Kicking Cats

Sometimes the way we frame a problem contains an assumption that prevents us from solving it.

Gotcha!... based on the title you probably got ready to cal P.E.T.A. and turn me in for animal abuse.

I heard it said that if you assume it makes an a** out of you and me.

I am at a time in my life where a lot of people have assumed that I am "not in the ministry" any longer, based on the fact that I am not a pastor.

Someone may be assuming that you are who you are because you failed, messed up, changed jobs, got a divorce, got married, changed your clothing style, etc...

Eg; Many people that did not no I was a pastor, find it strange that I was one. Why? Well, I shave my head, have a couple of tatts, can't stand to wear a tie, and love to kick cats.. (Kidding about the kicking cats ;) I have a cat, and love her! LOL! Anyway, I think you get the point. Kind of like those that are "in the church" assume that I am someone different now. Nope, I am the same.

How about you? Are you assuming something about someone? Or, are you allowing someone to assume something about you? Its OK, like my Father - in - Law used to say all the time.. "It is what it is". I agree. Just be who you are... Quit assuming, don't allow people to assume about you based on ANYTHING and please... quit kicking the cat!! :)

Mud Pies and Relationships

Mud Pies!

Remember them? Ha! Ha! I remember setting and making them with Keith, my child hood friend. We sat there and made those things, talked, laughed, dreamed and got very dirty in the process!

When I was a pastor I learned a lot about growth. Growth didn't come form technology. It didn't come from fresh methods and against religious popular belief, it didn't come from just prayer.

Growth came from "true relationships". Organic (authentic networking).

Before you read the rest of this post, ask yourself three questions:

1.) Can I name 3 people I work with by their first and last name?

2.) Do I know what their spouces names are (if single, why?)

3.) Do I know what their passion is?

Yes, technology was a great tool. Fresh methods were a must, but they were just that, methods. Prayer, yes it was/is a prerequisite, but it changed me not God.

If your brand, Church, Business, classroom, office, etc... is going to have that "stickability" actor. The relationships must start with you knowing who you are working with and for.

Know their families, there favorite foods, their passion, etc...

The more you get to know the true thing that makes your product stable (people) the more stable it becomes.

Want to rise to the top?

Plant from underground, with seed and cultivation of the seed. Yep, you will get dirty. But that is the fun of it all!

Have you and your team made any mud pies lately?

The Right People

Who do you allow to talk to you?

Better yet, who are you listening to?

When you approach am issue, a problem, etc., what advice is in your arsenal?

Here are three types of people we MUST have in our life.

1. Connectors

They know everyone, and cab connect you to the group you need to target

2. Mavens

They know a lot of information about your target group

3. Sales people

They can take your product to your target group and sale it.

You nay know someone who holds all of these attributes or one. You may hold a couple of them yourself. The point is have them in your life. They need you, you need them and together you can cause what author, Malcolm Gladwell calls, "The Tipping Point. Its when your product or vision grows rapidly.

Who do you have in your life?

We are Who we hang with

Have you ever heard the saying, "You are who you hang with" ?

There is so much truth to that.

I love people. All kinds of people.

When i was in college, I hung with my peers Etc....

It's true, we are the company we keep.

It can be a double edged sword though.

Once again, I love people. But not all of them are close. As a matter of fact, most people I know i am not close to.

I only have a small group of people that I am close to. Even a smaller group that I "hang" with.

When i am at work, church, etc. it is easy to take on the attitude of the energy of those groups.

So, with that daily challenge, I hope to take on my own God given daily developed attitude. I would in short, like to be the best me I can be and be the example not the follower.

I was a narrow minded bigot!

Before I write this I want to establish a couple of facts

First, I used to be a bigot! A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices.

Secondly it is my own personal opinion that I believe there is a God and that He loves me. I know that Jesus Christ is His Son and that He died for me. I know that there is NOTHING that will stop God from loving me, nothing.

Now that I said that I want to rant just a little.

I am a guy who has been graced with a gift to love people NO MATTER WHAT or WHO they are.

For the last 20 years i tried to keep my self "separated from the world". Because that is what narrow minded "christians" do.

I was taught and taught others that basically God was ticked. I was taught and taught others that there is a standard to live by.

I was told and told others that gay people were going to hell.

I was told that if a person does not go to church they are not really "saved"

I was told and I preached that "our way was it".

Sad hugh? Sad that I was such a judge. Such an arrogant jerk.

Sad that I was all about trying to be cool.

Sad that i looked down on "smokers, drinkers, non believers, other religions, etc.

No I am not some ticked of preacher ticked off at other preachers. I am a Man who Knows there is a God that loves us a whole lot more than we love Him.

