Reverse Gratitude

If we're trying to be humble, we probably don't want to be acknowledged for most of our accomplishments. Equally true is the fact that we still like recognition.  But what if you had to list those things that people thank you for?  And what if you had to publicly write about those top areas that people keep recognizing in you with praise? Then you may be blogging, like I am right now.  It's an exercise in greater self awareness if you have never done it.

What we like to do can quite often be different than what others think we like. But to give attention to what others are expressing gratitude towards in you can help you see something that you may have not noticed before.  People can see things in us that we would normally miss.  Being aware of them can aid in discovering something about our destiny.  Our identity--and what we enjoy doing--is a key to walking in our purpose. Paying attention to the gratitude related to what others see us doing successfully will give us pointers to our identity and thus destiny.

Here is an example.  People have noticed my desire to serve.  It's an innate willingness to try to meet peoples needs.  Serving others gives me satisfaction. When I humbly accept this attribute for which others seem to thank me for I find fulfillment. What I'm learning is that the sooner I embrace this part of my makeup, the sooner I'm capable of fulfilling Gods purposes and destiny for my life.  Because who we are and what we enjoy doing are intricately linked to our destiny.

Another aspect for which people have thanked me is my teachings.  I'm not that great at it but perhaps some enthusiasm with which I do it conveys something that allows others to learn.  Hence, this blog, which allows me to share what I'm learning, hopefully combining a willingness to serve and instructions for others.  

What has others shown thanks to you for things you just normally do? Is it something for which you see as a significant part of your modus operandi? 

Urgency "Madness" Sandwich of Activity

Not all things that are broken get the attention that is needed.  It depends on the degree of brokenness and the urgency of the issue. And how many times have we heard of someone dismissing what they thought was a small issue for it to become a much bigger and costly one later?  It's been said that time is the currency with which our life is running (and we exchange time for money).  Those things in our life that have the most time urgency get the most attention on the calendar. How much urgency, and in some cases emergency, is attached to a specific item, whether a concrete action or abstract thought, determines how quickly it is realized.  If I accidentally fall off the ladder and break my leg while cleaning out the gutters, my attention towards the leaves is immediately disregarded to address the more urgent and painful limb. Urgency dictates our intentions and actions, and thus our use of time.  In my example, disregarding the leaves was the priority so that there wasn't a permanent leaving of bone to bone. The more urgent a task becomes the sooner it becomes accomplished.  

In our use of time we need to give attention to the appropriate urgency.  I'm also learning that we must consider emotions so that a specific and healthy response is taken.  Not all emotional responses are good. But if it helps in overcoming inactivity then consider it good.  An impression without expression can lead to depression (inactivity or passivity). We want to use our time well, so as not to be run by the tyranny of the urgent nor fall into passivity because we aren't listening to our emotions. Let me give a personal example.

I can get pretty upset over things that are broken--like an injured body part or damaged car.  I could be mad because I want things to work just right, in a perfectionistic and superficial way, which I admit.  But there is a higher motivational response that is triggered from heaven that I'm also echoing.  God created everthing well. And when he was done with creation he called it good.  When creation and all that is within is operating the way its design, it is good. This is what God likes and I like it too.  When things don't work the way that God intended, it's okay to be upset and even mad.  We usually get mad over things that aren't right.  I'm learning how to convert my negative reactions to superfluous brokenness and turn it into a positive emotion of anger towards injustice and lack of health in people's bodies to stir me in more fervent prayers. 

Emotions can help us to identity what things upon which to personally respond and take proper action.  There are lessons for us on how to be stewards of all emotions, even anger, so that we can have right responses that imitate God's heart and will in all situations.

So if you have been tracking with me, we are learning to live our life by the urgency of the hour and avoid the tyranny of the urgent.  We are also learning to use the healthy emotions of our soul to provide motivational and actual steps of activity.  What are the usual urgent tasks in your life that either yield greater or less fruitfulness? What do you often get mad over and could that be an indicator towards how you should use your time?  What other ingredients would you add to this productivity sandwich? What items aid ones ability to make good use of time?

Re-posting as in starting again

What if you don't plan to make a change from the original plan, what happens? What if you accomplish your goals but don't set new ones? I ended up in a rut. I pretty good rut--flying a regional jet--but not really my dream job. For most heading towards an airline career, a regional job is the entry level and the pay shows it.  Since I didn't make a concrete plan to change I ended up much longer at this position than I expected--maybe two or three years longer.  

