Safe Cracking

For those of us who live in an environment and a economic state which is of astronomical proportion compared to the majority of our country and world, I wonder if it is too easy to remain in our own shell of an existence. Does this cause me/us to be too sedentary. Too comfortable. Too safe. Perhaps God is asking us to be actively still, remain where we are, and retain some of the status quo. Or do we need to crack the safe from our world and venture out a bit. Or a lot.

This safe cracking can take on many forms. Mission. Investment. Discomfort. Etc. Certainly we shouldn't create some sort of radical change for change sake. But are we open to it if so led? Would I/we actually breakthrough the shell?

Consider Consider

I have a dear friend who has made the statement that he "no longer considers white people". Upon first hearing this statement, as a white guy, I was taken aback a bit. BUT, upon true consideration (and conversation), I got the understanding that what he means is that he doesn't want to live daily with the consideration as to what another race would think of him or his actions. It must have taken quite a bit of consideration to no longer consider this.

We don't consider much these days. We know a good bit. We have opinions, etc. thrust in our face from many sources. And we are busy. I believe that I/we can be too predispositioned or too made up in our minds to consider much these days.

Consider the political arena. Consider religion. Consider God. Consider faith. Consider our neighbor. Consider our inner cities. Consider the fatherless. Consider the childless. Consider the homosexual. Consider the servant. Consider the leaders. Consider the addict. Consider the donors. Consider the beaten. Consider the convict. Consider the lonely. Consider the busy. Consider the proud.

We are too quick to combat, agree or conclude.* Consideration takes our time.

What if some long haired guy was talking about flowers...Hey man, think about this flower. Think about the petals, and how they grow. Think about how they don't even have to try. They just sit around and let the rain fall on them. Let the roots drive deeper into the ground. Their petals are more beautiful than anything you could buy with money, man. Bill Gates has nothing compared to this flower...we'd probably think this guy was smoking a bit too much.

Take the time to consider.



*Certainly we can have stalwart beliefs and convictions which are paramount in our lives. However, sometimes these can become blinders to some things we might need to "consider".

Not Again

So Hailey Trainer is the longest living survivor of her form of brain cancer at two years old. A few months ago there was a wonderful birthday celebration of her life. Hailey rolled on the floor and wrestled with her older brother. Now, another tumor...

Amid the horrible news comes the "why" and the wrenching decision-making of the parents, particularly when they've just been through this. I was told one of the really hard parts of the recurrence of cancer is the fact that you know what you are going to be going through. I guess this is time for the Body to come surround the Trainers with love, support, and to bathe them in prayer.

I have started reading a book called Radical with the subtitle "taking your faith back from the American Dream". The first couple of chapters have shared the cost of faith in the third world. Life-risking faith. Pain-submitting faith. I suppose the Trainers can relate a bit right now.

Pray that the Trainers faith remains strong—that they can somehow hold fast to God as they deal with horror here on earth. And that the faith of those (myself included) who hear of this story, or are close with the Trainers perhaps can understand that some of God's allowance is out of the scope of our understanding. And that all He wants us to do is trust Him. And that we are to recognize our alien status in this world. And that He has another world intended for us. Like His first....

Losing My Relation

I've found that as I age (turned 43 last week) that I am having more and more of the "kids these days-type" conversations. I had another two nights ago. At dinner with a few friends we talked about how "relationship" is going, or has gone out of business relationships. It seems these are more and more data-driven relations. ROI, efficiencies, cost saving mechanisms, outsourcing, are all not only common practice, but thwarting the actual relationship. Surely delivering success and savings, etc. is an integral part of good business, but the add on of the who we work with, and why we work with them, and the trusted pieces are of lesser importance.

We are even losing our relations on the personal level. Our lives are busier than ever and we often don't have any "room" to build relationships. We rush from one thing to another, are bombarded with technology, and time is sucked away. More and more we've got to be intentional about relationships. They have got to take a priority. We've got to recognize, nurture, and place emphasis on them in order to enjoy the fulfillment they offer.

Of all places, last night, The Office brought into existence the art of relationship, albeit over a few margaritas. Steve Carell's Michael Scott negotiated a big deal for Dunder Mifflin over an Awesome Blossom onion and some Baby-back ribs at Chili's, much to the shock of his hard-nosed boss. Now I am not saying the idiotic Scott is a saavy business guy, and much of the Dunder Mifflin experience is not exemplary, but there was an often overlooked, sweet spirit of relationship that showed up bar side at Chili's where a couple of guys talked, cared and wanted to do better and provide more to their respective stakeholders. And, having "related", trusted the other to do their part.