Happiness, I have the definition all wrapped up...right here on board this ship with me!
Even though I am not going to be 'home' for Christmas I have received some real good mail and anticipate a little more...because I was told it was coming, and that in itself is making me happy thinking about it being on its way!
First I have received great mail from several people wishing me Holiday greetings. I have a new Emeril cookbook called 'Potluck' which I will endorse right now on the spot (It is a great recipe/cook book, ingredients should be easy to find in the store and he does such a good job at making it simple but still 'gourmet'...I also sense its got that 'Southern' feel that I really love, check it out!). I read it like a novel...we in the South are always 'up' for a good potluck dinner. Thats good eats!
In the same box I also received some cards from family, some Christmas Blend Starbucks Coffee (yeah baby yeah) and a December/Christmas addition Food & Wine Magazine...that I will be readin' while I am sippin' on some Starbucks!
But don't stop there! There's more! If I wait long enough there will be pictures of my niece and nephew (to go on the door beside the card) coming in the mail with some stollen bread! How about a nice piece of that with coffee and magazine?! That's right! Food stains on the magazine...I will pause here to give you a little culinary food lesson: Definition: [STOH-luhn; SHTOH-luhn] Germany's traditional Christmas yeast bread, stollen is a rich, dried fruit-filled loaf that's often topped with a confectioners' sugar icing and decorated with candied cherries. It's shaped like a folded oval and somewhat resembles a giant parker house roll. My sister's mother-in-law (or my Brother-in-law's mother) is from Germany, so this is the real authentic stuff!!! Thanks Ursula!
I have another friend who has sent me a CD that just came out in the states that was the second part of 2(and also some specialty coffee and 'other' things!). I already have the first CD so this completes it! SO now a little new Music for my enjoyment during Christmas.
I won't go on and on...but as you see it doesn't take much to please me if you know my heart.
True happiness will be in celebrating the birth of Jesus, and I can celebrate that and enjoy these things this Holiday Season. What a blessing!
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Understand
Recently I have found a lot of frustrations between understanding leadership (my boss or bosses) and the people that I am responsible for. There are several aspects that make it a difficult chore. First I would think that it is because I work with people from so many different cultures, Secondly so many different ages and religious backgrounds, and Third...Ah who am I kidding? There are so many different factors to consider that I don't think I could list them all!!!
What is, or used to be part of Gateway and Segue training (which is like teaching people for work in missions with Mercy Ships) is a training class called '7 Habits of Highly Effective People' by Franklin Covey, but it is taught from a biblical standpoint. I even have my card with the 7 Habits on one side and the 'work' quadrants on the other side...Its been washed and dried a few time but it is fairly legible. (Work quadrants would be another topic for later) I just want to center my attention on one of the 7 Habits that I believe is the key to a lot of my frustration... Seeking first to understand, then to be understood.
Combine that Idea of thinking with the aspects I cited earlier...In my opinion most people do not have time to understand and conveniently assert their way of thinking and how to do things because they do not have the time or patience to hear your thoughts. Why? Because they already know how to do things, they have already heard what you are going to suggest and it doesn't work, and/or most of the time they have already refused to accept any new options. One reason is because it could change so much, and (everybody say it with me!) thats the way 'we' have always done it.
How do you over come this? Most of the time its a long road of prayer, finghting battles, hours and hours spent listening to lectures, attending meetings, and listening to ideas that you have heard over and over again because repetition wears people out, or convinces them. Does this make it right? No. Do most people surrender when they realize the long road they may have to travel to make a difference or change? I don't know...
You really want the answer to this now that I brought it up? This is my opinion: Stay close to the Lord(Jesus, God, Holy Spirit) thru prayer, scripture, praise and worship and let the Lord speak to your heart...It will come. Maybe just one answer at a time, or completely for a whole situation. But be ready for the answer, its not always the one YOU think of...And it may not come as fast as YOU think it should.
One day I will understand all this...And then maybe it won't be so imperative that I be understood. Confused?
What is, or used to be part of Gateway and Segue training (which is like teaching people for work in missions with Mercy Ships) is a training class called '7 Habits of Highly Effective People' by Franklin Covey, but it is taught from a biblical standpoint. I even have my card with the 7 Habits on one side and the 'work' quadrants on the other side...Its been washed and dried a few time but it is fairly legible. (Work quadrants would be another topic for later) I just want to center my attention on one of the 7 Habits that I believe is the key to a lot of my frustration... Seeking first to understand, then to be understood.
