Are You Avoiding Something Difficult?

I’m reading the book “Take the Stairs” by Rory Vaden (click the image below for more).  Rory tells a story that has really helped me in dealing with difficult decisions and conversations.   He says that in Colorado – where he lives – they have both cows and buffalo.  When a storm rears it’s dark-cloudy head over the Rocky Mountains, the cow sees it and tries to run away.  The problem is that the storm soon overtakes the cow.  Since it is running in the same direction as the storm, the cow’s pain is extended as the storm literally hovers over it as it tries to avoid the suffering.

The buffalo sees the same storm.  However, instead of trying to avoid it like the cow, the buffalo turns toward the storm, lowers its head and runs straight at it.  In doing so, he engages the difficulty, plows through the pain and emerges out on the other side thereby decreasing the time spent suffering.

From what storm are you trying to run?  What hard conversation have you been putting off?  What tough decision have you been delaying?

Be a buffalo.  Put your head down and plow through it.  You’ll be glad you did!

Peace!

The Big Faith of the Boston Killers

The boom cannoned over the finish line of this year’s Boston Marathon.  Many thought it was a celebration cannon.  Others thought it to be a car backfiring.  Then a second explosion.  Someone had set out to kill.  And they succeeded.

In the hours following, the suspects Dzhorkar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev were identified.  Chechnyan Brothers who had a big faith.

Heresy you cry!  Blasphemy you accuse!  But wait.  Supposedly, the pair held a deep conviction in what they believed.  As misplaced and evil as it was, they had a deep faith in what they believed they wanted to do.

Now, before you send the militia to pay me a visit, read slowly these next thoughts.  Faith defined – in the non-biblical sense – is a deep conviction in something or someone. Unfortunately, what they believed was that evil was a way toward personal gain.  They believed that “outsiders” needed to be eliminated in order to bring forward a better world.  They believed reward awaited for those on a killers mission.  Frankly, these may be speculations but if even a speck of it is true, that takes Big Faith.

THE POINT:  You see, you can have a strong faith, but the deeper question is, what is the object of your faith?

Too bad that kind of faith wasn’t directed toward good.  I mean, what if the amount of energy that these brothers expelled was directed at doing something of positive value?  What if their focus was to do something that would enhance the lives of the Boston marathon runners not take their lives instead.  What if the pair spent the days and months planning a cacophony of love and not a conspiracy of hate?  Horrific for them and the hundreds that suffered under their evil.  Their faith was placed in a false god who directed them toward demolition and destruction.

My faith is given and directed toward a living God who says to love others and serve where I can.  My faith is embolden on the risen-ness of His sacrifice so that I too can rise to the occasions of compassion and avoid the addiction of violence.  My faith is embedded in the Grace of Jesus that informs all of life and give me hope today and into eternity.

In whom do you place your faith?

Peace!

Taking On Too Much

I did it again.  I fell into my bad habit.  You’ll most likely laugh at my bad habit but to me, I ask myself each time, “Why do I keep doing this?”

Here it is.  As I’m walking out the door, I normally have my briefcase, a travel mug of Jo and my phone.  Usually, that’s about all I can handle but my bad habit is to try and add more and more to my already full arms as I leave.  This time, I was gripping my mug and balancing Tupperware containers of salad on the bottom, Broccoli in the middle and a smaller portion of rice.  With each step, the rice container bobbled back and forth until it finally fell, spilling all over the dirty garage floor.  I didn’t have an extra arm to steady it.  I didn’t have an extra hand to catch it.  And I lost my lunch to the concrete below.

Isn’t that the same thing I do during my day?  I have my basic events and time blocks but I try and cram as much in as I can leaving somethings unfinished and others that simply fail – all because of my habit of over-carrying.

You and I do this in relationships – wanting more and more from someone.  We do when we eat – stuffing ourselves full when contentment should do.  We even do this in our concern for others – giving and pouring our lives out and becoming exhausted because there was no “self-care.”

How do you manage the urge to take on too much.

1. Learn to say no.  Children say no in defiance.  Adults should say no in balance.  If you are presented with another request, ask a few basic questions:
   Is this something that is required?  (e.g. By your boss or authority figure).
   Is this something I have enough time to accomplish?
   Is this something that can be delegated?
2. Make two trips.  I am still learning to be ok with taking two trips.  Using the example above, I should have taken by normal items to my car first and then the extras.  It takes a little extra time upfront, but would’ve saved me more time later as I had to clean up the rice and prepare something else.
3. Ask others to help.  My wife and daughter are masters at this.  They have no problem asking me to get something for them while they are busy with something else.

