Reality Reflection: Thinking Things Through

If you know me, you know I’m a big supporter of learning. No, I’m not totally supportive of the traditional schooling forms of learning and education as they stand today, but rather the overall concept of furthering your knowledge through intentional learning. As such I spend time watching TV shows that can teach me about sales and culture and human nature and I spend over an hour each day reading emails, articles and newsletters to educate me on a whole variety of topics including current events, economics, business and faith so that not only am I better educated personally, but I can better support my clients in whatever areas we work on.

Like many people I’ve been keeping an eye on the situation in Ukraine with Russia and one of the biggest issues I have with the whole thing (besides the loss of human life and culture), is the why. Pointing to past military conflicts like WWII or the US Civil War it’s really clear why they started and what the disagreement was, but there’s not been a clear statement on why the world is facing some really epic issues because of the decisions of the leader of Russia. If you’ve been following the situation since it started earlier this year we know that it hasn’t gone the way Russia thought it would go, it wasn’t the easy victory they were expecting, so now Russia is in a bit of a situation that they either try to save face and eventually win, or give up (or be defeated) and they’ll be in a bigger pickle. Going back to the topic of learning, I learned the other day that Russia’s economy isn’t great and hasn’t been great, which makes me wonder if this is a “strategic” effort to gain more resources and a better strategic economic position in the world.

Growing up one of the gifts I would get for Christmas were Matryoshka dolls. They’re works of art made of wood that are one doll nestled inside of the other, some with only a few dolls inside each and others with dozens in them, and they originated in Russia. Much like the Pysanky eggs made in Ukraine, the craftsmanship of the Amish people who live in Pennsylvania and other US states, Polish pottery, Moroccan arts and crafts, and other hand crafted treasures specific to countries around the world, the Matryoshka dolls are an incredibly detailed creations that take creativity and craftsmanship.

Which brings me to the point: there have to be better ways to fix an economy for both the present and future than trying to invade another country and causing incredible loss of life in two countries. Sure, buying or copying an existing economic aspect that is successful (like buying a business or becoming a franchisee) is an option, and it’s been a viable option for practically as long as we’ve been doing business in the ways that we do. But there’s a partnership and agreement that takes place when those types of business transactions take place. Here, there’s just a whole lot of destruction which will negatively affect whomever tries to do business with those resources in that region for years to come. I’ve shared about one, and I’m sure that there are other economic prospects for Russia, so who thought that military action would be the best way to boost an economy?

And the tie-in to our lives? It’s a reminder that there’s always more than one way to go about things: a “who cares” stubborn-and-often-blind option and the I’ve-thought-things-through option (which actually tends to be more than one option typically too). Sure you could yell at your partner about something, sure you could fire an employee, sure you could punish your kid, but do you really have all the information, is that going to be the best option for you and them for both the present and future, and what’s your plan if that action doesn’t get you the result you’re looking for? So take the time to learn, don’t forget that the world isn’t static but that it changes and develops constantly, and remember that you’re not alone in life.

Talk It Over

Recently in conversations and emails there’s been one topic that’s been prevalent: community. Some people have been sharing about what’s going on in their life and the challenges or celebrations they’re having, and other people are struggling to gather community together like they used to be able to do. Yes, some of that has to do with the pandemic, all the changes we’ve gone through over the past few years and all the challenges we’ve had to face, but not all of it because as you know mental health has been an issue for much longer, as has our willingness to be divided rather than work together.

Unfortunately all too often we keep the racing thoughts in our heads to ourselves thinking that no one else will relate or care or no one else has the same experience that we did. And sometimes you would be right: that the person who sees the message wouldn’t be able to personally relate. But that shouldn’t matter, because few people live identical lives with identical experiences. Listening and sharing aren’t about living, they’re about being there for each other and being willing to support, encourage, and comfort each other, and sometimes even be the voice of reason when it’s time to make a change or get help.

If we can’t or aren’t willing to listen or share, we’re going to have a challenging time building or being part of a thriving community. Community only happens when we consider our role in the bigger picture and are able to accept that while we can have many of our wants and needs met, sometimes we have to be willing to give a little (or a lot) so that others have the same support of their wants and needs too.

