Tue 29 Mar 2011

The Sustainable Life

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All around us are expressions of the word “sustainable.” We live is neighborhoods built to support sustainable living, we shop at stores that supply from sustainable farming, we are researching for sustainable energy, we work to develop sustainable earnings strategies and the list goes in and on.

The basic premise of sustainability is to be able to fuel or to replace at the same or higher rate of consumption or usage. The reason this is important is because everything runs out, everything breaks down, every person dies.

This is the 2nd law of thermodynamics – over time, everything moves towards entropy.

What if doing something actually creates more of the something?

The problem with humanity is that the life we create leaks. It gets old, it runs down, it needs more and more fuel to keep it going.

There is a passage in scripture that almost sounds like a physics text book:

1 John 2:17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

The best the world can give us is a hunger for more. And even the things the world tells us to feed to that hunger don’t last. They fade away, they disintegrate, they lose appeal, they don’t satisfy.

The very next line in that passage tells us that the person connected to God will have life that goes on forever. Our understanding has always been weighted towards the linear in terms of time and we see that as a “life” that will begin when this “life” ends. If we read it carefully, we can see where John is speaking of a life that does not run out, a life that expands, here in this place and time. It is more of an organic quality and fullness of life that is sustainable. It is not fed by the things this dimension offers, but rather, it is fueled by deepest longings of our soul as designed by the creator of that soul.

Sustainable life is a life that is everlasting, a life that continues to transform, a life that means something. It is a life that can be totally full today, yet reach another level of fullness tomorrow!

It is a life of…

Choice, Cause, Community, Connection & Change

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Wed 16 Mar 2011

Choosing

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Life must be chosen… you must decide that you want to live.

A lot of us go through each hoping that life will come to us.
We hope it will arrive in the mail, we hope that the order or sale will come over the internet. We think maybe it will walk up to us in a bar or a coffee shop.
We fully expect that it will call us into its office.
Some of us think it will leap off of a page and ooze into us through the backlit screen.
And sadly, there are those among us that have a feeling that life will come into focus around us when we escape into using whatever is our drug of the day.

And almost every one of us know deep down that we’ll be disappointed, but we keep trying. Maybe tomorrow…

Life is out there. In fact it has been offered to us.  We were created for it. Purposefully, with intention.

But it must be chosen. It must be an active choice on your part to engage, to embrace, to step into, to ride it, to drink it deeply and give it back and give it away.

Here’s the secret no one tells you… the life you live and experience of life is a product of who you are. Most of the times you cannot control or choose the details and circumstances of the life that comes at you, but every one of us can choose the person that we will be in those different circumstances. Choose wisely and you choose life.
Choose poorly and life slips away.

The other option is for the choice to be made for you.
There is a world out there, a flow or river of values and thoughts and pictures that will tell you what life looks like – it says that life looks like you! Just bigger & better with a few enhancements, a little more in the account, a different address.

It’s everybody else that’s screwed up, it’s the planet that screwed up, it’s the government that screwed up, it’s your friends that don’t get you, it’s the system, it’s the other drivers, it’s just not you.
Yes it is. It’s you and it’s your choice.
You must choose to live life and to live it well.

Do not ask if something is right or wrong.
Ask if it is the best, the wisest, the bravest, the most generous thing I could do?

I have been reading some ancient wisdom from a guy named John and he wrote about 2000 years ago that we should not love the “world.”
John said that the life that the world offers will fade away. The life that we build on our own is not sustainable. He echos the words of Jesus saying” If you try and hold into your life, you’ll lose it, but if you give it away for others, you’ll have it.” (my paraphrase)

Could it be that life is found as we choose to live for others?
Could it be that the life I experience is simply a relationship between the person I’m becoming and the day to day stuff that comes my way?

I say this – Choose who you will become. Choose how you will respond to the different circumstances that come your way. Choose what is most important and organize your life around that.

And at the same time, your life will become the life you have always dreamed of.

Choose life.

Jesus: I came for you to have life, a really beautiful life!

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Thu 19 Aug 2010

Tomorrowland!

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 One of my favorite places is Disney World. And one my favorite places at

Disney is Tomorrowland. It’s the future! It’s what could be!

What does the future look like for you?
Do you have a picture of what you wish life were like?
It could be that you have some photos, drawings, journal entries, whatever, that describe what you are working for or saving for or living for.
That is your “there.”
Take a moment and see all the details of “there.”
Is it a house on the beach? Is it a big family? Is it the right spouse?
What about that book you’ve been meaning to write.
That business idea you’ve had.

