Dreaming Of Doing Good

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I wouldn't dream of it...

Most people wouldn't dream of staying around and riding out a major storm for the sole purpose of helping others. Even less would actually travel most of the way across the country to help. I stumbled across this:

Vern Gillmore, 80, isn't just sending money or supplies to help those affected by the Hurricane Sandy megastorm -- he's delivering himself.

The Utah man has been volunteering with his American Red Cross chapter for three years and was deployed Monday to help a small portion of some 50 million people who could be affected by the storm, according to ABC 4.

"My hobby is volunteering," Gillmore told the news outlet. "I love to volunteer and help people."

Most of the time in our me-centered society, where lines of consumers extend into the parking lot of smart phone retailers, and fights breakout amid the stampede of shoppers on Black Friday, people like the above referenced man are rarely heard of.

And yet there are some who still dream of doing good.

Dreaming is good. Dreaming of doing good is even better. Acting on your dreams is the best.

I think I just found something new to dream about.

Question: When have you dreamed of doing good? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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Dreaming...

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Though not an exhaustive list, here are some things I have learned about dreaming:

• Dreaming has no age limit.
• Dreaming of the future is more productive than dreaming of the past.
• Sharing your dreams with others inspires them and inspires you.
• Dreams need to be put into action.
• Dreams inspire creativity.
• Encourage your children to dream.
• Dreamers are valuable part of any team.
• Encourage your team to dream.
• It may be a while until dreams become realities, but keep dreaming.
• Turn off the TV, close the laptop, shut off the video game console, put down your smart phone, and dream...

Question: What are some things you have learned about dreaming? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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Relationships & Hummingbirds In Disguise

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Yesterday evening, as we were finishing dinner and I was looking into our backyard, I remarked to my wife, "There's that dark hummingbird again." We had seen it on Saturday afternoon flitting around the flowers my wife has grown to make our yard beautiful.

My wife's response was this: "I don't think it is a hummingbird."

As I watched it on Saturday, it didn't act like the other hummingbirds we normally observe in our backyard: It's movements weren't as precise as I had seen before (I assumed it was the strong wind blowing that day), it didn't seem to be flapping its wings as quickly as other hummingbirds (I thought it might be injured), and it ignored our popular hummingbird feeder. Plus the color was all wrong.

But the size was right, the long beak was there, and it was sipping nectar from the flowers. My conclusion: A new hummingbird was visiting us.

In my opinion, the hummingbird in question was back, and once again acting almost like a hummingbird... but not quite.

But my wife had already weighed in: She didn't think it was a hummingbird.

I have learned three things when challenged about observations I make:

• I am not always right.
• Someone else may carry more knowledge than me.
• Some things are not worth disputing.

The older I get, the more I realize that I have a tendency to be incorrect. This has caused me to contain my opinions more. As a younger man, my inflated ego motivated me to speak more often than I should have. I am learning to take the role of humility.

The wiser I get, the more I understand. Part of that understanding is realizing that my scope of expertise is greatly limited, and other's expertise is to be highly valued. My wife is a birder, and I am not. I am learning to appreciate that other's strengths may complement my weakness.

The more mature I become, the more I value what is right over who is right. My relationships are worth more to me than one-upping those who disagree with me. I would much rather build on my relationships with love than to erode them with pride.

At this point I will not seek to preserve my dignity or my manhood by declaring that deep down I know I am right, or seek to keep my standing among my male peers by stating don't argue with the wife if you know what's good for you.

Rather, allow me to profess that I don't have all the answers, my wife is the love of my life, and that is enough for this simple man.

Question: As you grow older, what have you realized about life and relationships? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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How To Eat An Elephant, Revisited (Part II)

(Please click and read this personal word from me about my upcoming India Mission Trip.)

So you have a task in front of you. It may be small, or it may be elephant-size. Your job is to solve the problem, to divide and conquer, to eat the elephant, one bite at a time.

In my last post I raised some questions about the idea of how to eat an elephant. Allow me now to offer some alternatives to eating the elephant when solving problems.

