Today I went to eat with a friend of mind. It was nothing different about the lunch we were chit-chatting, nothing general. But as conversations sometimes go, we hit upon a sensitive subject for me. I was evasive because I was not ready or willing to have the conversation that was taking form. It was not lost on my friend. So, I was pushed, challenged, and questioned on every answer, excuse given for my hesitation to not go public with the call upon my life. I did not think the atmosphere was the right setting for the emotional upheaval that would surely result, and I did not see, I was being understood. But as I drove home, I was a little angry why she did not see, I then realized something, the answer, the advice provided was right, even if I could not see there was comprehension of what I was trying to say; seek to understand before being understood and see life situation change….It did not change what she said for me to do was the truth; funny thing is I already knew this…lol… I now have to apologize, and thank her all at the same time….(I have come a long way because there was time, I would have done neither, and rationalized it to be right, okay, and the best thing for me because I did not want to think the person was smarter than me. Now, I do not care; it helps me on my path, so be it…smiling)…And then it hit me, how many times do we do not pay attention to the right answer in front of us because we believe, we are not understood. The person does not get me. The answer is far too simple to be correct; I am too complex for this. See, it does not matter if they get you; the right answer is the right answer. But we have been so consumed with what we have been rolling around in our head, or devoted to that one objective, without surrendering to the moment and truly absorbing what is being provide; a teachable moment…wink… We fail to realize, just because they have no frame of reference or context from which you come, or totally understand your struggle or dilemma, it does not mean the right answer cannot be given. We all so fond of the old adage – out of the mouth of babes, truth speaks- the babes, children do not understand, have the frame of references to grasp the complexity of the problem, but they still provide the right answer, or give the next logical step. Now, we just have to be humble and wise enough to submit to the truth spoken. I am so grateful for the people in my life who are willing to tell me the truth, to help me to see what I did not see….kind like this… The Book of Eli movie…
There have been families not speaking, husbands/wives not speaking, friends separated as a result of seeing this movie, and dynamics of friendship groups change because of this movie. All because they cannot decide, or agree if he was blind or not. It is amazing what we will get hooked on, and the main issue goes over their heads. Whether he was blind or not does not matter? Asked yourself, what would have changed about the movie, if he was blind? What would have made more sense in the movie, if he had sight? To both of these question, I say, nothing because the movie was about faith, and how we sometime are so focus on the mission, we miss true meaning. We too many time get absorb in the objective because it is the obvious. Yet, it is not about us, but it is for us as the vessel to surrender, not get consume with the logical conclusion we have rolling around in our heads…Elijah got consumed with the big stuff, he almost missed the ‘voice’ …1 Kings 19:11-13 - Then He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the LORD's presence." At that moment, the LORD passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. When Elijah heard [it], he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (NIV)…At the end of the movie, like Elijah, Eli was liberated mentally, emotionally, and completed his task at hand with God awesome power; that which he was called to do…wink
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Truth reveals as time returns...
A power beyond measure requires a protector without equal. From the movie The Bulletproof Monk
Courageous Leaderships means one must develop the following (from the book The Maxwell Daily Reader by John C. Maxwell)….
1. Convictions that are stronger than my fears.
2. Vision that is clearer than my doubts.
3. Spiritual sensitivity that is louder than popular opinion.
4. Self-esteem that is deeper than self-protection.
5. Appreciation for discipline that is greater than my desire for leisure.
6. Dissatisfaction that is more forceful than the status quo.
7. Poise that is more unshakeable than panic.
8. Risk taking that is stronger than safety seeking.
9. Right actions that are more robust than rationalization.
10. A desire to see potential reached more than to see people appeased.
I read the above list during my morning devotion and within this list I innately see with my heart, the greatest battle we will ever fight is the one with self. Actualizing these serious simple statements, allows me to acquire this revelation - if we are to meet our expectations in life and exceed the potential we know, we must change our attitude toward challenges we encounter in life. Manage our emotions better, not looking at what will make me feel better or what is good for me, but rather what is good for us in the long haul and the entire group. Sharing with others, in the form they understand, the lessons you have learned from your teachable moments, rather than hoarding them to look good or better to them. Only then can we see the possibility and the opportunity lying within the challenge before us, and let the teachable moments teach us; we apply them. We are then able to prioritize and focus on adding value to people, which ultimately adds value to us as individuals.
Adding value to others, believe it or not, is the best investment one could ever make in this life. When we do, we begin to see the light and the call that lead and kept our Saviour inspite of the taunts, the hardship, and the hurt. It is always quite difficult to see the exactness of each of our journey in this life, and how it has just the right mixture of chaos, triumph, peace, and victories to help us to become our true self, and to be the catalyst for others to live their truth with the focus on the bigger picture, or the significance of helping another to act on their dream. You do not always have to be the one, you could be the one before the one, or the platform on which the one stands; both are significant positions that matter. We just have to be willing to accept our position in God's plan for our life. It will not always be what we desire, what others think, or fit into the popular opinion of what we should do, but it the only path that allows you to live authentically....wink
Courageous Leaderships means one must develop the following (from the book The Maxwell Daily Reader by John C. Maxwell)….