Maybe “there” is a little less picturesque.
“There” could be freedom from the addiction. It could be actual freedom… from incarceration, freedom from the painful relationship, freedom from the pain, period.
“There” could be some sense of hope, or optimism or simply the desire to get out of the bed and live.
Whatever “there” is… it’s not “here.”
And “here” is where you live right now.

Big Point! Life is about moving from “here” to “there.”

Are you moving? Are you somewhere on the road, in the process?

If not, why? Do something different!

Here’s a secret – there is no neutral. If we think we are standing still, we are probably actually moving further away from “there.”
Time passes, we age, people move away, opportunities come and go.
When we look up, “there” is not as close as it was.

So get moving. Start seeing the details of “there.” Dream about “there.”
Start breaking the connection “here.”

Make the choices today that create Tomorrowland, the future!

Would you share some of what that looks like here?

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Mon 16 Aug 2010

Got an App for That

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The average American home has between 4 and 5 Bibles laying around somewhere. Not sure what people do with that “half of a Bible.” Not really “wholly” is it? (I’m sorry)

Yet at the same time most studies show that people read them less and have less grasp on the information contained within in a Bible.
There’s an app for you phone that might change that trend. It’s the Bible HD app by YouVersion. Now available on almost all mobile phone platforms, it is as easy as one-click to get a Bible on your phone minus the crinkled onion-skin pages and the dust that has collect on most people’s copy of the most popular book ever.
YouVersion just released the app in Norwegian and plans to add additional languages soon.
The app features the ability to read scripture in 43 versions in 22 languages. In addition, there’s a way for churches, schools, club or other groups to upload notes and interactive poll questions.
As of today there’s about 7.5 million users and there adding hundreds of thousands each month.
The “you” part of YouVersion sounds like one can create their own translation of scripture but it refers, rather, to the concept that this is a copy of the Bible that is virtually on one’s person all the time. It is truly personal.
Have you heard of it?
Are you using it?
What’s you feedback?

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Mon 5 Jul 2010

Memo to Youversion Team:

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Re: Being Better Tomorrow
I love Youversion!
I love the concept… I ove the look & feel… I love the continuous updating and bug fixing… I love that it still feels like “the people’s app.”!
Most of all I love it that I have been able to get some people to use the Live Events and we are experiencing a connection even when we are spread out all over the place.
Great job!
But…
I know, nothing is perfect, but I do think there are few things that could be a little less imperfect.
For example, as a Pastor, I sometimes have a hard time explaining to people that may not be… how shall I say it?… as “techligious” as I am. Maybe those aren’t the people you’re trying to reach, I get it, but if they could get it, then maybe there’d be some kind of critical mass of culture buzz about Youversion and then you guys could be one of the Big 5 religions of the world – Islam, Christianity, Judaism, iPhone, etc.
Is it a Bible? Is it software?
Maybe explaining the name(Youverion?) concept would be a good way to understand Youversion.
Another idea!
Allow answers to questions or some other feedback to be visible on the live events mobile app. There may be a way for this to happen, I can’t figure it out. I also thought that maybe it was to protect the Event from being sabotaged by some evil-minded person. Still… there could be some cool interaction if people could see each other’s responses.
3rd idea!
Have a contest! It seems that new mobile apps are being developed all the time. Offer some reward for the person that can come up with the most creative way to use the Contributions, Live Events, Following or other feature for connecting people to each other and to scripture.

Here’s my pitch:
Youversion – It’s not about YOU, but what ABOUT you? We’d like to know.
Tell us your stories of transformation. Tell us your stories of connecting.
Tell us your stories of discovering the ancient truth and wisdom in a brand new way!

See you in youversion!

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Thu 13 May 2010

Can you see what I see? Self-awareness is the key to transformation!

Posted by admin under Faith, God, Personal Growth, Relationships, Spirituality, Transformation, Uncategorized, life coaching
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Ok, so I’m coaching high school pole-vaulters in the afternoons.
Running as fast as you can with a long, breakable pole and then trusting your life and self esteem to said pole, as one attempts to elevate to unnatural heights is quite a feat! It is one that requires the human body to perform several different, yet connected movements.

It can be one of the most thrilling feelings in the world. But when it doesn’t work, it can be one of the most frustrating.
“Why can’t I get over the bar?”
“Why is it not working?”
“What is happening?”

At this point, I take pictures or video.
When the athletes see herself, she usually responds, “Oh! Is that what I’m doing?” “I didn’t realize.”

They believe they are doing things right and can’t see the mistakes or the technique they need to adjust. They actually believe they are holding their hands a certain way or extending their legs up into the air, but when they are confronted with the images, there is a reality check. Oh… I see.

Self-awareness is critical to living a fulfilling life with healthy relationships. We may believe we are unselfish, kind and generous. The test is to ask other people what they see in our life. This is like looking at the video.

