Filed under: focus
When facing the Big 3 Apostles (Peter, James and John) on the verge of starting his first church, Paul was told he had one requirement: don’t forget the poor. Galatians 2:10. Period. Huh? How’s that for focus?
Probably one of the most counter-cultural things we can do is not eat. America is fat and unhealthy. Despite all the diets and gym memberships we are FLOODED by fast-food, cheap food, too much food, and a complete disregard for a simple ancient practice that is fasting. I used to fast regularly while I was in college – of course it was easier then b/c I was broke (haha). I’m making it a point to make this a bigger part of my life. Someone once asked (quite cuttingly) “what’s the big deal with not eating?” Sometimes you need to trust people who have followed God over the centuries and even Jesus Himself. He fasted. He assumed we would fast. Our church leaders and writers over the centuries have fasted. People who fast recommend it. More later…
Filed under: rhythm
Some of us hate, HATE, being alone. Why? Maybe it’s b/c we are now faced with our own sad thoughts. Maybe it’s because we are extroverted and get energy from being around others. Maybe we are just bored. Whatever the case…we all – ALL – need time alone, specifically to be with God. Hey wait a minute…God is everywhere, why do I have to be alone to be with God. You don’t have to be alone to be with God but you need to be alone with God – distraction free, input free, media free, friend free. If time alone with God (TAWG) is not part of your daily, weekly or some type of rhythm, don’t count on having anything vital to give to anyone in your gravitational pull. You must receive before you can give. Our present culture is an onslaught of stimuli you might have to take desperate measures to do this – cut off the cable, fast, setup a part of your home or apartment to be media free, get a friend to help you. This is crucial and it doesn’t have to be boring. I’m going to do another post at some points with some ideas on keeping your TAWG non-boring.
Filed under: rhythm
Coffee is a part of a lot of people’s rhythm. Drunk in moderation, it’s actually good for your system. Most of us abuse it. Coffee is like a lot of things…maybe except prayer. Prayer is never under-used (I mean over-used, thanks Hannah). Some people think there is something spiritual about coffee…maybe it’s the aroma, the kick, or maybe it’s the atmosphere it helps create. There’s nothing like bad coffee. No matter what hotel I’ve been in (I’ve been in some cheap ones and expensive ones), the in-room coffee is always bad. Why? Good coffee is not that much more. Sometimes a nice thing like good coffee is a good part of a rhythm. Why spend $3 on a bag of bad coffee when you can spend $5 on a bag of good coffee (8 o’clock bean is a good bang for the buck) or your can spend $10 on a really good bag that will last longer and bring more joy than a $1 cup of cruddy stuff. Enjoy life a little today with a good cup.
Doctors make rounds. Mailmen make rounds. So do the rest of us to some extent. If you want to influence others (assuming to lead them towards Jesus), you need to develop your “rounds.” Your “rounds” are the people you see every day or at least every week – the people you check in on. Who has God placed in your gravitational pull? Who is He leading you to influence or befriend? If you haven’t yet – begin to pray about this. God will begin to lead you to people and places that He wants to make “your rounds.” It may be the same grocery store cashier to whom you give a $1 tip, or to the same exercise bike at the gym at the same time so you see the same people, or to the same ball field where you run into same the people, or to the same coffee shop…you get the idea. All credit for the idea of “rounds” goes to my friend and teacher, Steve Sjogren. www.stevesjogren.com
Filed under: rhythm
Isn’t it amazing how bad rhythms are E-Z to start and hard to break? Isn’t it annoying how good rhythms are hard to start and E-Z to quit? I’ve just recently committed to build a more consistent morning rhythm that includes reading certain things (Bible, certain authors) and praying and amazingly enough the first morning I forgot my office keys, that 2nd night I couldn’t get to sleep and kept thinking about how I was committing to get up early and the 2nd morning I couldn’t get on the internet to go through a devotional/prayer website I like…hmmmm. To build new rhythms you will most likely need to get a friend to keep you on your toes and maybe more to pray that obstacles get out of your way. The website? www.sacredspace.ie It’s a great plan that runs 365 days a year by Irish priests. You can do it on your computer anytime.
Our culture usually leads us to adopt one of 2 rhythms. Either we are manic and frenzied – busy beyond what a human was meant to be – OR – we are lazy and apathetic. I’ve discovered that a lot of people like to APPEAR busy (why? b/c it makes them look important, it allows them to NOT slow down and really take stock of their lives) but deep inside they really want to do nothing. Voting is at an all time low. Community involvement is scarce. Neighbors get robbed and we don’t care. Other people’s problems are not ours. I’ve found VERY FEW people who live a BALANCED life – a life with an ebb and flow of receiving from God and giving to others. NOTE: Right now, now, give up the idea of being a giver first. If you don’t receive from God you’ll have NOTHING to give to anyone else. Do you need to slow down or do something differently or both? And guess what produces the natural rhythm of waves – 2 different gravitational pulls. yeah…science lesson.
Filed under: rhythm
Your rhythm is made up of lots of things – when you eat, exercise (do you, do you, huh, huh???), pray, read, play, sleep, receive, give, laugh. If your rhythms are erratic your life probably is also. Some of the most creative people in the world also have some of the most stringent rhythms. Note: I’m avoiding some words like “habits” or “disciplines” here simply b/c so many people hate those words. Get over it. Rhythms can be natural (sleep, hunger, etc) or self-induced (reading, praying, etc). Right now I have a conscious rhythm of biting my finger nails. It’s almost like breathing – I don’t even know I’m doing it. Ok…so maybe I “orally fixated” as a child – whatever that means – I also chew pens if you must know. Gosh. But seriously, in the rhythm section – no I didn’t play drums – of this website I’m going to be exploring and teaching and passing on good resources for building good rhythms in your life.
Kent
PS “Rhythm” is a very hard word to type over and over. I might start using simple R. Sheesh.
Filed under: gravity
Before I get too far with the whole “who’s in your gravitational pull?” thing, we need to establish one thing: all of us are in someone else’s gravity also. Maybe several people. Maybe you’re even sucked into a tractor beam of negative culture: greed, stupid sex (there is an alternative), laziness. I think most of our decisions are based on some influences we are NOT aware of. You may need to really ask yourself “who do I know or see in the media that is doing things the way I WISH I could?” Then, listen to them. You may not even know them but read their books, hear them on tv, read their stuff on the internest, etc. But they may be a friend or acquaintance. One thing you’ll read here a lot is to find someone who’s ahead of you and where you want to be and BUG THEM. Ask them questions. Send them emails. Ask if you can hang out and learn from them. Please, do this without stalking – hahaha. But seriously though…you don’t get any wisdom you don’t pursue. All of us need someone to learn from and someone to teach.
You never, NEVER, know just who exactly is in your gravitational pull. You may be well aware of some people (your students, kids, etc) but there could be many more who are watching you and basing their decisions to some extent on what you do and say. Like the different planets around the sun, some people may come orbit you more closely than others. Others may only have limited contact with you. The thing is…you never really know. How many of us remember that one look, word, or moment someone gave us that changed us? Some people may be in your life for quite some time while others come and go. The BIG IDEA is to keep your FOCUS on what is important – namely seeking and giving wisdom to anyone God brings your way.