Which brings us to our victory journeys. They won’t all be smooth sailing, so when we hit those rocky patches we have a choice to make: do we ride it out and hope our plan is good enough to get us where we want to go, or do we reach out and talk it out with someone else? We’re not talking about crying wolf of course, but about opening our victory journey to a team of people who we trust and who will support us and can give us feedback when we need it, even if that feedback is just a reminder that we’re on the right path and should just ride out the storm, or an ear, even if the “result” of the conversation is that you feel better that someone knows what’s going on and you’re not so alone. What recent conversations have you had with people that either helped you or them on a victory journey?

In Awe of God

Today for week 4 of our exploration of Isaiah 40 we’re beginning a look at the second half of the passage, starting with some verses that remind me a lot of some of what’s in the book of Job (if you need to catch up, here are the previous posts: week one, week two, week three):

“Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him? Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice? No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand. All the wood in Lebanon’s forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worthy of our God. The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing—mere emptiness and froth. To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him? Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains? Or if people are too poor for that, they might at least choose wood that won’t decay and a skilled craftsman to carve an image that won’t fall down!” Isaiah 40:12-20

Doesn’t that sound a lot like what God says to Job starting in chapter 38? If we’re looking at Isaiah 40 from the perspective that it’s a foundational chapter in the book, one that can almost tell the whole overarching story of God’s love for His people in one go, as important as it is for Isaiah to remind everyone of the hope that God promises for the future, the importance of making room for God in your life, and sharing about God with the world, it’s just as important to remind people exactly how capable God is. This section of Isaiah 40 brings us an important perspective of humility, something that especially in this age of technology we don’t always have a whole lot of in our lives. But being a foundational passage, Isaiah 40 reminds us that not only are we’re here because God wants us to be here, He’s absolutely capable of taking on any and all things that happen in our world, capable of more than any created idol ever could dream of trying to be or do.

But more than just humility, this passage reminds us to take a good look around not because we’re so small and play such a tiny part of God’s plan, but because we’re in an absolutely incredible world. When was the last time you really took a good look around and reminded yourself how big and beautiful and powerful the natural world around us is? Have you gone hiking and stood at the top of a mountain and seen the world spread out before you? Have you gone scuba diving and seen life teeming beneath the waves? Have you watched birds build a nest, lay eggs and raise their young to fly off one day? Have you watched a flower grow from a little green bud to a burst of color and fragrance? Have you witnessed how attentive a dog is to their owner and the highs and lows that person experiences? Have you walked among the redwoods and been amazed that they can be that big and yet there are little tiny ants that God made as well? Have you flown over a country and seen the changes of landscapes from deserts to beaches to lakes to mountains to grasslands?

There’s so much to appreciate about the world we live in and so much respect to give the God who created all of it. I encourage you to be open this week to seeing the intricacies, the power, the majesty, the teamwork, and the creativity of the world that we live in, including the people who God placed in it at this time with you and me.

Reality Reflection: Candles and Mirrors

Something I come back to time and again, especially after weeks like the last two have been, is that everyone is good for something and at something. Maybe they’re not in the right place now or doing something they’re not really good at now, and that’s why it seems like they (or you!) are not contributing to the world or are outright failing at this thing called life. I get the feeling, really I do.

As you may know I love dogs and love following the journeys of dogs born to service organizations through live cameras on explore.org and other ways. One of the challenges of being in this business is that you can’t predict that 100% of your dogs will pass the training and qualify to be a seeing eye dog, dog for a veteran who has mobility issues or whatever other type of service the dog is born with the goal to perform. So some dogs aren’t able to be the traditional service dog that the organization wants them to be, some end up as facility dogs, some end up as emotional support dogs (couldn’t we all use one of those these days?!) and some end up as what are called “perfect pets” or pets that have more training than regular pets.

What does one have to do with the other? As Edith Wharton once said “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” You don’t have to be another Princess Di or Nelson Mandela. You don’t have to be president of a country or company. You don’t have to teach school or have a passel of kids. You don’t have to be good at math or technology. You just have to be you and do what you do best, contributing to the world in the best way you know how.

