Are you a professional?

I would like to share this article with you! It is by, Phil Cooke. He is a Christian media expert and knows his stuff. Take from it what you will. I loved it!  The full web page can be found here 

It’s Time to Decide: Are You An Amateur Or Professional?

At some point in our careers we need to decide how serious we are about the pursuit. As the old saying goes: “The thinking that got you into this mess isn’t the thinking you need to get out.”  All of us start as beginners or amateurs – and there’s no shame in that. But at some point, some decide that the pursuit is worth the self discipline it takes to reach the next level, while others decide to stay where they are. I could use a million examples – maybe you’re restarting or changing careers, perhaps you’re a divorced or single mom. You took time off for school or to raise a family. I met a man recently who had spent years caring for his terminally ill wife, and now needed to get back into the workplace.

Whatever it is, there’s a point where a “soccer mom,” a man changing careers, or someone else in transition decides to become a professional leader. Here’s a handful of decisions he or she needs to consider in order to arrive at that destination:

An amateur believes his passion and energy is all he needs to make a successful presentation.
A professional dedicates the time and effort it takes to become an effective public speaker.

An amateur uses lots of emoticons and exclamation marks in her emails.
A professional expresses herself in an articulate, businesslike way.

An amateur thinks everyone at the meeting wants to hear his ideas.
A professional listens first, then shares based on what he’s heard.

An amateur gets dressed for work, and shows up looking like, well… an amateur.
A professional gets dressed for work, and shows up looking like a professional.

An amateur figures it’s too late to change. She is what she is.
A professional knows it’s never too late to change and is always learning.

An amateur is awkward and hesitant when he meets new people.
A professional knows that people skills are some of the most important skills you can possess.

When an amateur has a problem with her computer she gets exasperated, and then calls a teenager, spouse, or neighbor to fix it. 
A professional takes a class or finds a mentor so she can take care of it herself. At the very least she runs through potential options so she doesn’t waste someone else’s time.

An amateur believes that it’s OK to turn in a report with grammatical and punctuation errors. After all, it’s the ideas in his report that matter.
A professional knows that clear communication is critical. How you express your message is as important as the message itself.

I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

What did you think?  Comment below!

Muscle Car Ministry

Not an actual shot of the incident, but close enough to give you a good idea of the scenario

We have new neighbors.

They are two young guys and they each have a muscle car.  The exact same model  There must have been a two for one sale.  Not sure if they do the whole BOGO thing for Dodge Chargers, but in this economy, it's anyone's guess.  Regardless of how they came to posses these super charged beasts of the industrial age, I don't think they thought through how they would perform in the winter months.  8 cylinders of power is great for cruising down the main drag in the dog days of summer and leaning to one side as you tip your head to look over your Ray-Bans at a cute girl with exactly 20 followers on Instagram, but when the snow flies, the only thing you'll be looking over is a snowbank if you don't have the proper tires on your schmooze-mobile.

These guys have no snow tires.  They also do not shovel their driveway.

All the torque in the world won't get you to move an inch when you're sitting on what is essentially the mini-glacier we call Ontario in December.

Here's what happened early one morning after a brief snowfall.

I am in bed early because of my job.  I awake at four a.m. to go into work at 5.  Weekends for me are the only time I get to sleep in.  Saturday and Sunday are sacred days of sabbath rest where the alarm on my phone lets me stay horizontal for as long as I care to be without a hint of responsibility, other thank making coffee and bacon at whatever hour I choose to lift myself from the mattress.  It's glorious!  That's why I was so perturbed to be woken at 3 a.m. on a Sunday by the constant revving of a 6.4 liter V8 engine.  At first, I thought it was a snow plow, but the roar of the motor did not fade into the distance of a snowy night, it remained constant, dying down for only a few moments before returning with a fiery vengeance.

I was determined to call the police on whoever was the offending rev-er and get them in "trouble".  This was outrageous!  But I had to know for sure what was causing this ruckus.  I got out of bed and crept downstairs, picking up my flashlight from the bowl beside the door, and opened up to peek around the porch.  (It was cold and I was minimally dressed, so this would be a quick peek.)
It was as I suspected, the neighbor person was revving his big block in the next door driveway, but the car was moving back and forth only a few feet at a a time.  He was very clearly, stuck in his own driveway.

It was decision time.  Do I continue with my plan to call the cops and then try and return to my slumber, or do I get dressed and go help him?

