The IT Factor

There's a movie that is schedule to release in less than two months. It's one you've heard talked about around the water cooler. You may even think you have an idea of the content. But what you may not understand is the impact this movie could have on humanity. Strong words? Not nearly as strong as the words in the book the movie is based upon. The book? The DaVinci Code.

I am just about 50 pages from completing this 450 page novel. I must say that I was extremely captivated from the get go. Dan Brown is, if nothing else, a fantastic novelist. He knows how to draw the reader in. As a matter of fact, I could hardly put down the book in the first 250 pages. But then IT happened. The IT I am referring to is the most controversial part of this book. I won't ruin it for those of you who have yet to read this novel or who might want to see the movie, but let me just say that IT will be cause for many discussions in the near future.

The book, as I mentioned before, was so well written in the beginning that I could hardly stand to put it down. The historical thoughts and ideas were eloquently woven inside a most believable plot. I was definitely intrigued by the possibility that some of the historical ideas Mr. Brown was espousing were true. That is, until IT happened. Just over the midway part of the novel the tides turned. No longer was the novel intertwining between a great story line and historical evidence. At that point Mr. Brown no longer cared whether or not he was true to his intentions, but in my opinion, his gluttony of pushing the envelope bacame his main focus.

I would certainly understand if a writer wanted the reader to question their belief systems, historical evidence, etc., but what happened with Mr. Brown is simply quite unexcusable. He left the world of excellent writing to pursue a selfish desire of causing conflict. The first half of the novel he accomplishes both incredibly well - story combined with conflict. During the IT stage he abandons his writing style and focuses solely on establishing conflict. Conflict, in my opinion, which was aimed at selling his book and not to further his writing style.

Let me describe it this way. For those of us who appreciate jazz music, you might possibly equate this book to Kenny G. In his early years, Kenneth Gorelick was really a quite competent and established jazz musician. He was well versed in many styles, including be-bop. At some point in his career however, he was presented with the same scenario as Mr. Brown - abandon his roots and value system in exchange for the almighty dollar. That's exactly what Kenny G did - a new name, a new style, a new music. Both artists gave up on their roots and chose a new pathway.

You might claim that I am being harsh on this book and the writer. I have not been in the position where I had to choose between money and my core values, and quite frankly, I hope to never be in that place. I can only tell you what I have read and how it struck me. You will have to read the book and discover this for yourself. I love a good book. I love the journey you take while reading. I even love conflict when it causes me to question myself and I grow from that experience. The DaVinci Code had all of those wrapped into one but chose to finish in another direction.

I would love to hear thoughts from those of you who have read this book. The movie is due out shortly as well. Maybe God is setting this whole thing up. Maybe God is telling us that we don't do a good job talking about all this stuff; we try to hide things, cover them up, pretend they don't happen. I smile at the thought that God is opening up opportunities for all of us to discuss our faith. Honest, open, authentic communication. Will we seize this opportunity to "crack" the code? Or we continue to veil our lives in the shrouds of history? For now, THIS story remains to be written.

The Old Curiosity Shop Revisited

My wife sent me a cool article this morning about the "why's" of young kids - literally. If you've been around a child for any length of time, you have heard the inevitable "why" questions:

Why do I have to put my toys away?
Why does it smell in here?
Why do you go to work everyday?
Why do people die?

At first glance these questions seem innocent enough. UNTIL you continue to hear them over and over again. My three year old daughter has been going through this stage lately. The curiosity shop of life. Normally I would give the same response that every parent resorts to in these situations - because. But the other day, God reminded me that my daughter (and countless others like her no doubt) are simply asking about things in life that they do not comprehend. Her life experiences at her point in life are so minimal. What you and I take for granted she is just starting to notice, and the wonder and amazement of life are blooming in full color.

