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Friday, August 26, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
What is funny about that?
I was on facebook the other day and I came across a friends status. It was a status about what he had seen. He saw an old woman steal an umbrella out of the trunk of a car that had been in an accident and was abandoned on the side of the road. The post said that she tried the doors but they were all locked, all she got was the umbrella.
Out of the 11 comments on this status only 2 were not about how funny it was that she was stealing the umbrella out of a wrecked car. The very first comment was "how sad" and my comment was about how it was sad...the other 9 made it a joke.
What is funny about that picture? How is it a joke that anyone, especially an old lady, feels she has no option but to steal something from a wrecked car?
It could easily be you, your mother, your sister, your friend that is in the place in their life where they have to turn into a scavenger. No one "wants" to be put in that situation, but how many paychecks are you away from living on the street? What if your company closed up shop tomorrow? What would you do? Would you still be the one laughing?
You can't fix all the problems in the world. You can't solve world hunger or fix the unemployment problem in America. The thing that bothers me is that you don't want to.
Out of the 11 comments on this status only 2 were not about how funny it was that she was stealing the umbrella out of a wrecked car. The very first comment was "how sad" and my comment was about how it was sad...the other 9 made it a joke.
What is funny about that picture? How is it a joke that anyone, especially an old lady, feels she has no option but to steal something from a wrecked car?
It could easily be you, your mother, your sister, your friend that is in the place in their life where they have to turn into a scavenger. No one "wants" to be put in that situation, but how many paychecks are you away from living on the street? What if your company closed up shop tomorrow? What would you do? Would you still be the one laughing?
You can't fix all the problems in the world. You can't solve world hunger or fix the unemployment problem in America. The thing that bothers me is that you don't want to.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
First impressions...
Today I found out that two different adults think I'm quiet and two youth think I'm stuck up! Apparently I didn't talk to any of them enough. I have never thought of myself as quiet or reserved and if you ask most people who know me they would agree with me (not these 4 individuals.)
I was a little bit concerned that two of the youth think I'm stuck up, but really it got me thinking. What do people think when they first meet me? I am going to have to start paying closer attention to how I interact with people that I don't really know.
That got me thinking about how we see ourselves vs. how other people see us. We know why we do and say all the things we do and say. Other people don't have the luxury of knowing what is going on behind the scenes. That is why things like online dating services and even a facebook profile can be a false picture of who we really are on the inside. When my friends fill out surveys having to do with personalities I normally don't agree with the results. Why? They are not being honest about who they really are, they are answering the questions with what they want to be like.
If you really want to know who you are or what kind of personality you have then you need to give your close friends a blind survey! Either that or get some honest friends...but even then, your friends may not be the best judge of how you really act. They will be biased and judge you based on what they know of you.
So what can we do? Everyone sees you through their own tinted glasses. How can we be sure we are acting like we want to act and being the person we want to be? Look at the results. Look at the people who are close to you. What kind of people are they? Who do you draw to you, what people follow you? That will tell you if you are the kind of person that you thought you were.
Also be open to honest feedback. I'm going to go out of my way to make sure people don't think I'm stuck up. I'm probably not going to be too much more vocal around the two people who thought I was quiet because they know me from work. I'm quieter at work, I can deal with that.
This was just a thought. Pay attention to how you treat others. Especially if they don't know you very well. We have more power with our words and actions than you might think.
I was a little bit concerned that two of the youth think I'm stuck up, but really it got me thinking. What do people think when they first meet me? I am going to have to start paying closer attention to how I interact with people that I don't really know.
That got me thinking about how we see ourselves vs. how other people see us. We know why we do and say all the things we do and say. Other people don't have the luxury of knowing what is going on behind the scenes. That is why things like online dating services and even a facebook profile can be a false picture of who we really are on the inside. When my friends fill out surveys having to do with personalities I normally don't agree with the results. Why? They are not being honest about who they really are, they are answering the questions with what they want to be like.
If you really want to know who you are or what kind of personality you have then you need to give your close friends a blind survey! Either that or get some honest friends...but even then, your friends may not be the best judge of how you really act. They will be biased and judge you based on what they know of you.