So here I am at my blog site again--many years later--with the hopes that this will be the beginning to finding a new career job that brings me home every night. I'm not sure how blogging is going to do that, but I'm taking the first steps.

If you have somehow found this and even read it, congratulations.  I'm going to attempt to write more frequently. If there is a subject that interest you, I'm taking suggestions. Until then you'll get something like you just read--my digressions. 

Here's to new and fresh starts!

The Best Year Yet--2010

[a word I shared at my house church, Communitas--you can receive it too!]

2010 will be the best year of your life and also the most difficult; if you will accept the challenge you will experience a coming into your "promiseland." For many of you, this will be a year of entering a "promiseland" in a certain area of you life. 2010 will be the best year but you will face many difficulties. A few of you will even experience tremendous pain, but don't be alarmed. The Lord will comfort and will be with you. He promised to never leave you nor forsake you. His presence is with you and this is true for all of you. You will face difficulty and it will be the hardest you have yet, but it will be hugely rewarding if you allow God to work his holy response in you. So I exhort you to be ready. I want you to anticipate the best year of your life and I want you to expect difficult challenges along the way. Do not be surprised, as the book of James explains, when trials will come your way (James 1:12). So you have a responsibility as you respond to God working his godly response in your life. Let me tell you what your rights are: 1) Expect the best year ever, and 2) Have a right and godly response to trials. It will be vital that you don't get discouraged along the way. Discouragement will rob you of your inheritance word.

There are two important attributes that will help you navigate through the rewards and challenges of 2010, knowing your sonship and having the fear of the Lord.

Fear of the Lord
There is a need to take opportunities that are before you. In addition you must learn to become an initiator as your Heavenly Father is. You can't sit passively waiting for something to just happen to you. God does not have puppets in his Kingdom but warriors that are looking to redeem those that are imprisoned by darkness. So you need to take upon your self that warrior mentality. One of a warriors greatest strengths is his or her's sobriety--having an understanding of the seriousness of the times. Sobriety comes through the fear of the Lord. This sobriety enables one to be prepared. You want to be ready to enter your "promiseland." So let me encourage you to pray for this. Seek for it with all your heart. Do a Bible study on it. Do whatever it takes to walk in a greater fear of the Lord. If you don't know what it means, than find out. Do whatever you can to gain a fear of God.

Sonship
As you approach your "promiseland" another important attribute, or rather revelation, that you will need is your sonship. You are sons and daughters of your Heavenly Father. This is who you are. And it is out of that image that you will learn to be an initiator in God's kingdom. Through a spirit of sonship you have a confidence to step out in faith and essentially grab a hold of the promise that God is giving you. A confident son will not back down when faced with giants in the the land because he knows "who is daddy is." How does one step into their sonship? We understand our sonship when we understand our Heavenly Father. A revelation of the Father's heart releases an understanding of our sonship. So pray for that. Ask your Heavenly Father to reveal more of himself to you, so that you can walk boldly into your land of promise.

So as you anticipate 2010 remember, having the fear of the Lord will allow you to receive humbly your inheritance in your "promiseland." And embracing your identity as sons and daughters will allow you to be an initiator, no longer sitting passively but with confidence boldly acquiring your inheritance.

Discovering our promise in the Promiseland
So what is your inheritance? What is the promise that God is giving you for 2010? Some of you already have a sense of what that is. God has revealed personally to you what 2010 holds. Others of you will be discovering it soon as you walk in some of your goals and dreams. And still others of you really not sure what to think about this. Let me suggest that there is one promise that you can all bank on and walk in today and that is the promised Holy Spirit. I'll talk about that in a moment.

Let me suggest that you don't get surprised if your "promiseland" looks differently than you anticipate. There are certain promises to which you are holding, but don't get caught off guard when God brings a fulfillment of a different one.

If you want to discover what God's promise is for you in this New Year, begin by asking the following question, "Who am I becoming?" Ask yourself, "Who do I want to become in Christ?" It's not about what we do for God but who we are becoming in Him. God is more concerned about what he is putting in you then what you will do for him (although that is important too).

Promised Holy Spirit
No matter what part of the journey we find ourselves, there is one promise that we can confidently bank on, it is the constant presence of God through the Holy Spirit with us. Our Heavenly Father sent us his promised Holy Spirit, with whom we get to continually receive. Our task then is to get good at learning to receive him and more of him. Apparently we leak. Let me invite you to become like a child and ask for another drink of God's refreshing waters through his Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). Ask for more of him. It may help to picture someone climbing up a thousand foot rope with all their strength then God inviting them to total let go. Children are good at letting go and simply receiving. As we approach our land of promise we don't want to go into that place without God's presence. We don't want to go any where without him. (Read Exodus 33.) We need his presence and we have to ask for him.