You might remember the popular beer commercial a few years ago with the tagline, "Why ask why?" Could this possibly be God's mantra as well? I highly doubt it. God created us to question our existence. Ultimately it's the only way back to Him. Our discoveries in the process are what we call "life." To stop asking why would be to ignore life altogether. Which is "why" I just don't get it when people accept everything they are told for what appears to be truth. They are force-fed information (whether it's politics, work, or gasp, even religion) and choose to accept it without thinking on their own. They stopped asking the why question a long time ago and are content to coast on someone else's intellectual musings.

I started thinking about all the things I wanted my son and daughters to experience in life. I forget that even though I may know about something or have had that experience in life (it may even seem mundane at some point), they are just waiting for the chance to share in those experiences - I just don't afford them the opportunity. Even the simplest of things (say, flying a kite?) can be a new joy to our kids. What I might take for granted they see as (pardon the expression) a whole new world waiting to be discovered.

You may be wondering "why" I am writing about this subject, but maybe the more important question is "why" you stopped asking the question in the first place?

God On Tivo

Once again I find myself caught up in the game of tv. I hope I am finding balance, but part of me understands the inherent nature of man to find solace in mind-numbing activities. I have heard much discussion about the "TiVo" world lately, and quite frankly I am having a hard time overcoming the "early adoption" tendencies of my personality. I have always been on the cutting edge; the first one to grab new technology and test it to its fullest. Which makes me want Tivo and every other gadget RIGHT NOW!!

As my wife and I continue to work on God's plan for our finances, we have made a conscious decision to cut out some of the "fat" in our budget, which means limiting our entertainment dollars. At first I complained mightily about this new restriction in my life, but I have come to realize that this has been one of the best decisions our family has ever made. Not only have we cut down on expenses, but we now have more time for other activities such as playing/working outside, family game night, reading, praying, and much more.

I love the phrase (and ideology) "turn a liability into an asset." In a way, this is exactly what we have done. What seemed a daunting blow to our entertainment pysche has bloomed into something none of us expected. TIME. Time for God, time together, time for others, time for ourselves. Isn't this exactly what Jesus stood for? Building relationships with God and others as a foundation for the human experience? Now I am not claiming total victory over the entertainment monster - I think we all need a little down time to rejuvenate our brain - I still have tons of challenges on a weekly basis. As a matter of fact, this is a horrible time of the year. Who can pass up "The Bachelor: Paris" (did ANYONE like Moana?), the witty humor of "House," the incredible travels of the "Amazing Race," the singing sensations on "American Idol" (which, by the way, I think America has voted correctly the past two weeks!!), the battles on "Survivor" (which is not as good this time around), blood and trauma on both "CSI" and "ER," and of course the newly popular, but VERY fun to watch "Gray's Anatomy." That doesn't even cover the series "24" or the mysterious "Lost."

But then again, I am winning the entertainment battle...right? Do you think God has us on "TiVo?" Maybe he skips through the boring parts, watches some stuff live, and quite possibly rewinds and re-watches our crazy maneuvers throughout the day. Sometimes I think we put God on TiVo but we never get around to watching His episodes. Instead we keep filling up our memory with a bunch of useless junk and never get around to watching the most meaningful episodes, or worse yet, our memory gets full so we dump our drives to fill up with some more useless stuff.

If you recorded God today and watched it back tonight, what would He be saying about YOUR life?

Red Rover, Red Rover, Send A New Leader Right Over

If you're in any kind of leadership position, I'd like to recommend four books that just might change your leadership for the better. These four books by Patrick Lencioni are absolutely PHENOM!! They are written as "fables" or stories, and are very easy and quick reads. But the best part is the application factor. There are so many great principles and ideas in all four of these books. I found myself not only enjoying the read, but rethinking how I "do" leadership. I found out today that he has written a fifth book, and of course I am anxious to read it as well. Don't miss out on this insightful and creative look at leadership!!

