Big Is The New Small

Today I shared a Guest BlogPost for man Jeff Flowers.  Here is what I shared!

I was driving down a very long stretch of I-40 headed to work at the Union City Correctional Facility; the place where I served as a Warden and called my second home. I was listening to the local Sports Radio Station, as the radio personalities were reflecting on My Sooner’s Previous Year’s National Championship and making predictions on the current season.

My phone rang, so I turned down the radio and answered it; one of my fellow warden colleagues was on the other end. She informed me that an airplane had just crashed into one of the twin towers and it was all over the news. I turned my radio up and they were no longer talking about my Sooners, instead they were talking about this crazy plane crash. I pulled up to the prison and quickly ran inside to get a grasp on the situation.

I had this feeling in my gut that something really horrible was happening and I had a decision to make. Was I supposed to go into super-safety-security-mode and lock down all of the inmates until I gained clarity on the situation? Was I supposed to realize that this was a defining moment for me, our country and each inmate in my facility? I chose to embrace the fact that a defining moment was happening and turned on all of the TV’s inside the entire prison. I allowed everyone in the facility both staff and inmates to watch the news as the second plane crashed into the other twin tower.  This was a Defining Moment!

What is a Defining Moment? A Defining Moment is an occurrence that determines all related events that follow, a point at which the essential nature or character of a person, group, etc., is revealed.

Our country was attacked and our President, NYC mayor, first responders, policemen, firemen… our entire nation responded in a big way. The related theme of events to follow was a nation of patriots that committed to stand together and proudly fly the Red White & Blue any chance they got.

In life, we are faced with Defining Moments on a regular basis; I like to call these moments “God Moments.” Our response or lack thereof to these defining moments, can determine all related events to follow and will ultimately determine our true character.

Throughout my life I can trace both successes and failures to specific defining moments. The question isn’t whether you’ll have defining moments, but rather how will you respond. Many of you are faced with defining moments right now: in your marriage, with your children, career, ministry, finances… How are you going to respond? Mayor Rudi Giuliani was quoted after the attacks and made this statement: “Tomorrow New York is going to be here. And we’re going to rebuild, and we’re going to be stronger than we were before…” Defining moments make you stronger, they make you better. God has not given you the spirit of fear… “Fear nothing” and you can do all things through Christ… “So what are you waiting on?”

On September 11, 2001 our nation was faced with a Defining Moment in which we had a chance to Fold or Be Bold… We chose to Be Bold! Let boldness be the story of your life: Stop, Listen to God’s Whispers, Be Bold and Define Your Defining Moments!

Are you defining Your “Defining Moments” or are your “Defining Moments” Defining you?

Recently, I was talking to my sister-in-law who attends one of the local colleges here in the State of Oklahoma.  She was telling me about her experience with the Humanities Professor, who happens to be the University Chaplain as well.  We will refer to her Professor as Dr. “J.”

Dr. “J.”gives his students books of the Bible to read for assignments along with discussion questions.  Apparently during the second week of school one of the students had some concerns about Dr. “J.” giving them assignments out of the Bible.  Here is what the exchange between the concerned student and Dr. “J.” sounded like:

• Student- “I don’t think we should have assignments that require us to read the Bible.”
• Dr. “J.”- “Why is that?”
• Student- “Because, I don’t believe in the Bible.”
• Dr. “J.”- “That’s fine you don’t have to believe in The Bible, The Bible Is Just Literature to you.”
• Student- “That’s not true, it’s used for religious purposes.”
• Dr. “J.”- “It may be used for religious purposes to some… but to others such as yourself, The Bible Is Just Literature…  Your assignment is to read Acts 8:26-28, 1st 2 Chapters of Genesis and Psalms 23″

The reality is… to some people The Bible is the living, breathing, true, life-changing, infallible word of God and to others The Bible Is Just Literature. The sad commentary is that often times those of us who claim to believe The Bible is the True Word of God, treat The Bible as though it’s just literature.

Share your thoughts on The Bible, this post or Dr. “J.’s” approach.

Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the Summer.  This holiday is often regarded as a day of rest, barbecues, football, picnics, water activities and parades. These are all great Labor Day activities; however I’m gong to simplify how we should all celebrate Labor Day.

