Serving Strong

Strangely Disconnect (re-post)

September 2008 I posted an experience regarding what I call a "Season of Frenzy". I witness a lot of people engaged in this season these days and I thought I'd re-post the thought today. Here it is:

I just came out of a very busy 2-week period.  I was away from home on 3 separate trips.  And because of the trips, I was overly busy at home and the office.  It was what I call a "season of frenzy."

Seasons come and go.  We're in the beginning of Autumn in Ohio and we're seeing sections of trees turning yellow or maroon.  This season is replacing the beautiful summer season we just came through.  And it will be replaced by the winter season.  Seasons were meant to be temporary.

The season I went through is now past and I don't have a trip planned for the near future.  But what I noticed was the toll it took on my marriage relationship.  Throughout the "season of frenzy" and for a time afterward, Jennie and I had to do some reconnecting.  We value quiet time together and the "season" hadn't allowed us to honor that value.  We hadn't connected for longer than we prefer.  We were temporarily out of balance.

Lesson Learned:

I vowed to try and look ahead to any upcoming "seasons of frenzy" and take steps ahead of time to ensure life balance.  For example, in this particular case had I taken preventative measures, I would have carved out at least 2 special dates with Jennie when I was home between trips.  I learned that while in the "season of frenzy" I need to create more intentional boundaries and self care measures.

Learn to navigate through your "seasons of frenzy" and you'll be Serving Strong!

The next issue of the Serving Strong eNews will provide some practical steps in dealing with a Season of Frenzy. If you're not a subscriber to this free resource, CLICK HERE

I just came out of a very busy 2-week period.  I was away from home on 3 separate trips.  And because of the trips, I was overly busy at home and the office.  It was what I call a "season of frenzy."

Seasons come and go.  We're in the beginning of Autumn in Ohio and we're seeing sections of trees turning yellow or maroon.  This season is replacing the beautiful summer season we just came through.  And it will be replaced by the winter season.  Seasons were meant to be temporary.

The season I went through is now past and I don't have a trip planned for the near future.  But what I noticed was the toll it took on my marriage relationship.  Throughout the "season of frenzy" and for a time afterward, Jennie and I had to do some reconnecting.  We value quiet time together and the "season" hadn't allowed us to honor that value.  We hadn't connected for longer than we prefer.  We were temporarily out of balance.

Lesson Learned:

I vowed to try and look ahead to any upcoming "seasons of frenzy" and take steps ahead of time to ensure life balance.  For example, in this particular case had I taken preventative measures, I would have carved out at least 2 special dates with Jennie when I was home between trips.  I learned that while in the "season of frenzy" I need to create more intentional boundaries and self care measures.

Learn to navigate through your "seasons of frenzy" and you'll be Serving Strong!

The next issue of the Serving Strong eNews will provide some practical steps in dealing with a Season of Frenzy. If you're not a subscriber to this free resource, CLICK HERE

Too Much Of A Good Thing

Today is a special day for Americans. Freedom is celebrated all across the country. The staple of the celebration: Fireworks.

It's a beautiful thing to behold fireworks when they burst from the earth and explode in the sky with an array of colors and sound. They have evoked "Ohhh"s and "Awww"s from children and adults for years.

It's also a dangerous thing when fireworks go wrong. The picture in this post apparently is what happens when a homemade firework meets the human hand.

Fireworks: A paradox of beauty and danger.

Working with people: A paradox of a satisfying career and burnout.

You are a people helpers. You labor in the craft of others' burdens. You are problem solvers. You feel others' pain. How do you keep this tremendous callling from eroding into burnout? I suggest 4 habits:

1) Spin. Be sure your plates (Christ follower, spouse, parent, financial, relational, physical, etc.) are spinning with approriate speed and attention.

2) Swing. Be sure to go full out in your work AND go full in to rest and recreate. Remember, it's not so much that you rest from your work as it is you work from your rest.

3) Align. Be sure to spend most of your waking hours engaged in where your passion lies and where your skills are used.

4) Center. Start each day in a posture of brokenness before the God who calls you and stay in that posture the remainder of the day.

Spin, Swing, Align, and Center. These are the habits which help you keep your profession beautiful without burning out.  Serve Strong!

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The Lawn And The Ladder

I come in contact with people who struggle with the way things are. They worry about job security, the economy, the cost of living. They are concerned about the Middle East, threats of nuclear war... the list goes on and on.

Here's a two-step action plan that may help you get a better handle on everything. Take 3 slow, deep breaths and let's get started:

THE LAWN

   Step One: Get it all out on paper. Like cleaning out your garage or house, pull everything out of your mind and on to paper like pulling everything out onto the lawn. There is something therapeutic about this exercise. Many times, people find the volume of concerns is not nearly as big as they were thinking. But that's not it. Merely listing every concern on paper doesn't complete the loop. You must get perspective.

THE LADDER

  Step Two: After everything is out on your "lawn", climb a ladder and survey the landscape. Look at every concern one by one. Consider any trends or ways similar concerns can be grouped together. Then pray over them. Tell God about your anxiety. Tell Him what your concern "hot spots" are (those concerns that are head & shoulders above the rest.) Ask Him for wisdom. Ask Him for a renewed sense of peace. (Remember the "Big Five": God Will Always Come Through.)

Being anxious (whether it's about one thing or multiple things) saps us of energy we need to devote to the people helping profession to which we were called. Absent anxiety, we are Serving Strong!

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Subscriber Ideas On Debt

As you may already know, one of the services Serving Strong offers is a free weekly eNews that goes out every Tuesday morning at 6:00am EST. It's a short read designed to challenge and encourage people helpers to keep their balance and self care in mind as they pursue their calling. Because of God's grace, subscribership comes from 10 countries around the world.

A couple weeks ago, the eNews dealt with the issue of debt and how it can freeze up the mental and emotional space we need in order to serve strong in our profession. A couple subscribers responded with what they have done that really works for them in this topic of debt:

"I have had to think twice (OK, three times) before buying something that was not a basic need. And an important part of my becoming debt free was accepting the advice of a financial advisor.  In my case, it was a son who has handled his money well over the years.  I tell him what I am considering buying, and why it is important to me.  Sometimes that alone talks me out of it because it really isn't that important.  Then we talk about the options, and where it would be best to look for it.  He's taught me to read and heed the comments of people who have bought them there. Next month I will end a 2 year retired pastor's appointment, and for the first time I can breathe easily not knowing whether it will be replaced with another income."  ~SC.

"I still find my best route is to take away the temptation in the first place. I have two automatic deductions from my paycheck going to separate savings vehicles adn I never "see it" in my paycheck. I can access if I need to, but it takes another intentional action to remove it and I am able to check if I really HAVE to take out that money... works for me."  ~SR.

I couldn't have said it better. The eNews subscribers are tremendous people who work hard to help other people. If you would like to join them in the Serving Strong community here's the link:

http://www.servingstrong.com/jointhecommunity

Taking control of your debt and eliminating it makes room for you to Serve Strong!

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Does God Really Miss Us?

I was driving in the car today with my son. We drove by one of those billboards. You know, the big black signs with white lettering as though they are phrases from God? This one said,

"I've Missed You."  - God

It reminded me of other ones I've seen like "Let's get together this weekend" or "Don't make me come down there", which seem to indicate our time with God is fixed on specific moments and that God exists largely separated from us - like that great aunt who lives across the country who we only see during rare family reunions.

I don't know about you, but the "I've Missed You" sign really got me thinking. Does God really miss us? I mean, if He is always with us how can me miss us? Shouldn't it read something like, "I long for your companionship"?

I hold an alternate perspective. I believe our walk with God (which is to be intimate and organic, according to John 15) is 24-7-365. It's just that PART of our walk happens to be with other people engaged in corporate worship. But that's only a small part of our journey. And "I've Missed You" indicates that God and I are somehow separated. I understand the concept of being separated by God because of sin. But I'm coming to also understand that God never leaves us nor forsakes us. He still loves us IN SPITE of our sin. In fact, if I'm not where I need to be, God is constantly pursuing ME. The real truth is I must come to recognize His presence in my life - the presence that is always there already.

So, does God ever miss us? I don't think He does. Does He long for our attention? You bet!

As you serve your span of care this week, live each moment in full recognition of God and His presence in your life and you'll be Serving Strong!

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Simplicity Wins Again

Have you heard about the new Google Voice? It's a product Google is rolling out of Beta format that provides a single phone number for all your cell, home, and work phone numbers. You can manage all your voice services online. If you move, change jobs, or switch wireless carriers, your Google Voice number stays with you.

Read the entire article here.

Seems regardless of the options we are presented, we always end up craving simplicity. Sure, I'll admit - technological advancements are fun and exciting (have your seen what Peter Molyneuxand Xbox 360 is doing with a project called Natal?). But it seems we intuitively sense the power in the plain and "to the point".

Are you too complicated in your people-helping profession? Or are you a simple, lean, mean serving machine? Keep things simple and you'll be Serving Strong!