So what can we do? Everyone sees you through their own tinted glasses. How can we be sure we are acting like we want to act and being the person we want to be? Look at the results. Look at the people who are close to you. What kind of people are they? Who do you draw to you, what people follow you? That will tell you if you are the kind of person that you thought you were.
Also be open to honest feedback. I'm going to go out of my way to make sure people don't think I'm stuck up. I'm probably not going to be too much more vocal around the two people who thought I was quiet because they know me from work. I'm quieter at work, I can deal with that.
This was just a thought. Pay attention to how you treat others. Especially if they don't know you very well. We have more power with our words and actions than you might think.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Summer Breeze...
So today I came up with a new drink for our coffee shop. It will only be available during the Spring and Summer...or at least that is the idea. It got me thinking about the change in the season that is coming.
I have lived through two Summers in AR so far. I have only been to the lake once...and that was to go on a dinner cruise. One Summer here it was "too rainy" to go have fun at the lake. Last Summer was "too hot" to even get outside. It got me thinking what are we waiting for?
Sometimes it seems we spend our lives waiting for the perfect weather, perfect job, perfect vacation...etc. We don't live in the now, we are always waiting for that something that will be better than what we are going through. I do my best not to live this way, but we all fall into it from time to time.
I was reading a post on facebook not too long ago. It asked the question, "If you only had two weeks to live, what would you do?" I thought about that for a while...and in that moment I decided that I probably wouldn't do anything different, I would probably just do what I do with more intensity.
Unlike a lot of people that I know, I love my job. My whole life is about helping people. Now there are those who would say that if I really only had two weeks to live I should spend it with my family or go on some crazy vacation. Now I love my family, if you know me then you know that is true. I miss them (my brother Chris is the only one who lives here...so I see him every day) more than anything or anyone else. I would love to spend two weeks with my family! The thing about it is this: my family knows that I love them. They know that I care and they also know why I don't live in WA with them.
The people that don't know me are the ones that need to know that I love them. I care about people...all people. If I only had two weeks to live I would probably spend them on the streets of Little Rock. I would find Aaron Reddin and The Van, buy lots of caffeine and spend my last 14 days showing people that I care. The people who are downtown don't have a lot of people that actually get to know them. Most people drive by, roll up their windows or look away when they pass the homeless on the street. Aaron would give the shirt off his back to anyone who asked.
That is how I would spend my last two weeks alive. What about you? When you hear "Summer Breeze" do you think about sitting on the beach or passing out some cold water to people under the bridge. When it is too hot for you to even go lay out by the pool, there are people trying to find a spot in a doorway to get out of the sun.
That is what I thought about today.
I have lived through two Summers in AR so far. I have only been to the lake once...and that was to go on a dinner cruise. One Summer here it was "too rainy" to go have fun at the lake. Last Summer was "too hot" to even get outside. It got me thinking what are we waiting for?
Sometimes it seems we spend our lives waiting for the perfect weather, perfect job, perfect vacation...etc. We don't live in the now, we are always waiting for that something that will be better than what we are going through. I do my best not to live this way, but we all fall into it from time to time.
I was reading a post on facebook not too long ago. It asked the question, "If you only had two weeks to live, what would you do?" I thought about that for a while...and in that moment I decided that I probably wouldn't do anything different, I would probably just do what I do with more intensity.
Unlike a lot of people that I know, I love my job. My whole life is about helping people. Now there are those who would say that if I really only had two weeks to live I should spend it with my family or go on some crazy vacation. Now I love my family, if you know me then you know that is true. I miss them (my brother Chris is the only one who lives here...so I see him every day) more than anything or anyone else. I would love to spend two weeks with my family! The thing about it is this: my family knows that I love them. They know that I care and they also know why I don't live in WA with them.
