Busy, Busy, Busy

Over coffee at our regular haunt, I was talking with a good friend yesterday. In the course of our conversation he mentioned his frustration with having to wait on certain individuals – “important individuals” – who had to make some decisions before he could proceed with several important projects. Until these folks paid attention to his concerns, my friend was blocked. Unfortunately, these other people did not seem to believe that his project was as important as their agendas. I think all of us can identify with my friend.

This got me to thinking about priorities. Doubtless the “movers and shakers” who were holding my friend’s desires captive believed that they had many, many important commitments. His concern was just one more thing on their list. But, when something so important to someone is buried in schedules and commitments, maybe the schedules are too crowded and the commitments are too numerous?

We often confuse busyness with productivity. The more we are doing, the more we believe we are getting done. But this is not the case. We live in a culture that desperately runs from appointment to appointment, commitment to commitment and place to place without any clear direction as to where it is going. We are busy, busy, busy and lost, lost, lost.

Perhaps we are trying to do too much. If someone would look at my schedule, would they be able to clearly see the priorities that I believe are important or would they see a clutter of activity? Would they be able to clearly discern the people who matter most to me or be able to see the causes for which I care? Or would they see a life that is busy with stuff and has no real substance? To do a few things and do them well is better than doing a lot of things poorly.

Eight Wonderful Benefits of Fear

Fear keeps us from fully trusting in the Father's provision.

Fear keeps us from trying because we are afraid that we will fail.

Fear changes what we say in private to something different in public.

Fear forbids us from changing.

Fear conforms us to the expectations of others.

Fear makes us try to hold on to things that we cannot keep.

Fear pushes us to embrace religion instead of Jesus.

Fear makes genuine friendship impossible.

The Great Distinction

The great distinction between following Jesus and religion is that following Jesus is relational in nature. While religions prescribe various rites and rituals intended to bring humanity into contact with the divine, Jesus teaches that it was God who initiated contact with a lost race. Religious systems encourage pilgrimages and sacrifices as paths to God. The Bible reveals a God who lived among his people in the Old Testament and lives in them with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Old Testament laws and New Testament wisdom reveal the way and methods to initiate and develop a relationship with God the Father and with others. The “mission” has always been reconciliation. Reconciliation remains both the message and ministry (II Corinthians 5:16-21). Growth in relationship is the confirmation of real reconciliation.

Calling

What is your calling? Not your career, but what is your calling?

What is your passion? Not you occupation, but what do you care deeply about?

Does your job finance your passion and calling or does your job stand in the way?

The best: does your job reflect your passions and calling?

Name Your Monster

The fanboys of the internet have been breathlessly awaiting the revelation of the "Cloverfield" monster. For those of you who do not know, "Cloverfield" is a new movie which will be released this Friday (01-18-08). The brilliant viral marketing for the film has focused camcorder snippets from several friends who journey from an average night on the town into the chaos of New York City under attack by a giant monster. Tokyo has Godzilla. New York has...something.

The speculation as to how this monster appears has been fevered. Cleverly, the film makers do not reveal the creature in the trailers. All that is known is that there is a very angry big monster taking the city apart.

Do you know what your monster looks like? Could you describe the monsters that wreak havoc in your life? Knowing who they are is the first step to transforming them into friends.

True

“We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people.”

Arthur Schopenhauer

Dear Internet Porn,

I found this post yesterday on one of the blogs. While it is about Internet pornography, it could be about any other sin.

Dear Internet Porn,

These last ten years have been quite a trip, have they not? My letter to you now, however, is not one of celebration... I don't feel like we are the same anymore. We just don't have that passion we used to.

When we first met I was a loser, and you were there for me. My parents told me that you were no good for me, but I didn't listen. You showed me that there were plenty of people like myself getting laid. It was beautiful and passionate. Your softcore erotic videos were a tasteful introduction to my budding sexuality.

As I got older I started seeing girls on the side. I knew you were jealous, but you have always held a special place in my heart. You became naughtier and it affected my relationships. I started wanting all the things I had seen you do. I wanted to be just like you.

But that's when I realized your dark secret, Internet Porn. You aren't real: you are a fake and shallow individual. You lied to me and changed my sexual expectations. Now no girl can please me.

I know it isn't all bad. You've taught me so much. I can surf the internet with either hand and I know all the keyboard shortcuts for my browser. I know positions that aren't even in the Kamasutra. But you have such a dark side. I've been late for work more than once and I find myself wanting you at six in the morning. That's what you've done to me.

Even now, on the eve of Christ's birth, I sit hunched over my computer. I had to turn the nativity scene around so that Jesus wouldn't see your filth. Try as I might, I can never hide you well enough either. It is harder to find you squirreled away on my hard drive than it is to get into my online bank account. Yet there is always lingering evidence. I've told you time and again to stop leaving your things at my place. But you ALWAYS forget something: a shortcut here, an unclear history there.

There's no acceptance when you are discovered either. It might have been ok when we started - just innocent flirting with softcore. But now, I hate that you always invite your shadiest friends over when you come.

So I have one request. I know I can't get rid of you... you are the psychopathic stalker to my teenage horror film. But if you won't leave me alone, can you at least do me one favor? If I ever die, can you please format my hard drive? All of them? If you can't do that, just burn my place down. My family can never know of my shame.

- Your shamed lover