Something that has helped me in problem solving has been to apply some creative energy to the challenge by moving through this process:

Assess - This step is imperative in problem solving and elephant eating. A critical eye, looking at various angles through multiple "lenses" will reveal the true nature of the problem. A bigger pump is needed to keep the water barrel full? Perhaps something as simple as a cork to plug the hole in the barrel is all that's needed. We need to look at the elephant closely, and make sure it really is an elephant. If wolves can come in sheep's clothing, than surely a flock of birds can come dressed as an elephant.

Appropriate - Once you decide the best solution to the problem, determine what resources will be needed to fulfill your goals. Again, creativity is a valuable asset. You may not have the financial resources available to "get what you need". If you are really trying to remove an elephant from the room, instead of hiring a bunch of hungry people to eat it, try tempting the elephant with a handful of hay and lead it out.

Appeal - Here is where creativity is the most valuable tool you can carry on your belt. Once you assess the problem and determine what the real need is, develop a creative option to bring about the desired result without having to put on a bib and start dipping elephant meat in barbecue sauce. Appeal to those you need to convince that your alternative is valid (your boss, your team, those you lead, etc.). Can you bring about the same (desired) result with a different strategy?

Attack - At some point you must act. Critical assessment, creative appropriation, and legitimate appeal are worthless unless you execute. Many leaders and creatives never become great leaders and great creatives because they didn't move forward with their plans and ideas. And it needs to be more than a casual attempt at getting something done. You must be committed to the process, and willing to do whatever is necessary remove the elephant. Even if it means eating it, one bite at a time.

Question: What have been your alternatives to eating the elephant? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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How To Eat An Elephant, Revisited

(Please click and read this personal word from me about my upcoming India Mission Trip.)

The popular saying goes: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Good wisdom I will agree. However at face value, this strategy presents some problems and complications: Although a metaphor, the entire concept of eating an elephant as a solution to tackling larger problems brings its own challenges.

I am a vegetarian. Therefore eating an elephant would not resolve anything for me. I just couldn't do it.

Supposing the elephant would be eaten one bite at a time, one would first need to kill the elephant. That in and of itself presents a great challenge: What instrument would you choose to kill it? Would you choose a gun? Do you have one powerful enough? Posion? Would that contaminate the elephant meat? What about the mess that a dead elephant would leave in the middle of your floor?

OK, so you've killed the elephant. Now you must prepare it for consumption. Being a vegetarian, I am no expert on eating elephant meat, but I do believe that you would need to skin it first. I'm pretty sure elephant hide is pretty tough, so the knife would need would have to be very sharp and big.

Once you have the thick skin removed and the meat is exposed, the challenge of preparation arises. Unless you decide to eat raw elephant meat, you would need to cook it. (Boil, roast, grill, fry, blackened... your choice.)

And then following the metaphor of eating an elephant one bite at a time, one would need to store/preserve the uneaten elephant meat. This would require hiring a butcher (or a team of butchers) to clean and dress the elephant meat, and one very large freezer to store it in until your next bite/meal.

But we're not done yet: I do know that when butchering an animal, there are some leftover parts that must be disposed of. It's messy, but mandatory. Many trash cans? Dumpster? Local business' dumpster in the middle of the night?

I am guessing that you get my point here: Eating an elephant one bite at a time is not just a cute, catchy phrase. Although it is a way of tackling a problem, this solution carries with it some problems of its own.

In my next post I will offer some alternatives to eating the elephant when solving problems. (Click here for How To Eat An Elephant, Revisited - Part II)

Question: Have you ever tried to eat an elephant one bite at a time as a solution to a problem? What were your results? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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Dream A Little Dream...

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There is a luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan called Dream New York. Their website boasts: 

Fantasies become reality at Dream New York, Vikram Chatwal’s blissful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan in a landmark 1895 Beaux-Arts building, Dream New York is a playscape where luxury hospitality combines with the reverie of modern design. Settle into sleek-yet-comfortable accommodations, complete with the utmost in luxury amenities and eclectic restaurants and lounges.

Featuring 216 guestrooms and suites with amenities such as large flat screen TVs, high-speed WiFi, and Hydro Basic bath products, the accommodations at Dream New York invite guests into a world of surreal comfort. Bask in ultra-plush bedding and 300-thread count Egyptian cotton, recounting the days of seeing Manhattan’s best sights during the day and glittering lights at night.