Question:  When have you taken on too much?

Peace!

What Agents Look For In A Book Proposal

I’ve have several recent conversations revolving around the question, “What do literary agents and publishers look for in a book proposal?” Rachelle Gardner, from Books and Such Literary Agency, sent me the answer below.  (Rachelle gave me permission to post this information and it also appears on her site at www.rachellegardner.com).

When you submit your proposal to an agent or publishing house, you may wonder how they make their decisions as to which books to reject and which to accept. Obviously there are numerous considerations that vary from person to person, from publisher to publisher. But there is a simple three-tiered approach we all use to evaluate the viability of a project:

1. The Idea
, 2. The Execution and 
3. The Author Platform

Generally, you’ve got to be strong in all three areas in order to sell your proposal. There are always exceptions: You might be extremely strong in two of the areas and get away with being a little weaker in the third. In fiction, the idea and execution are primary; the author platform is still important but not nearly as important as the writing. In nonfiction, the author platform is of primary importance; the idea comes next, and the execution (the writing itself) becomes the third consideration.

The Idea



Pretty self-explanatory, right? The concept itself must turn heads. For example, you could say your concept is “A book about how to have a satisfying marriage.” Yawn. Low marks in the idea category. But consider what Gary Thomas said: “What if God intended marriage not to make us happy, but to make us holy?” Now that’s a fresh idea. It sparks interest, it compels people to want to hear more, and it even makes some people mad.

Take a look at your idea, and how you’re phrasing it. Does it sound fresh and exciting—or like a hundred other books already out there?

The Execution



This is all about the writing. Plenty of people can string a few words together. But when you put your words on a page, do they sing? The craft of writing is exactly that—a craft. Like any craft, it requires learning, practice, apprenticeship, dedication. Have you done what it takes to make your writing worthy of public exposure prior to submitting it for publication?

In the fiction queries I receive, the execution is the biggest reason for rejection. Some people have terrific ideas for stories that sound like they’re going to knock my socks off. But when I start to read, I realize this is probably the first draft of the first book they’ve ever tried to write, and they haven’t actually taken the time to develop their craft prior to submission. (Truthfully, it bums me out, because often the ideas are really good.)

Folks, ideas really ARE a dime a dozen, so it’s not all about the idea. You’ve got to be a WRITER. And the fact that you’ve always wanted to write a novel doesn’t mean you’re qualified for the job, any more than always wanting to play pro football qualifies you for the Patriots startling lineup on Sunday. You’ve got to get yourself to training camp first. The execution—the quality of the writing—is crucial, especially for fiction.

The Author Platform

I’m going to write more posts later explaining platform in further detail, because there’s too much to say. The important thing to realize is that PLATFORM is extremely important, and in nonfiction, it’s fast becoming the #1 consideration by more and more publishers.

Your platform refers to the means by which YOU will help sell your book by your presence in the media and/or the public sphere, or at least within the audience you hope to reach with your book. Elements of a strong platform can include:

• Previous books published with high sales numbers
• Numerous articles published, whether national, local or specialized
Appearance on television or radio with significant proven audience
• Frequent or regular speaking engagements
• Regular contact with your target audience, e.g. a newsletter
• A blog or website with proven track record
• Notoriety or authority within your area of expertise

The key to platform is your target market and what you are doing to reach them. It’s smart to begin building your platform well before you hope to be published—years, even. If you’re just setting out to build a platform, you can start a blog, write articles for publication, and begin working on establishing yourself as a speaker. Teach Bible studies, lead a retreat, speak at a women’s luncheon—whatever you have to do. Establish yourself as an authority on your topic.

Evaluate Yourself

Look critically at your proposal and manuscript—better yet, have someone else do it for you—and make an honest evaluation as to how you’re faring on the three tiers: Idea, Execution, and Platform. Whatever is lacking, set out to improve it. And don’t worry about how much time it will take. Contrary to what some people are saying, the publishing industry isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Peace!

