Thursday, April 26, 2012
Great Quote Thursday
Big goals can seem impossible and get in the way of accomplishing little goals- Bryan Clay (2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, Decathlon)
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Finding Contentment in Marriage
From "How to Build a Lasting Marriage" by Elmer and Ruth Towns, here are some thoughts on finding contentment in marriage (page 41):
Discontentment turns love into disillusionment.
Discontentment turns love into resentment.
Discontentment turns love into hatred and rejection.
And this (page 46, 47):
Is discontentment poisoning your marriage?
Is your discontentment keeping you from enjoying life?
Does your discontentment keep you from relating to people?
Discontentment leads to loneliness.
Your first and greatest contentment is found in God.
Discontentment turns love into disillusionment.
Discontentment turns love into resentment.
Discontentment turns love into hatred and rejection.
And this (page 46, 47):
Is discontentment poisoning your marriage?
Is your discontentment keeping you from enjoying life?
Does your discontentment keep you from relating to people?
Discontentment leads to loneliness.
Your first and greatest contentment is found in God.
Connect Series: Contentment
In our relationship series, Connect, we are looking at the lives of Bible couples and the issues they dealt with in their marriages. This week, we looked at the marriage of Jacob and Rachel. Their issue: contentment.
Whenever you meet someone, you usually want to know something about them. Here's some background on Jacob and Rachel:
How they met? Jacob had been on the run from his brother Esau. His mother, Rebekah, had encouraged him to go visit her brother Laban. Upon finding Laban's shepherds with their sheep, he is introduced to Rachel (Genesis 29: 1-6).
What was she like? We learn that Rachel worked as a shepherdess (Gen. 29: 9); was beautiful (Gen. 29:17); but was also jealous (Gen. 30:1A) and immature (Gen. 30:1B).
What we he like? Jacob was a bit of a show-off (Gen. 29:10); was passionate (Gen. 29:11) and was impetuous (Gen. 29:18).
What was their issue? They struggled with infertility and impatience with God and each other (Gen. 30:1-5).
But the ultimate problem in the marriage of Jacob and Rachel was one of never finding contentment. Though they eventually had a son of their own, Rachel was not satisfied and wanted another child (Gen. 30:22-24). When they fled from Laban, rather than trusting God to provide, Rachel took some of her father's possessions (Gen. 31:17-21). And in the end, they were unable to find long-lasting happiness. Rachel died in childbirth while giving birth to their second son, Benjamin, and Jacob buried her along the way to Bethlehem while he journeyed farther along (Gen. 35: 16-21). At his passing, Jacob was buried not with Rachel whom he dearly loved, but rather with Leah, his first wife and the sister of Rachel (Gen. 49:29-31).
Personal selfishness and misguided desires kept Jacob and Rachel from experiencing a joyful, happy marriage.
Tomorrow, I'll post some for couples to improve the level of contentment in their marriage.
Whenever you meet someone, you usually want to know something about them. Here's some background on Jacob and Rachel:
How they met? Jacob had been on the run from his brother Esau. His mother, Rebekah, had encouraged him to go visit her brother Laban. Upon finding Laban's shepherds with their sheep, he is introduced to Rachel (Genesis 29: 1-6).
What was she like? We learn that Rachel worked as a shepherdess (Gen. 29: 9); was beautiful (Gen. 29:17); but was also jealous (Gen. 30:1A) and immature (Gen. 30:1B).
What we he like? Jacob was a bit of a show-off (Gen. 29:10); was passionate (Gen. 29:11) and was impetuous (Gen. 29:18).
What was their issue? They struggled with infertility and impatience with God and each other (Gen. 30:1-5).
But the ultimate problem in the marriage of Jacob and Rachel was one of never finding contentment. Though they eventually had a son of their own, Rachel was not satisfied and wanted another child (Gen. 30:22-24). When they fled from Laban, rather than trusting God to provide, Rachel took some of her father's possessions (Gen. 31:17-21). And in the end, they were unable to find long-lasting happiness. Rachel died in childbirth while giving birth to their second son, Benjamin, and Jacob buried her along the way to Bethlehem while he journeyed farther along (Gen. 35: 16-21). At his passing, Jacob was buried not with Rachel whom he dearly loved, but rather with Leah, his first wife and the sister of Rachel (Gen. 49:29-31).
Personal selfishness and misguided desires kept Jacob and Rachel from experiencing a joyful, happy marriage.
