Attitude Adjustment – Page 2 – "…because you matter!"

Spiritual Parallel

When it comes to life and faith, which is more important, ‘For’ or ‘In’? Huh?

Both of these words carry a huge impact with regards to how you process your life and your faith.

The ‘For’ part:

It occurs to me that we need the executive level provision. What do I mean? We need a provision, a place, an opportunity made available. We need a pre-arranged set of circumstances to facilitate our next step.

Let me explain.

I have spent my last couple of weeks in Camp. Because of the “Beast,” the Fort McMurray Fire, my work has been provided and dispatched from a Camp setting. The camp exists because of those who have initially set it up; by those who manage its facilities, and the company I work for who has accessed the facilities and finally whoever pays the bill, fortunately not me.

I have full access to the entire facility, within the rules of its use. It is actually quite amazing; the food; the room where I can have the quiet to write a piece like this and where I can peacefully sleep; all the amenities. All of this provision is ‘For’ me and a few thousand others.

The “In” part:

How I use the provided facilities is entirely up to me. I can choose to eat at the times provided, the food has been fantastic, or not. My choice. I can use the Common Room for recreation or not. I can walk/run the track or play basketball or badminton in the gymnasium. Or, I can decline.

For some, Camp is just a place to be, to endure for the next period of time. I have chosen differently.

I decided that if I have to be away from family and my regular life, if I have to be displaced by the fire, then why not make it pay?

I have been daily hitting the gym and work out area. I have been eating well and healthy and walking upwards of 10k a day. Really.

What have I done? I have chosen to apply, to use, to leverage what has been provided ‘For’ me and make it work ‘In’ me. My choice.

The spiritual parallel:

There has been a provision made for everyone. God has provided, an executive decision, for all through Christ.

There you have it; it is there for you with all of its amenities.

So, how will you apply it? Your choice.

You Don’t Have To Live; You Get to!

Attitude, Wish Upon Wish

Oh How I Wish

Oh, how I wish that I could have a do-over. Oh, how I wish that I didn’t have to go through what I just went through. Oh, how I wish that the first time were sufficient. Oh, how I wish that I could just learn by osmosis. I wish that when I blew out the candles that ease and tranquility would just be.

And then, life.

Life doesn’t behave according to how I wish or how you do for that matter.

In this last week, I’ve had a chance to see some of the results of the Fort McMurray Fire first hand. What impressed me the most was the indiscriminate nature of the fire. This morning I noticed a large patch of burnt grass, and right in the middle, there was about a 3 metre by a 3-metre section of non-burnt, totally exposed, portion of brush. The inverse is true as well. There was no indication of fire anywhere and then there is a severely scorched patch right in the middle of nowhere.

When life hits the way, this Beast hit Fort McMurray we are left stymied. The, “Oh, how I wish!” can impale us if we are not careful. Our strong desire for ease, our fatigued longing for the better and plan-able grow an angst inside that, like fire, can totally get away on us.

So, what do we do? How do we get our equilibrium back?

1) Recognize that stuff happens. In the context of love and perfection, Jesus lets us know through scripture that we are normal. “…He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45b, NIV)

2) Recognize that God means to do you good. Romans 8:28 say’s that God works in your life if you turn your thoughts toward him because He’s working out a plan for you.

3) Rest in the fact that God’s got it. (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Now is an opportunity for real change. Instead of wishing, then wishing and wishing some more, hoping for something eluding, place your hope in God’s words.

Then you can begin to say, “I just know that we’re going to be okay!”

You Don’t Have To Live; You Get To!

Frazzled, Stress

Frazzled

I’ve seen frazzled from quite a few different angles and vantage points this last week to 10 days as our city of 88,000 had to flee their homes and jobs to save their lives.

As I sit here to write, I find my focus and concentration are somewhat challenged. Things have changed.

I saw my role as ‘Helper’, and so I did. I started helping from where I was.

We weren’t in the evacuation because we had already left a few days earlier, but our son was, we felt helpless and watched as the stories and reports came in. My family was displaced and scattered. I wanted them together with hugs. So, I started doing what I could with Facebook, email and texting, tracking other people’s safety. More than a few onlookers immediately responded as I confirmed their loved one’s safe exodus. Everyone was on pins and needles. Conversations, phone calls, words of encouragement, all flowed from heart, phone and keyboard wherever I could.

Then the second night it hit. I lay down at the end of a long day and all of a sudden it dawned on me, “I am a refuge.” I was ready to help others and see perspective for them, but I wasn’t prepared to be one who himself wondered worried or needed help.

