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What Are We Here For?

June 8, 2008

Today we finish out the series “God and Your Bod”. We’ve discussed the eyes, ears, mouth, feet and conclude with the hands. How to glorify God with our hands.

I’m writing this after the musical portion of the first of our three services. The last song we sang was “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)” made popular by Chris Tomlin. Louie Giglio the founder of the Passion movement spoke about how this song came about. Chris had been asked to remake “Amazing Grace” for the movie of the same name about William Wilberforce’s struggle to end slavery in England.

Talk about a tall order. Remake the most familiar song in the world? As it turned out, Chris did remake the song, and by all accounts did a great job. Louie jokes that some of the kids listening to Chris and his contemporaries will think he (Chris) wrote “Amazing Grace”. In the chorus, Chris took the context of the song and put it into words of action – “My chains are gone, I’ve been set free.”

I have to be honest, as a Creative Pastor, it is a great thing to plan services and create environments condusive for people to meet God, but what is greater than that is seeing it happen right before your eyes. Greater still is to be able to experience it alongside the people whose stories you are familiar with, and know that their chains are gone and they have been set free.

No greater joy is there than when you have done all that you can do and then see God take it a quantum step further. None of it would be possible without a team of people – musicians, singers, tech people – who have the same desire of creating environments that help people “tune in” to God.

Today we talk about using our hands to glorify God. I’m grateful for those who use their “hands” each Sunday to glorify God.

Thanks to: Gerry Marshall, Kevin Kinkade, Joe Booker, Kim Hague, Chris McCray, Gary Lane, Amy Hildreth (who gives me more support and love than I think I’m worth), John Sloan, Eli Hoffman, Jed Broussard, Lauren Evans, Casey Leeb, Lauren Gill, Bianca Broussard, Laura Kinkade and all of the other volunteers who make Sundays run so smoothly.

What are we here for? We are here to use what we have for the greater good, in the moment, to glorify God by actively pursuing God’s “kingdom here on earth as it is in Heaven”.

Categories: Context, Creativity, Influence, Lifepoint, Me, Message Series

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Another Hockey Quote

June 2, 2008

This time its from commentator Mike Emrich. He said, “Triple overtime, this hasn’t happened since 2002, a long time ago.”

Since when is 2002 a “long time ago”? I’ll go back to the 80’s, but even thinking the 80’s are “a long time ago” is a stretch. I remember when I was growing up (OK now I’m sounding old) that something had to be at least 40 or 50 years old to really be considered “old”.

Time does change as we age – at least our perception of time, but with that change in perception comes something else – wisdom. I know you were hoping for something more zen-like, but it is true. Wisdom increases along with age. My parents will love to hear this!

So the next time you hear a younger person talk about the ancient ways of Internet surfing way back in 2002, be aware that we probably also, in our younger years, decried the way our elders moulded the aluminum foil on the antennae of the TV as we stood by to change the channel.

Categories: Cultural Ideas, Life, Me, People

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Life Questions

April 30, 2008

Occasionally I like to think in abstract, incongruent, counterintuitive ways. OK, more than occasionally, but the point is that I like asking myself questions no one else will ask me. Provacative questions that confront me and compel me to evaluate and investigate my life and how I am relating to myself. Once that is known I can better relate properly to others.

Stay with me now. What follows are a few questions to pose to yourself and think about. Remeber that the most significant parts of a musical piece are the spaces between the notes. As you ask yourself the questions pay attention not only to the questions and answers that come up, but also to the quiet spaces between the questions and answers.

Who are you? not as self, but as Self

Why are you here? not your work, but your Work

How are you unique? gathering all the stuff that makes up you

How can you make a dramatic difference? your best contribution to humanity

Who cares about this?

Do you care about this?

Categories: Context, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Me

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Batterson and Kili

April 18, 2008

I subscribe to a few really good blogs from people who I like to think of as long distance mentors. To be a mentor you only have to be doing or “being” a person who exemplifies certain character traits that I feel would be beneficiall in the long-term for me. Mark Batterson is one of those guys. I love his blog because it is real. You may be thinking – “they are all real”, but I’ve read and subscribed to others who began posting about their life and families and ended up trying to preach from the blog.

Mark’s blog shoots life into my day because he is a great speaker, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Case in point is this recent post. One of my life goals is to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Mark posted that not only was this one of his goals. but he also has the opportunity to see it happen.

Many times we write out goals and then put them on the shelf. Thanks Mark for letting me take a few back off the shelf, brush them off and see what we can do in the near present instead of waiting or forgetting.

Categories: Influence, Me

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Looking at CD’s

April 18, 2008

I was looking at the posts over the past few months and I realized that I’ve yet to review a single CD. This is odd considering music is a large part of my life.