Driftwood Or Bust - The "It" Factor

Time has passed so quickly the past few weeks. Just when you think things are under control and life is slowing down, if only for a moment, IT hits. You probably know what I am talking about - the IT factor. Some might add a few consonants in front of that word, but the "it" factor is when anything and everything seems to happen on a given day. That might mean some potentially good things, but for the most part, when "it" strikes, you can expect a day of chaos, unexpected interruptions, and circumstances outside of your control.

That's what seemed to happen to me...not just a day, but an entire week of the "it" factor. Needless to say, that week is over and I am trying to awaken from a dormant cycle to regain some focus and direction. That's not always an easy thing to do - the human temptation is to coast, wander, drift, etc. I've never really fallen into that category before, and I certainly don't want to start now. You probably have known a drifter or two in your life. Here's a typical scenario: up for work (not willingly, and usually late), passionless while at work (struggling to focus, or even staying awake), comes home from work, hits the couch, turns the tv on, and finally, vegetation. This happens day after day until the weekend hits, when suddenly the drifter finds a wild passion that makes absolutely no sense, and lives life with abandon for 48 hours. But then Monday hits, and the drifting captures their heart, and a complacent and visionless life is born. What's worse is when the drifter gets married and sucks the family right into the same game. How many families do you know that eat t.v. dinners while staring at the tellie throughout the evening, only to get up and do it all again the next day?

I think we've all been tempted to be a drifter. It might possibly be grafted into our genes at some minute level. So how do you get from the town of "Driftwood" to a new city of hope and purpose? I think the Life Plan attempted to answer that question:

(1) You have to WANT something more than your own selfish desires. This is really the first step, and ultimately the most difficult.
(2) Determine WHERE you want to go. In other words, develop a mission/plan for your life. Everyone ends up somewhere, but few people end up somewhere on purpose. Intentional living can be a powerful tool.
(3) Identify WHO you are. What are your values? If you could identify some specific characteristics about yourself, what would those be?
(4) Clarify WHAT you want to accomplish with your life. Set realistic and short term goals for yourself. This would be a great thing to do with your family as well.

Now this might seem all nice and tidy (and of course there are four "W's" for you to easily remember!) but the key is to turn these thoughts into action. I have really struggled with this for most of my life. I have a lot of ideas, thoughts, dreams, visions, etc. rolling around in my gray matter, but ultimately if I don't "DO" then they will only sit there and rot and mold in my brain. It reminds me of Mr. H's saying, "Success comes in cans, failures come in cant's..." That's a great motto for life. Or as Jesus might say to you, "all things are possible through me."

There are so many colloquial phrases we could throw in the hat here, but I'm afraid we'd be here all day long. I'll leave those to your imagination. But for today, I'm going to travel some...not towards the dreaded city of "Driftwood," but to a world full of hope and possibilty...I "can" do it!!

Lifesong

I have finally had the opportunity to read again. I really miss it when I don't have the chance to digest a few pages each day. I just finished "Death By Meeting" by Patrick Lencioni. If you ever find yourself leading a meeting (or sitting through countless numbers of them!) I highly recommend this creative and intuitive look at the meeting world. It is a very quick read and extremely applicable and enjoyable.

I've started reading "Through the Painted Desert" by Donald Miller. If you recall my previous post, he is the author of "Blue Like Jazz," a phenomenally written tale of life near Seattle. Funny, witty, and relevant are three great descriptors. The book I'm reading now, however, takes a different look at life. This is one of Miller's first books, and while the writing is incredibly descriptive, it takes awhile to digest it completely. Miller crafts an interesting tale of his journey from Texas to the west coast in such a way that captivates the reader from the get go.

I love his point about how life is like a book. Everyday we draft the pages of our life book. Some of us have many pages in our book, others more, others less. We cannot change the pages we have already written, but we can choose to write our story differently each day. The key thought is this...how many more pages do you have left to write? I find myself thinking about this more and more. The concept of life and what is left to live. Our "Life Plan" study at Meadow Heights has really opened my eyes to the "plan" of my life. Or at least the lack of a plan for my life.

