Archive for the ‘Cultural Ideas’ category

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Eli Stone

October 14, 2008

Got to see the premier of the show, Eli Stone, tonight. I was floored. The preface of the story is that a lawyer has had an aneurysm that has given him hallucinations -but they have been truthful premonitions. He had the aneurysm removed and the erratic behavior stopped.

The great point for me was that the head of the firm, in remembering the “old” Eli, said that he had done all he could to make the firm a machine that worked like clockwork. Along came Eli and brought chaos to his previously ordered life. The strange thing was that the head of the firm, along with other co-workers, missed the “old” Eli and his behavior. Somehow, the chaos had given them all a sense of purpose. With the “new” Eli free of aneurysm and hallucination, life suddenly was dull and pointless.

So often in church we try to constrain the spiritual to the explainable and the expected. Too often in fact we find that our souls long for the unexpected and uncontrollable direction of the spirit. Our lives desire to live on the cusp of chaos. We all know it and yet we all try to find a feigned shelter in a predictable life. Throw off the desire to know what the ext moment holds and embrace the chaos of a life lives with no knowledge of the next moment. That is what faith is all about!

Categories: Awareness, Belief, Context, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Life

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The Fountain

October 12, 2008

Had a remarkable opportunity to go down to the Fountain on 3rd Street in Macon. There is a relief effort going on that has focused on the Fountain area as ground zero in their attempts to help some of the homeless and disenfranchised population of downtown Macon. I met Jesse, a guy who has a quick mind and a desire to discuss the scripture; I met Kimarra a musical producer who desires to put his fingerprint on Hip Hop; I met Scotty who is simply a joy and a whole lot more. The point is that in just a few moments I created relationships that transcended economics and geography.

Several of the guys asked where I was from. When I replied Perry, they were amazed that I had traveled so far to bring food to them.  This is where the church as a whole has failed. When people are surprised that we would feed them, something is wrong. I know that there will always be difficulties when we try to become a part of others activities. (ie. the Red Cross, the Salvation Army – all have strict guidelines and a menagerie of forms) The essence of Christ is to love. When we simply love people we incarnate Christ to them. In fact, when I saw Jesse, Scotty, and Kimmara, they incarnated Christ to me as well. Their love and acceptance spoke volumes as to the impact we each have on one another every day.

Even when we don’t feel like it, or are aware of it, our actions and body language transmit to others. Let us do our utmost to position ourselves to present the best display of our knowledge of Christ possible as we walk out our lives today.

Categories: Awareness, Belief, Context, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life
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Plans

October 11, 2008

Well, tomorrow the staff will have an opportunity to share some of the ideas that they have for Lifepoint in 2009. For me, the idea of personal development is crucial. I can’t imagine being the point guy for personal development, but it is a concept that has connected with my very core. When I have talked with people over the past year, the one common thread has been a desire to understand their lives better and to make better decisions for it’s future.

In the past twelve months I have read more books than I have been able to post about. Most of those books have had to do with the idea of personal development. Now I’m not talking about Anthony Robbins – although he has made a good living doing his thing – I’m talking about the mechanics and psychological underpinnings of why we do the things we do. From Marcus Buckingham and his putting your strengths first approach, to Robert Torbert and his vision of action logics to Dee Hock and his view of chaordic organizations, I have read and digested and wanted to do something with the information. Now is the time.

In 2009, there will be many opportunities for people n the Middle Georgia area to come to events hosted by Lifepoint Church (that’s right, a church!) to help people in their personal development. From personal mission statements to strengths that will help you find the right job for you, Lifepoint will embark in a new era of facilitating personal growth for Middle Georgia and it’s citizens.

Needless to say, I can’t wait!

Categories: Context, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, Lifepoint, Me, People, Starting, Strengths, Vision

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The Art of Peacemaking

October 2, 2008

I do not need to list the myriad of concerns around the world in regards to Peace. I am consistently amazed at the need seemingly present in religious circles to have a “crusade” or “fight the good fight” or use the “sword of the spirit” to “defeat our foes”. Though we proclaim that our message is Peace our language is anything but.

Don’t missunderstand me, I realize that the endeavour of peace is not a simplistic undertaking. Time, conversations, more time, listening and work are needed – but not force or violence.

One word that must be included in the conversations about peace is the word, “Justice”. Robert McAffee Brown speaks volumes about the search for peace when in Making Peace in the Global Village he says,

“We need to measure our world and the imperative for peacemaking, with an eye to justice. Whatever is unjust threatens peace. Whatever fosters justice is an act of peacemaking.”

These acts that foster justice can be done by anyone at anytime and each is an act of peacemaking – each moves us closer to a realization of global peace. Sometimes when we think of world-wide peace, we tend to become overwhelmed, but the imperative is that the big things are never done by big organizations or big governments, they are always done by small people who, like yesterdays post, have big dreams.

Categories: Awareness, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life, peace
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Karen Armstrong – Religion:A Force for Harmony

September 29, 2008

Karen’s words are so fitting for how we face the uncertainty around us. She begins by shedding light on the birth of the idea of “believing”. She then moves toward the Golden Rule as a global religious effort. She recognizes the desire for people around the world for change. Typically, the established church would rather be right than follow the words of many spiritual sages to “do unto others as you would have them do to you”.

