Wii Fitness and Spiritual Formation

To counteract a men's breakfast and a special dinner today I thought I better get in some exercise, and chose to do the Wii EA Active workout. Overall I like the exercises, feel they provide a benefit, and like the illusion of interactivity with a 'personal trainer.' Today for some reason it didn't go as well as hoped. On some exercises where I was giving my all, it just wasn't good enough the for program and the virtual trainer was nagging me to try harder. On other ones where I was gasping for air and barely moving, they chimed 'That's it! Now you've got it!'  (huh??)  Half-way through the routine I started completely ignoring the instructor, and just did whatever I wanted. Why? Because something the way I was holding the remote was not registering, and even though I was doing them right, the screen kept saying "No, watch closely and do it like me!" By the end I was ready to throttle the instructor, sell the disk, and never work out again. I'm thinking a Kinect system where it's actually paying attention to me instead of the other way around? Why did I even finish the workout? Because I get together weekly with another guy and I know we will ask me next week if I did what I promised I would do.

I wonder sometimes if our approach to spiritual formation in the church leaves people feeling the same way. Sermons that boil down to "You suck. Do better." Formulaic approaches to a quiet time, specifying the 'right' way to do it. Nagging way more about what we're not doing right than applauding that we're even trying, and encouraging what we are doing well. (I'm not saying our church is much like that, but it's easy for any church, any minister, to get too focused on the wrong thing.)

So after getting frustrated with this workout, I came up with...

10 Things that Wii Fitness can Remind us about Spiritual Formation:

1. If we lose sight of what we're trying to achieve, we'll never put in the effort it takes to get there.
2. Having a supposed 'instructor' that doesn't care about us or screams "Do it just like me!' pushes us further away from growth
3. Focus on taking your next step, however small. Don't look at someone way ahead of you and sigh.
4. Conversely there is great benefit to a personal trainer who can work with you to achieve your goals
5. Exercise and spiritual formation are often best done with a friend or a group
6. Finding the right exercises - ones that you actually enjoy doing and which build you up - is golden.
7. Going through the motions just to please your instructor is virtually useless.
8. Exercise/disciplines are half of the equation. It really has to go together with learning to feed yourself in a healthy way.
9. An accountability partner who asks questions but doesn't nag helps you get it done.
10. The goal is life transformation. Don't settle for anything less.

For You Who are Hurting

I prayed for you this morning. I don't know or understand the pain that's going on in your life right now. But I want you to know that you're loved. We're friends, not close enough that you can share all that's going on, but enough to care, to feel sorry that you're hurting. I don't have much to offer you, except a word of hope. There is one who does understand your heart, your pain, and who knows your future. He loves you deeply, even though you may not feel that much right now. It may seem like He is distant, or does not care. It may seem like this pain will never stop. He does. And it will.

What I don't have hope in, I'm sad to say, is that people will stop being such jerks to you. Little hope that family members or once close friends won't continue to disappoint. Not much hope that everything will instantly be better tomorrow. Little hope that the craziness and bs you face will stop once and for all. I don't have hope you'll forget the pain that seems like got you into this season of despair.

What I do have absolute hope in is that the God who made you and loves you will be there for you when no one else is, wants to help you through this rough time, and will one day bring a time of peace and restoration of joy (yes, deep joy) in your heart that will pass all understanding. I have this firm hope because the One who loves you is faithful and He will do it. In Hebrews 10:22-24 we're asked "Let us draw near to God, with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith... let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." Until that day comes when you find lasting peace and and end to suffering, I hope that I and others can continue what is commanded next in verse 25: "Let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching."

He loves you... more than you can imagine.

Oh No - I am one of THOSE Dads

You know those dads who seem to not have a clue, who other people shake their head at as irresponsible, and take for granted the roughly 10 million things their wonderful wives do to take care of the family? This morning it was pretty clear... I'm one of those dads!

Dawn had to take our daughter down to Indy early this morning, so I just had to feed our three sons and get them on the bus. How hard can that be? It was a breeze. We had plenty of time. I toasted the bagels, slathered on some peanut butter, and we had breakfast together. Holy cow they eat slow. Like "watching a glacier advance across the polar caps" kind of slow. Eventually it's time for the bus for the older two. I notice my eldest's hands have an unusually large quantity of peanut butter on them. "You have any kids in your class allergic to peanut butter?" "Nope." "Good. Still, be sure to get that peanut butter off your hands. It's time to get the bus, so hurry up, put your things in the sink, and get moving." Note carefully the how that was phrased...

I went to grab something for my other son, and hear the other two say "Bye dad!" and sprint for the bus. Me and lil J relaxed a bit, and I got him on the bus 20 minutes later. Off to work. That was easy. Phone rings on the way, I figure it's Dawn thanking me for watching the kids or double checking they made it ok. Oops, I forgot to sign his homework like she asked. Hmmm, wait that's not even her ringtone.

