Turn it around

Turn the conversation around. If someone is speaking negatively, speak positively. If someone is full of doubt, offer hope. If someone is depressed, make it your personal mission to cheer them up. If someone is angry, help be a calming factor. Turn it around. Let’s all be turner-arounders.

Freebird

Yesterday I ate at Freebirds. It’s a  burrito factory of sorts. Here is specifically why I love this place. Sure the food is good. But that’s not it. When you step up to take the order, the guy who takes your order is the guy who gets your burrito heated up, throws the meat and beans and cheese and lettuce and whatever else on there. It’s the same guy. He took me through the entire process. From one end of the order line to the cash register is probably about twenty steps.

So why do I love that? This guy is owning my customer experience. And he is talking to me the whole time. Granted we aren’t life long friends. But he owned my experience. And that is a secret ingredient for companies to make it today. Own the experience of the customer and you will own the customer.

time for change

We have come to the fork in the road. This blog has kind of served a dual purpose, one for updating the church and general communication, the other for my personal commentary. And it is now time for this thing to split so that the right comments and information can go to the right place.

So, this blog, going forward, will be for my personal observations, ministry and leadership posts, and whatever else I can think of. The new church blog will be for church communication, information and various other church related posts. You can catch this blog at www.legacylive.wordpress.com.

Hope it helps.

Above and beyond

I had a couple people this week that were exasperated. After hearing their story I determined that I needed to help them. But, in that determination, I knew it would cut severely into my personal time. But I knew God wanted me to help them and I knew God was sending them relief and I was who He sent.

Are you up for the challenge to go above and beyond for someone else?

Finances

I don’t know about you, but right now, I am pressed financially on every side. I am working to stay afloat personally. And when I look at the church finances, and the drop in giving the last few months, I start asking God for crazy things like lottery numbers or finding something of great value that has a reward attached to it. And I am guessing you might be in the same situation. So I thought I would write about this really exciting subject from my perspective.

First, I refuse to stop giving. I will give. I will give to God. I will give to others. I will give as God directs. I probably can’t really afford to tithe right now. But I refuse to stop. I can’t really afford to buy others lunch or bring donuts to the office. But I refuse to stop. I just refuse to be a stingy person and shut off the blessing of God through me.

Second, I refuse to get frustrated. I just don’t want to let a lack hold me down. I want to be positive and optimistic and not let it ruin me or steal my joy. I just don’t have time for it. And when I feel that frustration cloud roll in, I have to remind myself not to entertain it.

Third, I refuse to stop living by faith. God is my ultimate source. God has to be the church source. We are scrambling to pay our personal bills and the church is scrambling to pay its bills. I refuse to stop living by faith.

Fourth, I will see God as my source. He really is the only One that can provide. I can’t do it without Him. So why try. I trust God. I don’t always look like I trust God. But I set my confession on it and expect my life to follow in the need to trust God. He is my source. No matter what.

Finally, I refuse to get frustrated with those who choose to do otherwise. I am not God. So ultimately I can’t manipulate or influence their giving. So why bother. God will speak to them about whatever He needs to speek to them about. I just need to hear God for me and do what He tells me, both personally and in relation to church.

Hockey Post…warning

Totally not church related. But the Penguins handled their business today, pushing the series to a final game. I love playoff hockey. CAN YOU FEEL IT!!!!???!!!

New Series Coming Soon

It seems to me there is all kinds of crazy stuff happening in the lives of others. And there seems to be a limit to how much crud people can handle. In July, I am cranking up a new series – When All Hell Breaks Loose. And right now, I really feel like so many are dealing with some crazy and tough and aggravating experiences. Sometimes we need help in learning how to cope and manage and navigate life when it is a complete mess!

Has it been a week

Why yes it has. I have been off blogging for a week. Frankly, I have had a lot to say and not much to say. When I sat to write, I had nothing to say. When I was out and about, I thought of loads to say. Weird. But I think I just needed a break. I needed to clear my mind for a bit. And really, sometimes blogging can get old. And I don’t want to write just put junk out there. I could care less about my stats. But I do care about the words I use. So hopefully, I will be back in the groove this week.

Personality

Have you ever gotten frustrated at your personality? I have. There are times I wish I was wired differently. It’s like hair. I have not met too many people that are happy with the kind of hair they have. What’s that all about? I wonder if we forget sometimes that God has made us the way we are.  I wonder if we realize the strengths of our personality as much as we realize the weaknesses of them. God made us. Our hair. Our personality. We are what we are. We can improve. We can grow. But God made us. And our personality, though it can be a weakness, can also be a major benefit. I fight against certain aspects of my personality. But I also lean into those aspects of it that are a bonus. How bout you? What are the benefits of your personality? What are the weaknesses?

Sunday message

I am pretty fired up about Sundays message. Kept me up half the night thinking about it. Dove tails in nicely with where we are in 1st Samuel. Feel like i am loading the space shuttle with rocket fuel.