These are the times when you realize you should probably do the thing you don't want to do.  Upstairs I went to get my pants and shirt on and go lend a hand.  Why not be neighborly?  I am awake anyway.

As I stepped out of the house, I grabbed my trusty snow shovel from the porch and walked over to Mr. Stucky McStuckerson.   I say I would like to lend a hand as as we spoke just a few words, out of the corner of my eye, I see the neighbor from across the street exit his house and come to the edge of the curb.  This looked promising!  The whole street, coming together to aid a poor soul in need of help!  What hope swelled within my bosom for the future of mankind!  We would lead the way together to a new era of kindness and compassion!  One driveway at a time!

Before I could explain what was happening, neighbor #2 began to speak.  Did he ask how he could pitch in and resolve this slippery situation?  No!  He began to unleash a torrent of anger and rage in my direction!  He expounded, in very succinct terms, that the hour was late and the noise was too dreadful!  He spoke for not only his household, but the surrounding domiciles also!  How could you make such a din!  It violates basic human decency!

When there was a break in the tirade, I interjected that if we could, together, help this individual, we could resolve the situation and all get back to a warm winters nap.

He would have none of it.  With a few more words, he stormed back into the house.

I realized at that moment, that he came out of his house seeing only me and my shovel!  For all he knew, I was the sole architect of the evenings sinister symphony!  The fellow in the offending vehicle never moved and never bothered to speak up and defend me or explain his actions!  He just sat there!  I took all HIS grief from the sleepy street umpire who had called foul on the noise!

I became very direct and asked him which way he was trying to go, in or out.

He said "In".

So, like Samson of old, the spirit of strength came upon me and, unaided, I pushed that noisy beast into place and bid him a good evening.

The whole affair reminded me of the gospel story.

We are like the car, spinning its wheels, all flash and no grip.  Loads of potential but no traction.  Out from a perfect environment comes Jesus.  He arrives to help, to get us unstuck from our issues.  As humans do, we focus our anger, like my neighbor, on the one who seems to be causing the trouble.  Without asking questions, we blame the One who is here to save us and unload on Him!  Silently He absorbs our blame and with supernatural power brings a resolution!

Who knew you could learn so much from a noisy neighbor?

Surviving the Fire

You may have seen the recent story about the painting of Jesus that somehow survived a massive fire that destroyed a church.  The structure was completely wrecked and the only thing to make it through the destruction was the painting.  It was pretty much untouched by the fire.

It seems like a cheesy story right?  But listen to what one of the church members said about the whole thing...

"I'm personally taking it as a sign and a reminder that the Jesus, the Christ that we serve is still alive and even though our church building is gone our church is here and the God we serve is still here," said Maria Kakalowski, a parishioner of the church,

Think about that!  You're point of view on the bad things that happen in your life make a huge difference.  It can either fill you with doubts and fear or it can remind you of the things that really last.

Jesus said something I have always found to be encouraging...

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  Matthew 24:35 King James Version (KJV)

It's a pretty big claim to say things like that!  If you trust what He said then , no matter what you can lean on the things that are eternal, because they will outlast any fire or disaster or tragedy that comes along!

When bad times hit, what do you trust in?

Come With Me If You Want To Love Junk!

Photo by Felipe Belluco on Unsplash

One of the things that gives me a little boost of joy is to wander around a flea market of an antiques mall in a town that is new!  I love the smells, I love the thrill of scanning for a treasure that may be hiding under a box or a shelf!

Maybe I'm just getting older and the things that interest me are changing, I don't know.

I like the flea markets because you never know what you are going to find.

If you go to a big box store, you pretty much know what to expect.

If you go to an antiques mall, you have no clue what you might find or what memories you may discover there.

One time in Sarnia, I planned to have a quick stop at a local store packed with "junk" to look around.  The half hour I thought it would take to walk through ended up being almost two hours!  I was on the hunt for something very specific and I stumbled upon a couple of clues that suggested I should not leave there without a meticulous search.  I opened boxes, moved items around and even asked if I could go behind a display case.  There was just enough room to squeeze in and open a box or two in my quest for this object.  The owner said he did not want to let me back there, but when he was outside, I did it anyway!  I heard him come back in briefly so I froze, hoping he would think I was a mannequin!  Once the coast was clear, I resumed my search!

