Tag: life

Linx & Stuff

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The Bible says to rejoice with those who rejoice. A good friend of mine, Brian C. Jacobs, is getting to enjoy a dream of his. He recently published his first book: The Enigma Squad: The Case of the Old Man in the Mailbox. Brian dreams for this to be the first in an adventure series called The Enigma Squad.

Reading is important for children. It builds thought, imagination and learning. The Enigma Squad I hope builds and grows an audience. I’ve worked with Brian on a few creative projects. Brian excels at creativity and story telling.

To my friend, Brian: Congratulations & Dream big! As my boys grow older, I hope to one day by a box set of Enigma Squad books for my boys.

If you appreciate reading and know kids who enjoy adventure, check out the links below. What a better way to enjoy Christmas than to sit by the fire and read to your children.

http://enigmasquad.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Enigma-Squad-Case-Old-Mailbox/dp/0984165886/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292005929&sr=1-1

http://www.facebook.com/enigmasquad

http://twitter.com/#!/BrianCJacobs

A few of my favorite things…

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The past few months I’ve been reflecting on thankfulness. I’m not Oprah bashing…Well… Maybe…So, in the spirit of the holidays, here is a few of my favorite things in no particular order:

The Coffee Shoppe Experience
This is a simple pleasure that a lady must enjoy to marry me. Kelly passed the test with flying colors! It’s simple. A bistro table, favorite warm beverage, and someone to enjoy a good conversation with. For a few dollars, a priceless experience. It works for discussing life, romancing, strategic planning, dreaming, discussing theology, and listening to jazz music.

Classic Classical Compositions
The most thorough enjoyment of music is classical. Like any genre, there is great compositions, good compositions, and the rest. Classical music is best listened to live, and best with a friend, followed or preceded by a coffee shoppe experience. The most brilliant thing about classical music is how much can be said by saying nothing at all.

The Bible
Good for multiple things, it’s main focus is on describing who God is and who we are in light of that. Many describe the Bible in many analogies. I like none of them. The Bible stands on its own, and without it we’d lack a fuller knowledge of who God is. To engage in a relationship with God, the Bible is essential. Not as a legalistic endeavor, an archeological dig, or some self-help guru gig. It’s a fine balance of devotion and study. The Bible is like a spouse. It takes fine tuned listening, observing and study for the purpose of knowing and engaging, not for sordid gain.

The Moleskin
Pen on paper will likely not go away. There is something about the immediacy of drafting ideas on paper that a technological device just cannot match. The Moleskin is a simple device to capture whims, ideas, dreams quotes, and recipes.

The Sunday Drive
Hop in the car, and just drive for driving’s sake. This is also a good time to enjoy oldies music, or depending on the road traveled and car driven- the symphony of the car engine. It is also a good time for conversation with a friend or romance with a mate. While some may prefer walking, driving requires horsepower, and I’m a guy. Fall and spring are the best seasons for the drive.

Writing
I think this one is self-explanatory.

Playtime
My boyz take me on many adventures, and I do the same for them. The joy of having children is you get to rediscover much of life that you knew but forgot. It speaks to why undervaluing children is so dangerous. They allow us to see the world with fresh eyes with the added benefit of the wisdom and experience we’ve hopefully gained. Children are just as good teachers as anyone.

BBQ
Ribs, steak, ribs, chicken, ribs, pork, ribs, beef briquette, more ribs… Enjoying BBQ requires people. It’s not a solo experience, it’s a fun one. BBQ involves conversation, messiness, artery clogging goodness. Well, the artery business can be avoided, but you get my point. Did I mention ribs? Yeah, those are best.

The bottom line:
My favorite things in life center on this: People and God. Without them, nothing else really matters. Eat, drink and enjoy the fruit of your labor, for this too is a gift from God.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dream: Living the dream

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Faith discovers great dreams. Living the dream is not about amusement, fantasy or having all the answers. Dreams require pursuit to be lived. Living the dream is living by faith. It is the bedrock for both the great and small.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” ~ Hebrews 11:1-2

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” ~ Hebrews 11:6

Will happen, not might
We live for our dream because it will happen. This is not a gamble, this is a reality. It fully understands adversity, but adversity is couched in certainty. As people of history and now passionately pursued God, they know that what is to come will. Dreams exist not in vapors, but in stone. “If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country–a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” ~ Hebrews 11:15-16

Define great
Living the dream is not about having great things, but doing great things with what you have. Jesus tells a parable of a master who gave his servants Talents (money). To one he gave 5, another 2 and a third 1. The master judged the servants based on what they did with what they had. The servants with 5 and 2 Talents doubled and were blessed. The servant with 1 Talent nothing with it. This angered the master. Everyone will not be great in how society views greatness, but we can all do  great things! (We’re expected to.) Think growth, instead of achievement.