Now several days later, in the hub of activity, I have spent the last few days helping connect people and resources. Tomorrow I’m leaving. I’ve been called back to work so I have to help once again from a distance.

Life has been big for a lot of people this past week. No. Life has been huge for people. It’s been huge for those who have lost and are displaced; it’s been huge for those who have realigned their schedules to take them in. Life has been huge for those who help. Everyone is trying to cope and help.

So? Pray. Pray for those around you. Pray for those you know here and at a distance. Pray for their situations and challenges. But, don’t forget to pray for yourself. Don’t just cope, pray. Frazzle starts to dissipate and settle when you pray.

Let me help you start. “Lord I’m frazzled, I need your peace…”

You Don’t Have To Live; You Get To!

About Pain, Attitude, Growth out of Pain

Beauty for Ashes

Due to the fact that in the last three days a fire has ravaged our city, and around 80,000 people have been displaced, I wanted you to see this.

-And, considering the that in the last three days we have become homeless, for at least the foreseeable future, I think that this scripture from the Old Testament is amazing.

Look at the application of this scripture in Isaiah, 61:1-3, (NIV.)

From this text, I think that our best days are ahead of us.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

Will you believe with me for this? It can happen for you. I want to see for everyone, “…beauty for ashes…” What an incredible hope?

You Don’t Have to Live; You Get To!

Attitude, Stress

Strrressss!

Yesterday was stressor #3! But, that wasn’t good enough for us, so we moved it to a 1.5. We felt, “Why not?” Instead of just moving one daughter, we decided to move two to two new locations, well actually they decided, we just ‘parented.’ Not only did we move two daughters we threw in two ferry crossings all within 19 hours, which seems common these days…the nineteen hour part.

Moving from one home to another is considered one of the top five stressors in our North American life. Healthstatus dot com says, “It may be a happy occasion, but it is still a disruption of your routine. And any disruption of your routine causes stress.”

It occurs to me, we don’t want disturbance, that’s why we don’t want to change. The fear that we imagine will be keeps us from moving in our thoughts our attitudes. “It’s easier just to maintain,” we reason. “Don’t rock the boat; I’ve lived this way too long.” Shame. (British/South African for, ‘that’s too bad.’)

When did we start hardening up? When did we become crusty? We changed all the time when we were kids. Now we need some catastrophic event to move us.

Why not turn our faces into the wind and begin to embrace the adventure? Let’s not wait to be moved by some major upset. Let’s decide ourselves. Let’s embrace the discomfort, the unexpected, the mystery.

Pull out all the stops, jump in with both feet, seize the day, taste my metaphor soup and change!

Oh, one more thing. You actually have to move to make this happen.

There were no blow-outs, no fracturing of relationships, no forever regrets; just four tired people. Change can happen. It can happen well.

You Don’t Have To Live; You Get To!

Attitude, Get Moving

Location, Location, Location

My wife and I just travelled much of yesterday and through the night last night. We journeyed for nineteen hours all in, to set ourselves up for the next week, month, year and years; my wife for a major trip, myself for a major course for credentialing, and to help my two daughters for a significant shift in their locations.

The key is that we couldn’t do anything for any of that without a change of our position. The location change is temporary but vital and necessary for the accomplishment of all those goals.

I’ve heard the phrase, so you must have too, “Location, Location, Location.” From the phrase, from the emphasis, location is a huge deal, but it is.

Our place we hold in life, the place we currently are and the place we need to be is location or attitudinal particular.

What changes do you need to make to prepare your readiness, your availability, your centre of operation? What trip do you need to make in your thoughts or attitudes to be proximal for your next move or project?

Faith filled living is all about trajectory and movement towards the object of our faith, Christ.

Take a moment and check your setting. Get proximal to his purpose for your life. If necessary, make the plans and get moving.

You Don’t Have To Live; You Get To!

Attitude, Life-Long Learning

Learning Life

Recently I went back to College. (When you are fifty-six anything less than five years is recent). My intention was to complete a degree as I only had a diploma for my years spent in college. The idea of going back into a controlled way of learning was, to say the least, a bit intimidating. I engaged, and I did well, but my learning didn’t start or stop there.
Years ago I committed to myself to be a “Learner.” I decided to grow and as much as depended on me to increase my learning. I’ve done it formally with certificates and courses as well as informally with books and online courses. I’ve experimented in business with success and failure and, taught by both. Probably more important than anything formal, I have taught myself how to learn.
One of the best questions I have learned to ask is, “Why?” As I try to figure out the answer, I’ve added to my learning.
So, have you stopped learning with your formal education? Has your quest for understanding ceased? I hope not.
Why don’t you commit today, maybe once again to process and understand this beautiful thing called life?
Why not engage again to be a life long learner?

