wait for the newest gadget, software upgrade or tech tool, saying that this will help their creativity. Use your mind to be creative, and allow your tools to be the vehicles by which you express your creativity. I know of a guy who recorded an entire CD on a 10 year old 8-track recorder, and mixed it on Garage Band. It turned out pretty good! 
  • Use your relationships to stimulate your creativity. Simply being in relationship with others and interacting with them is fertile ground for creativity. Bouncing ideas or problems off others is a great way to gain clarity and confirmation. I often leave a conversation with fresh ideas or solutions to problems, many times unrelated to the conversation I just had.
 Your ability to be creative should never be limited to your tools, or lack of them. Remember, Adam gave names to all of the animals in the Garden of Eden. And he did it without even a fig leaf.

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Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Keep Your Head... Up!

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Keeping our heads up is important! Especially if we want to succeed in life.

Although it is easy to become "buried" in life, if we allow ourselves to get in over our heads, we could drown.

Here are a few reasons to keep our heads up:

  • So we can breathe. Sometimes we become so crowded by the pressures of life (work, home, relationships) that we feel like our sanity is suffocating.
  • So we can be productive. Often when we find ourselves so overwhelmed with all that is going around us that our creativity and decision-making skills are almost nonexistent.
  • So we can see clearly. Being "buried" by life will cause us to lose our vision and big-picture perspective, and we become only concerned with what is right in front of us.
How can we keep our heads up? Here are a few ideas:
  • Choose what we make important. There are enough things in life that dominate our time and energy. Just because our friends are focused on and responding to a "trending topic" doesn't mean in needs to have a spot on our plates. We can control what we focus on.
  • Prioritize what we give our energy to. It is easy to become a slave to the urgent, while neglecting the important. Don't be quick to focus on something simply because it has the loudest "voice". Choose wisely.
  • Focus on others more than ourselves. This may sound contradictory, but many of the pressures we feel in life are there because they are inconveniences and annoyances to us. They invade our space, and we feel they require our attention. By focusing on others rather than ourselves, we lower our stress level while at the same time create opportunities for personal fulfillment instead of selfish gain.
  • Go to God. Seems simple, but in reality we want to fight our battles, carry our crosses, and control our lives. And our desire to "be in charge" makes it difficult to fully trust in and rely on God to work in our lives.
Psalm 3:3 is a great picture of God's help to us: But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

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Tuesday, May 10, 2016

What Are You Creating?

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Often, when I come in contact with people I have relationship with, I like to ask the question, What are you creating?
A few years ago (before both of us moved away from each other), I meet with a friend, a gifted writer and aspiring author, every two weeks for coffee. At some point in our conversation I would ask, What have you written?

Although we did not have an accountability agreement where he knew I would ask him this question, he knew that sometime before we finished our coffee he will be challenged by me. Sometimes he would verbalize a thought he was working on. Other times he would bring out his notebook and read me a few new lines.

Just as I would challenge him, he in turn (along with others whom I keep the creative carrot before) challenge me to make sure I am living in creative mode myself.

My goal here is to stimulate creativity, and to encourage people to express themselves using the Creator-inspired gifts they possess. It is common for "artists" to create, and then to simply look at, read or listen to their creation, resting on what they've done instead of moving on to new expressions of their gifts. To them I say, keep creating!

You may not see yourself as an “artist” in the popular sense. But I believe that being created in the image of God, who Himself is the Ultimate Creator, all of us carry the gift of creativity. So to you I say, keep creating!

When worship leader/songwriter Dennis Jernigan was asked how someone could know they are a songwriter, he responded, "You can't keep it inside. You have to write songs.”

So my question to all of us is, What are you creating?

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Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Are You A Dreamer?

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I am no expert on Dreams, but I have them. I am no expert on Dreamers, but I am one.
I have found that there are basically three types of Dreamers: Those who dream of a better past, those who dream of a better present, and those who dream of a better future.

Those who dream of a better past are stuck there, wishing for younger days. They use phrases like: I remember when..., When *this person* was here..., and If we could go back to...

There is nothing wrong with being nostalgic. We can learn much from the past. But living in the past is unhealthy. We will never move forward, we will never accomplish much.

Those who dream of a better present are in my opinion living in a fantasy world. They are seeking to escape the reality called life, and replace it with an unachievable illusion. I wish... begins many of their thoughts. (I wish my house could get a makeover. I wish I would win the lottery. I wish I didn't have to go to work today.)

Don't get me wrong. I am a man of faith. I believe in asking God to change the present reality to fit His purpose. (Lord, heal this man. Lord, provide food.) But I am careful to not be driven by my selfish desires. (Lord, make me rich. Lord, get me bumped up to first-class.)

Those who dream of a better future have the best chance of seeing their dreams fulfilled. They can do things now that shape their outcome.

Dreaming of an exotic vacation? Start saving now. Dreaming of running a marathon? Start with running a mile. Dreaming of owning your own business? Start working on it in your spare time. Dreaming of seeing your children be successful? Begin instilling values into them when they are young.

Future dreams fulfilled are the result of present consistent choices.

Question: What type of dreamer are you? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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