Think About It

I will be the first to tell you that I am not perfect and know very well that I make mistakes – actually, there are times I really mess things up.   So, armed with the knowledge of imperfection, why do I stress out so much?   I think that the answer is not that I err … it’s that I don’t want the error to impact my relationships.   I understand that, for the most part, a mistake is a mistake and can probably be corrected – I just don’t want to lose the relationships and the standing I have.   Sure, I care that “things” will be okay, but I am more interested in knowing that “I” am going to be okay! As I was thinking about leadership the other day, I got to thinking about how much more affirming it would be if rather than saying, “It will be okay” to someone who has made a mistake we could say, “You’re going to be okay”.   Not only can we fix the issue, we still value the position you hold with us. Are we working with people who may be struggling with a bit o...

I recently read a note written by former President Harry Truman about then President John F. Kennedy.   When Truman described Kennedy’s actions during the Berlin crisis to Dean Acheson he observed, “You must remember that our head of state is young, inexperienced and hopeful.   Let’s hope the hopeful works.”.   Truman, who had been heavily involved in World War II, and had endured a lot of stress and opposition was now forced to sit back and watch.   There was no way he could guide the new Commander In Chief … all he could do is watch, wait – and hope.   I believe history has been kind to President Kennedy, so I think the “hopeful” worked. When we look at the up-and-coming generation, I think a lot of us can relate to Harry Truman.   We have experienced life and have been in a position to shape the past into the present.   Now, as we look toward the future, about all we can do is hope.   If it makes us feel better, this struggle is faced by ea...

The other day, Jeane and I were watching a movie that we just about turned off after a few minutes.   It was filled with way too much silliness and slapstick for our liking and we were within a joke or two of moving on to something else.   We stuck it out and ended up really enjoying the show.   When we experience something like this, we typically say that they crammed ninety minutes into a two hour show.   We wished they would have trimmed the folly and just made it a shorter show.   When we think about our lives, are we filling it with value or are we cramming five decades of living into eight decades of life?   Are we making the most of the time we have been given or are we wasting too much time not accomplishing something useful?   I am not saying that everything we do and say has to be serious, but when we seek to be purposeful in how we live, we are apt to do more for the world around us and get more satisfaction from what we do.   Centu...

I like peppers.   In fact, I am particularly fond of jalapenos – especially the pickled ones.   I eat them quite a bit with a variety of dishes, not only with Mexican food.   Now, having said that, I will also be the first to admit that I am not particularly fond of “hot” stuff.   I don’t search the Scoville Scale for bragging rights on eating something hot just to eat something hot.   I like the flavor, but I can do without unnecessary pain!   Now, the reason for culinary observation is that I see a parallel in the human emotion of anger.   While there are times it may be beneficial to get a little hot under the collar, we must be careful to regulate it.   It should enhance our lives, not overwhelm it.   There is a phrase, “righteous indignation”, that tends to describe how anger can be used to enhance someone’s quality of life.   When we use anger to offset wrongs that are committed, it can make life more palatable; however, when w...

There are certain biblical passages that I have grown up with.   I may have learned them in Sunday School or was taught them in our own home, but they have been a part of my “vocabulary” for decades.   One of the ones that has deep roots in my soul is, “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (II Corinthians 9:7).   I am sure some of my familiarity with the passage has to do with its presence in lessons on religious offerings, but as I grew up I learned its value in several aspects of life.   While we can accept this on face value, I also think it provides parallel lessons.   You see, God is not the only one pleased when we give with a generous spirit.   The people around benevolent people also appreciate their spirit.   Some because they are the recipients of the gifts, but others because generosity has a ripple effect.   People who are willing to give to offset ...

One of the challenges of maturity is viewing things through a new set of lenses.   As we are coming of age, we learn our own personal preferences and grow confident in being able to make choices based on our likes.   While it is important to feel comfortable in our own skin and self-assured with our personal choices, there comes a point in time when our desires will need to take a backseat to the needs and desires of others.   Part of leadership and development is a willingness to set aside what we want to do and assist others as they promote their own wants and needs.   Good leaders and mentors are able to step back and allow others their time to shine. While this may sound a little bit like pop psychology, it also has a biblical base.   The New Testament admonishes us, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also ...