'Is this Laurence?' (uh oh). 'This is the nurse from your son's school. He is covered in peanut butter. We are a peanut-free zone, and there are kids here who could be in serious danger with this! You need to come and get him, get him cleaned up and changed immediately!!' 'Yes ma'am, right away!' Off to school I drove, and when I saw him and took a closer look through the eyes of a school nurse, I saw a boy who looked as if he had literally taken the knife and spread peanut butter all over his face, shirt and pants. The hands were of course clean. The nurse held her tongue but had that look of "Are you naturally this bad of a dad, or did you take special lessons to reach this level of incompetence? Seriously!?"

I took him home, gave him a mini-lecture, but knew it was my fault. "Get all that peanut butter off your hands." Indeed he did! I had forgotten how I would have done that as a 10 y/o boy. Boys don't wear clothes for style. They wear them as a large surface area napkin available at all times.

As he got changed I pondered if I had to say more or punish him. Explaining to his mom why he was in difference clothes than what she left him in would be enough. I also thought that really, we're all "covered" in "stuff." Me, you, every one of us. It's not so easy to see as peanut butter on a dark shirt, but it's there. Envy, pride, lust, a drive to succeed at all costs. Whatever it is, we're covered in it. But the love of God and sacrifice of Jesus cleans us from all that. It's serious stuff, to be taken seriously, and God commands against all these, but he doesn't nag us or scream at us. Instead he says "Son, I love you. I've got some clean clothes for you to put on, if you're willing to put them on. I'll help you get cleaned up too - but I'm far more concerned about our relationship and how you love your brothers and sisters than I am about perfect behavior." So when he came downstairs with a nervous look on his face, I told my son I loved him, and gave him a big hug. "Let's get on with our day, shall we?"

Review - Kindle 3 First Impressions

After what seems like months, a new Graphite 6" Wifi Kindle 3 arrived at my door last week. As an avid book reader I've considered a Kindle since the first model, but the time (and price) never seemed quite right. With the announcement of the next generation model at just $139 for a Wifi model, the wait was over, and I pre-ordered it the day it was announced.

The latest generation Kindle is a marvelous device that really sets a new standard in electronic reading devices. The improvements seen in the new model at a price of just $139 for the wi-fi version make this a remarkable bargain. I've read Kindle books on the iPhone, iPad and PC but have held off until now on a dedicated e-reader due to the price. With the arrival of the Kindle this afternoon, I'm very glad I waited for this third generation. The details have been reviewed and discussed in great detail, but I'll highlight what I've seen already that make this such a great unit.

• Setup including secure Wifi access was incredibly simple 
• The new high-contrast e-Ink screen is really great for reading. I had seen this mentioned in reviews, but the difference between the dedicated e-Ink screen and LCD screens like on the iPad is night and day. 
• The page turn speed is much better than in earlier models of the Kindle. After seeing a first generation Kindle of a friend I thought I would never get a Kindle. As a fast reader, the delay and flicker in earlier models was terrible. While not completely gone, it's no longer a deal-breaker. The combination of the e-Ink screen with the graphite case really does improve the contrast and readability tremendously. 
• New fonts - having choice over serif or sans serif and the ability to use a compressed font is great. Even better is the ability to adjust the line-spacing so you have much more control over how much text is present on a page. For a 6" unit this is so important. 
• Text-to-speech - this worked surprisingly well, with the option to speed up or slow down the voice, or choose a male or female voice, was very nice. You can pause/restart speech with a tap of the space bar. 
• Smaller design. While the screen size is identical to the Kindle 2, it's about a half-inch less all around or 21% less area. It's really small, portable, and crazy-thin, while having a lot more reading area than the iPhone. I almost went with the DX model out of fear it would not be much better than reading on my phone, but after reading a whole book tonight, it was far superior. 
• PDF support is greatly improved - another reason I'm glad I waited for this new model. With Kindle books there is also instant word look-up via included dictionary, tightly integrated. (I still prefer a larger screen like the iPad for PDF's)
• Social network support - not a big deal for some, but the ability to select a sentence or two and instantly send them plus a comment to Twitter or Facebook is pretty handy. 
• Battery life looks to be superb; download speeds over wi-fi are great; it has ability to play MP3s, even in the background while reading; and it even has a built-in web browser (not wonderful, but nice to have in a pinch). 

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the Apple iPad, the Amazon Kindle 3, and the Apple iPhone. The iPad screen size is much larger than the Kindle 3 (but is very similar to the Kindle DX model). The Kindle screen may not seem significantly larger than the iPhone, but it's much easier to read and covers a lot more text on a given page. Battery lives are 10 hours with iPhone/iPad but up to one month with the Kindle. The latter works great in bright light and direct sunlight, but not in the dark. The iPad is the opposite. The iPad excels at PDFs and for night reading. The Kindle is far better for extended reading.

