Why Should I Ask For Forgiveness?

Some time ago, we instituted a change in our home.  When one of us hurt another member of the family, we would not allow that offender to say "I'm sorry."  We required instead that the one at fault ask the other, "will you forgive me?"  

I had no idea what a powerful difference this would make. It's remarkable that a child (or an adult for that matter) can learn to mouth the words "I'm sorry" like a memorized line in a stage play without ever engaging his or her heart.

The difference in these two phrases goes beyond the words. The difference is actually a shift from a monologue to a dialogue. I can throw the words out and never know (or care) if the apology is received in the heart-disengaged monologue. If, however, I look the offended person in the eye and ask for forgiveness, I must wait to receive his or her response.  And as I have found, it's nearly impossible to "fake" asking for forgiveness.

    

"Land of the Living" by Matthew Perryman Jones

Matthew Perryman Jones is scheduled to release a new album tomorrow.  I was fortunate enough to get a pre-release download about five weeks ago, and it has been in heavy rotation on my player.  You, too can get a download of you make a donation to Blood:Water Mission.

You can also check MPJ website for the official release on or after May 29, 2012.

Here are my thoughts on the pre-release:

This was my introduction to MPJ's work, and I am impressed.  His vocals are strong and controlled.  His lyrics are thoughtful and clever.  His music is layered and melodic with a gritty rawness.

Basically, if you like U2, the Call or Michael Been, you'll want to give this a listen.

The entire effort is strong and well presented.  A few tracks worth mentioning are  the infectious "I Won't Let You Down Again", the haunting "O Theo" [thumbs up to any musical artist who can pull off a song about Vincent Van Gogh-- this is a fine song from the artist's perspective], "Waking Up the Dead" is a rocker, and the title track "Land of the Living" is a passionate, driving capstone of hope.

Here is the link to get the album. Give it a listen, and let me know what you think.

A Lesson from Running

I have been training at a local park for an upcoming 5k race.  I'm far from an expert on running, but I would say that 3.1 miles is about the shortest distance that can be considered "distance" running.  I would also suggest that pace is the key to distance running.

I realized yesterday that I do better on my pace (and time) when there are more people walking or running on the track.  If I am going around someone or if there is someone ahead of me, my eyes stay focused and my strides exhibit a sense of purpose or urgency.  If, however, there is no one else on the running path, I take short, choppy strides and my mind and eyes tend to wander from directly in front of me to things on the periphery.

It hit me yesterday that this is a picture of the spiritual walk for many of us.  When we have people around us, we are more deliberate about our actions, but when we are alone, we are sometimes prone to wander.  That really frames this commonly shared definition: Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one else is around.

As a man, I like to perform in sight of others.  It's part of the way we guys are wired.  What football team would work as hard as they do to play in an empty stadium?  We love to perform in front of others.  The challenge with integrity is to practice it not just when others are around, but when you think you are all alone.  Here's the catch:  you are never all alone.  Your all-seeing, all-knowing Creator is around all the time.  He's not waiting to swat you when you make a mistake.  He's there for you to enjoy.  So the next time you are running alone, run with all you've got for His glory.  And perhaps, like the Olympic medalist Eric Liddell, you can feel His pleasure.

The Unexpected Layoff (pt. 5): A Question of Faith

Everyone has faith.  Faith that the bed will hold me when I fall into it at night.  Faith that the car will get me across the intersection in front of the oncoming traffic.  Faith that my pharmacist gave me the right dosage. And the list goes on.

The question for each one of us is not do we have faith?, rather in whom (or what) do I place my faith?

It's all too easy to place your faith in a job or career.  I've been reminded of that with the recent layoff.  I had a "permanent" job in education with a state agency.  How much more secure could a job be?  (Laughter here)  The truth is that nothing in this world is secure in and of itself.  Our idea of "job security" is a mirage.  I don't say this in order to bring anxious thoughts, but to help put things in perspective.  We should work hard, we should always do our best, and we should place our faith in Jesus Christ, who is the only unfailing, unchanging rock of salvation.  Trust Him.  He alone is worthy.

Pixie Stix for the Low of Energy

Do you remember the tart powder that came in paper straws?  They were called Pixie Stix.  I used to love them!  Now I need something with a little more kick. 

Please don't try this at home.  I'm only joking.

An Important Restaurant Theory

Do you ever go to a new restaurant, wonder about the quality of their iced tea, try it, then regret your decision?

Nearly twenty years ago, I developed a hypothesis:  I noticed that the restaurants that offered captain's wafer crackers, rather than the run of the mill (square) saltine crackers had a better tasting iced tea.

I don't have the hard numeric data to quantify the study, but I will tell you that almost without fail, the hypothesis stands. Therefore, I declare the Captain's Wafer Theory.

Let me know if you find the same results.

The Unexpected Layoff (pt. 4): Figure Out How You Are Wired

We all become creatures of habit, and as a result, we sometimes forget our own dreams, ambitions, and strengths in the trenches of the day-to-day. One good thing about a layoff is it forces us to stop and examine ourselves.  In some cases, someone may already know what he enjoys and is good at. In that case, it's just a matter of finding a position in the same field of work.  In other cases, we need to get some fairly objective feedback on our strengths, weaknesses and other personality traits before we can embark on a new direction.

One such profile that was a benefit to me is called Your Unique Design .  This is a very thorough profile that costs $35 and requires a bit of effort to complete. The results, though, are well worth it.

The other day, I pulled out a part of the report that it provided.  I was reminded of my three areas of strength as they relate to work.  I am most satisfied with my work when I am 1) initiating 2) influencing and 3) teaching.  As I continue to assess opportunities and ponder the next step, I plan to keep these three abilities in mind.  

If you don't have a good idea of how you are wired, perhaps a tool like Your Unique Design would help.