Should dreaming be a place to escape, or a place to inspire? A place to get pampered, or a place to get revived?

Should I dream of surreal comfort or successful contribution?

A thought: Don't dream of what you can receive, dream of what you can become, and what you can become to others.

 

Question: Would you prefer to spend a week at a luxury hotel being catered to, or a week catering to the needs of others? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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Generations... Again!

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This past week my daughter has been visiting from Maryland. Spending time with her has been great! I miss her wit, her creativity, and her kind heart. She has matured into an incredible young lady.

As usual, whenever I am in charge of directing the worship in our church and my daughter is in town, I invite her to join us in leading. She has an incredible gift in her voice, and she loves to lead worship.

This past Sunday, as I looked across the stage from the keyboard where I was playing, I couldn't help but feel some fatherly pride: There was my "baby girl" standing with the team (which included her mother), and leading the congregation in worship.

I began to reflect on how I had seen her grow in her gifting, and I thought of another Blog post I had written over four years ago: Generations. (Please click and read.)

Question: How do you interact creatively with your Generations? What are your next steps? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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Is The Sun In Your Eyes?

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It happens twice a year for me. It's inevitable. I usually don't plan for it. In fact, I normally forget about it until it happens: The sun shines right in my eyes during my morning commute.

I drive directly toward the east in the mornings for over 14 miles on a straight, flat road. And for almost two weeks, the sun is directly in my eyes. This is Florida, so the sun is bright, clear, and did I mention that it is right in my eyes...

Traffic slows (my commute time gets longer), sudden stops are frequent (in bumper-to-bumper traffic it can be scary), and the commute is stressful (for me anyway).

Now I am not complaining. In fact, I am doing just the opposite. Read on...

Life is full of inconveniences: Sometimes unexpected, sometimes expexcted but forgotten, sometimes planned for. They are present everywhere in our lives.

They show themselves in our relationships, at our jobs, through our families, and in our entertainment. (How many of us have ever been dissatisfied with an official's call during a sporting event we are watching?)

Here are a few ways we can respond to those challenges:

• Curse: See the Bothersomeness. Some people actually do curse the sun. I am not sure of the purpose of that exercise. I have heard that it makes people feel better. But they seem to continue in their dissatisfied disposition, even after cursing.
• Consider: See the Bigger-picture. If the earth didn't tilt back-and-forth (giving the illusion that the sun was changing positions where it rose on the horizon), we wouldn't have seasons, crops wouldn't grow, some people would freeze, energy prices would sky-rocket...
• Create: See the Bright-side. (No pun intended.) Ask yourself: What benefit can come from this challenge/inconvenience? How can I use it to my advantage? How can this benefit me, and more importantly, benefit others? (A Blog post idea come from it for me!)

We will constantly face challenges and inconveniences in our lives. How we respond to those challenges and inconveniences will go a long way in preserving our well-being, helping us grow, and expanding our influence.

Question: How do you respond to the daily challenges and inconveniences that you face? What are your next steps? Share your thoughts below in comments.

 

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Two Down, One To Go

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When I was a child growing up in my suburban North Miami Beach neighborhood, myself and some friends would spend hours playing a version of "tag" where we'd actually push each other down until there was a last man standing, and His team would be declared the winner.

One day as we were playing, a phrase was uttered by one of us that would become the "call sign" for my friends and me: Two down, one to go. Whenever we would want to get together, we'd call our to each other: Two down, one to go. Whenever a game of tag was suggested, it was declared: Two down, one to go.

Over this past weekend I have been reflecting on the year 2012 as it has developed so far. I looked over my vision and list of goals, and that famous phrase from my childhood came to mind: Two down, one to go.

Two-thirds of this year has passed, and one-third remains. School has begun, fall promotions are underway, and people are gearing-up for the final third of 2012: Two down, one to go.