How do these compare with a laptop? Here's a picture of the same devices alongside a MacBook Pro. That's a 15" laptop by the way, not the 17" boat anchor!

If you're an avid reader who has stayed away from the Kindle for reasons of price, screen quality, size, or page turn speed, stay away no more! The new Kindle, especially the Graphite Wifi model, is a great unit. It also comes in classic White, and there is a 3G model for $189, if you need to be able to download new books anywhere-anytime, or if you don't have a smart phone and would like something with light web browsing capability.

As an added bonus, you can install free Kindle reading software on your PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad or Android, and read any Kindle books you buy on other devices - whether you have an actual Kindle device or not. I had bought several Kindle books and read them on the iPad before getting my Kindle. With the iPhone I have always-with-me access, the iPad is great for late night reading or color books, and the Kindle is great for extended or outdoors reading.

If you're a Kindle book fan, be sure to follow the Kindle Review blog / web site which highlights discounted books and limited time offers of free Kindle books.

I have to give a shout out and huge thanks to the Going To Seminary website which sponsored a contest for seminary students with a new Kindle as the prize. I was one of the lucky winners, and wrote three articles on Maximizing your Learning Experience, Life Doesn't Get Easier, and Getting It All Done. The timing was perfect, as the next generation model came out just as the awards were being made. Alas, classes are almost over for me at Rockbridge Seminary... maybe I'll need to enroll again after I finish for another degree?!  :)

So... what are you reading, and how?

Review - Handoff (Kindle Edition)

I just finished a Kindle book called "Handoff: The Only Way to Win the Race of Life," by Jeff Myers. It's a gem of a book on making an impact on the lives of others, encouraging younger leaders, and leaving a legacy to the next generation. This short book is a great resource for anyone who wants to be a positive influence in the life of others, and a definite must-read for older leaders. It's currently available at deep discount at Amazon ($1.77), which is sufficient reason to download the free Kindle reading software on your PC, Mac, iPhone or Android.

Jeff Myers does a great job in "Handoff" in describing the need, the challenges, and effective methods for investing in the lives of others and for passing the baton to the next generation. What's great about this book is that it shows tremendous heart and understanding of the challenges faced in mentoring or coaching today's younger generations. What they need and what they are looking for in relationships is really quite different from the way us older folks viewed those who went before. Myers writing style is very conversational, clear, encouraging, and practical. Instead of speaking down to the reader or to those we seek to invest in, he shows great humility and respect for all involved. The book is written from a Christian perspective, and does draw some examples from the life of Christ, but the principles and practices described in this book are of broad applicability in education, parenting, the workplace, as well as in a ministry or discipling environment.

Jeff starts out the book with his own story of failure as a teacher to really impact the lives of others, then skillfully breaks his thoughts down into chapters that include:

* What the Winners in the Race of Life Do Differently
* Feed the Giver, Starve the Taker
* Why the Next Generation is So Hard to Reach
* What the Next Generation is Not Telling You
* Those Who Stumbled: Dealing With the Pain of Being Left Out
* Finding - and Sharing - the Meaning in Your Life Experiences
* Planting Seeds of Blessing
* Riding the Bicycle: Six Steps to Building Trust with the Next Generation
* Lessons from a Sled Dog: Discovering what you Cannot NOT Do
* Living to Be, Not to Have
* How to Get the Attention of the Next Generation (Without Yelling)
* Three Ways to Have a Lasting Impact on Others, Starting Today
* Mary Poppins was Wrong: How to Make Your Mess Your Message
* Shutting Up: How to Stop Giving Advice and Start Having an Influence
* Fourteen Questions to Unleash the Potential of Those You Influence
* Confronting Failure: What to Do When the Next Generation Blows It
* How to Conquer Worry and Fear by Surrendering the Outcome to God
* Compound Influence: The Secret to an Enduring Legacy
* The Final Secret to Finishing Strong in the Race of Life
* What on Earth do We Do Now?

Each chapter is short, six to eight pages, and each naturally flows into the next. As a young boomer (oxymoron?) I really needed to hear the hard words of learning to shut my mouth and not try to fix their problems, of the importance of building relationships and trust, and how to ask FAR more questions and really help others to think about and solve their own problems. The goal in mentoring or being a leader is not to reproduce ourselves in others, but to bring out the very best in who they already are. He gives some extremely useful and practical tips - for example not just telling us to encourage others, but that when we encourage them we should strive to be as specific as possible in pointing out the good we see - this helps others see and develop their gifts.

Handoff is currently available as a regular hardcover or as a deeply discounted Kindle book. With 41 out of 43 reviews giving 5-stars, I'm surprised this book isn't more popular.

