Obsessive Dysfunction

Taking the Time to Invest

Okay, so I got this idea completely from Jamey's blog.  I am thinking over the areas that I have a passion for that I need to invest in for growth and development.  Having passion is one thing, but I am learning that passion alone may not be enough.  Now, passion combined with knowledge is a wonderful combination.  Here are a few passions that I would like to learn more about and grow and develop in 2008

Racial Reconciliation - continuing to read and learn about culture and history, as well as learning about what others are saying and doing in their pursuit of racial reconciliation

The Kingdom/Revival - Jesus talked about "The Kingdom" all the time.  I am constantly learning what it means to "bring His Kingdom".  Bringing His Kingdom to my world is a constant desire of mine.  Always wanting to grow and develop in this area

Church Cooperation - Want to continue to understand how to unite churches under the banner of Jesus Christ for the sake of revival of a city

City Transformation - Grow and understand the spiritual makeup of my city to know how to pray for and minister to

Prayer - Continue to grow and learn how to pray and intercede to release the power of God in the lives of others and our city

Leadership Development - I love working with and equipping leaders to minister.  I definitely need to learn more about training, motivating, confronting, and encouraging the leaders and volunteers I work with

Now my 2 questions are 1) What are your passions that you need to grow and develop and 2) Can you recommend and good books to help feed my pursuit?

Don't Want to Hear it, but Need to

One summer at basketball camp when I was about 12, our coach got out the camera, and filmed each of us as we shot free throws.  Then, we went into the "film room" for him to critique or shooting technique.  Or as I like to call it, rip what little confidence I had left out of me.  What an extruciating experience!! Here is what I learned that day, I do NOT take criticism well.  My parents used to always say growing up, "You need to learn to take criticism well." But come on seriously, who does?  What kind of emotional masochist enjoys being verbally ripped to shreds with all under the banner of "we're just trying to help". 

But here is what I have learned, criticism is like cough medicine.  Something that is helpful, but not easy to take well. Who comes running when they have to take cough medicine.  For me, I shut my mouth and flail my arms and legs like a 2 year old little boy.  But eventually, I realize that even though it is nasty, the cough medicine is actually helpful.  It will help improve my body in the long run.  To be honest, I am not sure if taking criticism "well" exists.  But I do now realize that although painful, it is something that helps me in the long run.  But if you don't mind, maybe listen to Mary Poppins and a spoon full of sugar to help that medicine go down.

Just Dive

Although I am in my upper 20's, I dove off of a diving board for the first time less than 1 year ago.  I have spent most of my life wussing out, and doing pencils and cannonballs.  I say that I had fun on diving boards, but the truth is it was boring and safe.  Well, this summer I got tired of choosing safe.  This summer, I grew tired of being wussy and bored on the diving board.  What was holding me back?  Fear.... and Pain. Fear of the unknown.  The "What if?" factor.  What if I bust my head, what if it hurts, what if I do a bellyflop.  I was tired of the "what ifs" robbing the fun and adventure I could be having on the diving board.  This summer I have gone all out.  I have tried diving, as well as front flips, and back flips, whatever.  You know what?  It has hurt sometimes.  I have bellyflopped, been laughed at, gotten water up my nose.  But it is way more fun I am having on the diving board than ever before!!

This is not a post about diving.  It is a post about Life.  I am excited about taking risks in life, and seeing God do big things.  I think too often we stand on the edge and live life doing "pencils and cannonballs" because it is safe, and it eliminates the "what if" factor.  I am not saying we should be stupid, but sometime you just have to be willing to take a risk and jump, even it could hurt.  Sometimes you have to be willing to do a gainer, and not worry about the "what ifs".  What if we fail?  What if no one comes?  What if someone gets mad?  What if I am embarrassed?  So what?  The worst thing that can happen is that the fear of the unknown will lead to inactivity.  And in my opinion, nothing is worse than doing nothing.

Quit Quitting

As a general rule, I am a quitter. This is not good. Quitting is not the bad thing; the bad thing is WHEN I have quit. As I think back, most of my life, I have quit at the dip. The Dip, according to Seth Godin in his book is the area of difficulty or suckiness (Italics mine) between starting something, and becoming an expert. The dip is the time when something may not be very much fun, but it must be gone through to achieve excellence at something or "best" status. I am deeply depressed as I come to the realization that I have quit almost everything I have ever started as SOON as it got hard, or as SOON as I hit the dip. I have always joked that I have a closet full of failed hobbies. Playing guitar, piano, golf, even roller hockey. All these things I started and quit. And when did I quit? I quit when somewhere between the "not bad for a beginner " and "he is the best I have ever seen at that" time. It got hard, it was no longer a novelty, and takes perseverance. This is exactly why I can do almost anything and not look like a blubbering idiot, but can't do anything really well. I believe it is called a jack of all trades, and a master of none. This used to be something I was proud of, but now I am pretty ashamed of the fact. The reason I am a jack of all trades is that I am immature enough to try anything, but not brave enough to carry it out to excellence. This is not a pity party, more like a realization. My heart and desire is to change that. I desire to ask the Lord to give me the maturity to be wise in the things I decide to pursue and the bravery to only undertake a challenge if my plan is to be the absolute best at it. I am pretty tired of settling for average. Most of my life when the game has gotten hard, I have dropped my ball, walked over to the sidelines, and sat as a pathetic spectator making sarcastic remarks at those with the heart to fight through the dip. Whether it is in ministry, hobby, or whatever I am pretty tired of mediocre. I am tired of average.