In 1967, Charles Hummel wrote his classic, The Tyranny of the Urgent. He describes our tendency to forgo the important matters in life in favor of those that scream the loudest at the moment. Recently I’ve experienced another type of tyranny – fear. One of this week’s “Word of the Day” entries from www.dictionary.com was […]
Archives for 2008
Seattle Blues
April 22, 2008 by
Seattle is in a bad mood. Yup, everywhere I go people are gruff, “nice spring we’re having, huh? grumble, grumble . . .” Maybe it was the rain, snow, sleet and hail that besieged us last Thursday and Friday . . .and Saturday . . .and Sunday. Maybe the lack of sunshine for the last […]
Blogging Fast
April 8, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Due to personal and family commitments, we will go on a brief “blogging fast” in April. Check back on April 22 for our next post. Thanks!
Well-Rounded Mediocrity
March 24, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Next year my son starts middle school. We just received a brochure explaining all the electives offered at his new school. Foreign language, band, orchestra . . .he can even take model rocketry. At the bottom of the page I noticed a little disclaimer that just might erase my son’s dreams of mastering the viola. […]
Courage or Recklessness?
March 19, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Do you recall a person in your life whose constant attitude was, “I’ve already made up my mind; don’t confuse me with the facts”? Most of us have made a few bad decisions for lack of information. But have you ever become so committed to a course of action that you intentionally closed your mind […]
It’s not fair!
March 11, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Today, I opened the Bible to Matthew 20 and read the Parable of the Vineyard Workers. Here’s the synopsis. A landowner hires a group of workers in the morning, a second group three hours later, and a third group two hours after that. At the end of the day, he pays the last group first, […]
Selfish Jerk or Focused Contributor?
March 5, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Our desire for approval can cripple us. If you care about people, you want to meet their needs. But life is busy. Sacrificial service disintegrates into good intentions. Out of sheer survival, you become calloused to the needs of others. You’re ashamed of your indifference but overwhelmed by the level of adversity around you. When […]
The Cost of Trivial Excellence
February 25, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Once there was a man who set out to get rich so that he could afford all the things his heart desired. He hung pictures of expensive cars and boats, luxurious homes, exotic vacation resorts, and the latest entertainment technology on his wall. He believed that these pictures would motivate him to work hard for […]
Fear and Love
February 12, 2008 by Leave a Comment
I just finished reading Lifesigns, by Henri Nouwen. Though written in the 1980’s, I found his message timely for 2008. He says we are driven by fear or love. The two cannot coexist. “Fearful questions never lead to love-filled answers,” Nouwen claims. I often think of love as the opposing force to hatred or apathy, […]
The Quiet Voice of God
February 5, 2008 by Leave a Comment
I plopped down at my desk. Staring back at me was the Bible I hadn’t cracked in several days. Next to it was yesterday’s “to do” list with less than half the tasks crossed off. Lingering in the background was a darkened computer screen loaded with fresh emails which, with the faintest touch of the […]