Discouragement is for a season

A timely and helpful post by Kem Meyer this morning, "Don't let discouragement pile up. Guard your heart..."  It was a short message I really needed to hear. I love to encourage people. I love to see the bright side of things. But from time to time, even for no good reason, I can find myself sucked into a negative vortex of thought and feelings. (BTW, one sure way you know you've gone past simple discouragement into a 'negative vortex' is when you start crying for no reason sitting at the breakfast table. Seriously, my man card is going to get revoked!)

Kem points out that noticing and admitting that stress and discouragement are overwhelming you is a needed first step, and that you can't stop there. Choose not to get so absorbed you lose your bearings. Some other tips she gives: taking care of yourself physically (sleep and exercise), making time for family, getting some focused time on top priorities, taking the needed margin for reading/learning, talking with friends, and fueling your faith. Kem is the author of "Less Clutter, Less Noise." Do yourself a favor and check out her blog for yourself.

Google Voice now available

Google Voice has left limited beta and is now available to the public. What is Google Voice? It's a free service that gives you a number with a ton of great features. It can ring multiple phone numbers (home, mobile's) when someone calls - filters for blocking or redirecting calls, ability to listen in on messages as they're being left on your cell phone, voice mail transcribed and sent to you via email, texting via the web, different greetings for different people, and more. You can use your existing number, or more likely, choose a new phone number. Been hanging on to a land line but wanted to have some backup to your cell? This might be for you. There's even a mobile app for Blackberry and Android phones (Safari page for iPhone use). Google has a page with video clips describing the features, or watch the overview below...

Forming Storming Norming Performing

Every team or group goes through various stages in their life cycle. I was mentioning how Tuckman described four typical stages in the life of a team as forming, storming, norming and performing. This was while we were playing volleyball and it struck me how well this cycle applies to the group dynamics of both a volleyball team and a leadership team.

Forming - the 'polite' stage where the team first forms and everyone is trying to figure out who everyone is and how they can contribute to the team. It's a time of optimism and hope, even though the team isn't very effective or producing much just yet.

Storming - the honeymoon is over, personalities emerge, sometimes team players vie for control, and disagreements crop up. Having a good coach or leader becomes important. People may resist tasks, have sharp swings in attitude, argue, get defensive, and question those who put this team together.

Norming - people start to 'get' one another, see strengths and build on them, and start to work well together and see bright spots of effectiveness. When issues crop up, they might deal with some well, or may bounce back to storming for a while. Natural or unofficial leaders emerge, who may not be the same once visible or appointed in the earlier stages. The team needs less direction. People start to accept one another (even with weaknesses), become more friendly, express criticism constructively, and have established team ground rules (whether explicit or implicit).

Performing - the team starts to achieve high levels of performance. They can take on new challenges and accomplish them successfully, and seldom revert to 'storming'. Other people want to be on the team, which can absorb one or two new members with little trouble. It can take a long time to reach this stage, and some teams never make it! Teammates know how each other will think and act, they listen to one another, and they self-solve problems together. Their cohesion level is strong, and they hate to disappoint the others. Camaraderie while working together is the norm, even if they aren't best buddies outside the team setting.

What's the tie-in between a volleyball team and leadership team?
Within the storming phase the main sources of friction are actually the same!

• When a ball is served between two players, they will either let it fall to the ground untouched or both will go for it and crash into each other. Stepping on toes due to confusion as to 'whose ball it is' is a major issue with leadership teams, resulting in the ball getting dropped or a clash as people claim 'that's my ball!'
• When someone makes a mistake, you'll often get one guy on the team starting to lecture that person on how to 'do it right'. They'll do this before they even know the person, whether they want correction, or whether it was a simple mistake. Unsolicited advice, which comes across as telling someone what to do, is a big source of friction and defensiveness on leadership teams - especially when trust levels have not been built.
• The player in the middle of the back row may think that position gets played a certain way (e.g. middle-back defender) while a teammate may have always seen that position played a completely different way (e.g. middle-up). It's the same "position" but it means vastly different things to different teams. If this isn't recognized, both players look like they are completely incompetent to the other player, when it's really just a lack of shared definition about their role. This is a huge issue on teams in business or non-profits as well. Lack of clarity on the role, and unvoiced expectations, are a major source of frustration and lead to poor performance of the team.

I also noticed that the same resolutions occur both on the volleyball court and in the organization, when teams progress to norming and performing...