Tomorrow, I'll post some for couples to improve the level of contentment in their marriage.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
2012 Orange and White Game
I attended the University of Tennessee spring football game today with Parker. Here is some of what stood out about today's game:
Free parking and game admission was great but the fan day experience was inefficient and not fan friendly.
The Vols running game is still a work in progress. Marlin Lane looked strong, but against a 2nd team defense.
The UT kicking game is an adventure.
A little bit of 3-4, a little bit of 4-3 defense. Brian Randolph looks like a standout defensive back.
Any game I attend with Parker is a great time.
Free parking and game admission was great but the fan day experience was inefficient and not fan friendly.
The Vols running game is still a work in progress. Marlin Lane looked strong, but against a 2nd team defense.
The UT kicking game is an adventure.
A little bit of 3-4, a little bit of 4-3 defense. Brian Randolph looks like a standout defensive back.
Any game I attend with Parker is a great time.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Out Into the Big World
Today as I returned to my office from lunch I witnessed my 4 year old son's Pre-K class outside in the front yard of the church as they were releasing the class' recently hatched butterflies out into the big world. And the irony of the moment struck me.
My son is only days away from his Pre-K graduation. Kindergarten begins in mere months. And he will then be out in the big world. Big school. Big kids. Big changes ahead.
But isn't that the way it should be? Buffered in a cocoon for awhile. Some time spent in the safety netting to develop. And then, freedom. Released out into the big world. Because it's time. Because there are lots of great things to experience outside the cocoon, outside the net.
And just like the butterflies today who excitedly fluttered off in the beautiful blue sky, exciting change is coming for my son. Out into the big world.
My son is only days away from his Pre-K graduation. Kindergarten begins in mere months. And he will then be out in the big world. Big school. Big kids. Big changes ahead.
But isn't that the way it should be? Buffered in a cocoon for awhile. Some time spent in the safety netting to develop. And then, freedom. Released out into the big world. Because it's time. Because there are lots of great things to experience outside the cocoon, outside the net.
And just like the butterflies today who excitedly fluttered off in the beautiful blue sky, exciting change is coming for my son. Out into the big world.
Great Quote Thursday
Great leaders don't build platforms to escape from people; they build platforms to serve people- Jon Acuff
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Book Review- Flip! by Peter Sheahan
With a focus on organizational change and how to prepare for it, Peter Sheahan encourages his readers to prepare to Flip!, in effect, to be on the front edge of change rather than adapting to it once it has occurred.
Sheahan is Australian so some of the corporate references he makes are unfamiliar and, originally published in 2007, some of the statistics and "cutting edge technology" he describes are amazingly already somewhat dated. Though not a great book (much of it reads like other "change" books), Sheahan nevertheless makes some very interesting points:
Mind-set flexibility, not proprietary expertise or resources, will define the successful businesses and leaders of the future. (pg. 3)
Your best work does not occur when you are planning. Your best work occurs when you are in the flow. It happens when you are taking action. Sure, you need planning time, but at some point you have to stop thinking, stop planning, and just do something. Anything! (pg. 31)
You can't let the presence of risk, or the absence of clarity, prevent you from taking action. (pg. 42)
Ambiguity and confusion may scare you as a business leader, but bright and talented employees- the ones you really want and need- love the high-paced, high-energy environment that an action-oriented company creates. (pg. 53)
The surest route to catastrophic failure is not to take any risks. (pg. 53)
Action must happen now- risks must be taken: calculated, intelligent, and high-payoff risks, but risks nonetheless. You can adapt and change. You must believe it is possible. (pg. 72)
Sheahan is Australian so some of the corporate references he makes are unfamiliar and, originally published in 2007, some of the statistics and "cutting edge technology" he describes are amazingly already somewhat dated. Though not a great book (much of it reads like other "change" books), Sheahan nevertheless makes some very interesting points:
Mind-set flexibility, not proprietary expertise or resources, will define the successful businesses and leaders of the future. (pg. 3)
Your best work does not occur when you are planning. Your best work occurs when you are in the flow. It happens when you are taking action. Sure, you need planning time, but at some point you have to stop thinking, stop planning, and just do something. Anything! (pg. 31)
You can't let the presence of risk, or the absence of clarity, prevent you from taking action. (pg. 42)
Ambiguity and confusion may scare you as a business leader, but bright and talented employees- the ones you really want and need- love the high-paced, high-energy environment that an action-oriented company creates. (pg. 53)
The surest route to catastrophic failure is not to take any risks. (pg. 53)
Action must happen now- risks must be taken: calculated, intelligent, and high-payoff risks, but risks nonetheless. You can adapt and change. You must believe it is possible. (pg. 72)
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