I used to think that planning wasn't necessary. Existentialism was my daily mantra. "Live life to the fullest each day" was my motto. Freedom was my declaration, and planning only stood in the way of that. Maybe that's why God waited 33 years to capture my attention and wake me up from the solstice of my dreams. I wasn't ready to think about planning, let alone God's plan for my life.

But now I am increasingly infatuated with what the future holds. Developing a strategic plan for the goals I have seems to be a logical and necessary step. I have also found that there is power in writing goals on paper - getting those thoughts from my brain to the page holds great value to me. Now the challenge is actually following through with those thoughts. I love how Jesus tells us to "go" and to "do." Don't get me wrong, life is not always about those two words, but for most Christians it's the toughest challenge they face. It's easy to talk about Jesus, but much more difficult to LIVE like Jesus.

So the question to ponder is this...what are you writing in your "life book" today? And what will you write tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. And probably the biggest question is how many life pages do you have left to write? Don't waste another day of mindless drifting, and certainly don't wait for your ink to run dry. Craft a life page today that you will look back to with fondness and want to read over and over again.

As an avid musician for many, many years, I love the lyrics of a recent Casting Crowns tune entitled "Lifesong." It simply states this..."Let my lifesong sing to you." What great imagery!! And if you care to discover it, I hope you'll find my lifesong worthy of listening.

Colorado Pics

The three of us on top of the mountain

Are you breathing?

Fresh Breath of Life

I haven't been skiing since I was a freshman in college at Northeast Missouri State University (Now Truman State). They used to have a ski resort there (which my feeble mind cannot remember the name at this point of my life) where they made artificial snow and had a small lodge and a few slopes. With the errant views of many of my more "liberal" friends, global warming has made this place obsolete today.

Colorado was absolutely beautiful. The mountains were beyond description. Our first day there was sunny, clear and about 40 degrees. A perfect day for skiing. Believe it or not, it was like riding a bike for me. I absolutely loved it!! For me it is a combination of water skiing and roller skating. If you have ever done either one of those before, you're a good candidate for skiing. The first day started slow at first, but soon after I was shooting down the slopes with incredible speed (and sometimes not by my own choice!).

The second day brought colder temps and harrowing winds. They actually closed one of the lifts because it was too windy. By mid-day it was snowing...the wind and snow stung your face like a thousand tiny wasps burying themselves in your cheeks. It almost became unbearable, but most of us were not deterred by the elements. The second day also brought some different and more challenging slopes - including a few marked in the "black" or very difficult. I have to admit that the first time we hit a black slope was by accident - but fortunately we made it through. For you non-skiers out there here were the colors associated with the slopes at our resort:

* Green - easy
* Blue - medium
* Black - difficult
* Double Diamond - you must be an idiot if you try this

While we spent most of the time on the greens, we did manage to tackle quite a few blues and as I mentioned before, an occasional black. There's something very challenging and daring about staring down the face of a mountain with no idea how you might get to the bottom. You try to go very slow - side to side - but at some point you have to make the decision to turn the skis downhill and go for it. WHAT A RUSH!! I don't know how fast one goes on the side of a mountain, but my guess was in the 30-40 mph range, and if you haven't experienced that before - PUT IT ON YOUR LIST OF THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU CHECK OUT OF LIFE.

John Eldridge wrote a book called "Wild at Heart" that challenges men to go through some experience that will exhilarate the soul. This was one of those experiences for me. To be a barbarian, if not for just the moment, was a refreshing and fulfilling moment in my life that will not soon be forgotten. Standing at the top of a mountain over 8000 feet up and peering off the edge into an expanse of nature so glorious...I definitely felt a connection with God at that moment. A reminder that life should be enjoyed and breathed in...not a shallow breath that is fleeting and then gone, but a deep breath that takes so long to exhale you're not sure if you'll make it to the next breath. That's what I felt at the top of that mountain. A fresh breath of life.