Here are 3 Ways Everyone Should Celebrate Labor Day:

1. Chill
2. Grill
3. Be Still

It’s as simple as 1-2-3; today is a day to chillax, spend time with family and friends, fire up the grill and be still.  This is how I’ll be celebrating my Labor Day, How about you?

Happy Labor Day!

First the movie Seven Pounds and now this Texting While Driving PSA… I’m done!

Quite awhile ago I shared a poem that I had written entitled “I Don’t Want To Go To Your Church.” My intent with the poem was to share some observations and feelings from the perspective of a first time attender in a church environment.  The post was well received for the most part and then out of nowhere I received a lengthy passion-filled comment from a somewhat anonymous person named “Hulk.“  Maybe they decided to go by Hulk because they were angry, muscular or maybe even green; nonetheless their comment is below.

If you want to read the post in it’s entirety and get some perspective on Hulk’s original comment and response to other commenters, you can click here.

Here is Hulk’s response to my post titled: “I Don’t Want To Go To Your Church.”

“What a true post! I relate 100% with that!
I’m really tired of hearing stuff like what rencal said “God does say ‘come as you are,’ however He does not say ’stay where you are at!’”

God accepts and loves where you are at 100% of the time. The problem is that in the walls of the church, in the middle of all the numb, like-minded, judgmental people, you will find that they hurl stuff like ‘He doesn’t say stay where you’re at’.

There’s no compassion or understanding with where people often find themselves stuck! Be honest, life is hard, problems are hard. Problems are not overcome in 5 seconds, they can take years to work through in your life, and sometimes after making progress you still stuff up!

The church needs people to be honest with where they’re at. The church needs to know how to hear honesty without launching the judgement rocket.

The church, as it is, does not know how to live honestly. It takes people who are searching for truth and engulfs them in a culture of talk. A culture of people that are mask wearers and fakers.

Imagine if somebody in “leadership” were to be honest and talk about where they’re at! Do YOU think the church would accept that? If they were truly honest with the problems that plague their life, they would be stood down from leadership.

So instead of embracing truth and honesty, they are locked away in a lonely closet. They want to change, they want to be accepted for who THEY REALLY ARE, but that can’t be found in the church! They are too busy pretending and judging.

Faye, your church is just like that. You may be welcoming (an evangelistic technique), but what about being real? Church by definition is like that. There is no escape. Churches are filled with modern day Pharisees. The Pharisees today just litter their talk with WORDS like, grace, forgiveness, Jesus, acceptance, but it is all based on performance, position and recognition.

I detest this man-made construct. It is hollow. It is the same as any other group out there. There is no difference in your lives; only denial!

God is nothing like this hell-hole we call church. That’s why I don’t go anymore. Tired of the talk. Couldn’t see any walk.”

Is this what people think about The Church?  If so, It’s sad…  I’m not saying that some things aren’t true, it’s just dissapointing and sad!

Watch the video and share your thoughts on panhandlers and homeless people on the side of the road. Do you generally help (money, food, hygiene items etc.)? What thoughts go through your mind when you pull up to the intersection? What are your thoughts regarding Kevin’s perspective?

Note: It’s a little windy, but it helps with the ambiance!

Like so many of you reading this post, I have read or heard Matthew 5:37 countless times.  It is the Bible verse where Jesus says: Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’  Again, I have read this and heard it so many times; however the other day when I read it, I realized that there was one very important word that I was reading right past.  That word is Simply.

This passage speaks to being a man or woman of your word, doing what you say you are going to do, not just talking about it…  being about it; because at the end of the day, your word is all that you have.  In my opinion the key to this passage, is for us to get to a place to where we don’t have to think about, struggle with, talk about or have any questions about being a man or woman of our word.  It becomes easy, it becomes who we are… It’s Simply What We do!

It seems to be increasingly more difficult for men, women, couples, leaders, teenagers, employers and this generation overall to Simply let their ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and their ‘No,’ ‘No’!

Simply…

Share your thoughts!

I’ve always been amazed by the number of people that I know, meet, work with and hear about, that are “People Pleasers.”  You know the person that tries to camouflage their desire to please everyone through chronic niceness, super-holiness, overly-concerned nature and simply wanting to make everyone happy. 