Combine that Idea of thinking with the aspects I cited earlier...In my opinion most people do not have time to understand and conveniently assert their way of thinking and how to do things because they do not have the time or patience to hear your thoughts. Why? Because they already know how to do things, they have already heard what you are going to suggest and it doesn't work, and/or most of the time they have already refused to accept any new options. One reason is because it could change so much, and (everybody say it with me!) thats the way 'we' have always done it.
How do you over come this? Most of the time its a long road of prayer, finghting battles, hours and hours spent listening to lectures, attending meetings, and listening to ideas that you have heard over and over again because repetition wears people out, or convinces them. Does this make it right? No. Do most people surrender when they realize the long road they may have to travel to make a difference or change? I don't know...
You really want the answer to this now that I brought it up? This is my opinion: Stay close to the Lord(Jesus, God, Holy Spirit) thru prayer, scripture, praise and worship and let the Lord speak to your heart...It will come. Maybe just one answer at a time, or completely for a whole situation. But be ready for the answer, its not always the one YOU think of...And it may not come as fast as YOU think it should.
One day I will understand all this...And then maybe it won't be so imperative that I be understood. Confused?
Friday, December 10, 2004
Comparison
As life rolls by me (or over me) at a speed that I can not slow down (or the aging process for that matter) I find myself looking around to see who has made it all the way, or if in fact, I am the one who is behind.
We are by nature (or is it habit?) comparing people. But by being this way we bring on a much greater stress than is realized...It is probably the foundation for most stress we have today. How? Why do we strive so hard at work unless we are afraid of the person that may be better than us and take that promotion or raise? Do we really worry about our weight problem or physical attributes because of health reasons or because of our perception of ourselves in comparison to what the 'world' excepts? Why is it I (me personally) have so many problems at work when everybody is getting paid the same (nothing, we are all volunteers in this organization)?
Comparison, it can be a great tool for evaluation and growth (thru God's word [Bible] and his plan for us and recognizing the areas we need to work on/grow in) or a nagging, whining, 'I'm not being treated fairly' road to dissension, depression, and misery (at this point the old saying seems to be true, 'misery loves company' and so a few more people have been brought down with this contagious selfish attitude).
Many people cannot just mind there own business and hold their selves accountable for the work that they say they are offering or doing for the Lord (God).
People will say that, many people will believe it, but MOST people fail in representation of that statement at one time or another. Am I here to judge? I don't think so...I have often been guilty of that myself from time to time.
Which brings me to the parable of Workers in the Vineyard.*
Indulge me by reading these verses of scripture from the Bible (Matthew 20:1-16 or just click on the link in the above sentence). When I read them I have conviction (feelings of guilt) for the way I must have given others many a headache by constantly droning on about my own unfair circumstances or situations and on the other hand, I have had many a headache by listening to the same complaints day in and day out...
They say (scholars, historians, etc...) that most men did not even live thru the beatings and/or lashes of a whip before crucifixion. But Jesus did. And he did it for us. How is that for a comparison?
*[Workers in the Vineyard - What is a Parable? Parables are true to life. When you hear the story, you can relate it to your own life. It conveys its message of truth through analogy, through comparison or contrast. The power of a parable comes from the fact that you recognize that "That's the way it is in real life." Parables are great because they tell a story that is easy to remember.]
We are by nature (or is it habit?) comparing people. But by being this way we bring on a much greater stress than is realized...It is probably the foundation for most stress we have today. How? Why do we strive so hard at work unless we are afraid of the person that may be better than us and take that promotion or raise? Do we really worry about our weight problem or physical attributes because of health reasons or because of our perception of ourselves in comparison to what the 'world' excepts? Why is it I (me personally) have so many problems at work when everybody is getting paid the same (nothing, we are all volunteers in this organization)?
Comparison, it can be a great tool for evaluation and growth (thru God's word [Bible] and his plan for us and recognizing the areas we need to work on/grow in) or a nagging, whining, 'I'm not being treated fairly' road to dissension, depression, and misery (at this point the old saying seems to be true, 'misery loves company' and so a few more people have been brought down with this contagious selfish attitude).
Many people cannot just mind there own business and hold their selves accountable for the work that they say they are offering or doing for the Lord (God).