The challenge comes not from finding that moment on top of the mountain, but transferring that to the bottom of the mountain in every day life. How does one capture a "fresh breath" in a world consumed by the fast pace and shallow breaths of life? That's the challenge. Not just your challenge or mine, but our challenge. To face the world through new eyes, taking time to breathe slowly, to capture the essence of that breath, and then exhale only to be consumed by the next. Have you checked your breathing lately?

I heard recently that stress is not something that is detrimental; it actually builds you up. But only if you allow time for recovery. It's similar to exercising. Have you ever climbed up a set of stairs only to get to the top panting for the next breath? Through exercise you are able to build your capacity to process more oxygen and ultimately have more energy and recover from your exercise. The mountain was like that for me. I was trapped in a world where I could only run to the top of the stairs once, gasping for my next breath, my oxygen depleted. But I caught a glimpse of what life might be like if I "exercised" my mental being - full of energy - completely recovered. We forget that oftentimes our mind needs some exercise, some freedom, some recovery. Don't get trapped in a "mind game" that breeds routine, uncalculated decisions, or mindless thoughts. IT'S TIME TO EXERCISE YOUR SOUL!!

This might look like a lot of things for you. For me it means reading again. Expanding my mind, exercising it if you will. Reading leads to new ideas, discussions, dreams, and so forth. It may have even lead to these posts today. Everyone needs an outlet to exercise their soul. What does that look like for you?

So I close this post today ready to "breathe" again. Ready to capture what God has put into my mind for this day and maybe the next if I'm lucky. Ready to experience exercise for my soul and to share this journey with my wife, my family, and any others that would play fancy to my ramblings once again. If life is ready, I'm ready to breathe.

Who's Next??

The New Year has jumped in front of me like a bus you weren't expecting. Here's is a short list of some things that have happened in my life since my last post:

* Recovered from the preparation and execution of 4 Christmas Gatherings at Meadow Heights Church during the week prior to Christmas
* Experienced the joys of Christmas - Christmas Eve with my own family, traveled to Eldon for my wife's family on Sunday, then on to Sedalia to spend Christmas with my own mom. Back to Fredericktown the next day.
* Short trip (and I mean short!) to Colorado for two days of skiing with my son and friends. A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE!! We drove over night on a Sunday, went skiing all day Monday, staying in a lodge overnight, went skiing the next day and then packed up and drove overnight back to Missouri - a 16 hour marathon in a van!
* New Year's Party with friends - the clock struck midnight way too soon!
* Recovered at work from the holidays - began planning for the New Year.
* Successfully manuevered the holidays with a college student at home. Took my daughter back to school this week as she prepared for her new semester - with lots of studying!! :)
* Began a new "Life Plan" with my wife that will hopefully engage our minds and tempt us into becoming intentional with our lives.
* Started our Life Group again this past Sunday - it was great to get together with friends again.
* Finally began reading again - Ordering Your Private World by MacDonald. I think I am finally ready for this book...and I need it.

What does the future hold next? Hopefully more posts...but only time will tell!

Life Is Great...and I hope it is for you also!

Two days before Christmas. Where has this year gone? I don't know about you, but 2005 has seemed like a blur. Not that a lot hasn't happened - it has. Maybe so much has happened that I can't really remember it all. Memory is a funny thing. I heard a discussion the other day that the best memory recall is when you don't have many distractions in life. No wonder I can't remember a darn thing!! Remember this - remember that. Don't forget the kids. Don't forget to tell so and so about that. Maybe one of those voice activated recorders will help. Who knows.

So this week we have had four gatherings at Meadow Heights Church. We have had a lot of positive feedback about having our gatherings during the week and spending the weekend with family. And then we have had a few complaints about taking Jesus out of "Christmas Day" etc. I know the debate is starting to dwindle, or at least the last few days the topic has lost momentum. Christmas. Holiday. So much debate about a title instead of a lifestyle. Don't even get me started on the true "birth date" of Jesus. We could go on and on. Who really cares what you call it?

