upbeat #2

Second takeawy from upbeat:

Do remember in the grand scheme of things you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to think and do something about it. More than half the people in the planet don’t have that opportunity. They have been living in recession-like conditions since their birth and probably live like that throughout their life. You have been given the biggest gift of your life- your ability to THINK and do something about your current and future situations. Be grateful for that. Be grateful that you have come this far with whatever resources you had under your disposal. Like I said, more than half of the people in the world cannot even dream of the fraction of resources hat you have had until now (46).

This thought is probably worth the $11 and the 45 minutes required to read the book. I can be so guilty of forgetting the idea that I actually have the freedom and opportunity to think of how the future can be different. To plan something that could work. To learn from a failure. To think of how to change something or some plan. Because I have clean water, make more than $2 a day, access to education, and so much, more I am afforded the opportunity to think about other problems, and perhaps, fail to spend more time with those more basic problems.

upbeat

I started and finished a new book called upbeat a book I really can’t believe that I paid $11 for. I am confident that I wrote papers in graduate school longer than this book, and I’d file much of it under the category of self help for tough times. The book's main idea is how to survive during these tough recessionary times. Despite my annoyance of it being shorter than a Berenstein Bears' book, here's my first takeaway:

You may not realize it but you may already be an “extra baggage” for someone out there. This happens often when you think that just because you know someone, you are entitled to make request of that person . . . a creative request is one when fulfilling it is beneficial to the person who is being asked for it. A very good request is one you can design in such a way that the recipient of that request is thankful to you for making that request. In fact, he or she won’t even feel that it was a request; they would think that it was an opportunity and they would be glad that you chose them to open up that opportunity for them (44-45).

Isn't that the challenge for those of us who invite others to volunteer in some way? How do I invite this person to do something that I need them to do without using guilt, manipulation, bait and switch, or some other negative ploy? How can I improve making the creative requests that Setty describes? How can I make the very good requests and I partner with people who want to do something (serve someone, be something, etc) where they feel honored to be participating instead of forcing them into what I need?

Mopping for the First Time

It's one thing to volunteer, it's another thing to volunteer with your 6 and 4 year old. Last night we were at the Summit House, an intentional community house for Sioux Falls Seminary students in one of the more under-resoruced parts of Sioux Falls. Most of our group was painting downstairs, but I wasn't willing to bite that off with my brood so we decided to mop the dining area and kitchen. The boys wanted to go right for the mopping, not understanding that we had to sweep the floors first. Apparently, sweeping isn't as fun as mopping since it doesn't involve a bucket, a lever, and soapy water that we can splash all over the place. Once swept, we had to locate a second mop and bucket, because we were not ok with the idea of sharing a bucket, no no, we had to have our own. That's understandable. So we filled them with soapy water, and took to mopping the floor. Of course, water went everywhere, of course a water filled mop was too heavy for them, and of course they missed more than they mopped (and of course, Dad had to mop up the standing water drawing bewildered looks from the boys- why are you mopping again?). But in the middle of it all, Riley says to Wes, 'do you realize Wes this is our first time mopping?'. Priceless.

Links

My brother Mike started a blog; check it out here for his thoughts on Tim Keller's book The Reason for God.

Rainn Wilson, "Dwight" from the Office, was on Nightline last night (I know, the fact that I watch Nightline raises my geek factor) offering his thoughts on faith, God, and spirituality. While certainly not orthodox Christianity, it was interesting to hear a star talk faith and have it not be about the Church of Scientology, which ABC News has also been examining for the last week or so.

In the News

A neat piece on Cindy Cummins, a Hillcrester, and her recent adoption from China.

Target

A new Target opened on the east side of Sioux Falls, the part of town I call home. This opening has been met with three very different responses:

• Extreme Fanatcism- there are apparently folks who will only go to Target, and for them, this opening is akin to visiting Mecca or going to Lambeau.
• Tempered Excitement- I'd put my wife in this category as she likes Target and it gives her some options (such as a cheap $1 section, I guess) that she likes and that other stores don't have.
• Passive Disinterest- I'm here in the 'could give a rip' category as I probably won't go there unless I can save $2 more on Pull ups. But it's another retailer on the east side and that's a good thing.

For the extreme fanatic of Target, there are usually many options given for why they shop at Target, and more importantly, why they won't shop at the 'W' store. I have done no research on the topic, but some of the issues may have merit, including health insurance, working wages, and other labor concerns. The one objection from the Target fanatic, though, that holds no water for me is the 'Wal Mart shuts down small, mom and pop businesses' argument. To that, I'd like to clarify that Target is the 5th largest retailer in the US. I find it hard to believe that the 5th largest retailer has any more concern for "Joe's Corner Store" than the 1st largest.

One other interesting tidbit: the median shopper at Target is educated, in their 40s, and makes $60k+ a year . I couldn't find comprable info on Wal Mart, but my completley uneducated guess would be the median Wal Mart shopper has less education and makes less money, thus potentially serving as an interesting paradox: while Wal Mart gets flack on issues at the corporate level that (allegedly) work against poorer income people, they might get more of those same people's business.

If dollars are votes, it is an interesting paradox indeed . . .