Un-Comfort Your Comfort Zone

Your Comfort Zone.  Defined as a place or situation where one feels safe or at ease and without stress, most of us live for our comfort zones.  The problem with only living in our comfort zone is that we never grow.  Think about it, if you only did what was comfortable, you would never get married, never work, never explore, never experience other people in need of your love!

Maf Berg, a women from our church, recently returned from a mission trip to Roatán.  Maf has been on many trips before and is a warrior for helping people and spreading the message of Jesus but this time, she went to a place that pushed her out of her comfort zone.  Maf writes,

“While I had been to Roatán before, this time, the women did something we’d never done before that was WAY out of our comfort zone.  We made sandwiches and brought them and Kool-Aid to the local jail!  (In Honduras, the inmates don’t eat unless family members bring them food; and, when you live on less that $1 a day, there isn’t much to spend on food for an incarcerated brother or father).  The jail was like a medieval dungeon – pitch dark, no windows or lights in the cells, and a bucket in the middle of the floor for urinating.  The cells are small that when its at capacity (which is only 8 people and is often full) the men have to sleep standing up!   The smell was so bad we literally didn’t know if we were going to faint or throw up!  But when we gave the men/boys Bibles, several already had New Testaments and pulled them out of their pockets and read along with us!”

God is constantly calling us to venture out of our comfort zones and add value to the lives of others.  It may be tough talking to that person in the office about hope.  It may be tiring to give up an hour or two to serve at a food shelf or at a ministry like We Do Feet.  God may even bring you to a foreign country in order that you may share about this amazing concept called Grace.

I think that this quote captures God’s design for a life surrendered to Him:

“Life’s journey is not to arrive at eternity safely and soft from comfort, but rather to slide in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Yee Haw! What a ride!’”

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy1:7

How can you step out of your comfort zone today to add value to someone else’s life?

Peace!

How to Transition From SPRING BREAK

Up here, people travel down there for spring break.  I’ve watched them on Facebook, posting the images of low hanging hammocks, sunset beaches, sun-burnt faces and water games that have entertained their family over this past week.

But today it is, as they say, “back to reality.”  Up here, it’s still cold, not as cold as a month ago but the ground is still snow-laden and the chilly breeze forces the brim of your coat to to sneak up over your cheeks.

Given the dichotomy of climates and experiences, how do you transition back from the relaxing to the daily?  Here are a few suggestions:

1. Thank God for the time.  Yes, your inbox is overflowing like an unwatched pot of boiling water.  Yes, you’ll have to play catch up for the next few days.  But why do we forget to thank God for being able to relax a bit?  He did it on the 7th day.  As you venture back to busyness, take a moment to say thank you.
2. Begin your day slower than normal.  If you’re a runner and you take a significant break, the worst thing for your muscles is to begin again in a full sprint.  Transition takes time.  Don’t dive right into to the urgent until you have a good handle on the important.
3. Take “mini-Spring-Breaks” throughout your first day back.  Every hour or two, pull out the pictures from this past week.  Spend a moment remembering something funny that happened, something intense, something relaxing and something that caused you joy.  These mental breaks will also help the transition.
4. When someone asks, share a very very short story.  Especially if you had a great time, your tendency will be to share every detail of your spring break in the hopes that that person will FEEL what you felt.  They won’t.  Mostly, they don’t care.  So think through one or two brief “high level” experiences.  Here are a few phrases:

• “It was a great time to reconnect with our family.”
• “The best part was being able to ___________________”
• “I had a great time.  It gave me a chance to _________________”

Remember that you don’t have to wait until the March/April time frame to take a break.  It is important to follow God’s example and take time away every day, week, month and year.  (Read about that Here).

“By the seventh day God had finished his work.  On the seventh day he rested from all his work.  God blessed the seventh day.  He made it a Holy Day  because on that day he rested from his work, all the creating God had done.”  Genesis 2:2-3

Peace!

Life Lessons Learned From a Volleyball Tournament – part 2

Sports analogies for life are always great.  Running a race, playing on a team, handing of the baton, all of these help us understand how the “sport” of life is to be playing.  As I mentioned in the previous post, as I’ve been watching my daughter play volleyball, many life lessons came to light.  I’ve already spoken of three of them:

When if gets crazy, default up.
Always talk to others.
Know your position but always offer help.