The people that don't know me are the ones that need to know that I love them. I care about people...all people. If I only had two weeks to live I would probably spend them on the streets of Little Rock. I would find Aaron Reddin and The Van, buy lots of caffeine and spend my last 14 days showing people that I care. The people who are downtown don't have a lot of people that actually get to know them. Most people drive by, roll up their windows or look away when they pass the homeless on the street. Aaron would give the shirt off his back to anyone who asked.
That is how I would spend my last two weeks alive. What about you? When you hear "Summer Breeze" do you think about sitting on the beach or passing out some cold water to people under the bridge. When it is too hot for you to even go lay out by the pool, there are people trying to find a spot in a doorway to get out of the sun.
That is what I thought about today.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Friendship is a two way street...or is it...
Today I was reminded of a common thought process that I simply don't agree with. A friend of mine said basically that they were done with one way friendships. No longer are they going to put out all the energy to keep a relationship going. After all...friendship is a two way street.
"Friendship is a two way street" is something that I have heard from different people all of my life. The exact wording may be different but the idea is always the same. You shouldn't pour your time and energy into someone else if you are not going to get that same effort back in return.
I have a couple different reasons that I disagree with this view on friendships/relationships. I will get into those in a moment but first let me say that I am not talking about a dating relationship. If you are trying to find someone to spend your life with then you should see that person put as much time and energy into your relationship as you are going to put into that relationship. What I am talking about is your other relationships. Your friends, your co-workers and even your family members for that matter. Now that I have cleared that up let's talk about why I don't agree with friendship being a two way street.
Reason number 1 is that Jesus said that it was not a two way street. In Luke 6 He explains that it is easy to love people when they love you back. Anyone can love those that love them, but we are suppose to love those that hate us and when someone borrows from you don't ask for it back (that last part is one that most people don't agree with...even if Jesus said it.)
So let's say that you don't really care what Jesus said because you don't consider yourself a Christian or maybe you don't think that is really talking about carrying on a relationship when it feels like you are the only one who is putting any effort into it. That is fine...but what about the people that poured into your life when you were uninterested and didn't really care if they were there or not?
We have all had that teacher, friend, cousin or neighbor that was always doing something nice just because it was the right thing to do. We didn't always appreciate them, we didn't always want them around even, but they kept on doing the right thing and pouring their time and energy into our life. Where would you be without those people? What would your life be like if everyone in your life treated you like you sometimes choose to treat someone else?
I'm not saying you need to be a doormat...or maybe I am. My life (especially my adult life) has been spent doing my best to be there for other people. I don't expect anything in return and a lot of times I get exactly what I expect. People have told me that I shouldn't be that way. I shouldn't waste my time on lost causes. I simply don't agree. If you can't help me in any way, that is all the more reason for me to help you. If I am doing something for you because you will repay me then I am doing it for me and not for you. You will never know true satisfaction from doing things with the expectation of repayment. Friendship is not a two way street. Give every chance you get. Do all you can for others. When you need a hand to help you up, you will be able to take your pick. It doesn't take much to change a life or to rise above average when it comes to being a good friend.
Friendship can be a two way street...but if it ends up being a one-way road that doesn't mean it is a dead end.
"Friendship is a two way street" is something that I have heard from different people all of my life. The exact wording may be different but the idea is always the same. You shouldn't pour your time and energy into someone else if you are not going to get that same effort back in return.
I have a couple different reasons that I disagree with this view on friendships/relationships. I will get into those in a moment but first let me say that I am not talking about a dating relationship. If you are trying to find someone to spend your life with then you should see that person put as much time and energy into your relationship as you are going to put into that relationship. What I am talking about is your other relationships. Your friends, your co-workers and even your family members for that matter. Now that I have cleared that up let's talk about why I don't agree with friendship being a two way street.
Reason number 1 is that Jesus said that it was not a two way street. In Luke 6 He explains that it is easy to love people when they love you back. Anyone can love those that love them, but we are suppose to love those that hate us and when someone borrows from you don't ask for it back (that last part is one that most people don't agree with...even if Jesus said it.)
So let's say that you don't really care what Jesus said because you don't consider yourself a Christian or maybe you don't think that is really talking about carrying on a relationship when it feels like you are the only one who is putting any effort into it. That is fine...but what about the people that poured into your life when you were uninterested and didn't really care if they were there or not?