At the end of the day “People Pleasers” spend so much time trying to please others that they begin to loose sight of what is best for themselves.  At work: they work longer hours, don’t speak up and put all of their efforts towards harmony, rather than what is right or best.  During the Holiday Seasons, “People Pleasers” will spend extra money buying a lot of unnecessary or expensive gifts; when the reality is that the people receiving the gifts could care less. Remember the principle that you learned as a child: “It’s the thought that counts!”   

I take the opposite approach of being a people pleaser and pretty much live by the mantra of “I don’t really care what people think!” I’m not saying that to be rude, cool, disrespectful, crude, cocky… that’s simply who I am.  This does’nt mean that I am not compassionate, loving, caring, considerate, thoughtful, appreciative and don’t like harmony; as a matter of fact it’s quite the contrary.  I try to ensure that my discernment and decision making comes from a Christ centered confidence and not from the approval of people.  The reality is that people are really not worried about me or you, because they’re too worried about themselves. 

The bottom line is that People Pleasers Need To Get A Life; a life that exhibits a boldness that only comes through Christ.  We must examine our thoughts, feelings, motives and behaviors; and place God’s desires for our lives before others’ approval.  I’m not sure that people pleasers are pleasing God… just people. 

Are you, or do you know a “People Pleaser?”  Share your thoughts on People Pleasers.  You can be candid and can say what you mean, because remember “I really don’t care what people think!”    Get a Life… Posted in Love!

Chris Brown and Sony Dance all The Way To The Bank… Thanks To Hillarious Wedding Video.   This crazy viral YouTube shows the entire Wedding Party doing a crazy dance number to Chris Brown’s song “Forever” while entering.  Two things are probably certain about this video 1.) the Couple wanted this video to go viral.  2.)  The couple did not have permission from Chris Brown, Sony or Rihanna {insert smile} to use the song.

Instead of Sony getting an injunction, suing, having the video removed or crying like a baby they decided to dance all the way to the bank.  The video has received 14 million views and Sony added a nice little click-to-buy link where you can buy the single.  Can you say Cha’ Ching$$$$…  sales have skyrocketed, with the single topping both Amazon and iTunes top seller lists. 

Does this change the game for the way the recording industry views music piracy or unauthorized use?  Share your thoughts on the video, the couple 5 minutes of fame or Sony’s approach!

Often times people are assessing their jobs, roles, callings… by asking themselves the following question over and over: “Should I stay or should I go, should I stay or should I go…?”  Here are 10 Signs It May Be Time To Move On:

1. You get an upset stomach every morning on your way to work.
2. At-least once a week you think the following thoughts “If so and so does (_blank__) again today I’m going to quit.”
3. You’ve asked God for signs that it’s time to move on and he has spoken to you through people, places, circumstances, His Word… you’ve heard its time to move on from God in every way besides hearing his audible voice.
4. You can’t find anyone within a square mile radius of your job that you like, trust or believe in.
5. Your boss has said to you “It may be time for you to move on!”
6. You are 100% certain that you could have a bigger impact, be happier, put your family in a better situation… by moving on and the only thing that’s holding you back is fear.
7. You tell yourself, your spouse and your friends on a regular basis that it’s time to move on and they agree.
8. When an American Idol Contestant is sent home; you begin envision the greener pastures that are on the other side of them be kicked off.  You then draw parallels to yourself being in the Top 10 and imagine how being kicked out of your workplace will be better for you.
9. Every time your boss calls you in his office or on the phone; you immediately start wondering what you did wrong or think they’re going to act like Donald Trump and say “You’re Fired!”
10. You’ve read through the 9 signs above and said to yourself “That’s the confirmation that I needed.”

Life brings us many seasons and we have to be prepared for each and every one of them.  There is always a time to stay and a time to Go.  Many people are absolutely supposed to stay exactly where they are; however there is a percent who should definitely Go. 

Whatever decision you make, don’t merely make it on emotions alone; but rather give yourself and your family opportunity to evaluate legitimate considerations.  Don’t be the miserable person sitting around saying “Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda but never Dida!” Shh, be quiet & listen to God’s Whispers.

Share your stories, perspective & thoughts?  What are other signs that it may be time to move on?