Hidden treasure is worthless
If a man hides a pot of gold and it is never found the gold is worth less than food scraps or dung. Food scraps and dung turns back to dirt and is usable. Such at least does something. Hidden gold does nothing. Living the dream has nothing to do with status or possessions, but everything to do with God. A better day is coming. Until then, what are you doing to pursue that?

Pursuit more than destination
The pursuit of the dream is more important than the destination. If we pursue God, He will lead. You can’t steer a still ship. If you want the dream you have to go for it. God gives to those who pursue. Pick a direction and pursue it. And, know that God will likely change your course. Or, He may not. Either way, we must move.

The Bottom Line:
Live the dream. Don’t worry about what to do or even where to start. Focus on pursuing God and working with what you have where you are at. God will lead. So dream, but don’t hide your ‘Talent.’ Reflect on this though:

“But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” ~ John 3:21

Dream: You say that I’m a dreamer…

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Dreamers pursue God. They are not inward focused, self-serving, trite or vengeful. Dreamers pursue reflecting who God is.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 1:6

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 3:13-14

The goal beyond self
We choose our attitude. The book of Philippians focuses on Paul’s attitude. This attitude, and the whole mindset of the book is a passionate pursuit of God. The book is an internal focused book. It is an attitude check. The goal Paul refers to is beyond self. The key is found in Phil 2:5- having the same attitude that was also in Christ Jesus.

Being is the focus
The best dreams are ones that focus on being, not doing. If there is any lesson that is crystal clear in the Bible it is this: we cannot earn favor with God. Doing, achieving, possessing means nothing if we fail to be who God wants us to be. Focusing on who we want to be will have greater impact on what we do. Our attitude affects everything. Dreamers need humility. Great leaders and people in life show this attitude. Focus on being humble. It works! Look at Christ.

God is the dream
Regardless of our history, our present or our future, we get to be with God. This is why our attitude and our focus on being is so important. No matter how good or bad, rich or poor, healthy or ill, we can posses our dream. This is why the best dreams are the ones that focus on being. A slave can be a dreamer. An alcoholic can be a dreamer. A murder can be a dreamer. A single mom can be a dreamer. An orphan can be a dreamer. Dreams are not about our situation but our destination. The Gospel forges our dreams in Christ, not our wishful thinking or our own power.

Why be a dreamer
There is more to life than now. There is more to life than our preferences and whims. Dreams move us beyond ourself. Dreamers pursue being the kind of person God designed us to be in the places He puts us. God did not create us as an afterthought. God does not save people to merely escape Hell. There is a story, a masterpiece that is your life. Pursuing God paints this work of art.

The Bottom Line:
In the craziness of life, no matter how upside down it us, we have a choice: we can pursue self or we can pursue God. God made us to reflect who He is. Perhaps it is time we take God seriously. There is a work that He wants to accomplish in our lives. It starts with an attitude change and a focus on being who He wants us to be. Reflect on this thought:

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” ~ Ephesians 3:20-12

Dream: Mr. Sandman…

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God is the Sandman, the author and artist of a masterpiece that is you. Dreams are not fairy tales, events, or possessions. Dreams are reflections of God’s glory in and from your life.

“The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground…The Lord God fashioned into a women the rib which He had taken from the man…”
~ Genesis 2:7 & 22

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them male and female He created them. God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply…’”
~ Genesis 1:27-28a

The God who fills things
We believe in the God who fills things. God filled creation, He filled the temple, He filled our days and He fills our very being. God is a designer, an artist, a musician, God is a dreamer. He thrives and exists in community. God is as poetic as He is just. The very concept of dream is rooted in the purposeful creation of you… ‘that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.’

God as creator
The order of creation mirrors and exhibits God’s desire to fill things. Days 1 through 3 God creates the space and then fills it days 4 through 6. Upon His good creation God placed the crown jewel: mankind. From the sand God made us, purposefully, artistically, in community. Mankind was not a blank slate of random chance, God made mankind the visible finite image of the infinite God. He blessed the human race. And God commanded mankind to fill the Earth.

Time to dream
Starting on Day 7 of Creation, God creates the Sabbath. Sabbath, meaning 7th day, also caries the concept of rest. It was time to stop and smell the roses. It was a time to reflect. It was a time to rest. Later in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy God institutes feasts where His people could celebrate, learn, reflect, teach, and ultimately enjoy Him. The Sabbath and celebrations focuses on one key thing: to remember God. In remembering God, He reminds us of who He wants us to be.

