Month: October 2011

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Stored Up

It’s the harvest season, and time to finish up storing, canning and freezing those fresh vegetables so that you will have something yummy to eat in the depth of winter.  I am hoping I will be able to get a few more weeks of tomatoes before the first deep frost comes and terminates their ability to live!

And all that reminds me of some words of the creator of tomatoes – the Christ himself:

35A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.  Matthew 12:35 New International Version (NIV)

It’s an interesting thought for you today to consider – what is stored up in you?

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Answering No

Today has been full of distractions, projects and planning.  I  find it amazing how quickly my mind can be redirected with just a slight change of the wind.  Because of that, I am slow getting down some thoughts this morning.

In the deepest part of  my mind I am still thinking about Steve Jobs.  It’s weird that his passing has impacted my thinking so much, especially since I have been a Windows user and Microsoft developer for most of my life.  But I think there are two big reasons that he is staying on the front of my mind.  First, there is not doubting his technological leadership has impacted my life in so many mays – from my the consumer aspects of my life to the way that I make money in the software industry.  The second reason is much larger.  It appears that Mr. Jobs was quite a private person, so but he has shared a lot about some principles about the way he lived his life.  I mentioned part of his perspective on death yesterday, but I also have found this bit on knowledge quite challenging.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.”

It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” Whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. – Steve Jobs

The thing I keep coming back to is that I think I have a bag full of “No” answers where I look at the day and can very well answer, this is not what I want to do or the why I want to spend the precious days I have.  It could be that it’s time for a change.

What about you?

 

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

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Nothing to Lose

A few weeks ago when Steve Jobs announced he was leaving Apple, I wrote about how sad and shocked I was at the news.  I was even more shocked when I walked out of the church building last night and check my phone to see the tweets about his passing.

There is no doubt he was an inspirational man while on this earth. He created a lot of great technology, but he did leave some words that I could think have a bigger impact on people.  For instance this:

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” –Steve Jobs

I think that is really profound, because even Christians who believe in eternal life continually attempt to hold on to something in this life.  And he is right –  it’s a trap.

7For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.1 Timothy 6:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Learning to live in a way that you believe you have nothing to lose is no small task, but I think it’s one that all of us should strive.

14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are justa vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  James 4:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

 

 

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Donations

Well, just so you know I probably should have stuck with Tacos yesterday.  The golf game was pretty poor and I think I donated 18 balls to the Canyon Ridge Country Club. ( I wonder if I can claim those on my taxes?)  But I had a great time with some guys and enjoyed a fantastic crystal clear October day up on the mountain.  The clubs however, may need to head back down into the basement, then may have more value to the spiders then to me!

But overall, I am glad I took the risk, I am happy with my reactions to what could have been really really frustratingly bad golf, and I hope that the guys I played with had a great time, despite having only 3 balls to choose from on each play!

Overall that’s a pretty small risk, but it’s these little things like that then when we build on them we can really transform our lives.  I hope you find some bit of motivation from my bad golf ( which is actually motivated by my friend Randy’s risk to do the same thing) and that you are intentional in your interactions today!

 
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
   whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
   of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1 New International Version (NIV)

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Tacos and Golf

Hola!  It’s National Taco Day!  I can’t believe I ate chimichangas last night!

I am not sure what that has to do with anything, but maybe you can get out and have some tacos.  I think I may make Fish Tacos tonight.

It appears it is one of those days when I don’t have much to say, but actually I do have a little bit of something for you today.

A few years ago I swore off golf, because I stink.  I don’t mean I am just a poor player, I mean I stink.  I usually play the wrong fairway – meaning that is we are traveling down the fairway on the left, my ball is over on the right fairway that should be played the other direction!

Anyway, today I am heading out to play in a golf tournament.  Everytime I think about it I start laughing out loud – literally.  Yes, literally, I laugh, not a figurative deep inside chuckle.  So, why am I doing this?  Well, this is part of my approach at two things – taking risks and being more intentional around relationships with people.

I am not playing golf today to play golf – I really don’t care how I do – good bad or ugly.  But I am concerned about developing better relationships with the guys I am playing with.  It seems to me that is really what matters in the end anyway!  And let me tell you this is a huge challenge and risk for me, because I would much rather sit in my office and type on my computer.

So today as I head into the basement and brush the spider webs off my borrowed clubs, let me remind you to pay attention to those around you and intentionally get involved in their lives.

 19So, then, the things of peace may we pursue, and the things of building up one another; Romans 14:19Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)