I realized today (I know...it took me long enough) that I too have lost the true meaning of Christmas in my hustle and bustle. It hit me that I wouldn't be living the life I have now without the grace and love of Jesus. Where would I be now without Him? I imagine a life of many accomplishments but no meaning. I imagine a life without many friends, possibly without a family. I imagine a life without the authentic and real relationships that I find myself surrounded by now. And I imagine a life without hope. No hope for today and no hope for tomorrow. I love the phrase a dear friend of mine uses to sign off on his blog each day (and of course he has no shortage of quaint phrases!!) - he says that "life is great...and I hope it is for all of you also." I love that outlook in life. And that is the story I find myself in this Christmas. No matter how busy, no matter how many challenges or struggles, no matter what financial worries may be looming, I can truly say that "life is great" because of my relationship with Jesus. Let's not forget why this life is truly great this Christmas (and yes, Holiday) season.

Life As A Rhino

I just checked my blog for the first time in a while...actually I noticed I have posted since October. YIKES!! Besides Thanksgiving, I don't recall many relational moments with anyone except my family. This leads to my question - "Where have all the people gone?"

Funny isn't it? Sometimes from our own perspective we move around the world. We get so busy, so caught up in the moment that we seem to revolve around life. Think of it this way - are you on the merry-go-round sharing in the journey with everyone else? Or are you sitting and watching everyone else "go 'round?" Or maybe you're too busy to notice anyone at all. That's what life feels like to me sometimes.

I promised myself (and others!) that I would organize my life in such a way that I could actually breathe in the world around me. I have missed so many aromas of life that I'm afraid my sense of smell might fade away. Have you thought about how life would be if you woke up one morning only to find that they were putting you in the ground? Sure they had a lot of nice things to say, but ultimately there wasn't a whole lot that you could remember about what they were saying because you were too busy to have a relationship with others. Does life feel like that for you sometimes?

I have always had a problem looking for the next accomplishment, the next conquest. I actually thought life was supposed to be "conquered" not lived. What kind of mentality is that? One of my mentors has a great saying..."success comes in 'cans', failures come in 'cant's'." That's a great philosophy to live by. But what if you can't find your can?

So to close this post today, I am seriously taking a look at where I've been, but most importantly I need to look at where I am going, and even further yet...who's going with me. One of my favorite authors, Erwin McManus, talks about how rhinos can't see but a few feet in front of them. And a group of rhinos is appropriately named a "crash." It's great to attack life like a rhino - always forging the way for the next adventure. But I think I've been living life as a rhino for too long - I haven't been able to see five feet in front of me, and like the rhino, I may be ready to "crash" at any moment.

I hope that more posts are to come, and possibly more frequently than every month!! Until the next adventure!!

Custom Made Jesus

It's amazing to me that business continues to find new ways to attract consumers to their products. Take for instance the latest iPod craze, and soon to be Video iPod. Wherever you turn their are iPod's. Podcasting has taken off as one of the quickest and most effective ways to get audio to people. You can sign up for "podcasts" and download them at will for almost anything that is broadcast. Churches are beginning to do this as well. Why don't churches use these strategies more often?

The business world has figured out that to reach their "target audience" that they must customize their product to meet the needs of the consumer. I heard a great session by Leonard Sweet that describes this in detail. He deconstructed a simple Starbucks Coffee Cup and talked about branding and the church. As he described, business is simply taking age old biblical principles and applying them in a practical way. Something, he stresses, that the church has forgotten about but needs to revisit. Why let business dominate a strategy that Christ used centuries ago??