1. Convictions that are stronger than my fears.
2. Vision that is clearer than my doubts.
3. Spiritual sensitivity that is louder than popular opinion.
4. Self-esteem that is deeper than self-protection.
5. Appreciation for discipline that is greater than my desire for leisure.
6. Dissatisfaction that is more forceful than the status quo.
7. Poise that is more unshakeable than panic.
8. Risk taking that is stronger than safety seeking.
9. Right actions that are more robust than rationalization.
10. A desire to see potential reached more than to see people appeased.
I read the above list during my morning devotion and within this list I innately see with my heart, the greatest battle we will ever fight is the one with self. Actualizing these serious simple statements, allows me to acquire this revelation - if we are to meet our expectations in life and exceed the potential we know, we must change our attitude toward challenges we encounter in life. Manage our emotions better, not looking at what will make me feel better or what is good for me, but rather what is good for us in the long haul and the entire group. Sharing with others, in the form they understand, the lessons you have learned from your teachable moments, rather than hoarding them to look good or better to them. Only then can we see the possibility and the opportunity lying within the challenge before us, and let the teachable moments teach us; we apply them. We are then able to prioritize and focus on adding value to people, which ultimately adds value to us as individuals.
Adding value to others, believe it or not, is the best investment one could ever make in this life. When we do, we begin to see the light and the call that lead and kept our Saviour inspite of the taunts, the hardship, and the hurt. It is always quite difficult to see the exactness of each of our journey in this life, and how it has just the right mixture of chaos, triumph, peace, and victories to help us to become our true self, and to be the catalyst for others to live their truth with the focus on the bigger picture, or the significance of helping another to act on their dream. You do not always have to be the one, you could be the one before the one, or the platform on which the one stands; both are significant positions that matter. We just have to be willing to accept our position in God's plan for our life. It will not always be what we desire, what others think, or fit into the popular opinion of what we should do, but it the only path that allows you to live authentically....wink
Monday, July 12, 2010
The work, preparation has been done….now we must act…
"The path is unsafe. The place is unknown. The journey is unbelievable. " from the movie Forbidden Kingdom.
I am still moving in my weight lost journey but I guess it is not really about the weight lost, as it is about the lifestyle change to maintain a healthy weight and the journey to get there. As we get older, we have to worker harder to get things to stay put…lol…like we would like. But like with so many things in this journey, I have learned we must live in the now, not in what use to be, or what we wish to be because we discount what is now and worked already done. Realizing this made me think of the how we desire to change, but we are unwilling to take an objective stock of who we are really, where we are, the preparation done, and what we see as negotiables in our life. We all have gifts and talents to be a leader in various arenas – formal and informal. Our circle of influence is far greater than we think, or even can imagine. Yet, we fall short of our and others expectations once we actually get in the real world, put ourselves in the arena, field, turf, etc where we know, we belong, and actualize the many talents and gifts within us. Why is that? Failure or less than stellar results we were expecting, come about because the failure to take a true objective stock of self. See, we have not decided to trade momentary satisfaction, or what is good for the moment, for what is good and satisfactory for the long haul. Without willing to accept and do, we will never meet or exceed the expectations of ourself and/or others. Something we must do at any level, regardless of any formal leadership role if we desire to reach our potential and beyond that is within us. Because we are role-models whether we desire to be or not, and we influence others whether we try to or not. Thus, to meet and exceed our expectations starts with intentional incremental small steps in our decision making. See with in my weight lost journey, I realize I will never be the size I use to be, or look like others my age but I can be comfortable being me and develop me to be my best, and know it is an process not an event. I will have to learn moderation, to let go of things and people that are hindrance to my progression; difficult yes, but not impossible. But more importantly, I can carry the confidence within me, which puts me in precision syncopated rhythms for my life. These rhythms in my life allow me to utilize my gifts and talents to create innovative steps for introductions and exits with smooth transition no matter the environment, the atmosphere, or the circumstance.
We just have to believe what is not, can be if we believe what has been put in our spirit and not be afraid because it is not popular. See the work, the preparation has been done, and now we just need to act on it…. Eze. 37:13;9-10 (NIV)- The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know." … Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
I am still moving in my weight lost journey but I guess it is not really about the weight lost, as it is about the lifestyle change to maintain a healthy weight and the journey to get there. As we get older, we have to worker harder to get things to stay put…lol…like we would like. But like with so many things in this journey, I have learned we must live in the now, not in what use to be, or what we wish to be because we discount what is now and worked already done. Realizing this made me think of the how we desire to change, but we are unwilling to take an objective stock of who we are really, where we are, the preparation done, and what we see as negotiables in our life. We all have gifts and talents to be a leader in various arenas – formal and informal. Our circle of influence is far greater than we think, or even can imagine. Yet, we fall short of our and others expectations once we actually get in the real world, put ourselves in the arena, field, turf, etc where we know, we belong, and actualize the many talents and gifts within us. Why is that? Failure or less than stellar results we were expecting, come about because the failure to take a true objective stock of self. See, we have not decided to trade momentary satisfaction, or what is good for the moment, for what is good and satisfactory for the long haul. Without willing to accept and do, we will never meet or exceed the expectations of ourself and/or others. Something we must do at any level, regardless of any formal leadership role if we desire to reach our potential and beyond that is within us. Because we are role-models whether we desire to be or not, and we influence others whether we try to or not. Thus, to meet and exceed our expectations starts with intentional incremental small steps in our decision making. See with in my weight lost journey, I realize I will never be the size I use to be, or look like others my age but I can be comfortable being me and develop me to be my best, and know it is an process not an event. I will have to learn moderation, to let go of things and people that are hindrance to my progression; difficult yes, but not impossible. But more importantly, I can carry the confidence within me, which puts me in precision syncopated rhythms for my life. These rhythms in my life allow me to utilize my gifts and talents to create innovative steps for introductions and exits with smooth transition no matter the environment, the atmosphere, or the circumstance.
We just have to believe what is not, can be if we believe what has been put in our spirit and not be afraid because it is not popular. See the work, the preparation has been done, and now we just need to act on it…. Eze. 37:13;9-10 (NIV)- The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know." … Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
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