Some of us know immediately when we show a lack of empathy.
Some of us need someone that loves us and that we trust to point it out for us.
Can you see yourself? Can you hear yourself?
Is your version of events often in contrast to how others see them?
Do you find yourself more and more blaming others for the things in your life that go well?
Does it seem that your spouse, your boss, your teacher, etc. just don’t “get you?”
Maybe you don’t get yourself.
Just sayin…

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Tue 27 Apr 2010

How much is this gonna cost? The price of relationships

Posted by admin under Faith, God, Personal Growth, Relationships, Spirituality, Transformation, Uncategorized, life coaching
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This is the question that determines all of our choices.  What is potential benefit to me and what will be the investment of time, energy or other resources?

As I coach high school athletes, I see this transaction take place all the time. Some exceptional kids realize that the high rewards only come after there has been significant investment… usually over a long period of time without immediate results. Unfortunately, most take a look at the cost of hard work and decide it is not worth it.

It seems that one critical issue is a person’s capacity to connect future outcomes to the price of today. You know, the ability to zoom back and see how the special athletes got there – by following a long road of commitment and discipline that includes many moments of deliberately choosing to go without the extra time today or the extra energy & comfort for a delayed pay off.

We call that sacrifice.

Relationships are the same.

In fact, all of our life is like that, but let’s just think about relationships.

What we get from relationships is a function of what we give or invest into them.

The person that is always looking to other people to “complete them” or validate them will always be disappointed. Why? Because the thing that is missing in each of us can only be satisfied by God.

Read the book of Ecclesiastes – it is Solomon’s journal of trying to find “it” in every way imaginable. At the end of the day he declares “it’s all meaningless!” It’s meaningless… at least until he considers the creator of the universe. Solomon finally posits that it is in a relationship with God that the universe begins to make sense.

It’s not wrong to hope to want something out of a relationship, but the person that seeks to elevate the life of the “other” is the one that ends up being the most fulfilled by it.

The question should not be, “how much is this gonna costs?” The question should be, “what is my opportunity for investment?”

This is why George Bailey is the “richest man in town.” (see- It’s a Wonderful Life!”)

We live the life tomorrow that we create with our choices today.

Choose to invest in others.

Choose to be more of a giver than a taker.

The return is an amazing life!

Recommended reading:  Uprising, by Erwin McManus and How Full is Your Bucket?, by Tom Rath & Donald Clifton

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Tue 13 Apr 2010

Character transformation is not as complicated as we think

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Last Sunday, I taught from Acts chapter 8. Did a terrible job.
Let me see if I can do a little better and much shorter here:

4 main characters in this part of the epic story that is, “The Acts of the Apostles.”
They are… Saul, Philip, Simon the Sorcerer and the Ethiopian diplomat.
Go read the chapter(8) for some background and context, then come back and ask yourself, “Who am I most like in the story?” But follow up really quick with this one, “Who do I want to be more like?”

Saul – he’s angry and passionate about destroying the church. Here, he is that guy that is more defined by what he is against than by what he is for. Sometimes we try and crush or silence anything that might cause us to question what we really believe or ask the deeper questions about the meaning of our life. We find… or create meaning by opposing the very thing that might free us. Sad.

Who are you mad at?
What are you mad about?
Do you offer solutions?
What are you for?

Phillip – he is not a whiner! When forced to move away from his home, he views it as an opportunity to begin something new somewhere else. He goes and shares a message of hope to a group of people that have been generational enemies of his people. Many people would say, “why?” Phillip says, “why not!”
His mind is open to new ideas and ways of seeing things. When prompted to be in proximity to a foreign ambassador, he notices what the dude is reading and begins a conversation about that. This is significant because Phillip pays attention to the “other” person and starts there.
He is an entrepreneur that loves people & the challenge of “different.”

Do you view change and disruption as a chance to reevaluate?
Do you spend a lot of emotional energy trying to maintain?
Is failure final for you or do you see it as a chance for growth?
Do you pay attention to what other people are reading? … or playing on their ipod?

Simon – this person is a celebrity and has people eating out of his hand. When his popularity fades, he is drawn to the next big thing. In this case it’s the Jesus movement that Phillip is talking about. Simon follows Phillip around and tries to learn all that he can. But the problem is that he doesn’t get that the point is about each person’s heart and not the “works” they can produce. When he observes the power of God at work, he offers to buy the secret. Even when confronted, he doesn’t see that humility is the most valuable character trait.

Do you sometimes struggle with comparing yourself to others?
Are you prone to always go to the self-help section of the bookstore?
Do you get excited about a new plan but get disappointed if it doesn’t pay off quickly?
Who you are becoming is more important than what you are doing.

