Found, Changed and Rearranged

A New Earth: Wrap Up

Confession time. I couldn't bring myself to read the book. Honestly, I was really more interested in what people were saying about their experience than what the book had to say.

Browsing these two posts alone, I am honored to "go to Hell with Oprah." and Scared I'm replacing my religion, which I love, I found:

• Angry Christians damning people to the pits of hell
• People who turned away from Christianity because a Christian hurt them
• People who denounced their faith because of hypocritical Christians
• Confused Christians
• Christ-followers who could provide clarity and loving responses to all of the above

Back from the Beach!

The temps are above normal for MI, so I took the kids to Hoffmaster. We went to the Gillette Visitor Center (a nature museum) and hiked the trail out to the beach. If they can have this much fun when it's cold, I can't wait for the fun we'll have this summer!

Conversations with an "Un-Churched" Friend

I ran across this post a while back, tagged it and just found it again. Ah! I love the honesty this person brings. I most love the "Live It" part. Convicting isn't it? I've been working through the live it part myself for sometime and just recently became a Kid's Hope mentor. What makes Kids Hope so great, I'll save that for another post. As for today, let me ask you, how are you Livin' It?

Lessons on Living

Randy Pausch, father of three  and dying from panceratic cancer, followed a Carnegie Mellon professor's tradition by giving his last speech. He chose to talk about living.

• When you are doing a bad job and no one points it out, they've given up on you.
• Brick walls in our ways aren't to keep you out. They let us prove how badly we want something.
• Mothers are the ones that love you even when you pull their hair. :)
• Always value people over things
• Are you a Tigger or Eyeore?
• Live with humility
• Work and play well with others
  • Tell the truth
  • Apologize properly: I'm sorry. It was my fault. How do I make it right?
  • No one is pure evil. Wait, and people will eventually show their good side
• Be grateful.
• Don't complain; just work harder.

Here is an 11-minute compressed version of Randy Pausch's speech. The YouTubeversion below is the full-length 76 minute version. Interesting guy. I checked out his website and found we were at Walt Disney World the same time his family was. Wonder if we could have walked right by him...

The Simple Truths of Service

"Every one of you can make a difference and create memories for your customers that will motivate them to come back. How? Put your personal signature on the job. Think of something you can do for your customer to make them feel special - a memory that will make them come back." [listen]

What if each person at your church had that attitude? After all, aren't we all a part of making church a welcoming place for visitors? And even better, what if we took that same attitude out with us as we served others. Ahhh! The impact could be huge.

A New Earth: A no-go

So I was one of about 500,000 people who did not expereince the first class online due to technical difficulties. And now, with the dawn of new day (a rare sunshiny winter day in west michigan, at that), an ever growing list of things to do at work, at home and with family are causing me to rethink whether this class worth it. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, the big news here -we lost our first tooth!

A New Earth: Part 2

What have I gotten myself into? I just downloaded the questions for tonight's class and I can't get through the first few without laughing. What on earth is the author talking about?

Question 3: Think about the question on p. 5: “Can human beings lose the density of their conditioned mind structures and become like crystals or precious stones ... transparent to the light of consciousness?” What makes you feel more alive and open, less dense, less bogged down by heavy thoughts and feelings?

My comment: WHAT? I could elaborate, but it seems pretty self-evident what I am what-ing.

Question 4: Spend some time in the presence of something you consider beautiful—a flower, a gem, a piece of artwork. As you look at the object, try to see it without naming it mentally. When we appreciate beauty in this manner, a window opens into the formless and into a state of gratitude. See if you can experience that.

My comment: Look at the sub-title of my blog. I do not contemplate as one normally would, so trying to look at something as if it has no name is futile. And why would I do it in the first place? I can enjoy the beauty of a sunset and experience gratitude for seeing it while still knowing that it is called a sunset.

Interesting that while I'm blogging about this and listening to an Oprah video promising this book can create a new you from the inside out, I realize I have been singing "From the Inside Out" to myself. Video and word links below. This song that speaks to my desire to have God's heart consume me from the inside out.

From The Inside Out words

A New Earth

Several weeks ago I happened upon Oprah when she announced her newest bookclub choice, A New Earth. To complement her choice, she was launching the largest online class ever. 90,000 were already registered. My immediate reaction to the book was skepticism. It had all jargon and promises of another new age take on self-awareness (a.k.a. making yourself into God) or version of The Secrect (where if you think it, it will happen), so I dismissed it.

But here's the deal. Today, I again happened on Oprah. Over 750,000 people are register for this online class and it hit me. If this many people, some who could be my neighbors, are going to be listening, perhaps I should too. Not to be converted, but to understand and leverage something that is current and relevant. I'm still skeptical; very skeptical, but if I can gain perspective on something that effect someone's spirituality - great. So tonight at 9pm I'm diving in.

"Ommmmmmm." I'm sitting cross-legged in a quiet room with candles lit finding my center and preparing to open my mind to a greater self-awareness! (For those that don't get it - that's sarcasm, first and foremost because there isn't a quiet spot in my house... ever.) Stay tuned for more posts on this one.

Want to join, visit www.oprah.com/anewearth and follow the intructions.

Good News!

Just two weeks ago, I was fairly certain my blog had one reader, but now (drum roll please!) I officially have four readers that have come out of the closet.

Any other lurkers out there? I'd love to hear from you!

The Weight Room?

I was helping my son put on pants last week and without moving a muscle, my back spasmed. It has been killing ever since. Not sure why this happened, but it only further reinforced my thoughts that I should be utilizing our health club membership for more than the occasional swim with the kids.

So, I'm thinking a visit to the weight room would be a great help, but here's the deal:

• I'm scared to go by myself.
• I don't know where to go.
• I don't know what to do once I get there.
• I don't know who to ask questions to.
• I don't feel like looking like an idiot because I don't know what I'm doing.
• If only the gym offered a guide to help me get familiar with things.
• Even better, if only I had a friend that could show me the ropes.

And then it hit me. Going to church for the first time is a lot like going to the weight room for the first time. There are probably people out there that would consider going to church just to check it out, but they're saying:

• I'm scared to go by myself.
• I don't know where to go.
• I don't know what to do once I get there.
• I don't know who to ask questions to.
• I don't feel like looking like an idiot because I don't know what I'm doing.
• If only the church offered a guide to help me get familiar with things.
• Even better, if only I had a friend that could show me the ropes.

Charles Arn in recent research found that 75% of unchurched people came to church because of a personal invitation. Got a friend? Invite them. It may be what they've been wanting to do, but just didn't know how to go about it.