Maybe you do have dreams of being the next Nancy Drew or Brene Brown, and that’s great and you shouldn’t give up on those dreams, but life might be so that right now those dreams aren’t on your current path. So maybe you aren’t able to be the candle in the world right now and you have to be the mirror, and that’s OK. Find what works for you in the life that you have now and be working on and open to moving in the direction you want to go, even if you only make a couple of forward steps in a year’s time. And if it turns out that even though you have “service dog” dreams but you’re better at being a “perfect pet” do your best in the life that God has given you.

A Good Day to Share Hope

Today we’re on our third week of looking at the Isaiah 40 passage (week one, week two), and diving into the words of verses 9-11, verses which again remind me why this is one of my absolute favorite chapters:

“O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!” Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, He brings His reward with Him as He comes. He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.”

I think it’s important that this passage starts with the reminder that we are to be brave messengers. We aren’t to be apologetic about the fact that we believe in God and want to share about the ways He has changed our lives and the lives of so many for thousands of years. And even though our world is so filled with loud noises and people who end up in the news too often with their big mouths and insensitive actions, there are also many who aren’t heard and don’t have a voice that can be heard. So we’re being encouraged to be that voice of honesty, hope, comfort and encouragement that is loud enough to be heard over everything else going on in their lives, yet resonates in a way that can touch our hearts and minds in this world that is so very different from the world of Isaiah’s time.

But much like Psalm 23, this part of Isaiah 40 reminds us that as big, loud and powerful as God is, part of that shows up in some really comforting, protective and gentle ways. With all that has gone on and continues to change in the world since 2020 arrived, yes of course we’d like some big powerful “fixes” but honestly they so rarely happen and what we really need at the moment is a great big hug and some reassurance that we’ll get through this without things getting as desperate and scary as the events that started in 1929 with the market crash followed by the Great Depression and eventually WW2. God isn’t just a conquering God, He feeds the hungry, comforts the sorrowful, heals minds and bodies, brings peace to the troubled, and is present when you just need someone to “sit” with you.

You may not have good news to shout today and you may not get that big win you’ve been working on, but it’s always a good day to share God’s message of hope and to experience that comfort and support God can give even when the world seems to be falling down around you.

Reality Reflection: Simple but Meaningful

Every so often I’m reminded that there are people who are considerate in the world. The story this week? You may have heard it since it’s about two big actors: Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth. With being celebrities it’s a lot harder for them to have personal lives, but so often I think we forget that they are humans just like you and I who have to decide which side of the bed they’re getting out of that day (because they definitely wouldn’t have their bed up against a wall), who have to eat and maybe even think about the impact that their lives have on others.

You may not have to go far to be reminded of exactly the challenges that we’re up against as a world, challenges that will take years, if not centuries (which we hopefully have) to unravel and put things in the right direction. Yes it’s important to work to be a better boss, to build a greener company, for all people to get the health care they need, to protect the planet and nature for generations to come, for everyone to have sufficient food and water every day, for everyone be able to have a safe roof over their head that they can call their own. But the story with Natalie and Chris is a reminder that as important as it is to work on those big things, as important as all of those things are, sometimes it’s the little things that remind us that we are in this together, our cares do matter, our choices do matter, we are deserving of respect, that we can work on all the challenges together if we choose to, and that it’s really not that hard to show we care.

And in case you missed the story? Chris stopped eating meat in the lead up to the filming of their kiss scene for the new Thor movie because he knew Natalie is vegan. I know, it sounds so stupid and like such a ‘first world’ story, but what it really says is that if someone with the net worth and recognition that Chris has is capable of being sensitive about something that many people wouldn’t give a second thought, we can also do things that may seem really small or even silly to us but are really big to someone else. Doing those small things may be exactly what gives someone hope in a better tomorrow.

A Lucky Penny

Are you one of those people who makes a point of keeping their eyes open to find the dropped or forgotten change? Like the penny that fell out of someone’s pocket in the parking lot as they were getting in their car, the quarter someone left behind at the laundromat, or the change that someone left behind in the self checkout lane at the store? No, you won’t get rich off this strategy of wealth building, but there are some important lessons we can learn from this activity to apply to our victory journeys.