She posits that people want to be religious, and that religion should be a force for harmony; that the Golden Rule should be global: do unto other countries as you would have other countries do unto you. That we should move beyond toleration to appreciation of the other. Listen, really listen and see how we can have a positive impact by living out the Golden Rule. This has incredible impact on how we continue “doing” church, indeed on how we continue living at all.

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Categories: Awareness, Belief, Cultural Ideas, religion

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World Wide Day of Play

September 27, 2008

Something amazing has happened today. Nickelodeon, Noggin, The N and NickToons have all gone dark. From noon until 3:00pm nothing will be shown on these channels. For the fifth consecutive year Nickelodeon is brokering its influence for a Worldwide Day of Play. This is the first year that all Nickelodeon networks and their comparable websites will effectively shut down in order for kids around the world to get out and play.

There have also been over 1,000 play event scheduled around the United States. This was designed as a way for Nick to encourage kids to fight obesity. Before and after the blackout, each network will show programming that is health-related. Nick has partnered with several organizations this year including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Big Brothers and Big Sisters along with the National Football League.

What a great opportunity to for our kids to see that there is more that they can do, and that influence can be used in positive ways to motivate us toward better goals and a better life.

Categories: Awareness, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life, People, Sports, Vision
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Alzheimer’s Memory Walk

September 25, 2008

Alzheimer’s is a disease that is increasingly affecting more and more of us. Today it is uncommon to find someone who does not know of a friend, family member or acquaintance who either has known, knows or is going through themselves this terrible disease.

The most difficult part of Alzheimer’s is that when we lose memory, we lose the path of our life. When the signposts of the past are gone, we truly become lost. To watch as someone you love enters into a place of lostness within themselves is a decidedly helpless position to find yourself in.

My friend, Mike Scarborough, has set up a team to participate in the Georgia Alzheimer’s Memory Walk this November 1st. I encourage you to click here and either become part of the team, donate or both. Significant advances are being made in the search for a cure, but more help is needed. Together we can indeed make a great difference in the future!

Categories: Awareness, Belief, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life

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The Wizard of Oz

September 12, 2008

Tonight we watched The Wizard of Oz as part of Family Night. I love the movie, even though there are some who think any mention of witches, wizards and teleportation will send one directly to the Bad Place. Some things jumped out at me while we were watching.

One thing is how funny the scene is when the apple trees start pelting the travelers with apples – who knew trees had a gruff voice? Seriously, it is hard for me to just watch a movie. I’m more intrigued than ever before as to how the contextualization of the time period the movie was made translates with the time period in which it is being watched. (Only really great movies are able to bridge this chasm)

1 – After the Scarecrow is talking about not having a brain, Dorothy asks him what he would do with a brain if he had one – and the Scarecrow is quick to have an answer. Sometimes we allow not having something to become a reason we can’t get anything done, when the truth is that we probably wouldn’t get anything done even if we did have what we are whining about.

2 – Dorothy immediatly invites the Scarecrow to join her on her journey. She is not the least bit proprietary about her journey. She welcomes anyone who wants to go with her. Many times we get too defensive when we resist help in situations where an openness to others would quickly solve a problem.

3 – The Tinman longs for a heart, but his song delivery is the most emotional of all of the travelers.

4 – They think the Wizard will fix everything, but find out that the answers to their questions and desires are within them.

5 – Glenda tells Dorothy that she has had the way home all the time, but that she couldn’t tell Dorothy because she wouldn’t have believed it. How true is this? If we would allow ourselves to live a life filled with trust instead of suspicion, we could take leaps in our development as people and humans.

Next time you watch a film, open yourself up to the possibility of seeing more than just a plot line and actors. Within the power of storytelling is the answers to life itself.

Categories: Awareness, Context, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life

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Large Hadron Collider – Big Bang Come to Life

September 10, 2008

As you may know, I am a big fan of TED, a conference held each year that focuses on technological and design information that has global impact or probable global impact. Today the Large Hadron Collider is on-line and questions that physisists have been asking about matter and the universe may be answered or create more questions. In October the first experiments will be held. Here is a talk by Brian Cox who has been working on the LHC. His ability to discuss the complex in understandable terms has earned him the moniker of the “rock-star physicist”.

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Truly an incredible achievement and interesting days ahead.

Categories: Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life

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Georgia Football is Back!!!

August 30, 2008

Can’t say how good it is to have college football back. Can’t say how bad it is not to be able to see the first game -thank God for radio and Larry Munson! As expected the Dawgs beat Georgia Southern, but more than that is the expected ethos – the feeling – of college football. Saturdays now have even greater purpose and a place that felt so good last year is now back like an old friend gone on an extended vacation.

Don’t want to get too sappy so “Time out”. Check out your life and try to identify the different “ethos” you experience. What is the ethos of work, family, church, school, etc? If you like it, great, relish it and enjoy it. If you don’t, think of ways you can transform the ethos to be one that feels like a comfortable T-shirt. Don’t think that because you aren’t “the Boss” that you can’t change the feel of your workplace. Every time you change something about yourself, you change everything about your relationships with colleagues, friends and family.

GO DAWGS!

Categories: Awareness, Cultural Ideas, Life, Me, Sports

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