He does not care how many were at your church last Sunday. he does not care how small your church is.

From my own perspective, I believe that "christians" need to stop being bigots and stop asking for so much when many give out so little.

If you call yourself a "christian" then please, for the love of God, smile!! (pun intended)

Just get out of your little shell and laugh!!!!!

Check your narrow mind at the door and look at mankind and say to yourself, "I am just as screwed up as everyone else"

No creed can "save" you.

No church can "save" you.

No man can "save" you.

God chose, ALL BY HIMSELF, to love us.

If you disagree, please let me know. If you agree, let me know.

Big Picture Thinking Part 1

.....IT IS A MESS.....

Now, when you read that you probebly see a negitive statement.

Its not fair though. Its like walking in on the middle of a conversation and walking away before its over and all you heard was "it is a mess".

Big picture thinking is more that that.

If you are dealing with a product or a person, then 'big picture thinking" is the biggest ingredient.

Here are three things to consider when being a "Big Picture Thinker".

1. What happened before you got there.

2. What is happening now.

3. What do those facts predict about the possible future results.

Here is another look at .....IT WAS A MESS.....

When we came home, our dog had drug a trash bag out to the yard. It was a mess! So we walked outside and cleaned it up and secured the trash in its proper place.

If you are dealing with people, this theory is a must! You MUST be a big picture thinker!

10 things that I love to laugh at!

OK, So you may know, I work at Kroger and Drive a bus. Here are some of the things I really enjoy about my job(s)

One of my all time favorite things to do is watch people. Why? Cause people (including me) are a trip!

Here are 10 things that make me belly laugh!

10. The lady who comes in every other day to get fresh rye bread, if we are out she proceeds to throw a fit because the bread is for "communion". Ummm OKKKK!!

9. The guy who comes in every Tuesday with his sweet, yet strong willed wife of 61 years and just paiently waits. I ask him the same question every Tuesday. "Whats your secret" he always just smiles and say's "I just say ""yes dear"".

8. The Young lady that "begs" her child to be a good boy. Really?????

7. The construction workers who come in to eat, wearing suspenders, butt crack still showing!! LOL!!!

6. The little old lady on Tuesday that comes in like clock work to tell me a story about the hat she is wearing that day. One week it was about her trip to Tunica, the next was about eating with those damn Church people.. Love her!!

5. The young boy on my bus who always tells his sister, "I am gonna tell MaMa on you!!" (you have to have siblings to appreciate the humor in that!)

4. The little boy on my bus who picks his nose and "secretly" rubs it on another little girls backpack! (Nope, i have not called him out on it yet... she has it coming) :)

3. The 8th grader, who is an "honor" student but could not tell me his adress!!

2. The 4th greader who sounds like Larry the Cable guy when he talks.

and 1?

1. The kid who has gas EVERY Friday morning. Why, well I asked him the other day why he has to fart every Friday on the bus at least 238 times!!! (ok maybe 3 or 4) His answer? "Because Thursday night is Taco Night"

People "A" and People "B"

Meyer Friedman, an American cardiologist, noticed in the 1940's that the chairs in his waiting room got worn out from the edges. They hypothesized that his patients were driven, impatient people, who sat on the edge of their seats when waiting. They labelled these people "Type A" personalities. Type A personalities are work-aholics, always busy, driven, somewhat impatient, and so on. Type B personalities, on the other hand are laid back and easy going.

One is not better than the other. Each compliment the other.

Enter... Team Leader Training.

If a person is in leadership or Management, (which by the way, are not necessarily the same), do not know their leaders then the lid of effectiveness is lower than it should be.

Leadership Expert John Maxwell said, “Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them."

If a leader or a manager wants to be effective, then the daily practice of knowing people A and People B must be in place.

People are people. They have feelings, family, friends and foes. With that comes all kinds of emotions. When those emotions manifest (and they always do) it is very important to know and understand the person.

Yes, it does take a lot of work... however, the long term of it produces people who produce.

As for person A and Person B. They will reward you with less worn out seats. ;)

Thankful For Seed

This evening I came across some old filed reports from days gone by at CrossPoint Church (formally Ferndale Assembly of God). I looked more at the names than I did at the numbers, all though the numbers were always on an increase because of the favor of God and seed.....
There are several people who read this blog that used to attend and several that still do. To all of you, thanks. The seed that you sowed in the past is still and will always grow.
I wish I could name every person that has sown seed into my families life and the life of God's Church. You know who you are. To you, thank you. Im grateful for your mercy, friendship, patience and love.
Im thankful for ALL of the people that have helped me grow.
Im thankful for Jesus.
Im thankful for..... seed

Mind Dump

Its Thursday

Mental challanges this week!