Can you make an announcement for . . .

Our youth pastor and myself are the designated "announcement pastors" which means that about halfway through the worship service, either he or I will lead the church in a brief prayer and then announce events of particular interest while people give their offerings. Sometimes, it's a harmless thing, a couple minutes letting Hillcresters know about the monthly mission partner or a unique serving opportunity. But the busier the church calendar gets, the longer announcement time can become, as ministries and programs vie for that ever so precious announcement time. And I get it, because if we do announce something, it communicates that the something is important. The other stuff, left for people to read in the bulletin or in a weekly email or on a web site, is subliminally communicated as less important as what just got announced (though I'd argue it's not the case).

I'm sure like most churches we've done some changing in how we approach announcements. We used to have no filter and announce everything- that was too long, both for the announcer and the church. Tunrs out when you announce everything, it has the same effect as not announcing something- people deem it unimportant. We also used to announce things way in advance, and have come to find out that with most events, an announcement a couple of weeks away is just as good. We've also tried to limit things that impact the entire church- men, women, and children. While we'll occasionally announce a men's or women's event, most of our announcements are limited to events open for everyone. One more thing: we keep our announcements at 3 (again, for the most part). This insures that the announcement interruption isn't too long.

For a second look at how one church chooses to do announcements (or in their case, not announcements), click here.

What if we didn't need a Good Samaritan?

As the weather gets cold (premature, I might add, as my kiddos actually played in the snow on their off day yesterday!) and the holidays beckon, there will be much more ink and press on non profits and churches seeking to make a difference in terms of compassion: winter gear, food, shelter, etc. We'll hear stories about ood Samaritan people and Good Samaritan organizations and be moved to act as the Samaritan did in Jesus' famous parable. And Hillcrest will certainly play its part in these essential acts of compassion.

But a recent teaching from Bill Hybels and the Willow Creeks folks reframed this issue for me. While speaking of the Good Samaritan, they certainly agreed that we are called to act as the Samaritan did (there's no out for ministries of compassion), but they posed the question: what's being done about the conditions of the road in which the man was beat up on? Who's fixing the lighting? Who's tackling the crime? Who's working at a safer route 'from Jericho'? In other words, what's being done

• to correct the system(s)
• that led to the problems
• that beat up the man
• that required a Good Samaritan in the first place?

While acts of a compassionate Good Samaritan are good, they have little impact if bands of Samriatans don't also address the systems that create the problems in the first place.

It's gonna be good!

I recently got a note from one of a Hillcrester who mentors a student in our community. The mentor wrote "(my mentee) is the same that I have mentored since I started 2 years ago...so, we have had quite the journey! She started at (one elementary school) in 4th and beginning of 5th. Then around Dec. of 5th grade she moved to (a different elementary school) and I went with ! This year have transitioned to Middle School. It's is a huge difference in mentoring experiences than any of the other schools for numerous reasons, but it's gonna be good!"

As I've shared before, mentoring can be tough work. Especially as students move to middle school, somehow playing games of "Sorry!" or tetherball don't cut it. Students today deal with issues that older generations dealt with at much later ages. There is a need, a real need, not just a perceived need, for adults who will give a rip about students.

The non-profit that we mentor through likes to send monthly updates of how mentors make a difference in the life of a child. And I think that's a great recruting tool and makes that one mentor feel terrific. But most mentors probably will never get that kind of feedback, but stick with it because they inherently know the difference they are making, and because, they too, are changed as a result. It's gonna be good, indeed.

Church and Politics

Pastor Doug gave a solid message on politics and how followers of Christ ought to interact with political issues and people who hold different opinions. You can check out the message on our website.

Coincidentally, a blog I follow is debating a similar topic. If you go there, make sure to check out the comments and see where you most agree and/or disagree.

Where did you work tonight?

Following each Wednesday Night Service, we invite those who served to go to Dunn Brothers for coffee and to hang out and hear the stories of how their serving went that night. Our fam takes this in about once or twice a month as a coffee shop at 8:15 on a school night isn't an ideal spot for four kids 6 and under, but it's fun and they enjoy it as well. When we went this past Wednesday night, the manager asked where we had worked that night. I think it's cool that she knows what this group of folks does each Wednesday night and is curious as to where they had been serving.

Cupid's Arrow

The 4th grader I mentor has been hit by the love bug. During our mentoring time last week, I felt as if I was chaperonoing a first date as they went through the various mating rituals of pre-tween children. There was mutual interest in a shared activity (in this case, tetherball, and the girl beating the boy at tetherball at that), a gift exchange (looked like a necklace or something), senseless chatter (after tetherball, they walked along the playground and I followed close enough to hear their innocent banter), and an act of bravado on the boy's part (during the game of tetherball, he said a word he shouldn't have said. He was clearly doing it to impress the lady, but his mentor wasn't impressed, and quickly put an end to it). From what I could tell, it was typical first date stuff (!). Yesterday it was raining, so we stayed inside, but in the lunch line my mentee asked me to stand at a certain spot so the lady couldn't see him, either revealing that a) they are no longer going out (whatever that means in the 4th grade) or b) sometimes love feels a bit embarassing. Based on his actions, I'm going with b.