Posts Tagged ‘change’

And We’re Off

January 2nd, 2012

The gun fired and the year has started.  We are already into the second day!  I am sure you have a list of things that you are going to straighten up, change and do differently, as all of us do.

So let’s get this year going.  Let’s see some risk taking.  Let’s see some transformation.  and most importantly, let’s take advantage of every opportunity that we are given to bring glory to Him!

 “So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 NASB

Returning from the Manager

December 26th, 2011

Two interesting observations about some of the first people to experience the Christ.

One group could not stop talking about it

 

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.” Luke 2:20 ASV

 

and the second group decided they would leave a different way then the way they came:

11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. Matthew 2:11-12 NASB

So after experience Christ this Christmas, will you keep him on your lips?  Is it time to go another way?

 

Metamorphic

November 14th, 2011

Last week, I was blessed to be able to spend the week in the woods with around 80 6th graders.  Many of you would say “What in the world?”  But it was really a great time.  So now you know why lasts weeks posts were so odd.

I wrote down one note during the week.It was on a hike where the instructor was telling the children about different types of rock.  She mentioned one particular type of rock – “Metamorphic”.  I took off my pack, open the zipper, grabbed my Moleskin and scribbled down these words:

Metamorphic -> changed by the environment.  A type of rock, or a type of Christian?

It’s the idea of being changed, and helping others to change that struck me. It was as  if her words were a rock thrown toward my head.

I have come back to those thoughts several times, and since that time the book of Colossians seems to find its way in front of my eyes.  In Colossians we can find this somewhat famous line:

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.  3:7 NIV

Changed!

Changed, not by the environment as much as by the mercy of God and the love of Christ.  But changed none the less.

Colossians 3 continues with this:

…since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 9-10

and then it ends when the results of the change

 

 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Colossians 3:12-14 New International Version (NIV)

 

If you were a rock, would you be classified as metamorphic?

Answering No

October 7th, 2011

Today has been full of distractions, projects and planning.  I  find it amazing how quickly my mind can be redirected with just a slight change of the wind.  Because of that, I am slow getting down some thoughts this morning.

In the deepest part of  my mind I am still thinking about Steve Jobs.  It’s weird that his passing has impacted my thinking so much, especially since I have been a Windows user and Microsoft developer for most of my life.  But I think there are two big reasons that he is staying on the front of my mind.  First, there is not doubting his technological leadership has impacted my life in so many mays – from my the consumer aspects of my life to the way that I make money in the software industry.  The second reason is much larger.  It appears that Mr. Jobs was quite a private person, so but he has shared a lot about some principles about the way he lived his life.  I mentioned part of his perspective on death yesterday, but I also have found this bit on knowledge quite challenging.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.”

It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” Whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. – Steve Jobs

The thing I keep coming back to is that I think I have a bag full of “No” answers where I look at the day and can very well answer, this is not what I want to do or the why I want to spend the precious days I have.  It could be that it’s time for a change.

What about you?

 

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Laziness, or Fear?

July 19th, 2011

Last night I was laying in bed recounting my day, and I thought to myself – was that it?  I mean really, what did I do?  Yes,there were some great highlights, like dinner with some good friends and time with my family.  But what did I do?  And I as I lay there, ending another day on this wonderful planet, I wondered to myself, are all the days to be like this, or is there something else that I am to be doing.

Of course, then I fell into hours of sleeping!

But as I awoke, to the same radio station, which somehow plays just about the same songs everyday at the same time, I started another day of sameness – checking email, Facebook and twitter – catching up on the events of the night time, and making sure nothing ‘important’ happened in some other person’s  life.  That’s when I saw this tweet:

Spark Good (@sparkgood)
7/19/11 3:05 AM
RT @laura_ocean: bloggity blog:
“babble”
read it.
http://laceandleaf.blogspot.com/2011/07/babble.html

There was something about this that was intriguing, so I did read it this morning and I think you should too. I do not know Laura Ocean, but I understand her babble this morning and I think her name is especially cool sounding.

I completely get her idea of being in a rut of habit – of being lazy, and watching others go and do, while I sit on the sidelines, not even adding a cheer.  It’s been driving me crazy of late.  I especially found this part of her post intriguing and personally relevant.

And then, instead of saying “you know what, you’re right Nike. Thanks!” and then trotting off to go do it, I find some little distraction, something that doesn’t really move me in the right direction, and go do that instead. Because its easier. It won’t require sacrifice. It doesn’t sting when it goes wrong.
But how many times have I heard and seen evidence of how important and just awesome it is when we do the things we were created to do, no matter the cost, despite the potential and inevitable failures, risking what we cling to most – our pride – and humble ourselves to the point of, heaven forbid,

being who we are supposed to be.

There is such a challenge in her words – and quite a clever observation of the state of our lives. One that I think many of us can relate.  This is a big challenge.  To get out of our habits of ‘laziness’ and into a habit of being and doing and impacting. So, today, start something new – don’t just agree – but begin to move. Don’t try to be someone else, but do the things that you are meant to do to reach others and really live this life.

18Jesus came to them and said: “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! 19Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” Matthew 28:18-20 CEV

11Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, 12so that his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. 13This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him. 14We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place. 15Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head 16of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love. Ephesians 4:11-16 (Contemporary English Version)