Here are 3 more life lessons that I learned as a sideline spectator and philosopher:

1. There’s always another turn.  To think that your always going to win is a sure sign of an idiot.  You are not always a winner.  Sometimes a set up for success gets tipped by an unforeseen obstacle and your idea goes crashing to the floor.  Get up.  Get back in position because another day is coming.  As my friend Shelly Schwalm says, “Shake it off. Next play!”
2. Sometimes you have to take a time out.  There is a reason timeouts work so well with kids.  Breaks give us time to clear our head, gain clarity and regroup for another run.  I’ve tried to practice taking break based on a model I learned many years ago.  Read about it by Clicking here.
3. Develop your strength.  Each of us can do something well.  In life, some of us are “hitters” others are “setters.”  Figure out what you do well and spend most of your time discovering, developing and deploying that strength.  Don’t ignore your weaknesses however – work on those as well. But don’t get overwhelmed on those.  Practice what you’re good at and the rest will come.

These are just a few of the life lessons I learned over the weekend.

What others have you learned from a sport you love?

Peace!

Life Lessons Learned From a Volleyball Tournament – part 1

My weekend life has been volleyball.  Not me on the court – heavens no.  But proudly watching my libero daughter lay waste to the back row.  Watching the volley go back and forth, it struck me how the game of volleyball parallels life in many significant ways.

1. When if gets crazy, default up.  Life has its moments called chaos.  Pregnant schedules, emotional demands and the speed of the day can overwhelm.  Just like in volleyball, when you are thrown off balance and it feels like everything is about to drop, think “up.”  Direct your energy and movement up through prayer and solitude.  God buys you time and gives you His perspective so that you can enter the next event relaxed and reassured.
2. Always talk to others.  Teams fail for lack of communication. No matter what you do during your day, connection with others helps sanity reign and gives you other people’s eyes when your trying to make critical daily decisions.  (Click here for a blog post on group think.)
3. Know your position but always offer help.  Saying “no” for many is hard.  Especially when it comes to an event or task at which we have some mastery.  But is it the right thing to do, given what you have to do already.  Knowing your position means that you prioritize that which you need to handle but also being open to helping where needed.  But be careful. Certain folks have a hankering for sucking you dry.  In my terms, some people are bridge-dwellers and others are island-dwellers.  Be cautious of the former and enjoy the latter.  (Click here to read what I mean).

Part 2 later.

Peace!

TMI

The waiting area walls were lined with tires.  The smell of Caribou coffee and motor oil wafted with each opening of the door that separated us from the mechanics garage.  The TV talking heads were pitching opinions about the “sequester” issue that loomed like a dark cloud – for some – and a momentary mist – for others.

And there we sat.  Me with my iPad, tapping out sermon ideas and she reading a love novel from an actual paperback book.  We didn’t know each other but at one moment, she looked up at the blarging on the tube, caught my eye and said, “That’s why I don’t watch this stuff anymore.  It’s TMI.”  And with a confident smile etched across her face she said, “More often than not, ignorance is bliss.”

We are a generation that is bombarded with information, opinions and calls to action.  We are a society whose accessibility to information is paralleled by no other time-frame in the history of the world.  We live in (and are drowning in) a tidal surge of that information that has overrun a normal person’s ability to process it all.

Could my momentary friend in the car-shop waiting area be right?  Ignorance may have been a past handicap but sometimes it’s a welcomed retreat.

We chucked together, her with her book and me with my device that could access the world.  Then she went back to reading and I snatched an evaluatory moment looking at my iPad.  Given her comment, I set it down and read a promotional pamphlet on the new goodyear summer tire line up.  TMI is TMI and we turned off the TV.

Peace!

Brokenness Can Be Beautiful

I Tumblr-ed upon an ancient art called “Kintsukuroi,” a Japanese word which means “to repair with gold.”  Simply, the artist takes pottery that has been broken and fills in those gaps with gold or silver making the piece more beautiful that its original state.

So it is with frail humanity.  Originally created for a purpose.  Broken by the impact of our choices, desires and pride.  Reassembled by the Master Artist.  Filled in with the golden breath of Life.  And now put on display as spiritual Kintsukuroi.

All of us are reminded of our brokenness day to day.  Many chalk it up to simply living in a sinful world.  Others to bad genes.  But God sees the brokenness in your life and lacquers His love in the cracks of your life.

Even in brokenness, you are more beautiful because of you completeness in Christ.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 Cor. 12:9

Question:  How did this post help you?

Peace!