This weekend I wrote that blogs must be brief to be enjoyed by readers. Conversations can become burdensome if the descriptions go on too long. I have to watch that when I'm talking. Cut out the fat, Kay. Keep to the subject.
Frances Cole Jones, writes in "How to Wow" Ballantine Publishers:
"Most presentations aren’t better for being longer, most conference calls aren’t better for being extended, most meetings aren’t more productive because you spent more time in the room. It’s just that in this age of super-sizing everything from hamburgers to automobiles, we’ve become addicted to the idea that more is better. I am here to ask you to join my revolution, to tattoo on your brain, if not your backside, that “More isn’t better. Better is better.”
Yes, in business, personal and Church more isn't better, but better is better.
I've got to go; any more and I'll defy all above.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Blogroll frosted or plain?
Recently a fellow blogger suggested I get a blogroll. "Is it edible?" I asked. I started salivating thinking of a sweet roll dripping with gooey icing. Or perhaps it would be like a hoagie roll. Somehow I knew I was way off base. So I 'fessed up and emailed him I wouldn't know a blogroll from a dill pickle.
Determined to master this new thing called blogging I dove into the web seeking info on "blogrolls." Sometimes it defys logic that computers actually save us time. It took me 2 hours to find the way to attach a blogroll onto my site. But if you scroll to the right you'll see Thrive Christians' official Blogroll slowly filling up with blogs I have "enrolled."
Adventurous thriving living always includes learning new things and getting out of the norm. So everyday this blog gives me a good stretch.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Digital Goldfish Readers
I'm working on dieting my words in this blog. Today I read the following: "An article on the BBC's Web site warns we're all "turning into digital goldfish." Internet users now have the attention span of only nine seconds. The article quotes an American Web surfer admitting, "When I'm on the Internet, my attention span is shorter for each thing because there are so many things to choose from." Another has labeled this syndrome as "Internet ADD" (Attention Deficit Disorder)." http://watkins.gospelcom.net/writingonline.htm
So, to all my "digital goldfish" buddies, I'll lighten up on the verbage. I only have seconds before you "swim" away, so I will close for today. Posts will be shorter from now on because I am getting smarter for the rest of our journey together. Thrive!!!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Thriving Widows
Today I was reading through some articles and stumbled on this wonderful restoration story. I believe these two widows in Jerusalem have a blessing for everyone.
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When the Old and New Cities of Jerusalem were reunited in 1967, a recently widowed Arab woman, who had been living in Old Jerusalem since 1948, wanted to see once more the house in which she formerly lived. Now that the city was one, she searched for and found her old home.
She knocked on the door of the apartment, and a Jewish widow came to the door and greeted her. The Arab woman explained that she had lived there until 1948 and wanted to look around. She was invited in and offered coffee. The Arab woman said, "When I lived here, I hid some valuables. If they are still here, I will share them with you half-and-half." The Jewish woman refused. "If they belonged to you and are still here, they are yours." After much discussion back and forth, they entered the bathroom, loosened the floor planks, and found a hoard of gold coins. The Jewish woman said, "I shall ask the government to let you keep them." She did and permission was granted.
The two widows visited each other again and again, and one day the Arab woman told her, "You know, in the 1948 fighting here, my husband and I were so frightened that we ran away to escape. We grabbed our belongings, took the children, and each fled separately. We had a three-month-old son. I thought my husband had taken him, and he thought I had. Imagine our grief when we were reunited in Old Jerusalem to find that neither of us had taken the child." The Jewish woman turned pale, and asked the exact date. The Arab woman named the date and the hour, and the Jewish widow told her: "My husband was one of the Israeli troops that entered Jerusalem. He came into this house and found a baby on the floor. He asked if he could keep the house and the baby, too. Permission was granted."
At that moment, a twenty-year-old Israeli soldier in uniform walked into the room, and the Jewish woman broke down in tears. "This is your son," she cried. This is one of those incredible tales we hear. And the aftermath? The two women liked each other so much that the Jewish widow asked the Arab mother: "Look, we are both widows living alone. Our children are grown up. This house has brought you luck. You have found your son, or our son. Why don't we live together?" And they do. ______________________ By Hillel E. Silverman (c) 1987, from Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Rabbi Dov Elkins. *
Hillel E. Silverman Http://www.faithfulhope.com/readingroom/item.cfm?doc_id=5602
Sometimes our blessings will come in the most unique packages. Be open to the greatness of a mighty God.