I almost accidentally gave away the first lesson in the last sentence of the first paragraph. Why? Because it’s something that I don’t always include enough of in my life, don’t always make a point to include when we talk about victories and I’m excited to include it today. What is it? Fun! Let’s be honest, when you see a coin on the floor don’t you think “Ooh! A coin!” and bend to pick it up? Even in this digital/credit card world it’s exciting to find those little blessings scattered throughout your life. If every aspect of your victory journey is back-breaking work that doesn’t bring a smile to your face and you’re just doing it to essentially pass the time until you hopefully find something better to do or because you think it’s what you “have” to do, you’re just working, you’re not on a victory journey. Victories cannot be achieved without feeling a huge sense of accomplishment, without that feeling of satisfaction, and without wanting to throw your hands up and shout and celebrate.

The next lesson here is that you find almost none of the coins that you aren’t looking for. If you’re so focused on a goal or on perfection you may miss the opportunities that come along. I’m not saying that we should all be always looking for a new job or new relationship or new home or new victory journey to start, but that you never know when someone you meet or some place you go will end up being important to you in the future. We shouldn’t say “yes” to everything and everyone, but we should take the time to listen, to learn, to explore, to discover because if you only live in one home and shop at one store and work at one job your whole life you’ll be missing out on a much more fulfilling life and resources that can help you with your victories (and give you opportunities to give back too).

Which brings us to our third lesson which is both an opportunity and a challenge. What happens when you’re the one who leaves behind the coins or drops the coins? Yes, it’s a loss for you, but you could also see it as paying the blessing forward. Maybe that coin is exactly what someone needs to be reminded that things can/should/will turn around for them. Maybe it will be the mental switch for them to think to the future rather than staying stuck in the past. Maybe it will be a reminder that the whole world doesn’t hate them and isn’t all evil. Trust that you will have enough and the blessings and victories will continue to in the right direction for you, and that it doesn’t have to be one or the other, you or someone else who is blessed and successful.

Finally, no, a coin isn’t worth much (unless you get lucky and someone accidentally drops one that’s truly valuable), but they do add up. Just like you get better at cooking the more you do it, the better you get at playing an instrument the more you do it, the better you are at communication the more you do it, the better you get at asking questions the more you ask them, the more consistently you put even a tiny bit into your retirement financial plan the more you’ll have for the future, and the more metaphorical seeds you plant the better your outcome is likely to be. While sometimes there are shortcuts available, you can always trust that when you put one foot in front of the other eventually you will get to the top of the mountain. So go ahead keep picking up those lucky pennies and other coins you find around, because they absolutely do matter.

Shout for God

Last week we started a series on one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: Isaiah 40. Today we’re looking at the next section of verses, 6-8:

“A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?” “Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field. The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:6-8

Sometimes I think we do ourselves a disservice by not talking about the hard stuff more. It’s one of the many reasons why we found ourselves as a world so deeply impacted by the virus and pandemic: because we ignored the possibility that it could (and might even be likely) to happen. Honestly I’m surprised we haven’t experienced more than one every hundred years with as connected as we are as a world in this day and age. We also face something equally sad much more frequently, and that’s the death of people we love and people who have had an impact on our lives. Which brings me back to our passage for today and how very interesting it is that Isaiah is told to shout about how temporary life on earth is. God is saying: don’t hide from the fact that flowers fade, that beauty is lost, that our bodies break down and eventually, as the saying goes, dust returns to dust.

But when it comes to God, He always has the last word, the final answer and the final bit of hope. I’ve read about the story of Lazarus in several of my devotions recently, where Lazarus becomes sick, dies and is brought back to life by Jesus. As happened with other people throughout the Bible, including Jesus, they were definitely dead, and yet God decided to bring them back to life. Yes, those stories are few and far between, but they still happened. It’s not our job to assume God’s timing on things, it’s our job to read His Word and share that Word with others.

The last thought I want to reflect on today is that this verse speaks of confidence. Be confident about and in what you say. Be confident in living a life you can be proud of and isn’t wasted because life is fleeting. And be confident in God, in God’s place in your life, and in the Words that God has shared in the Bible and the words He continues to share through our prayer time, spiritual readings, and sermons we hear. And if God gives you a message to shout like Isaiah, be faithful to heed that calling. What is God sharing in your prayer time this week?