I did not find the thing I was looking for, but I had a very entertaining time seeing the contents of the "shop" and digging through rooms and rooms of fascinating old curiosities!  I was about to leave and I thought, it would be rude to not buy anything after practically rearranging the store so I grabbed a small action figure of The Terminator that had caught my eye earlier.

The Terminator figure I know own.

I brought it outside to where the owner was arranging a sidewalk display and asked him "How much"?

"Five dollars."

I was a little shocked because I expected a dollar or two would be the going rate for an old action figure that was quite dirty!

I said "Five dollars?"

"Yup, that's what they go for!".

I considered for a moment, and thought about how he knew that grime covered Terminator action figure were going for five bucks a pop.  Where do you get that information?

I was about to question him and try and bargain for the robot assassin from the future, but in the end I decided, it was worth it.

I said "You know what, I had a great time poking around and seeing your stuff, is there more?"

He said " I have another whole sea-crate full, I just don't have room to put it in the store right now.  I'll put it out in the next couple months."

I gave him two toonies and a loonie and said...

"I'll be back."

Royal, Baby!

The proud parents-to-be!

I think it would be odd to be a "Royal".

It would be the strangest thing to be celebrated for something you are rather than something you have done.

In the normal world, where most people's heads are crown-free, we have to do something important to receive any accolade.  We have to save someone's life or donate a million dollars to charity. 

That activity makes the headlines.  (Hopefully.  Some other antics can capture the media attention unfortunately, like balancing champagne glasses on your butt.)

If you are a "Royal", you are born into a famous family.  Celebrity is pretty much guaranteed.

Paparazzi are happy for you, they get job security for another 30 years!  They get to snap baby pictures, first day of school, and drunk party pictures to feed tabloids.  It's a happy occasion!

I was thinking about the scriptures that describe the believer in Jesus as a royal person.

How in the world do you qualify for that?

Being born!  Same way!

Remember the scripture about being "born again"?  Same deal!  It's a new life!

It's not about any "good" you do.  It's about the family you are a part of!

That's a better deal than being "Royal" in the sense of the British Royal family!

Less paparazzi to!

TV or not TV?

Photo by Tina Rataj-Berard on Unsplash

We don't have a cable or satellite television service anymore.  Not for a few years.

Over the holidays, we were visiting family and the tube was on. 

We were sort of half watching a movie and it was on a network, so there were commercials. 

Not being used to the interruptions, I found the ads VERY annoying...and STUPID!

I have been away from the world of commercials for longer than I thought!  What's happened?

I felt myself getting dumber the more I watched! 

Then as the time got to be after midnight, the movie STILL was not over because of the amount of ads!

The ads stretched a two hour movie into almost three!

Since it was after midnight, the tone of the ads changed to very sexual!  Wow!  Awkward!

I don't think I will be signing up for cable anytime soon, but it's got me thinking.

When you leave something for a while then try and come back to it,  it's always different.

I used to take my coffee with two sugars for years, but for the last  five or six, I have done just cream.

I was recently at the coffee shop and they got my order wrong and put sugar!  YUCK!

It was so bad!  I don't know how I could have had that much sweetness before!

But I did!

Maybe there is something you need to spend time away from, in order to discover the benefits of NOT having it!

It could be TV or it could be social media, or YOUR PHONE!  Only you know!

Death Obsession

Photo by Valeria Almaraz on Unsplash

This is the time of year when we discover how obsessed with death we are.

If you go to any department store, you will find a section with fake blood and costumes that reveal our fascination with all things morbid!

It's such a big deal, it seems that Christmas is just a side note!

I admit, it's an interesting time of the year, but it's got me thinking about something really different right now.

I was reading about dead things in the bible, specifically about this man called Abram.

He wanted kids.  He wanted a family legacy.  It wasn't happening.  His wife was well past the age of having any children so it looked like that dream was dead.

The something happened.

God stepped in and said "I know it looks like death.  I know it looks like it's final.  I know you have all but given up, BUT nothing is impossible!"

And wouldn't you know it, out of the dead situation, a new birth happened!

Maybe for you, you have all but given up on your marriage.
Maybe you have given up on getting freedom from an addiction.
Maybe you think your relationship with your kids is dead.

Don't let death be your obsession!

God says, I know what you want and I can bring life to it!

When the news came to Abram and his wife, they laughed!  They thought it was funny that God would joke around with them like that!

We think we know better, we think we know what God can and cannot do!

Think again!

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. — Romans 4:17