The Ethiopian diplomat – this person is popular or powerful, maybe both, yet he still asks questions about what he does not understand. The Ethiopian is searching and reading scripture and wanting to grow in his understanding. Once Phillip explains how Jesus fits into the whole scripture story, this person of influence and status is ready to take the next step, right then and there! He asks to be baptized immediately!

Do you take a long time, pondering, trying to figure out what God wants you to do?
Have you ever had the thought, “I’m not being fed by this teaching, church or ministry?”
Are you consistently on a life trajectory of growth and transformation?
What’s the next thing you know you’re supposed to do?
Do it!

Which of these characters are you most like?
(If you’re not sure, ask some people that are close to you)
Who do you want to be more like?

What’s holding you back?

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Thu 25 Feb 2010

I did what?

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Just had the opportunity to go to the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana. I can’t verify but they have told us it is the world’s only private ski resort. A very generous person desired to get some pastors together to talk about changing the world… and somehow I “stowed away.”
Amazing place! And it was almost empty the couple of days we were there.
First run down on a very sweet, complimentary snowboard was maybe the best and longest run of my life! Second run… I caught a back-side edged and slammed my head into the hard packed flat I was carving.
My operating system crashed!
I remember nothing after that!

Apparently, we made 4 – 5 more runs, went in for lunch, ordered, and then my fellow pastors became concerned when I could remember ordering lunch.
They took be down the mountain strapped to a board. I remember nothing!
It was a mild concussion, but thankfully, I am just fine… what was I talking about?
The guys told me many things I said and did and I have absolutely no memory.
Made me think… I’ve done and said some really dumb things I wish I could erase. I’ve hurt some people and I’ve hurt myself. At times, it haunts me.
One of the really cool things about discovering and choosing a relationship with Jesus is that he wipes the hard drive of our souls and those things are not held against us. In fact, there is a scripture passage that uses a beautiful metaphor to describe how God does not remember those things. It says that He throws it away, “as far as the East is from West.”
Wow!
So many of us need a fresh start… to hit the reset button… to have certain files deleted that may be corrupting the rest of our lives and the people around us.
Some of you reading this would love to have some of your life erased. Admitting that we need that is a very hard thing for humans.
We do so many things to try and forget the past, numb ourselves to the pain or destruction we’ve experienced or maybe even caused.
Are you trying to get away from your past?
Is regret and shame eating away at your future?
Then simply own it and ask God to take it away.
You may even want to go make things right with some other people.
Feels great.
Do it! You’ll never regret it. And if you do regret turning away from those things and asking God to forgive you and wipe it away, then you can always go back and do some more dumb stuff to make up for it.
But you won’t.
Get a fresh start. Ask God today.

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Wed 17 Feb 2010

Humility or Humiliation? Your Choice

Posted by admin under Addictions, Faith, Fear, God, Personal Growth, Relationships, Spirituality, Transformation, Uncategorized
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Continuing my venture away from the “sport metaphor” for a bit, I was reminded of another important factor in relationships – humility.

Humility or humiliation?

However, being a part of competitive teams has been one of the ways I’ve learned about humility.

Each person must choose one of these. Or maybe I should say, one of these two, humility or humiliation, will be your reality. No way around it. You must decide – become humble or be humiliated. One or the other.
Spoiler alert! If you don’t choose humility, you will be humiliated.

This is a tough one for us. No one wants to be humiliated but we also are not encouraged to be humble in our culture. We are taught subtly and no so subtly that “meekness” is weakness.

Check out Johnny Cash’s video – God’s Gonna Cut You Down

Watch it again and look carefully into the face of the stars and celebrities that are in it. Can you see it?
Our first take on a song or video like this is that God doesn’t want anyone to get too big or famous, “He’ll cut you down.” That’s not true. God wants you to soar to incredible heights, to realize incredible potential, to accomplish more than you ever dreamed. That’s what you are made for.
The catch is, if you seek those things in order to create your own value, it falls short, it doesn’t deliver and if that is your motive, it will always fall miserably short.
The song is more of a statement about how the universe works… the way God created it. It could be why amazing things have been done by some of “the least of these.” When we recognize that we have value and worth simply because we are created by God, then we are free to give ourselves away to humanity and the world. But when we try to make ourselves large, we end up looking small.
That’s what I see in some of their faces. Some of them don’t even realize they are singing about themselves, some of them do.
Some of those people have been humiliated.

Choose the path of humility and you’ll move towards greatness. To not choose humility is a certain move towards humiliation. Just a matter of time.

By the way, humble people always have a lot of friends and their lives seem full. Just sayin’

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