As you look over the past months and remaining time to fulfill your goals for the year, allow me to offer these suggestions:

• Re-count: Were you too ambitious in your vision and goals for this year? I was, expecting to accomplish four major initiatives, and have only completed 1 1/2 (so far). Thin down your goals to what is truly attainable.
• Re-order: Have you listed your goals in the order you would like to achieve them? Perhaps re-ordering them will allow you to see them in a more favorable way which will encourage you to move forward with their accomplishment.
• Re-energize: Think back to the original vision you had that motivated you to list your goals. See the end result, list the steps needed to reach your goal, and rely on the momentum of eating the elephant.

Whether it's a game of tag or a comprehensive vision for your life this year, it's the beginning of September: Two down, one to go.

Question: How have you evaluated your progress toward your goals this year? What are your next steps? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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Preparation For Isaac

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Still Tropical Storm (at this posting, but soon expected to become Hurricane) Isaac continues on its course towards the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Many here in Northwest Florida feel we have "dodged a bullet", but I am not gloating: There are many others who will face the destruction of this storm.

Much preparation for the storm went on here (as it appeared on earlier models that we would receive a direct hit). Windows are boarded up, boats are anchored in the middle of waterways away from docks, schools are closed. My wife and I brought in our kayaks, patio furniture, and plants. Preparation for Isaac.

News reports from  Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama indicate that preparation for Isaac is top priority. Levees are inspected, pumps are checked, evacuation orders have been given. Preparation for Isaac.

When I consider the preparation for Isaac, my mind and creativity focuses on another famous Isaac who is mentioned in the Bible:

Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. (Genesis 17:19)

Rather than fearing him, the Biblical Isaac was anticipated. Rather than distruction, he brought life. Rather than ending a legacy, he continued one. Rather than boarding up houses in peparation, his parents opened their home to him. Rather than avoiding him, he was celebrated.

Please don't get me wrong: I am not implying that we anticipate and celebrate this approaching storm. I am mearly asking us to associate the name Isaac with one who fulfilled God's covenant, rather than one who destroyed God's creation.

And that covenant is still going on today, for it was an everlasting covenant between God and His people.

Question: How will you reember the name Isaac after this week? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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Creativity In Crisis

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Early in my youth pastoring career, while ministering at a three-year-old church plant in South Florida, we took our high school students on our annual snow-skiing trip to Western North Carolina. This was our third excursion to the mountains, and our students and leaders were excited.

For those of you who have done this, finding snow in January in the mountains of Western North Carolina, or even finding weather cold enough to produce artificial snow, is a risky business. But we forged northward with hearts full of faith and suitcases full of cold-weather clothing.

When we arrived at our destination after traveling by bus overnight, we found ourselves standing in a parking lot in shorts and t-shirts, looking out at the brown-covered mountains. An unexpected warm front had passed through, and it was 52 degrees at 8:00 am.

Needless to say, we were a bit disappointed. We had traveled almost 750 miles to go snow-skiing, and there was no snow!

Needing alternative plans for 45 not-to-happy high school students, I gathered my leaders and we began to brainstorm. One of our leaders said, "Let's pray for creativity." Another remarked, "And let's pray for protection from the kids!" Well we asked for creativity, and as we continued to discuss alternatives, our bus driver mentioned that there was a professional hockey arena about 20 miles away where a local minor league team trained and held their games.

I found a pay phone and a phone book (it was 1985), and was able to connect with the manager. I explained our situation, and after some haggling, he said we could use the facility for four hours that afternoon. The only caveat: No skate rental, no snack bar, and no music for "couples skate".

We agreed on the offer and took the students to a beautiful, well-maintained facility where we skated in our tennis shoes (what a sight), located a boom-box for our cassette tapes (it was 1985), and even scrounged up a puck for a game (loosely used term) of ice hockey.

The sight of 45+ people slipping all over the ice, swatting a puck with their gloved hands, and doing the score! dance when a point was made was priceless.

And the best memory of the trip was not that the snow was a no-show, but that we played hockey!

Here are a few things I learned in that experience:

• Allow crisis (or plans falling through) to incite creativity. You'll be surprised how creative you can be when needed.
• Be creative within the creativity. Once you have an idea, find ways to enhance it by asking What if?, and Why not?
• Don't be discouraged when your plans don't work out. Sometimes creativity in crisis becomes better than the original plan.

Question: When have you needed to exercise Creativity in Crisis: Share your thoughts below in comments.

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