God is the Sandman
The danger of not dreaming is forgetting God. Lack of dreams is not a loss of purpose, a depletion of vision, an absence innovation, busyness or exhaustion. A lack of dream or dreams is forgetting who artistically sculpted you from dust. God forged dreams in the purpose for your life, for you carry His image. And, once in Christ, that purpose, that dream becomes crystal clear. You are not a mistake. God made you. He gave you a dream.

The Bottom Line:
Even with the confusion of life, we must remember God. A dream answers this question: How is my life to glorify God? How is my life to reflect who God is because I carry His image? Whether you naturally dream, are in limbo, are busy, are apathetic, or life has you exhausted, reflect on this thought:

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2:10

Dream

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A good friend of mine shared his observation on how many students don’t have dreams anymore. (I won’t give his name, but he’s quite the herald.) I’ll be discussing this topic this week to generate some thinking. Hopefully it will be helpful.

Why Not Wednesday? Birthday Perspectives

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1 A good name is better than a good ointment,
And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
4 The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man
Than for one to listen to the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot,
So is the laughter of the fool ;
And this too is futility.
7 For oppression makes a wise man mad,
And a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning ;
Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.
9 Do not be eager in your heart to be angry,
For anger resides in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these ?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good
And an advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is protection just as money is protection,
But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.
13 Consider the work of God,
For who is able to straighten what He has bent ?
14 In the day of prosperity be happy,
But in the day of adversity consider –
God has made the one as well as the other
So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.
~Ecclesiastes 7:1-14~

Why not Wednesday? Big Things

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One of the things I love about the Museum of Flight is Jadon. He stares in awe at the massive planes before him at one moment, and then plays with his toy plane underneath the wing of the first 747 the next. He talks about the planes, makes noises, calls them different names. But, when he sees the 747 he says one word: Plane!

Certain big things are the engines of our lives. The most significant is character. Before Jadon was known to exist, a key question I’ve been asking myself is what are the big things I want my kids to have. The list became more refined when I heard the words: It’s a boy!

Big project #1:
I’ve been working on a novel for Jadon about the major virtues I want him to hold. Virtues are timeless. While the situations in life Jadon will face differ from mine, the virtues will hold just as true. The novel will center on this concept.

Big project #2:
Each birthday I write a letter to my boys in a journal. From time to time I write other things as well. These are thoughts, ideas, or quips I have for them. I am not sure when I will hand them the journals. I’m debating junior high or graduation from high school. There is wisdom I want to impart to them.

Big project #3:
I narrowed the focus of what I want for my boys: 1) To be strong men of God, 2) To be men of character and 3) To be who God designed them. A narrow focus helps and is essential.

The bottom line:
How each man passes down wisdom to his children is different. One thing remains true: good dads often narrow the focus to just a few things. This is important. There are many skills, virtues, abilities, etc in life. But, only a few are big, long-lasting, and essential. Virtue of character is a thing in life I want Jadon to awe and play under. That when he sees it he will say: Plane! It is an engine that will power his life.

Why not Wednesday? The Big Thing

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What is something so big in your life that you simply CANNOT quit!? I might be the odd ball, but I loath stories and comments about how such and such should retire, slow down or get out of the way. There is more to life and being human than performance. Honor, character and dignity count.

… think for a moment …

What if there is something that is bigger than you or me being good?
Last month it was Lance Armstrong shouldn’t have come out of retirement. Yesterday, Brett Favre continuing on, and the ‘he should retire’ comments ensue. I respect people who retire at the top of their game. I also deeply respect those who are so passionate about the game that its about the game and not them being good. That they simply can’t retire, or struggle in doing so.

What if its not about being the best? Is being the best the only requirement to stay in something? Maybe the game is something more than the champion being a champion. Can the thrill of the sport or job still be there even though one may not be as good as he once was?

Why not?
I’ve read many accounts of “bad coming out of retirement stories.” Each one frustrated me to no end. And so, I ask Wednesday’s question: WHY NOT?

A day is coming when I’ll be old, not as sharp, tired, and possibly unable to keep up with all the demands. Such a day is coming for you as well, and for some reading this it may be closer than you’d like. There is more to life than top performance. There is a time we will have to “hang up our game.” But, there is an honor and a dignity to play with those who were once top performers.

The bottom line:
Are you pursuing something so core to who you are that even when you are old and no longer sharp, as good, or on the top of your game, that you just can’t let it go? Are you pursuing something that is completely you?

Some things are bigger than just being good. Sometimes its about the “game.” Pursue such a game.