• People encourage one another and expect the best. You'll often hear "great play!", "you can do it", "let's go team!"
• Mistakes aren't criticized, jumped on, or seen as incompetence. The player freely admits "My bad" and the team moves on.
• Position expectations are clarified - "You cover short, I've got deep." It's clear what everyone is supposed to do, who's got what, and even when they don't, people have each others backs.
• People can freely make observations/criticisms that would be taken badly at a lower stage. "I know you're a great jump server, but it's off tonight and we can't be throwing away points. Use your floater."
• Strong execution, scoring some great points on a great team play, is exhilarating and itself promotes unity of the team, leading to a positive cycle.

Facing friction or frustrations on your team? It's not unusual - it's typical of every team at some point! Hang in there, look for the strengths of your teammates, cheer them on, and keep the goal of the team in mind. It's worth it. 

The Power of Encouragement

I love encouragement! (Giving and getting :)  But have you ever thought about the purpose for it, or why it can be so powerful? An obvious answer is that it makes another person feel good, which is great. But most of us can think back to a time in our lives when the encouragement of someone we respected made a real impact in our lives, perhaps making a lasting difference.

Mac Lake shared 7 things that encouragement will do for our friends and/or those we influence or lead, and they're so good I wanted to share them with you --

1. It helps them see the work God is doing in or through their life.
2. It motivates them to continual improvement.
3. It enhances their confidence and courage.
4. It expands their vision. When they know the progress they’ve made has been recognized and appreciated it causes them to dream bigger.
5. It validates their giftedness. Most people struggle with clarity in the area of their giftedness. A specific word of encouragement can help bring needed confirmation.
6. It creates relational bonds between the leader and follower.
7. It teaches them to encourage others.

How about it? Is there someone you know who is in need of encouragement this week? Don't merely flatter with nice words, but let them know how special they are, something specific they're doing really well, a character trait you admire, or a difference you see they're making in the lives of others. Make encouraging others a daily part of your life!

Summer Sabbath

Some days I'm just overwhelmed with thankfulness for all the good people and good things in my life. Here is how my Sunday played out today...

A good night's sleep, eager to get to church where I got to serve as greeter. I've come to love seeing friendly faces and trying to make new friends with those I don't know. Our children sang two songs from VBS Summer Camp - they were adorable! After much thought this week one child chose to be baptized. The worship time and the sermon were excellent, with a great challenge to keep God in first place - and that when we do He will order the rest in a way that works out great both for us and for other people.

Afterwards, over to a friends house to share a feast. Ribs, cooked to perfection, glazed in honey chipotle BBQ sauce. After lunch, no one was in a rush to be anywhere so we just hung out. I got the comfy couch and almost fell asleep. It's nice to just enjoy good company. Then I went home and read a very good book (Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell). This evening, off to another good friend's house for another cookout. Dogs n burgers n sausage. I had a great time - talking half the time to people's kids and getting the inside scoop on family life, and the other half learning more about the background and life experiences of some other friends. Home again to continue reading, spend some time in prayer and the Word, and just listening to music.

I did absolutely nothing 'productive', and wouldn't change a single minute of my day. A quote from Velvet Elvis about the Sabbath:

"The real issue behind the Sabbath isn't which day of the week it is but how we live all the time... Sabbath is taking a day a week to remind myself that I did not make the world and that it will continue to exist without my efforts. Sabbath is a day when I am fully available to myself and to those I love most... Jesus wants to heal our souls, wants to give us the shalom of God. And so we have to stop. We have to slow down. We have to sit still and stare out the window and let the engine come to an idle. We have to listen to what our inner voice is saying."

What Makes for a Great Boss?

I saw a link tweeted by Ron Edmondson about a Harvard Business Review article "12 Things Good Bosses Believe." The article, by Robert Sutton, asks what are some common traits or beliefs held by great bosses. It's an interesting article, and has some items there you may not have thought about. But half way through I was wondering if he was serious - the list was shaping up to be completely different from what I would consider crucial to being a great boss or leader. (Perhaps he's targeting a boss of an entry level position or shop foreman?) Nor did many of his comments address things I talked about in a recent post on the difference between a 'boss' and a 'leader'.

Some of the items on Sutton's list of 12 things good bosses believe:

• My success depends largely on being the master of obvious and mundane things
• Having ambitious and well-defined goals is important, but it is useless to think about them much.
• Bad is stronger than good. It is more important to eliminate the negative than to accentuate the positive.
• How I do things is as important as what I do.
• Innovation is crucial to every team and organization. So my job is to encourage my people to generate and test all kinds of new ideas. But it is also my job to help them kill off all the bad ideas we generate, and most of the good ideas, too.

About five more on his list involve awareness of your limitations, trying not to be a jerk, and trying to shield your people from jerks. Hmmm... not bad beliefs - I would like my boss to be practical, down-to-earth, and trying to solve problems. But are these really among the very top beliefs or attitudes among truly great bosses?? Has corporate America really gotten so pathetic that avoiding being a Dilbert boss is the mark of greatness?!

