He’s a loathsome, offensive brute. Yet we can’t look away. Oh the grandiosity. The pomposity. The insanity. Charlie Sheen has our attention and we feel guilty for watching, but we can’t stop. Can you believe what he’s saying? He thinks he’s different. That the same rules that apply to the rest of us don’t apply […]
People, Ideas, and Things
Several years ago, Mark Riddle shared a simple framework with me that’s helped me assess my strengths and weaknesses. I’ve also used it to to help others assess theirs. What follows is my interpretation of what Mark shared with me. If this doesn’t make sense, don’t blame him. I may have turned his explanation into […]
February 23, 2011 by 9 Comments
Stop Reading the Bible!
Yesterday, Caleb and I went to Houston where I preached for the New Beginnings Church. It was my third time to preach there, but my first to bring one of my boys along. Before the gathering started, we were sitting up front and Caleb was thumbing through the Gospel of Mark in my Bible. He […]
February 21, 2011 by 8 Comments
A Box Full of Ticket Stubs
What do you want for your birthday? My answer to that question has changed over the past three decades. It used to be all about toys and electronics. My wish list was full of expensive gadgets I had no chance of getting. As I’ve gotten older, I want less stuff and more experiences. Last Saturday […]
February 2, 2011 by 3 Comments
An Emotional Pop Quiz
I could tell he was listening to my side of the phone conversation from across the room. I lowered my voice, but he kept listening. He moved closer as soon as I put away my phone. “Excuse me. I couldn’t help but overhearing your phone call. Are you a pastor?” I told him I was […]
January 25, 2011 by 1 Comment
The Secret to Being Miserable in all Circumstances
I’ve been working on developing a framework of “organizational wisdom” for churches that can help them do a better job of discerning and then deciding their next best steps to accomplish their mission. One of the ideas I’m exploring is that many of the wisdom principles taught in the book of Proverbs apply to groups […]
January 19, 2011 by 4 Comments
The Difference Between Good and Bad Decisions
I recently heard a great quote about decisions from Tom Selleck’s character on Blue Bloods: That’s the thing about decisions. You usually don’t have to talk yourself into making the right one. How true this is! It’s caused me to pay more attention to the things I’m trying to talk myself into as I chart […]
January 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Beware of Restaurants with Large Menus
I love finding wisdom in unexpected places. Last night I was listening to The B. S. Report with Bill Simmons podcast and Bill and Mike Lombardi were talking about how the Baltimore Ravens lack an identity on offense. Lombardi compared them to a restaurant with too many items on the menu. The best restaurants usually […]
January 5, 2011 by 4 Comments
30 For 30: Time and Chance
I’ve watched about one third of ESPN’s 30 For 30 series of documentaries. I plan on watching most of the rest as long as they remain On Demand via Time Warner. I’ve enjoyed every one I’ve seen so far. Several have made me cry. I was especially moved by “The Guru of Go,” about Paul […]
January 4, 2011 by 4 Comments
10 Top of Mind Reflections from 2010
I sat down and typed out my reflections on the lessons I’ve learned this year just as fast as they would come. Here are the the Top 10. If you don’t like em, go learn your own! 1. You don’t really know who your friends are until you’re in trouble. Then they come out of […]
December 31, 2010 by 4 Comments
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons