Big Is The New Small

Posterized - A slang term depicting a play in basketball. In said play, a player dunks the ball over top or in front of another player, making a play so picturesque that it may appear on a poster, hence the term, posterized.  (Blake Griffin makes a living out of posertizing NBA players.)

For those of you that follow sports you know that @blakegriffin is a freak of nature and is an ESPN top 10 highlight reel waiting to happen.  I happen to know Blake and his family, as they attended the LifeChurch.tv Campus that I pastored for many years. (casual name drop)

Blake has always had an amazing knack for the rim and ability to finish with a power dunk.  With the recent addition of one of the best point guards and floor generals in the game, Chris Paul, it’s power dunk to the nth degree.  So much so that the LA Clippers arena is nicknamed Lob City because of what Chris Paul combined with DeaAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin can do with the alley-oop.

Recently Blake Griffin did a monster dunk on OKC Thunder Big Man, my man Kendrick Perkins. The dunk has received over 3 million views and counting on YouTube.  You can check it out here.  I personally have seen way more powerful dunks by Blake Griffin than the Kendrick Perkins contested dunk.

The next game after the Big Posterization dunk on Kendrick Perkins, Blake Griffin and the Clippers faced the Utah Jazz.  Every time Blake got close to the rim, players were scurrying like a bunch of scared mice, because they didn’t want to get posterized.  It’s not only happening with Blake Griffin, but often times you will see players vacate the scene because they don’t want to get posterized.

In life or in basketball, if you want to be successful and you want to be a winner you must be willing to get posterized.  Don’t back down from a challenge, a promotion, taking a risk, facing an opponent or contesting one of the most prolific dunkers in the game.  Go after em’, give it what you got and be willing to get posterized.  Kendrick Perkins’ response to the posterization sums up what I’m trying to say, “It happens… At the end of the day, if you’re a shot blocker, you’re going to get dunked on.” At the end of the day if you give it all that you have in life, business, sports etc. you’re going to get dunked on.

The ones that will be successful in the end are the ones that are willing to take a risk, the ones that are willing to get posterized.  That poster is a symbol that you were willing to try and not run away like a scared coward.  I’d much rather have a guy like Kendrick Perkins on my team than these other guys who are running scared.  That timid business is just weak sauce…  no matter the task; give it all that you have.

Our 26th President Theodore Rooselvelt spoke about those that are not willing to get posterized,

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”  ~Theodore Roosevelt

Why is this generation a generation that is unwilling to get posterized?  Share your thoughts on this new generation of cold timid souls.

I’m typing this quick post from my phone as I’m out on a ranch somewhere in the middle of Southern Oklahoma, where my cellphone & Internet coverage is intermittent at best. That’s actually a good thing.

I’m a part of a year long discipleship, leadership group comprised of Christian leaders from all walks of Oklahoma City. The leadership team along with each person in the group has a vision of being Salt & Light to the Oklahoma City community.

It’s been a great evening of fellowship, riding around on all-terrain vehicles, touring the ranch, seeing cows and historic landmarks where horses, buggies and Native Americans once roamed.

Right now the evening is wrapping up and I’m just spending some alone time with God. My cabin mates are in bed and I decided to stand outside in awe of how close the stars appear when you are not in the city. You can see a pic from the back porch of my cabin above.

It’s quiet and I have a lot of loud noises and ideas rumbling around in my ever so busy head. Right now I’m alone with God and things are beginning to move a bit slower. All of the ideas are becoming more clear… There is a lot that I can see, I can’t to do all of the things that as of right now I can only see.

Not sure I’m going to move to the country; however I can guarantee I’ll make it a point to find some alone time with God somewhere in the middle of his creation and that somewhere will not be in the city.

Shh, quiet can you hear it. In the sill of the night I hear God’s whispers. You know why I can hear His whispers? It’s because I’m Alone With God!

Are you taking time to be Alone With God?

As I’m sitting here in my hotel room in the middle of Times Square in #NYC, I’m thinking about this theme and these shirts about people people loving or (hearting) NY. As a matter of fact it was one of the more requested souvenir items from my friends and family back in #OKC.

We have been to NYC many times and every time I find myself leaving saying the exact same thing. That is a great city to visit, but there is no way that I could live there. This time my wife and I are actually here with another couple, who happen to be long time great friends. It has been great to take a bite out of the Big Apple together. We walked the streets of #NYC last night and let me tell you this place doesn’t sleep, it doesn’t stop and many people seem to love NY.

It was around midnight last night (Sunday) that we stopped by Starbucks in Times Square and the place was hopping. We asked the barista what time they close and her response was, “We Don’t.” NY doesn’t sleep or at least the persona is that it’s always moving, always happening and it’s the epicenter for those making things happen and those wanting to make things happen.

As I was standing in the middle of this make things happen city, I was reminded of the lyrics of rapper, entrepreneur and mogul Jay-Z’s song “Empire State Of Mind.” A small sampling of the song, the chorus sang by Alicia Keys is below:

“In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made, oh
There’s nothing you can’t do, now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you, let’s hear it for New York
New York, New York…”

I do agree with Jay-Z in the fact that the BIG lights can inspire you. They can inspire you to dream BIG. think BIGGER. This is truly a city of dreams a city of potential.

I love BIG DREAMS!
I love POTENTIAL!

You know what, I might just love NY.

Share your thoughts on the Big City Of Dreams… Who knows you may win an I <3 NY t-shirt.

I’m gonna get straight to the point…  ”I like to talk and I like to think!”  Now that we have laid the groundwork, let’s see what God’s word says abut this.

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19

Although I like to talk and I like to think, Over the years and on a daily basis, God has been revealing to me the process of how to do this within my gifts and personality type.  This takes effort and below are some of the things that I do:  7 Ways To Be Quick To Listen and Slow To Speak

1. Think before I talk- Process internally first, then externally.
2. Talk to the necessary audiences- Do these people need to hear this message? Does what I’m saying really matter?
3. Care about what people are saying- If I don’t care about what people say, I’m not listening…  Like it or not, Listening=Caring!
4. Ask clarifying questions- Ask follow-up and clarifying questions to ensure that I’m not just hearing what’s being said.  There is a difference between hearing and listening.
5. Follow-up with yourself-  I process meetings, messages and conversations that I have had with others and evaluate what I said, how they received it etc.
6. Slow to get angry- This should be a no to get angry; I try to never loose my cool.  If I loose my cool, I loose my audience.  You can get upset, but in my opinion “If you show it, you blow it!”  This is really important!
7. Ask someone- Ask a friend, spouse, co-worker or family member “Am I quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry?”  Depending upon their answer, ask them how you can get better in the area they identify.   Seek God, Learn from situations and Apply it daily.  SEEK, LEARN, APPLY!

My dear brothers and sisters take note of this:  Although I am not all the way there, I am becoming quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry.  How about you?  Share your thoughts!

This weekend our message at church was inspired by the movie Coach Carter. Overall it was a great message; however the reciting of an excerpt of Marianne Williamson’s poem “Our Deepest Fear” was truly inspiring. Check out the 39 sec. typography video from the movie Coach Carter as it was recited by Timo Cruz in the movie. Below is the full version of Marianne Williamson’s original poem… let these words inspire you to believe and not fear:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Share your thoughts on these words…

I’m not sure that I’m writing this post because it’s true or because I want it to be true.  Over the years and especially in this text message day and age I’m feeling that e-mail is dying.  Personally, I’m horrible about checking my voicemail and sometimes I can go a week or longer without checking them.  Before you say ’That’s Crazy” or “You’re a pastor, how can you do that?”  My answer is, just because I don’t check my voicemail doesn’t mean I don’t respond to those leaving a message.

I actually have my voicemail message say something like “This is Scott sorry that you missed me, either try back in a few or send me a text message.”   As far as I know, every cell-phone has a missed call ledger and what I do is call back every single missed call.  I have returned some calls and received a random person answering the phone from a restaurant or business, but they are few and far between.  It’s pretty much that simple: if I miss your call, I will call you back, if you text me, I will call you back and by the time I listen to your voicemail there is a high probability that we have already talked.  I’m not going to address the fact that you can connect with me via e-mail or Twitter… that’s a whole nutha story.

I am waiting for Google Voice to go public with their application, which will totally change the world.  It may not change the world; however it will change the world of cell-phone call management.  Currently Google Voice is only open to Grand Central users and I have some friends that use it and it’s amazing… everything from persoanl call screening to translation of voicemail messages to text messages. Voicemail Is Dying and Google Voice Will Change The World.  Click here to learn more about Google Voice.

Am I the only one that thinks Voicemail is Dying?  Do you check your voicemail’s regularly? Share your thoughts on my process or voicemail in general.  If you’re a Google Voice user, please share your experience!

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading BigIsTheNewSmall.com  Think Big… Think Small!

This week I will pose a series of questions that might be difficult to answer, seem controversial, make you go hmm…  Although today’s question is a simple one, the answers may not be quite so simple.  Remember, the one thing about opinions is that everyone has one.   Go ahead share thoughts, opinions, scripture… just sound off.  RSS readers join the discussion as well:

Should pastors drink alcohol in public?  Why or Why not?

I was outside earlier playing around with my boys and I shot this little 90sec. video that got me to thinking.   We recently had a fairly decent snow/ice storm throughout the State of Oklahoma.  For the most part all of the snow/ice is gone and it’s a beautiful 65 degrees outside. All the streets are clear, yards are clear… however we have some patches of ice and snow still hanging around our driveway and porch.

My Thoughts: Just Because The Snow Is Gone… doesn’t mean there are not slick spots still hanging around.  Just because you “Made It Through” that rough season in life, personal struggle, difficult time… doesn’t mean the potential for those life speed-bumps or slick spots don’t exist.

Be Ready, Be Careful, Be Prepared… and you will skate over the icy spots. 

Enjoy this 90sec. random video:

In ’08 I had a bunch of fun growing, leading, connecting, thinking and working on a number of different projects.  A cool project for me in ’08 was shooting a video for a for a message on Envy; as the video was shot in a prison that I was formerly the Warden of.  It was a reminder of the merging of a previous season of my life (corrections), with my current season of life (ministry).   Nick Jones shot the video and he is amazing; I taught the “Envy” Message at Flamingo Road Church in South Florida.

As we go into ’09 let’s be content with the things that God has blessed us with and stop trying to keep up with the Jones’.  Take a look at this short “Envy” video and reflect the things that you may have been imprisoned to in ’08, that you refused to be imprisoned to in ’09. We are Not “Keepin’ Up With The Jones’ in ’09.”

Hostage – Envy from Nick Jones on Vimeo.

Over the last few days I have been feeling a little tired and my throat seemed just a bit sore.  Yesterday I was running through my message/sermon for this weekend and by the end of my run-through, I noticed that my voice was almost gone.  So I have decided to take the advice of many good people and try all of the home remedies; as well as not talk until Saturday.  When I say not talk that means I’m having a couple of phone conversations here and there, whispering or talking really low to my family but for the most part, I’m not talking.  It was really difficult or me not to talk at my boys b-ball practice last night; it will be more difficult at the Thunder game tonight and my boys b-ball games tomorrow.

I am a “Thinker” by nature; in other-words, I love to think things through for myself and others, I like to think and dream, I like to think “What If’,” I like to think think think…  Since I am limiting my talking, I am obviously increasing my thinking; however my thinking has been in more contemplative. 

In life many times what we need to do is “Shut-Up, Think and Listen!”   Shut-Up, Think and Listen to the whispers, listen to your inner voice and listen to the voice of God.

Pause:  Stop the noise, the madness, the hustle and bustle and simply “Shut-Up, Think and Listen!”