You Don’t Have To Live; You Get To!

Change, Focus

Focus – Look Where You Want To Go

From where do you draw your direction?

Where is it that you get your lead?

We live in a culture that bombards us and presses us to take our lead, our directives from what is before our eyes. It’s called advertising. It’s called ‘News.’ It’s called trending.

So, what is before your eyes?

Maybe, like a widely represented group in Canada, your answer would be social media or news media.

All too often I think we are cultured to fit, flow, and move with the pack. Given just enough information to ‘help us’ develop our opinion we move onto the next media onslaught.

Focus is everything in our context; where we are looking is where we are going. That may not seem like a big deal until you wind up at a place that is not okay then you scratch your head wondering how you could be so far off track.

The principle is ‘Look at where you want to go.’ This phrase is true in the Martial Arts; as my son has been instructing me, look at where you want that kick to land. It is also true in professional driving, ‘look to the horizon of where you want to go.’

Our look, our ‘set’ is paramount.

Why not set your eyes, your focus, and your vision now, before you find your life off course?

Maybe this blog finds you off course. You can change your trajectory with a new focus.

David, the giant killer/King, did it. Psalm 16:8

Paul, the Christian persecutor, found his focus and became the forgiven propagator and prolific author of the Christian faith. Philippians 3:13b-14

Maybe today you can find your focus, your set, and your target?

You Don’t Have To Live; You Get To!

Attitude, Get Ready

Get Ready

Everybody is ready for something.

Some people are ready to quit. Some are ready to exceed expectations. Some people are ready to leave, and others are ready to stay. A few are ready to go back to bed. Then there are those that are ripe-ready to get angry. (That would be someone else). Others are party-bursts waiting to happen.

What are you ready for?

Getting ready has an action attached even if you haven’t thought about it or don’t realize it.

If you knew that I was coming to pick you up for dinner, not just any dinner but we are going to dinner at your favorite spot with your favorite sports hero, or movie star, you would immediately start preparing.

Your preparation would start with your dreams then it would move to the order of your day and what has to happen and then it would be the practical steps to make yourself ready. Nothing has changed in your day up until this moment, just information. But you would immediately start your list in mind preparation. Immediately.

If I then showed up at your door at the appointed time with my sandals, t-shirt, and swimsuit only to inform you that we were going to the beach instead, you most likely would be angry. Why? You would be upset because you believed me and then took the appropriate time to get ready. You already were taking action for the dream that was playing in your mind.

Well, here is some enormously important information.

God has great plans for you. He wants to move you and your heart-dreams ahead. He wants you to prosper with no downside. He wants your heart to look ahead in hope to a bright future.

Jeremiah gave this promise in the middle of a prophecy to the people of Israel. They were in hard times and some of those times were going to get even harder.

Right into the middle of their pain, God speaks this promise through Jeremiah.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

I say, “It’s time to get ready!”

You Don’t Have To Live; You Get To!

Attitude

From Blessings to Hellholes

After living in his car in -10 degrees, $325.00 for a room and shared washrooms looked perfect for my friend in the boom town to which we had just moved.
These first answers in a long line of needs, job, permanent accommodations, and family separation just to name a few quickly felt like a windfall from the heavens. Several people that I met there and lived with could tell this same story.
I found it amazingly intriguing what transpired over the next few months.
These same people managed to find a job, start work. Their bank balance began to increase, their familiarity with their environment and system of the city, made them more comfortable, and they started to feel entitled to something better.
Now, they “Can’t wait to get out of this hellhole.”
How did these accommodations, though simple, change from a blessing to a hellhole?
Granted, they weren’t the newest, they were old. The accommodations weren’t the cleanest; they were old. But it was a far cry from the $700.00 others were paying for a single room, and it definitely was better than the back seat of a car.
Something changed for my buddy. What?
He had the same accommodations and great people living there. (Somewhat biased)
He had the same price.
He had the same people managing.
He was the same person evaluating.
There was only one distinct difference that I could find; my accommodation buddy chose a new attitude. Not good, not great; just new.
As I recall, things eventually worked out for all of us who shared this accommodation story.
If you are going to live through something anyway, why not live through it with a smile in your heart, not just on your face, but in your heart.
You can make that choice.

You Don’t Have To; You Get To!