When Great Ideas Overcome the Noise

Great ideas come into the world as quietly as doves. Perhaps then , if we listen attentively we shall hear, among the uproar of empires and nations, the faint fluttering of wings, the gentle stirrings of life and hope. Some will say this hope lies in a nation; others in a man. I believe rather that it is awakened, revived, nourished by millions of solitary individuals whose deeds and works every day negate frontiers and the crudest implications of history. Each and every one, on the foundations of their own suffering and joy builds for all.

Albert Camus, famous dead guy

The Problem with “The Number Is” Thinking

the-number-isAs a small business owner, I have a number in mind for what my business must make each month.  It’s an actual number based on the amount of money the business needs to make so we can pay all of our bills and ourselves.

Here is something that I’ve been wrestling with lately:

The number, however exact or arbitrarily picked, becomes the number.

It’s a goal but also a limiter.

So, right now, I can open a spreadsheet and point to every month in 2013 and tell you exactly how the business got to, is getting to, or will get to that number.

Could I make more? Yes. Could I make less? Yes. But chances are good that the business will generate just about that amount of money we need because that’s what we’re aiming to do.

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The Power and Purpose of Play

One of the things I’ve been learning is that I simply cannot work all of the time.

I have to play. Beyond the concept of Sabbath, which is ultimately about trust that God will provide 7 days of sustenance for 6 days of work, the discipline of play (recreation) is the secret ingredient to creation. (In my world, my creativity is a commodity.)

Therefore, you can’t have creation without recreation.

Thoughts? 

p.s. This is my first test video with the GoPro Hero 3. First impressions? Wow!

Moody, You Are Worth the Fight

Some backstory…

Moody-Bible11 years ago this week I graduated from Moody Bible Institute. The moment of walking across that stage, shaking Joe Stowell’s hand, and knowing that I had done it, goes down in history as one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.

I had defied every odd stacked against me.

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Twelve

Megan turned twelve yesterday.

12!

megan-jungle-ropes

Mom and dad did our best to suppress saying, “Holy cow. How has it been 12 years? You were just a baby yesterday?!?!!?” Of course, that’s what we were thinking. But such nostalgia is pre-teen uncool.

Celebrating Megan

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