People will say that, many people will believe it, but MOST people fail in representation of that statement at one time or another. Am I here to judge? I don't think so...I have often been guilty of that myself from time to time.
Which brings me to the parable of Workers in the Vineyard.*
Indulge me by reading these verses of scripture from the Bible (Matthew 20:1-16 or just click on the link in the above sentence). When I read them I have conviction (feelings of guilt) for the way I must have given others many a headache by constantly droning on about my own unfair circumstances or situations and on the other hand, I have had many a headache by listening to the same complaints day in and day out...
They say (scholars, historians, etc...) that most men did not even live thru the beatings and/or lashes of a whip before crucifixion. But Jesus did. And he did it for us. How is that for a comparison?
*[Workers in the Vineyard - What is a Parable? Parables are true to life. When you hear the story, you can relate it to your own life. It conveys its message of truth through analogy, through comparison or contrast. The power of a parable comes from the fact that you recognize that "That's the way it is in real life." Parables are great because they tell a story that is easy to remember.]
Wednesday, December 1, 2004
Expanding my thoughts
There is a nice story I want to tell you that I remember from a section of a book by Swindoll. It will be a paraphrase since I can only remember so much, and, I am sure that these things are copyrighted...
A young boy fresh out of Sunday School class was running around ecstatic. After finding his father nearby, he started telling his father about Moses escaping from Egypt with the Israelites. He explained to his father that while he was making it to the Red Sea the Pharaohs army was catching up...so Moses got on his walkie-talkie and called in the Israelite Airforce to come bomb Pharaohs Army while the Israelite Navy built a pontoon bridge across the Red Sea where they escaped to freedom!
His dad was shocked, he demanded to know if this is the way they taught him the story in Sunday school. The boy said, "Well no, not exactly...but if I told it to you the way they told us, you would never believe it!!!".
Now in reading this and studying the implications it gives, it makes me wonder do we (society at large) really try to put Jesus death and resurrection, the story of Salvation, into what we perceive is a more 'real' or 'easier' story in order for it to be more believable to others?
1 Corinthians 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
Does this verse imply that we are to plant the seed (God’s word, Jesus Salvation) and/or water (feed the word to, or encourage) the one who has been told or revealed the word of God, BUT it is God’s job to make it grow?
If the responsibility is not ours to convince the recipients it is true, then why do we have trouble sharing a two thousand year old story in its true historical form? And what can we possibly gain by distorting it besides further confusion?
Which is harder to believe:
1. Moses was led by God to complete a mission that was confirmed by God and God miraculously saved his people?
OR
2. There was actually an Air force and Navy capable of Jet bombing and Pontoon Bridge building on B.C. earth?
Just expanding my thoughts and sharing them with you as they come. I already have some other thoughts of study that are surfacing that I may take the time to write down tomorrow.
Have a great day, and think about it!
A young boy fresh out of Sunday School class was running around ecstatic. After finding his father nearby, he started telling his father about Moses escaping from Egypt with the Israelites. He explained to his father that while he was making it to the Red Sea the Pharaohs army was catching up...so Moses got on his walkie-talkie and called in the Israelite Airforce to come bomb Pharaohs Army while the Israelite Navy built a pontoon bridge across the Red Sea where they escaped to freedom!
His dad was shocked, he demanded to know if this is the way they taught him the story in Sunday school. The boy said, "Well no, not exactly...but if I told it to you the way they told us, you would never believe it!!!".
Now in reading this and studying the implications it gives, it makes me wonder do we (society at large) really try to put Jesus death and resurrection, the story of Salvation, into what we perceive is a more 'real' or 'easier' story in order for it to be more believable to others?
1 Corinthians 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
Does this verse imply that we are to plant the seed (God’s word, Jesus Salvation) and/or water (feed the word to, or encourage) the one who has been told or revealed the word of God, BUT it is God’s job to make it grow?
If the responsibility is not ours to convince the recipients it is true, then why do we have trouble sharing a two thousand year old story in its true historical form? And what can we possibly gain by distorting it besides further confusion?
Which is harder to believe:
1. Moses was led by God to complete a mission that was confirmed by God and God miraculously saved his people?
OR
2. There was actually an Air force and Navy capable of Jet bombing and Pontoon Bridge building on B.C. earth?
Just expanding my thoughts and sharing them with you as they come. I already have some other thoughts of study that are surfacing that I may take the time to write down tomorrow.
Have a great day, and think about it!
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