The article did get me thinking though, what are some of the most crucial beliefs I would expect to see in a boss/leader that was great? Here's my short (and imperfect) list, phrased as things the boss' subordinates would say:

1. They're crystal-clear on the mission of my organization and the role my team plays in it.
2. They set clear expectations and give immediate feedback - both on things I'm doing well and on things that I need to do differently - I don't have to wonder where I stand.
3. They care about me as an individual.
4. They're actively trying to help me develop to be the best that I can be.
5. Their main activity is supporting their team as they do the work, eliminating roadblocks and/or providing resources or training.
6. They ask me what I think on decisions that are going to affect me.
7. They're not afraid to defer to someone, including someone who reports to them, who knows more about the task at hand than they do.
8. They strive to keep great people around by letting them work on things that utilize their greatest strengths while fostering a positive work environment.
9. They don't ask me to do things they wouldn't do themselves.
10. They listen to me and exhibit humility. (Sutton and I agree on this one!)

What beliefs do you think make for a great boss?

Calvary Youth Justice Run/Walk 5K for the International Justice Mission

The wonderful students in our Calvary XL Youth program are sponsoring (and participating in) a Justice Run/Walk 5K. All proceeds will go directly to the International Justice Mission (IJM). The IJM does some great things to rescue people across the world trapped in slavery. They're a faith-based (Christian) human-rights organization that helps people regardless of belief, ethnicity or gender. They were founded on the call to justice articulated in the Isaiah 1:17. Calvary's Youth... are sponsoring a 5K-run to raise funds to support IJM and promote freedom for the oppressed.

The International Justice Mission was founded in 1997 by Gary Haugen (currently CEO). His background is in law and civil rights, and he has served on the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals. The organization grew out of a group of Christian lawyers and was described by Haugen as existing within the Christian community and attempting to rekindle the social engagement of evangelical Christians. IJM’s work is founded on the Christian call to justice articulated in the Bible (Isaiah 1:17): Seek justice, protect the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. IJM’s staff members are Christians from a variety of traditions who are motivated by this call to seek justice for the oppressed.

The run will be at the Celery Bog Park on Lindberg Road in West Lafayette. Registration 8:00am, 5K Run: 9:00 am, or Walk starting at 9:15 a.m.  Interested folks in the area of West Lafayette, Indiana can register for the race via our online form.

Expectations are a double-edged sword

I know you can do it!!      I expected better of you.
We're counting on you.    Was it too much to expect for you to call?
I know it's late, but I don't have anyone else to turn to.      How could you forget?!

Each of the phrases above reveals an expectation. We can expect the best of people, we can have expectations about their behavior, and sometimes we expect the worst in a situation. How do we handle our expectations of ourselves and others?

It doesn't help that the word expect has two main meanings: i) to look forward to as something reasonable, likely or certain; ii) to consider obligatory, to require. We can expect it to rain when a low-pressure system comes, but nature doesn't owe us anything. A school can expect its students to arrive on time and properly dressed. Yet we get in trouble when we confuse the two meanings. It's fine to expect (have reasonable hope for) good things and proper behavior from people, but when in our mind we expect (require) that which is unreasonable or which simply can't happen all the time, it leads to resentment -- from both parties.

I blew it this morning, having some expectations from two people in my house I love which I thought were reasonable. Actually, they are reasonable in terms of "hope", what I or they would like to see happen with increasing consistency, but they're things I have no justification for angrily requiring. Using words or tone that conveys they failed something they I thought they should have been able to do is just plain wrong on my part. The words themselves cause them to resent me, while the underlying attitude I have leads me to resent them. Neither is good, neither reflects the love we have for each other.

Having high hopes and seeing great possibilities is a wonderful thing. Michael Jordan said "You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them." Being realistic is also good. "Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes." - Zig Ziglar. Mark Twain also reflects the difference between the two: "Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get."

We can hurt ourselves with improper expectations as well. It's one thing to hold yourself to a high standard, to believe you can achieve great things, to think you can do better -- but when we beat ourselves up for falling short it serves no good. This can even hurt our relationship with God. God has many hopes for us, many commands, and expects (hopes/desires) much of us, but too often His expectations of us are less harsh than our own. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (I Cor 13:7) That's positive "expectation". Yet love is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs (v.6). Love avoids harsh expectations, and does not lead to resentment, but to stronger relationship. What does God require of me? I think it's less than the laundry list of do's and don'ts that many church folk expect of us -- but to act justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. (Micah 16:8)

Let's keep high standards, study and obey His commands, but maybe take down our expectations on ourselves and others just a notch or two?

Leader versus Boss

I had a little chat with my youngest son this morning, and told him that I think that he's a fine young man and I think he has good leadership potential. I asked him to be a good example, a a leader and helper on his upcoming road trip with mom and the other kids. He looked confused and said "I thought you didn't like me to boss the other kids around?" I chuckled and explained that a leader is someone who helps others and encourages them to do the right thing, while a boss just tells people what to do and tends to care only about himself.

