There are two sides to change. The first side is the side of those who make the change. The second side is the side of those who have to deal with the change.
As someone who's been on both sides of change, it is important to remember what it feels like for each side going through a change.
I know what the first side, the side making the change, feels like. So when I am on the second side and am having to deal with a change, I have greater empathy for the first side, for those who made the change, and thus are less likely to react out of fear or raw emotion.
I also know what the second side feels like, to experience a change that leaves you feeling like turbulence on an airplane. Those experiences hopefully makes me more aware when I am in the first side of making a change, to realize those feelings and do all I can to minimize the turbulence.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Dumb Rules
The drive-in we went to the other evening has a rule of no hatches or lift gates open during the movie. For those with minivans or crossover vehicles, this means you can't watch the movie from the back of your vehicle. There apparently was "an incident" with a lift gate several years ago and so they have banned them altogether.
Dumb rule.
I can't imagine what would have happened with a hatch to make them ban all of them- someone (a really tall person!) got a concussion by running into it? A kid got caught in one? But to make a rule about it?
Rules become dumb when they are made off of a one time event.
The pool we go to has a rule where my wife or I have to be within so many inches of our younger swimmers.
Dumb rule.
Even though they can swim just fine and have been swimming in the "deep end" for years. Even though we show them they can swim. Doesn't matter- have to be within a few inches. While I so wanted to ask what a few inches was (and didn't notice any lifeguards carrying around rulers or measuring tapes), so it becomes a judgment call for the lifeguard.
Rules become dumb when they are arbitrary and there's no way to measure or enforce them.
Another pool we swim at (sensing a theme?!) has the rule where you can't swim in an area where you can't touch.
Dumb rule.
Even though at this same pool where they can jump off the diving boards and swim to the side. Even though at other pools- operated under the same 'family of pools' they can swim in areas where they can't touch. Doesn't matter. In this particular part of the pool, if you can't touch, you can't swim.
Rules become dumb when they are not consistent.
Any dumb rules you'd add?
Dumb rule.
I can't imagine what would have happened with a hatch to make them ban all of them- someone (a really tall person!) got a concussion by running into it? A kid got caught in one? But to make a rule about it?
Rules become dumb when they are made off of a one time event.
The pool we go to has a rule where my wife or I have to be within so many inches of our younger swimmers.
Dumb rule.
Even though they can swim just fine and have been swimming in the "deep end" for years. Even though we show them they can swim. Doesn't matter- have to be within a few inches. While I so wanted to ask what a few inches was (and didn't notice any lifeguards carrying around rulers or measuring tapes), so it becomes a judgment call for the lifeguard.
Rules become dumb when they are arbitrary and there's no way to measure or enforce them.
Another pool we swim at (sensing a theme?!) has the rule where you can't swim in an area where you can't touch.
Dumb rule.
Even though at this same pool where they can jump off the diving boards and swim to the side. Even though at other pools- operated under the same 'family of pools' they can swim in areas where they can't touch. Doesn't matter. In this particular part of the pool, if you can't touch, you can't swim.
Rules become dumb when they are not consistent.
Any dumb rules you'd add?
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Something to Say
One of my college mentors had a saying: "as long as you're in God's word, you'll always have something to say". He said this primarily in response to the question of what we should be discussing when it came to bible studies in the dorms, what curriculum to use when leading studies for small groups or youth group, that kind of thing.
As a pastor, this advice still comes in handy when I'm asked to pray, give a devotional, or lead in some similar way.
The caution, though, is that we're tempted to see our time with God as something that's useful for everyone else- our family, our friends, our coworkers, etc. It's the 'you have to hear this sermon' or 'you have to read this book' syndrome. While we should be passing on what we're learning, we must not forget to spend time with God for our sake, for what he wants to do in our own lives.
As a pastor, this advice still comes in handy when I'm asked to pray, give a devotional, or lead in some similar way.
The caution, though, is that we're tempted to see our time with God as something that's useful for everyone else- our family, our friends, our coworkers, etc. It's the 'you have to hear this sermon' or 'you have to read this book' syndrome. While we should be passing on what we're learning, we must not forget to spend time with God for our sake, for what he wants to do in our own lives.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Is everyone an artist?
What if everyone isn’t an artist?
There seems to be a popular trend right now saying your job or your work (and by job or work we mean what you do for money) is to be seen more like art. To be fair, when they say art, they mean more then just painting, drawing, singing, and sculpting. They argue that any time you're doing something for the fun of it, something you lose yourself in, rather than the obligation of it, that something can be art. These authors also argue the nature of work is changing and that the new economy will reward the linchpins, those are irreplaceable, those whose work becomes almost ‘art like’.
The debate even hit popular culture when a Modern Family episode earlier this year featured a squabble between the in-laws (who all had the creative, artistic dreams and ideas) against the laws (who were the realists, the party poopers, and sought to crush the dreamers’ dreams). The show ends of course with the laws lookling like ruthless dream killers and the creative in-laws as being worthy of unending sympathy! If I was asked who I am more like- Claire the dream killer or Phil the dreamer, it'd be Claire!
Full disclosure- I’ve never been much of an artist. I got a “C” in junior high art class, and even that was a gift because there's no way I am an even average artist! I still remember having mild anxiety anytime we did art in an elementary classroom. I’d look at what other kids were doing, ask the teacher multiple times for assistance, and still never produce anything that even closely resembled whatever it was that we were supposed to be creating!
I don't play anything, draw anything, or paint anything, but sure appreciate and respect everyone who do all of those things! The truth is I get more elation out of a plan coming together, out of a new idea taking action, out of a budget being balanced, out of seeing something that our church is doing having an impact, then I do out of painting something, singing something, or playing something. If the idea of art is expanding to include those things, count me in! If not, then there will always be the divide between those who create and the rest of us.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Most Popular Posts
Blogger says it is my 400th post, so what better time to reveal the top 5 posts from this blog?!
- #5- You are Here
- #4- The End of Pastor Guru?
- #3- Church Bouncer
- #2- Powerhouse Tutoring Center Update
- #1- Tim Keller on Parenting (no doubt #1 because of web searches for a popular author and a popular topic!)
Friday, June 8, 2012
Not too many posts lately- hoping to change that in the future.
For the time being, I joined Twitter @bstroh7. We'll see if I can pick it up or not.
And for anyone still reading who is on Twitter, send me some pointers!
For the time being, I joined Twitter @bstroh7. We'll see if I can pick it up or not.
And for anyone still reading who is on Twitter, send me some pointers!
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