Trying to be a dad, I am pretty dang good at it!

Trying to be a husband, uhhhhhhh. LOL

Trying to be a pastor, I am PERFECT at that (perfect in failure :)

Monday started at 4am ended at midnight

Tuesday started at 5:30 am, I do not remember when it ended

Wednesday started at 5am it ended around 11pm

Thursday, let me see....

Its lightly snowing

Its cold

Its warm where i am at

I met a former church leader (not from CPC) who was very impressive (he and his wife were and are VERY humble)

I have got to speak with two HUGE business leaders today and they feed my passion (not for money, but for people)

The guy behind me right now just called his daughter to tell her it was snowing. Apparently she has not taken time to look outside and her dad knew that

I am fed up with people who are "into their feelings ALL THE TIME") That was including me, i get sick of myself to before you might call it judging

The little old lady setting in front of me has a contagious laugh, I am gonna tell her thank you before i leave.

I get to go visit someone in the hospital in a moment. When I start working a "full time" job that wil not happen as often as people think it should for a "pastor" LOLOL

My son just called me and needs me to fix his headlight switch, uhhhh ok, now I am a mechanic? Well, I will try then I will call my bro in law to do it right :)

If you are reading this and.......

You are bored then......

Walk

Run

Sleep

Go out side and scream REALLY loud "Live from New York, it's Thursday afternoon!!!!"

Tell someone they made your day!

Smile

if you are reading this and say WOW RANDY YOU CANT SPELL!!

i agree

If you are down

stand up

if you are up

lookout!!!!!!

If you havnt dumped your mind as of late - then creat a blog and do it!!!

If you ahve a "plank in your eye", I bet that hurts, dont it?

If you are reading this and you havnt laughed yet then cry!

If you are reading this and are crying, then go grab a tissue and cry away!!

if i have ever hurt you, forgive me. i did not do it on purpose.

If you have a hard time believing in a God, its ok He believes in You.

If you are a pastor and are burned out, Its ok. you will be ok. 

If you are a follower of Jesus, isnt that great?!

If you are not a follower of Jesus, turn around.... He is following you.

Go right now.....

look in the mirror

and say this.

"Dang I am so fine!!!!!!!!!!"

Be humble about it though :)

If you gossip.... Shut up!

If you cant sing, then write a song.... its in you

If you like to sing, then sing the persons song who cant

If you are a people watcher, quit staring!

Ha!

Just a Thought.........

verbs and nouns

Action! We all like it. Well, most of us do.

People, places and other things. We all have a problem with them. Well, some of do.

Usually the verb we like is when the noun is involved in drama as long as its not a verb aganist ourself.

example:

We all "rubberneck" when there is a wreck on the road. If that wreck is us we might say, "What the $#@#!!!! are you looking at?!

So, the challange for most of us... well, for a few, is to verb the noun in a positive way.

In other words take some action and share a positive word to a person (or place or some-thing)

Ready? Action!!

Just a thought.....

Connection

I just had the chance to meet Robert Lewis (founder of Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock). Wow what an incredible leader! He still travels for mens fraternity and is getting ready to go to hondorus and train 1500 pastors!!!!

Wow what an incredible connection to make!

When I talk to dudes like that it makes me hyper! Why? because I want (and am) to do something to make a difference in this world!

I dont like politics, but I love God connections!

I have had the chance to make several in the last couple of months. I am amazed that God would think of us enough to have us connect with people to be able to connect to others!

Even as I am setting here in a coffee shop I just invited a total stranger to CPC, he and his girlfriend are students in pharmecy school.

It is so, so, so important to connect with people. Jesus loves people.

"Look at the fields" those are four very challanging words that should ring in our ears!

Connect! Just a thought.....

TRAFFIC

On the highway of life we can easily get caught up in all kinds of "traffic jams". What jams us up are several things. Let me name a few. First, the fear of pleasing everyone ALL THE TIME. You know what I mean? I am a pastor. I love people. It is expected of me to be a people pleaser. Well, if you know me IM NOT!!!!! I refuse to get jammed up as I have been before. The question is, how do you get unjammed? The best way out of a traffic jam is to turn around and go another way. Leave the  traffic and find another way. My life is too short to please everyone. I will try to please my wife, kids, parents and God. Everyone else is only as I feel it can truly benifit their life. If I continue to stay in the jam, i will not be productive, rather I will be standing still, going no where.... stagnet. I will continue to love people, but I will never be bound by them. Traffic jams.... they happen. Life, it happens. Detours? For sure. Stop standing still and go the other way. "Wide is the gate, narrow is the WAY"  Just a thought...................