I had some fun recently with product "customization." You can visit my new "shoe" design here. You can now personalize everything from shoes, other clothing items, your car, your music...you name it and you can personalize it. This seems so ironic to me. The very thing that business uses is the same concept that the "church" (BIG "C") has put in a box for so long. God is seen as a "rigid" force that you shouldn't mess with. Do as your told and follow the rules. We are one. How fresh would it be to talk about Jesus as someone who you can "personalize?" Someone who can relate to you no matter where you are or where you have been. This is the Jesus that I know. This does not diminish the "Truth," but paints it in a new way that anyone can relate to on their own level. In essence this is what Jesus was all about - meeting people (customization) wherever they needed to be met.

So my question is this - are you looking for a mass-produced, run-of-the-mill Jesus, or are you looking for a fresh, customized Jesus that will meet you wherever you are?

An "old" friend

Mill Stream Gardens

The "Twisted" Tree

Two Parks in Two Days

I had the opportunity to visit two state parks that I had never been to before. My family and I along with my mother in law, visited Mill Stream Gardens on Sunday afternoon. It was a very small park, but very beautiful as well. There is a small area called the "shut ins" and a large tree that was "turned" by a man over many, many years. An enjoyable afternoon with the family on a gorgeous day.

On Monday (my new day off!!) I spent the day with an old friend at Sam A. Baker state park. Again, a state park that I had not set foot in before. This park was much bigger than I anticipated. It was very beautiful with two campgrounds, a park/picnic area, cabins, visitor's center, and a small restaurant that opens during the weekend. I loved the area, and certainly had an itch to go to the nearest camper dealer to see what I could find. But alas, the dollars say not at this time. Soon however!! I had a great day talking, hanging out, eating a great grilled hamburger, and thinking about days gone by. Thanks for a great day John!!

Now it is back to work this week, with much on the horizon. We had our first full time Saturday gathering this past weekend, and the vibe was very good. Over 550 in attendance this weekend, the second highest ever for a non-holiday. This could be the catalyst that sparks the next wave of growth. I'm excited to see where things are headed from here. Only time (and God!!) will tell.

Catalyst

The Catalyst Conference 2005 is now officially over. I had the opportunity to hear some great speakers, but mostly it was the same stuff I had heard before from them or from their books. It was nice to hear Donald Miller for a longer period of time. He is definitely a challenging speaker, with a great sense of dry wit and humor. Bill Hybels was also a highlight for the day.

By far the greatest highlight was the band. This band can ROCK!! Most of the vocalists and musicians are from North Point Church in Atlanta. The drummer was phenom as well as many of their vocalists. A great improvement from last year.

I enjoyed the conference again this year, but I enjoyed hanging out with the Emerging Leader group much more than the conference. It was great to watch them as they experienced this environment for the first time - it is always rewarding to watch others and share in their thoughts. We had some great conversations, and who can forget that wonderful van ride (thanks to Craig Mills here!).

Now I am back at work for the week, busily preparing for the permanent addition of our Saturday gathering starting this weekend. It is a busy week ahead!!

I am off for home and to see Kayla one last time before she heads back to school tomorrow. It seems like her visit home went too quickly, or maybe I am just getting much older. Probably a combination of both.

So for now, I bid you farewell.

Atlanta, Day One

Well, it's our first day in Atlanta. We rolled in about 3:30am today (losing an hour to the Eastern time zone) and with little sleep managed to climb out of bed at about 9:30am. Then it was off to the Catalyst Labs. There were a total of three sessions, each with a different speaker. I must say that all three sessions were decent, but by far the best speaker of the day was Len Sweet. He was very articulate - VERY intellectual, and very challenging. He analyzed the marketing (image) strategy of Starbuck's Coffee and made a great comparison that business is using strategies and ideas that are straight from the Bible. As a church, however, we are failing to use the very things that make companies like Starbucks extremely successful. It was very interesting.