Reality Reflection: Intention, Consequences and Impact

One of the big headlines over the past few months has been about Elon Musk of Tesla fame and leadership putting in an offer to buy Twitter and the subsequent drama that has ensued between the two parties, bringing us to today at which point Musk is looking to end and get out of the deal. I haven’t followed it from a detailed standpoint, so this isn’t a business post (hence it’s not on my other blog), but rather one about intention, consequences and impact. As I’ve considered the point that the discussions have reached, I have to ask what Musk’s intention was all along with this. Was it a publicity stunt? Was it just a whim or slip of the tongue that got out of control? Was he serious about buying Twitter and the economy got in his way? Was he serious and he didn’t do his research about all aspects of Twitter before making an offer? Or is the story much bigger/different than we/I know it to be?

One of the things we’ve been working on over the past few years is about making choices and really understanding the impact that our actions or lack thereof can have on ourselves and others. Why? Because the pandemic really brought to light the idea of how fragile life is, and how important it is to be aware of how you spend your time each day, to have a say in what you do each day, to be respected and treated as a fellow human, and find present and future value in what you do each day. I do believe there can be a balance found between looking out for yourself and your needs and being considerate of the needs of others. One of the simplest examples of this can be found in the fact that 99% of people go to work in exchange for a paycheck; the workers get paid and the company gets done what they need to get done which is a reciprocal relationship (that doesn’t speak to fair wages or treatment, but that’s a different discussion).

When you consistently back out of appointments or run late, when you run your mouth, when you treat adults like they’re 12, when you don’t do your research/homework, when you intentionally choose to polarize people, you’re actually hurting both them and yourself. Maybe Musk did have good intentions initially but at this point, things aren’t going to end well for Twitter or Musk because there have been so many red flags thrown up by both sides that it’s just a disaster. Of course good can come from the situation, but I don’t think it will be anything that puts both “Musk” and “Twitter” in the same sentence or on the same side. But if this whole thing was a publicity stunt for Musk, that means he didn’t really care about the impact this could have on Twitter or the people who work there. He went with the “all publicity is good publicity” theory and did what he felt like doing. No, this wouldn’t be the first and won’t be the last time that someone or a company did that. But in this day and age with our access to the internet and all the information that’s found on there and the ease of communication that we have through so many tools, it’s increasingly disrespectful and disreputable to act with only consideration of yourself and without tapping into all the resources that are available to you.

It’s not about being right all the time or being perfect, it’s about being considerate, doing your homework/research, and being conscious of the fact that every decision you make and action you take will have an impact on someone else (if not many other people) and the bigger your circle of impact is, the more people who rely on your leadership, the more connected you are, the more important it is for you to be conscious of that.

Actions for Victory or Defeat?

I don’t know about you, but I want my life to head in a positive direction, where I’m able to see growth and transformation not only in my life but in the lives of those around me. But let’s face it: life comes with highs and lows. We should not try to ignore or forget that the not great stuff happened, we should be learning from the lows and letting them teach us how to do and be better. Why? So we can accomplish more victories individual and as a world. Have you ever wondered why I devote a post each week to the topic of victories and have a whole newsletter devoted to it? Why I share about it on social media each and every week? Because as James Clear said:

“Every action we take is like a vote for the type of person we wish to become.”

I want to be someone others can rely on. I want to be someone I enjoy being with. I want to be someone who makes a difference in the lives of others. I want to be someone who has physical and mental health. I don’t know who you want to be, but I do know that your actions reveal a great deal about the likely direction your life will take and who you’ll be when you get there.

What do the actions you take in your life reveal about who you’re becoming? Are you taking care of yourself and the others who matter to you? Are you learning and challenging yourself so that you can expand your career prospects? Are you spending time with people who build you up and make you enjoy life? Are you actively working to care for and improve the world in which you inhabit? Or are you spiralling in a downward or sideways direction that makes it seem increasingly challlening to get going back in the right direction?

What actions do you need to take this summer to put you on or keep you on a path to greater or continued victories in your life? Yes, those actions can include summer favorites like resting and healing, because those actions show that your physical and mental health matter to you and you know that you need to work on that before you can work on other things. They can also include what most people think of when they talk about action like cleaning or learning or working or communicating. What do the actions in your life reveal about where you’re heading and how your present journey will likely end up and what should be the next step you take?