-------------------------------------------------------------
When the Old and New Cities of Jerusalem were reunited in 1967, a recently widowed Arab woman, who had been living in Old Jerusalem since 1948, wanted to see once more the house in which she formerly lived. Now that the city was one, she searched for and found her old home.
She knocked on the door of the apartment, and a Jewish widow came to the door and greeted her. The Arab woman explained that she had lived there until 1948 and wanted to look around. She was invited in and offered coffee. The Arab woman said, "When I lived here, I hid some valuables. If they are still here, I will share them with you half-and-half." The Jewish woman refused. "If they belonged to you and are still here, they are yours." After much discussion back and forth, they entered the bathroom, loosened the floor planks, and found a hoard of gold coins. The Jewish woman said, "I shall ask the government to let you keep them." She did and permission was granted.
The two widows visited each other again and again, and one day the Arab woman told her, "You know, in the 1948 fighting here, my husband and I were so frightened that we ran away to escape. We grabbed our belongings, took the children, and each fled separately. We had a three-month-old son. I thought my husband had taken him, and he thought I had. Imagine our grief when we were reunited in Old Jerusalem to find that neither of us had taken the child." The Jewish woman turned pale, and asked the exact date. The Arab woman named the date and the hour, and the Jewish widow told her: "My husband was one of the Israeli troops that entered Jerusalem. He came into this house and found a baby on the floor. He asked if he could keep the house and the baby, too. Permission was granted."
At that moment, a twenty-year-old Israeli soldier in uniform walked into the room, and the Jewish woman broke down in tears. "This is your son," she cried. This is one of those incredible tales we hear. And the aftermath? The two women liked each other so much that the Jewish widow asked the Arab mother: "Look, we are both widows living alone. Our children are grown up. This house has brought you luck. You have found your son, or our son. Why don't we live together?" And they do. ______________________ By Hillel E. Silverman (c) 1987, from Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Rabbi Dov Elkins. *
Hillel E. Silverman Http://www.faithfulhope.com/readingroom/item.cfm?doc_id=5602
Sometimes our blessings will come in the most unique packages. Be open to the greatness of a mighty God.
Sunrise worth the effort to see
Sunrise from Upper Lake Park (Winter 2006) ~ by M.J. Pettengill
http://www.ci.port-washington.wi.us/Photos/Sunrise/Index.htm
Good Morning Sunshine,
I ran across this picture and realized I casually rise early most mornings witout ever looking out the window for hours. What am I missing like this sunrise everyday? My inspiration to thrive each morning could be as near as my window just when the sun peaks out of the darkness. As I write about thriving I am discovering I have at hand much of everything I need to thrive. I've just got to wake up and pay attention to the beauty around me.
I made an early run this morning to the waste dump facility. Our heat wave has hit us even in the early mornings. The waste facility employee was seated by the garbage dumpster with an umbrella over his chair. I mentioned I hoped it would help with the heat. He shook his head, and told me within hours he would be in the full sun. I tried to imagine what all that garbage would smell like in 95 degree weather. Bagged garbage stewing has to create some foul fumes. Some jobs truly test you. Driving out there I had been dreading coming back home to my list of "have to's." My heart goes out to the workers at the dump, but I am getting ready to jump on my tasks with relieved vigor that I'm not sweating in the hot sun with stench filling my nose. I so appreciate the service of the dump when I'm cleaning out closets, etc., and I'm praying workers with those kinds of tasks find good ways to manage their hardships.
God has created us with ways to cope with whatever comes. That man needs that job, and has found a way to handle it. He obviously has lived through many hot days because he was quick to tell me the hour the umbrella could not offer any shade. He's found a way to make it even when he sweats and the garbage stinks. This man is encouraging me on those things I'm worrying about being too difficult and will likely stink.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
No more dullards and self consumed saints
I began this blog series quoting Paul Tournier on the adventure of living in God. The closing of his book, The Adventure of Living, speaks to the vibrant, thriving, adventurous life God calls all Christians to embrace. Read along with me...."This is what makes the Bible so concrete. It does not deal in general theories...it tells stories. The adventure of God, the tremendous adventure of God, is at work in every adventure of every man, and in every episode, even in the smallest. Why then do the lives of many Christians, members of all sorts of churches, seem so dull, so inward-looking, so void of any spirit of adventure? Why do they seem so monotonous and stuffy? Why do they seem so often to be lived in a world apart, abstact and distant? They would like to convert the whole world, but they make no contact with the world because they speak a different language and no longer understand the world's language. They have no laughter, no jokes." The Adventure of Living, by Paul Tournier, p.199-200.