I left it at that, but thought about some other differences between a boss and a leader.

• A boss tells people what to do, a leader shows people what to do.
• A boss cares about what's best for himself or the organization, a leader cares about his people as much as about higher goals.
• A boss sees herself in a position of authority, a leader sees herself in a position of influence.
• A boss sets one set of rules for followers and another for himself, a leader sets a higher standard for himself.
• A hierarchical boss is to be served, a leader is a servant first and foremost.
• A boss hoards responsibility and authority, a leader gives them away.
• A boss is sometimes known for yelling, a leader is best know for listening.
• A boss wrings out the most from people, a leader brings out the best in people.

If husbands and deacons were better at being spiritual leaders than trying to be the boss, they would be a whole lot easier to follow, and life would be so much better!

Review - Cradlepoint CTR350 Mobile Broadband Travel Router

How cool would it be to have a device about the size of a pack of cigarettes that was a personal/portable 'hotspot' that could provide instant wifi access anywhere, not just for you but for a dozen friends or devices? Laptop, iPad, iPod Touch? How about for $99? What about $69? It's not science fiction, it's the Cradlepoint CTR-350 Mobile Broadband Travel Router. I just picked one up at the Lafayette Best-Buy for $69 (normally $99).

I took it out of the box, plugged in my company's 3G wireless card, and my netbook and iPad were online with almost no configuration, in about two minutes. Ok - that wireless card is the "catch." This Travel Router has a USB slot where you can plug in a "3G data modem" card which typically is used to connect a single laptop to the internet via a 3G mobile service plan. The card I have is the Sierra Wireless 881u which works well. The cost for the data plan varies, but tends to run $35-$49 per month (two-year plan).

IF you already have some kind of data modem, the CTR350 travel router lets it work simultaneously with up to a dozen wifi devices and is a super buy. Some people can instead use a smart phone with "tethering" capability to provide the access. If you don't yet have the modem, and either travel a lot or don't yet have broadband it might be worth considering.

If you have a data modem that is an express card, get the CTR-500 instead. If you want a battery powered personal hotspot, Cradlepoint has a model called the PHS-300. The CTR350 and CTR500 have the added advantage of an Ethernet jack, so you can use it to either hook up a computer without wifi, or you can use the router with your cable model as a Wifi access point.

Even better, talk your boss into getting your team one, so that you can be productive at all times, even on the road, as a passenger in a car on a long drive, or on-site at a client's location.  :)

  

Review - Apple iPad

Yes, I was one of those who pre-ordered the iPad the first day it was available for pre-order, and have been really enjoying it for the past few weeks. There have been a lot of good reviews, and many lists of favorite apps, but I'll share what I like about the iPad, and why I think it's a game-changer.

What is the iPad?

It's like an iPod Touch for senior citizens. An iPhone without the phone, but 4x the screen size. It's a touch-tablet internet-media device that runs the iPhone OS instead of Windows. It's slim, portable, and runs all iPhone apps plus a growing number of applications specifically designed for the larger screen. It has a diverse target audience - seniors looking to do email/Facebook for the first time ever, students, sports fanatics, readers, photographers, and geeks.

Why Would You Want an iPad?

Well, besides being very cool, they have a great variety of applications. There's full iPod functionality for music, it can play videos and movies, stream Netflix movies, show Google Maps, provide access to email, calendar, YouTube, weather including animated doppler maps. It's a super photo frame, a game device, a serious notepad, e-book and Kindle book reader. All those features are free, and there are many more excellent apps that cost from 0.99 to a few dollars. The base model comes with WiFi access, and for about $130 more plus $15 or $30 a month for 3G anywhere access. Compared to the cost of a Kindle, iPod, PDA, GPS and electronic photo frame, it's not a bad deal for $499. (That's the model I got, passing on the 3G option since I do have an iPhone, and going for smaller memory as my music collection isn't huge.)

Why an iPad versus a Laptop?

Most reviews that don't like or don't "get" the iPad describe it in terms of what it can't do - no Flash support, no physical keyboard or CD-ROM player, no MS Office apps, too limited in what software you can run, and locked into what Apple will allow in the iTunes store. I wouldn't call it a full-fledge laptop replacement, though it can serve as the all-you-need device for a short business or recreational trip, especially with optional keyboard and VGA adapter for projector presentations.

What am I using it for, and why do I really like it?