Over the next few weeks I’ll look at some of the new popular and possibly obscure music available and give my thoughts on it. My musical tastes are varies and you won’t like everything I suggest, but hold on this will be a great trip as we look at some great tunes.

Categories: Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Me

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Georgia loss

March 20, 2008

So I’m no NCAA analyst. I was motivated by heart to pull for Georgia, and they almost got it – but almost doesn’t win games. After the first 5 from Xavier it was all Georgia until the second half and the Xavier surge. Georgia had been 14-4 when leading at the half.

They maintained a slim lead, but fouls and free throws got the best of them. I have to say that it was a great game – had me clinching my hands and uttering loud noises. 14 seeds are scary sometimes and I think that Xavier went into this game thinking it would go a lot easier than it did. Onward to the next bracketology issues….who knows maybe Baylor could win it all.

Categories: Life, Me

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Georgia vs Xavier

March 20, 2008

Up front, just to let you know, this is a self-indulgent post. I love March Madness and the Georgia Bulldogs are what that madness is all about.

Alright, just a few minutes until NCAA Basketball. Georgia upset the apple cart Sunday with their amazing comeback by beating Arkansas 66-57 in the championship game. “From last to first in four days” one of the signs said. That win earned Georgia its first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2002. Well, today the Dawgs take on Xavier.

Dennis Felton should go into this game feeling a little more secure in his job as coach following the SEC championship victory Sunday. I’m not going to try to put this game in the proper perspective – you can’t do that if you’re rooting for a team; especially an underdog team who isn’t supposed to be where they are.

I pick Georgia to win this game today by at least 8, probably 10. It’ll be close, but by the time the game is over, I think you’ll have seen a refreshed, refocused Georgia team on their way to the Sweet 16.

Another game I’m interested in is Baylor vs. Purdue. I’d love to see Baylor beat Purdue, but I think Baylor may lose by 4.

GO DAWGS!

Categories: Life, Me

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Productive vs. Busy

February 16, 2008

This is one of my largest areas of “time wasters”. I will catch myself busily working on something that does not have any application to shortening the gaps between the achievement of my goals and work. I can put in hours and hours on things that either someone else can do (not being prideful, just making a point) or things that have neutral impact on my life.

Time is something that is increasing in value as I age. The seeming indefatigability of youth is catching up to me – I know I’m not old, but the term “old” is relative anyway. I want to do things that get me closer to accomplishing the things I want people to learn from and talk about when I’m gone.

We can laugh about using the terms “legacy” and “heritage”, but each day we either deposit, withdraw or ignore the balance we will leave behind. Passion is great, and something that I find increasing as the days go by, but passion without focus will just make me tired at the end of the day. Passion with focus will bring me closer to my desired achievements and give purpose to my days.

When I was growing up, people used the axiom, “busy as a bee”, it worked because it rhymed – I think bees are far more productive than just being busy. I do concede, however, that “productive as a bee” doesn’t quite have the same ring.

Categories: Goals, Influence, Me

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Practically Letting Go: Part 2

February 4, 2008

Hope Part 1 helped some of you guys out. Here’s another tried and true method to my madness, and a way to free up unproductive time.

Dialogue is important in what I do. The decisions that I make are made using information from multiple sources. I talk to people, read books, listen and watch various media outlets in order to formulate a strategy for visual and content success. Each series requires individual attention and frequent adjustment. The point is – I have a lot to do in a short amount of time. This is coupled by the fact that the process is repeated every 4-5 weeks.

One of the greatest Idea Assets that I have found is to: NOT GET INVOLVED IN MEANINGLESS DIALOGUE. I put that in caps to arrest your attention. This is critical. If you are like me, people like to talk to you; and you like to talk to them. Problems arise when you need to focus on the Big Idea.

There are people in all of our lives who simply want to talk. They don’t offer any additional input into a situation, they don’t help you make a decision, and they certainly don’t contribute to a completion of a project. Love these people, but don’t get involved in meaningless dialogue with them. Be straightforward and firm. Your time belongs to you, and only you can give it away.

Utilize this one principle and loads of time will open up for you.

Categories: Cultural Ideas, Influence, Me

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Practically letting go Part 1

February 3, 2008

There are things tha ti have learned that have helped me to become somewhat streamlined in my approach to life. Many times I will bog back down into the mire of life, but when I remeber these few things I quickly regain ground and experience personal sucess and satisfaction.

A big practice for me is to not check email in the morning. I know you were expaecting a more spiritual exercise, but listen, this really works. When I come into work I do not first go to my computer and check email. Instead I check it at noon and again at 4pm. Most of the time this is sufficient. If more is needed it usually means I haven’t communicated effectivly to someone.

So try this for a week and see if it doesn’t add to you time and free up happier feelings for a better day.

Categories: Influence, Me

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