Oh, sorry to say but I have been the dullard looking only at things from my view point. Years ago, I was so focused on myself that I probably was the boring, stuffy, condenscending "church lady." As I look back, I overlooked people who were desparate for more meaning in their lives. I'm sure some were curious about God. From my low self image complex I wanted to look good; sound right and be the best. I regretfully confess, it never occured to me that I might have developed an "inside" language that only church folks understood. My communication goals were about me looking great to the key church leaders and important people in my life. I never worried about others outside not "getting it" when I spoke conversationally or as a public speaker. The fact that they had no church experience or had never read a Bible was not my main concern. My casual mindset of those days grieves me as I look back at me.
In brokenness, God got my attention many years ago. Now, my desire is to honor anyone I engage in conversations with my undivided and full attention. Listening attentively with openness is a primary emphasis in all my communications. In prayer, I am learning that God wants all that I speak to be clear, simple and plain.
As an older woman I enjoy technology and this helps me to have meaningful dialogue with younger people. I invest time to stay culturally and colloquially relevant with people who never participate in church.
True evangelism only occurs when our attraction factor is strong. When I read Scriptures telling of Jesus Christ moving among the unbelievers; they were drawn to Him. He was approachable to everyone. I am drawn to genuine, transparent, humble, fun-loving, trustworthy folks. I pray to be what I am drawn to; so that hopefully, someone will be drawn to me. The highlight of my life is when someone asks me what makes me tick. That is an open door to share the greatness of Jesus Christ in my life.
Recently an EConnect Greenville networking meeting had a great speaker, David Martin. He is an engineer that intentionally uses his golf and other hobbies as ways to develop friendships with people who are not Christians. Over time in his friendships, he has had men, one on one, come to him through their trustworthy relationships to inquire about Jesus. Tournier's book echoes David's stories; both call me to embrace my adventure of life in Christ.
Tournier's book was written in 1963. Seems there are fewer of us committed to Christianity today than I recall in the sixties. Church membership and statistics support there is a falling away from church culturally in America. I see irrelevant Christians could be more of an evangelism issue today than back in Tournier's day. Recently a business associate told me about his dealings with professed Christians in his profession. He said, "They tend to be more close-minded, and sometimes it difficult to get them to discuss where we can work together. Most of all, they don't seem to be enjoying life on any level." The fact that he and I were having this discussion let me know he didn't put all Christians in one box. He knows my hope is for Christians to live up to our Master.
The Bible says this about THAT: I Peter 3:14 "But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."
The unbelievers will never ask us for "the reason for our hope" if they never detect any joy or vibrancy in our lives. So, my brothers and sisters in Christ, may we all "Get a life!!!" Yes, grasp this great life of joy and delight and risk that God has mapped out for us. Live it passionately.
"Kay, where's the laugh you led me to believe I'd get on your blog?" you ask. Consider this the balancing post between the funny ones. Thrive Christians ... again Apostle Peter proclaims, "And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."
The wisdom of Tournier's book has sobered me up to something wonderful and real that I desire greatly: My own Adventure of Living by listening and obeying God at all times.
Enjoy the Journey
Blogging can be fun.
I have enrolled in a blogging course at http://probloggerbook.com/. The first lesson made me laugh because the title is "Enjoy." As I pray and read the Bible I am drawn to plan things in my life that encourage me to laugh and enjoy myself. I will thrive as I delight in all things.
The tips for this first lesson on blogging spill over into all the other areas of my life. May I share a few lines:
"The tip is to enjoy what you do. Blogging should be fun!
Your topic might well be serious, but that doesn't mean you should
not enjoy the process.
If you enjoy blogging, or even better have a *passion* for it, that
enthusiasm will come through to the reader. We have enough serious
in our lives, we don't need to add another chore.
All too often we become focused on the hard parts, become engrossed
in competition, or stress over every new thing we think we have to
know right away.
Take it easy! It's a journey not a race.
Keep the joy. Hold on to the fun. Make friends as well as business
contacts. Find pleasure in the process."
My family needs me to be passionate and enthusiastic with each one of them and their pursuits. In my business interactions, success may well be determined by my passion for each detail of activity. The Kingdom of God calls me to passionately love my Lord Jesus and His Kingdom and flow that love wherever I go.
Yes, lesson no. 1 on blogging is to enjoy it all. Lesson no. 1 in life is to decide to enjoy the journey; bumps and all.
Delight yourself in this day: You're alive!!!
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