Conclusion
So it's really a paradox as we approach our "promiseland"--being confident as sons and aggressive in faith with the fear of the Lord, while surrendering and receiving the Holy Spirit and his empowerment to rest in our inheritance. The Holy Spirit empowers through his promises and presence whereby we become partakers of his divine nature--becoming more like him (1 Peter 1:3-4). Your inheritance is to become like Jesus. And as you encounter him you will experience the hardest yet most rewarding year of your life. Go for it!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Eph 3:20-21

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Today's blog is my attempt to be a little counter-cultural and celebrate Christmas, actually on Christmas day AND FOLLOWING..for at least 12 days. I love that we get all the Christmas music on nearly every channel, but I am sad that as soon as the 26th comes around it seems that the festiveness of the season is darkened by the commercial slump. I want to decommercialize Christmas too so this is my feeble attempt to do so.

So I bring Christmas cheer to everyone. Keep up the celebrations, continue to give gifts small and great in the spirit of St. Nicholas, and regularly sing joyous songs as we remember the birth of the King of Kings--Jesus. Lets not let the commercialization of Christmas take things over. We know why we're celebrating so lets keep doing so.

Soon coming...reflections on 2009.

FaMiLy is MiNiStRy is LiFe = MiNiStRy = FaMiLy

I love music. Essentially I like all music but I really love good music. Like choice food, music is delicious to the ears. There are so many variations and nuances, changes and consistencies, rhythm and rhyme. Music also does something for the soul. Like a good meal, it is satisfying to hear an excellent melody. I could make music my life. Ohh, and then there is live music. What is better than actually hearing someone play in person?

Last night I was able to stop by a coffee shop to hear some new friends play a few of their tunes, Steve Perry and Tim Hart, members of the band Wintersound (from Australia). It was obvious when listening to Steve sing that he loves music too. He is a talented musician, but he hasn't made music his life even though he could so easily. While talking with Steve about his and his wife’s journey, especially the past year, we were both commenting on the importance of family, in the sense of Christian committed, community life. He and Kelly (his wife) had gained the value of family while living/interacting with the band members. For Steve and his fellow band members, music is not the highest priority. Steve said, “Music is only 10%. We’re a family first.” Wow! For a musician who would like to make it big, that is a huge statement. Family first, not music? What does that mean? Does it mean that the relationship is more important than what is produced? Absolutely! Does it mean giving freedom to a band member to leave the country, right after making an album? Yes. Does it mean giving up record deals so that the friendships can go deeper? You bet. Living this value of family isn’t an easy thing but will create something far richer. It’s a sacrifice, yet the sound that is produced is more pleasant than the most beautiful melody one has heard. I want to hear that tune often. I want to see that song played more.

So I love music, but I also love family. And I want to embrace the value of family as Steve and Kelly have.

The method of creating music, as Wintersound has done, is counter-intuitive and just logically backwards. One would think that in order to be a better band you must make music the top priority, not relationships. However in God’s kingdom nearly everything is paradoxical. In order to go high you must go low. To become the greatest you must become the servant of all, like Jesus did. Steve said that music used to be at about 80% priority but now commitment to a Christian community is first. But now where does this leave ministry? Life isn’t just about family! As a Christian don’t we need to always think about how ministry fits into life?

While Steve and I were talking, I was reminded of a phrase, "Life is ministry and ministry is life." So if life and ministry are the same and family is a top priority, then everything kind of goes together.

As a follower of Christ, one learns the value of ministry, because that is what Jesus did. He gave his life away. And that is exactly what ministry is. Jesus defines it pretty well for us--giving our life away to people. There is no distinction between living life and doing ministry. I don't have a full-time job and do ministry on my days off. I'm a minister wherever I am, whatever I'm doing. (And a musician is a minister whether he has a guitar in his hands or not.) As intentional as I am at doing my job, ministry will happen similarly. As deliberate as I am at being a family ministry will also happen. We want life to ebb and flow between the pages of committed relationships with people who are pursuing Jesus.

Since ministry is giving our life away, then our first and foremost assignment is to spend our life on our brothers and sisters, our family.

So life is ministry is family and ministry is family is life and life is family is ministry and family is ministry is life...