I took two things away from his conversation. Number one, even though this is a leadership conference, Christ called us to "follow Him" and not lead. In order to be great leaders we first have to be great followers. Or in Sweet's words, it's not about discipleship, but followership. Secondly, we must open our eyes and look for "God" moments, or the study of semiotics (spellling?). This is basically looking for the "signs" that God is present. And not just looking for them but then knowing what to do once you find them. That, Sweet states, is the same concept that Starbucks has used successfully for years. Knowing the signs of their business, identifying them, and then knowing what to do with them. A great discussion for the short hour period.

There were two other speakers, but none that were as captivating as Sweet. I will add however, that the evening session featured one of my favorite authors, Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz) who was as witty as his writings. If you haven't checked out his books, I encourage you to do so. You won't be disappointed.

Tomorrow begins the main sessions in the big arena. Many, many talented authors and speakers to appear tomorrow, so I am off to bed to recoup from my day. More updates later!!

Like Father, Like Son

We've been having some awesome discussions in our Emerging Leaders group lately. We've been working through the Wild At Heart curriculum by John Eldredge and talking a lot about what it means to be a "man." One of the issues we have talked about is the idea that our father's have "wounded" us, or at least made some sort of impression on us during our childhood that we still carry around as an adult. This has really made me think back to my childhood (of which I don't remember much) and the things my father didn't teach me. Not that my childhood was horrible by any means, but I started wondering what exactly a father was supposed to teach to his kids.

I am now soliciting input on what you think are the top 10 things a father should teach his children, and even more specifically to his son. What sorts of things should young boys know growing up that their fathers should teach them? Things that you would consider the "staples" of manhood. Maybe even a fatherhood checklist.

Feel free to submit your responses directly to this blog, or better yet, send them directly to my email: goldie@meadowheights.com. I look forward to compiling the lists of "musts" to help guide fathers (including me!!) in this crazy and hectic world.

Authentic Doesn't Always Mean Goodbye

Have you ever been around someone who you knew was "inauthentic." They tried to cover it up, but deep down you really knew the difference between what they were saying and how they really lived their life. People like that really bother me.

Now don't get me wrong - I will be the first to step up to the plate and say that there have been times when I would say one thing but mean something else. I hate that about myself. I had a terrible history in the past of saying things that weren't "exactly" the truth, but close enough to sound convincing. That approach usually kept me out of hot water or at least detoured a potentially hazardous situation. That reminds me of another phrase (John, I may need some help again finding the meaning) - "little white lie." Seems ironic doesn't it. Little and lie don't really go together now do they? Aren't all lies fairly significant? Why use the term little? And what about the word white. Why that color? It seems to me that lies would be better described as black, as in darkness. But maybe that's just me.

Is our goal really to live life as authentically as possible? Is that really a reasonable expectation? How do we know that we are being authentic? I have seen the best of people that need someone to challenge them in that area. It brings about the importance of true friendships; accountability partners if you will. We all need some help occasionally, and I for one, need help more than most. We need someone who cares enough to tell us when they see us struggling.

Vulnerability. That's another important term. Someone may have the guts to talk to us, but if we aren't willing to engage in the conversation, then it really doesn't do any good. I can think of specific examples of people who were challenged in an area of their life, but instead of taking an honest look at themselves, they blamed others and ignored the problem altogether. Or worse yet, they walked away completely and abandoned those who were trying to help them in the first place.

I have fears that I react that way sometimes. It is difficult to hear something challenging about your character or behavior. That's pretty natural. I know from the past that my first reaction is typically one of defense. Sometimes even of anger. I tend to want to debate my position without taking into account that I might be holding up for the wrong side of the equation. By that time it's hard to take things back. I have tried very hard to listen closely and give myself time to digest everything.

Being authentic doesn't mean having to say goodbye. I really think living an authentic life can be a very healthy and freeing thing. The problem is that most of us live a life that avoids this because it is a very difficult thing to do. So my question today is, how are you doing in this area? Do you find yourselves living life with a clear conscience? Or do you struggle with saying one thing and living another?