Discipline as a Routine
I can’t put my finger on it, but through a confluence of events, I’ve found more discipline to write lately. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a lazy streak, but I’m getting better. I started dissecting what happened but I couldn’t settle on any concrete reasons. Then I came across two posts this morning. One was by Chris Brogan titled Discipline and the other was by Mindy Holahan over at the Accidental Creative entitled Cultivating Deliberate Focus. These posts summarize what has been transpiring in my life. But first, let’s look at what has helped get me to this point.
One thing I started doing recently was listening to the Back to Work podcast by Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin. Merlin is all over the map during their talks but he comes up with some nuggets of truth. Sometimes he turns into the Merlin that yells at people, nicknamed “Mean Merlin.” That’s the Merlin that resonates with me most often. “Mean Merlin” will often tell you to shut up and do the thing you’re scared of. Don’t think about all the ways things might go wrong. Shut off the TV and Facebook. Stop with all the productivity hacks. Stop complaining about how you wish you had time to do the thing you want to do. Shut up and do something. Another great Merlin quote is “No one’s going to eat you.” We can think of so many things that could go wrong. All these doomsday scenarios keep us from doing what we want to do. What’s the worst that could happen. I’m not going to die if I try and write a book. I just need to shut up and do something. Read more
What is Christian Fellowship?
Image courtesy of SpirosK
I find myself coming back to the idea of Christian fellowship again and again. Some people may think of me as that crazy uncle who rants about how things should be. I have to admit that it feels like I go to extremes on this sometimes. I have come to understand that I can be counted on to find what’s wrong with a situation. And I know that I can be the downer in the room when I start working through all the flaws in an idea. But as a friend of mine observed, I can also keep pressing people from becoming complacent because I can see there’s so much more ahead.
And that is where I find myself on the topic of fellowship. I know that so many times we are making mud pies and call it fellowship when God desires to give us a weekend at the beach, to borrow an analogy from C.S. Lewis. I think some of it stems from the frantic pace of our lives that we’ve forgotten how to slow down and enjoy relationships. We get so busy with activities, even activities with people, but we miss the bigger picture. Read more
That Song Takes me Back
Attribution: minds-eye
I bought the latest album from Mercy Me this week. There’s one song that has really resonated with me. The rhythm is infectious plus the content of the song hits where I’ve been for the last year or so.
When life won’t play along, and right keeps going wrong, and I can’t seem to find my way
I know where I am found, so I won’t let it drag me down, oh, I’ll keep dancing anyway…
I might bend but I won’t break, as long as I can see your face
There are many things in my life recently that haven’t played out like I thought. There are days when the disappointment and frustrations feel overwhelming. But this song and others like it remind me of the promises of scripture. Read more
Do I Have a Plan?
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 19:21
Yes I do. I have lots of plans. I have plans for my next job. I have plans to have a family one day. I have plans for ten or more stories floating in my head. I have plans for various websites. I have plans for businesses I could start.
The problem is not, “Do I have a plan,” but which one should I pursue?
Recently, I’ve had friends and colleagues ask me about my future plans. Sometimes, these questions come across with a tone of exasperation. “When are you going to do something,” seems to be the subtext of their inquiries. I guess the frustration I have with these queries is I find myself walking a tightrope. Read more
Book Review: Beyond Opinion by Ravi Zacharias
Beyond Opinion is a book about apologetics. The editors divided it into three sections. The first looks at the various questions that postmodernism, atheism, world religions and science have about Christianity. The second part looks at how we have to internalize both the questions and answers. They discuss how the Holy Spirit is the only one that brings transformation and how persecution and doubt can aid in that transformation. The final section discusses the believer’s role in apologetics.
I enjoyed this book. It didn’t focus on one-size-fits-all arguments. Some of the chapters were very accessible and others leaned toward the academic side. They clearly presented the questions people are asking and gave guidelines on how to go about preparing to answer them. I appreciated that the authors continually pointed out that you can have all the right answers but without the power of the Holy Spirit, you’ll just be a clanging cymbal. In the final chapter, Dr Zacharias made a great point. When you are talking with someone coming from a different worldview, you have to step into their mindset to understand how to talk to them, just as Paul did with the Athenians, Corinthians and the countless others he preached to.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
This is the Droid I’m Looking For
So about three weeks ago I broke down and bought a smartphone. I’ve been working in technology for the last ten years but have never been on the bleeding edge. Mostly because the bleeding edge is expensive and I’m cheap. So it goes without saying that it took a lot of mental pep talks to bite the bullet and buy a phone.
My friend works at AT&T and recently she bought the Samsung Infuse. She really liked it and she let me test-drive hers. I looked at the reviews on Cnet and I found it for $100 less on Amazon so that sealed the deal. Read more
The Enemy in the Darkness – Part 3
The first streaks of morning caused the LT to stir. He was back in the outpost. He really hated the outpost. Wait a second. He’d fallen asleep on watch again. Anderson wasn’t sure if it was the medication or if his discipline was slipping. He’d have time later to kick himself. Hopefully the private had stayed awake.
He looked around and saw a figure slumped in the corner. “Private, what’s the time?” No response. “Hey, soldier. Wake up!” Still nothing. Anderson went to push himself up and his left arm gave out on him. He really wished his arm would heal up. he tried again with his good arm.
He made his way toward the sleeping soldier when his left foot sunk into a hole. He pitched forward and landed hard. It took a few moments for him to stop seeing stars. He had landed in some kind of muck. It was all over his arms and chest. He’d clean up in a minute. “Soldier, wake up,” yelled Anderson as he shook the soldier by the shoulder. Chills ran down the lieutenant’s back as he flicked on his flashlight. Read more
The Enemy in the Darkness – Part 2
Two days later, the LT woke up in the field hospital. “LT Anderson, you’re awake.” Anderson’s eyes focused on a tall, lean man with broad shoulders decked in scrubs. He guessed it was the doctor on call. “You’re a tough one, I’ll give you that.” Anderson still groggy from the medication tried to form the question in his head. After a bit of mental effort he was able to get out, “What happened?”
“I believe Preston can fill in the details. Don’t move too much, you were really banged up.”
“Sir,” Preston squeaked out as he peeked his head around the shoulder of the doctor. “I’m glad you’re awake. I want to apologize sir. I had started dozing just before the attack. I’m awful sorry. I understand if you bring me up on charges.” Read more
The Enemy in the Darkness – Part 1
A ear-piercing scream cut through the silent, moonless night. LT Anderson awoke from a fitful sleep. His brain began processing. Was that his dream or was it part of reality? The two seemed to blur anymore. Even more so during the long, dark nights. Anderson continued to shake the cobwebs from his mind as he reached for his sword and helmet.
“Talbot! Status!” Corporal Talbot was one of Anderson’s best non-coms. Talbot was always doing his best to make his men laugh. But when it was time, he was all business. “All clear. All personnel accounted for, sir,” shouted the corporal. His voiced carried through the clear night air. If it weren’t for the threat lurking beyond the trenches, Anderson would have enjoyed this seemingly peaceful evening. Read more
Trying my Hand at Short Stories, Again
Most of my writing is non-fiction. I write about my experiences, my vacations, and things the Lord is teaching me. I don’t usually write fiction. One reason is it’s hard for me to come up with all the details and embellishments that make fiction engaging. Another, is I don’t usually have ideas for stories. The last time I consistently wrote fiction was the sixth grade. Read more