The main reason I got it was actually to demo web applications that I write for my clients and prospective clients at work. (They want to see the state of their huge chemical plant or warehouse on a Gantt chart over the web. I show it to them on an iPad and tell them they can even do this while walking the plant. Their eyes light up/)  I use it to read Kindle books, to check email, to listen to music, to have pictures of my family looping at work, to access my calendar and to-do list, for Bible study, and (more than) once in a while play a game. What's great is that the iPad is instant-on (no boot-up or crashing), is extremely intuitive to use, and I can access it comfortably in my recliner. I think of something I need to look up or jot down, I pick it up, do it in a few seconds, and put it back down. My kids love to play games on it (youngest boy still small enough to sit in my lap while playing). The overall user experience is very satisfying for everything but text-intensive purposes. I still prefer a multimonitor desktop for 'serious' work or writing, and I still love my iPhone which does of this and fits in my pocket. But if I have all of those devices around I find myself reaching for the iPad as my new first choice. I think we're going to see some really amazing apps and media-content systems that make great use of the iPad and touch-capability. 


(Analogy for gamers? XBox is to high-end lap-top as Nintendo Wii is to iPad as Nintendo DS portable is to iPhone. They're all good, best for different things. Our family is a Wii family)


If you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them!

Looking Back, Looking Forward at Calvary

Last Sunday we had a Leader Lunch where we celebrated what's been going on at Calvary and talked about our vision of the future. Pastor Chuck led this but it was encouraging to see the level of energy and sharing among our small group and ministry leaders. There's been a lot of great stuff going on - here's what people shared:

Our Community BBQ and Trunk or Treat were huge, and let us just have a fun time together with our neighbors and friends. Our Summer Camp also went very well, with a record number of kids participating. If you look out back you'll see grass flourishes where once weeds reigned, preparing for a number of soccer fields that will be used by the community. The modular building is also getting a huge facelift so we'll have more space, and the Connection Center is seeing constant use. We saw one of our own head for the mission field to care for the medical needs of hurting people who need to know God loves them; nationally, more people were involved in missions trips (e.g. New Orleans' Katrina victims); locally we've launched a new Servanthood Saturday ministry which has got people joining hands with others here in town who are giving food to those in need. This year the Hunt family joined us and have been a great blessing in worship. About ten new small groups have formed, and existing ones have been helping people connect and grow. Most recently we finished a series on Life's Healing Choices which has helped many people, and we've just launched a powerful "Celebrate Recovery" ministry that has huge potential to transform lives!

Do you see a common theme that shows up over and over in this list? More of what we're doing and celebrating is externally focused, as we seek more and more to share God's love in both word and deed by caring about our friends, family, and neighbors who haven't experienced the blessing of being a part of the Calvary family. What's great is that this external focus is increasing -- here are some of the ideas tossed around in thinking about our vision for what could be in the next 1-5 years:

Hundreds (thousands?) of people making use of soccer fields, a gymnasium/community life center, food pantry; new ministries that are a safe and helpful place for people (like us) facing issues in their marriage, with addiction or hurts, finances, or counseling needs; greater involvement in missions foreign and domestic, and community service; partnering with schools to fill the gaps caused by ongoing cutbacks; identifying and supporting members who are already sharing love and serving those in the community.

Remember, these are dreams, not promises, but they're good dreams! :)  If you're part of the Calvary family, rejoice with us and consider how you can help these things come to be. (Got other dreams, speak up!) If you're a community member, let us know how the church can be a positive influence and meet needs here. Far-away friends and ministry leaders, please pray for us as we seek to be more relational, transformational, and missional.

Missing Florida Girl Found Alive

Nadia Bloom, an 11-year old Florida girl with Asperger's Syndrome, was found alive after missing for five days in the woods near her house. She is doing well, with a lot of mosquito bites and some dehydration. Details on the good news are now showing up in the media. (Asperger's is related to autism, awkward in interacting with others but not usually as detached.)  I heard of her story on K-Love radio where they talked about the prayer and persistence of members of her church in searching for Nadia. The one who found her had been praying for wisdom and insight on finding her, and a specific swampy area of the woods came to mind. They got up in the morning, went there, and found the girl!  God does work in mysterious ways! :)  He does, after all, specialize in finding the lost and bringing them home.

Apple iPhone OS 4 event

Today at 1pm Eastern Apple will host an event revealed their next generation of iPhone OS software. Ok, maybe that's not so very newsworthy, but it's a slow news day! Several sites, such as MacWorld will be blogging with live updates about the event. No one knows what they're going to unleash - multasking? more social networking integration? I don't think the news will be as big as the recent iPad launch, but new capabilities are always fun. I hope they don't leave out the original first version iPhone in all this :)  If I can stop playing with it, I'll try to write up an iPad review sometime before long.

(Edit: The preview revealed: Multitasking, folders, enhanced mail (unified inbox),
iBooks, improved enterprise functionality (multiple Exchange accts), Game Kit,
and iAd. Due this summer, not for early iPhone models)