We have all had that teacher, friend, cousin or neighbor that was always doing something nice just because it was the right thing to do. We didn't always appreciate them, we didn't always want them around even, but they kept on doing the right thing and pouring their time and energy into our life. Where would you be without those people? What would your life be like if everyone in your life treated you like you sometimes choose to treat someone else?
I'm not saying you need to be a doormat...or maybe I am. My life (especially my adult life) has been spent doing my best to be there for other people. I don't expect anything in return and a lot of times I get exactly what I expect. People have told me that I shouldn't be that way. I shouldn't waste my time on lost causes. I simply don't agree. If you can't help me in any way, that is all the more reason for me to help you. If I am doing something for you because you will repay me then I am doing it for me and not for you. You will never know true satisfaction from doing things with the expectation of repayment. Friendship is not a two way street. Give every chance you get. Do all you can for others. When you need a hand to help you up, you will be able to take your pick. It doesn't take much to change a life or to rise above average when it comes to being a good friend.
Friendship can be a two way street...but if it ends up being a one-way road that doesn't mean it is a dead end.
Monday, March 21, 2011
LOVE WINS
Today the UPS man dropped off my copy of LOVE WINS by Rob Bell. I'm going to read it. I'm interested to see what it is says...and I am trying to not judge it before I open it up.
As a person who has dedicated his life to telling people about the love that God has for them and that this love came to maturity when Jesus laid down His life for them (John 3:16...we all know that one) it is hard for me to hear some of the things that I have heard Rob Bell say when talking about his new book.
On the other hand, I have heard him in an interview give a different side. He was talking about Jesus specifically, he mentioned that Jesus paid the price. So I'm not sure what I am going to get when I open this book.
Has this all been a marketing ploy? Is this just get people like me to buy a copy of this book and then find out that all the interviews were just smoke and mirrors? Is it just a play on words and he doesn't really believe anything different than what most mainstream "evangelicals" believe?
I'm not sure...but I will let you all know when I find out. I think I am going to read some of this book today.
As a person who has dedicated his life to telling people about the love that God has for them and that this love came to maturity when Jesus laid down His life for them (John 3:16...we all know that one) it is hard for me to hear some of the things that I have heard Rob Bell say when talking about his new book.
On the other hand, I have heard him in an interview give a different side. He was talking about Jesus specifically, he mentioned that Jesus paid the price. So I'm not sure what I am going to get when I open this book.
Has this all been a marketing ploy? Is this just get people like me to buy a copy of this book and then find out that all the interviews were just smoke and mirrors? Is it just a play on words and he doesn't really believe anything different than what most mainstream "evangelicals" believe?
I'm not sure...but I will let you all know when I find out. I think I am going to read some of this book today.
Friday, March 18, 2011
What is going on with Japan...and the world?
When Katrina hit we had $514 million dollars in aid in the first week...in Japan's first week $87 million! Now I know it was close to home when the hurricane hit, but come on. It just doesn't seem right.
We can tell everyone we care about people, but what do our actions say? Just because you may not have a relative that lives in Japan doesn't mean that you shouldn't help. Just because they are thousands of miles away instead of hundreds of miles away doesn't mean we should care any less. What do you think would have happened if this earthquake had been off the coast of California? Do you think we would have had less than 20% of the response we had to Katrina?
I see people posting pictures, prayers, candles...etc. on their facebook and sending out tweets saying we are praying for the people who were affected...but what good is it to talk and not do?
We can tell everyone we care about people, but what do our actions say? Just because you may not have a relative that lives in Japan doesn't mean that you shouldn't help. Just because they are thousands of miles away instead of hundreds of miles away doesn't mean we should care any less. What do you think would have happened if this earthquake had been off the coast of California? Do you think we would have had less than 20% of the response we had to Katrina?
I see people posting pictures, prayers, candles...etc. on their facebook and sending out tweets saying we are praying for the people who were affected...but what good is it to talk and not do?
"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." -1 John 3:17-18
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