in:ciite fuel

You IS.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:56:00 +0000

We watched the movie The Help last night.

It was painful, sad, and inspiring. I know these people. Not literally those people but the characters. I grew up in a small town in Alabama and I know these people; the good and the bad.

I was very fortunate to grow up in a home where my parents did not see color, they saw people and they made sure I saw the same. People who were made by the same Creator. period. I am grateful for them and their conviction of truth and not conforming to culture.

I know there have been some negative reviews of The Help because of the stereotypes in the book/movie but I have to say whether you lived it or know someone who lived it, the pain and the inspiration are real and not just stereotypes.

There were many great moments in the movie but the bottom line for me was this great reminder; each of us has value and it is important to remind ourselves and each other every day of our value. Words matter and can put us in bondage or empower us to do great things.

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”
-Mark Twain

Any of us from childhood can be so conditioned to the importance of appearance, performance, and status that we remain bound to these false notions even though God does not see us in these confining chains we and others put on us.

It reminds me of how the circus trains elephants. Have you seen those chains around an elephant's foot with a stake in ground. How can such a small chain restrict such a powerful animal? The elephant remains chained because of a memory. When the animal was very young, he tried to pull free of the chain but was not strong enough to do so. The elephant learned that the chain was stronger than he was, and he has not forgotten the lesson. Even though he is now strong enough to escape, he rarely tries because he is conditioned to captivity.

So many times we are like the elephant. Held by the chains of other peoples opinions, stereotypes, and words but the truth about who you are is stronger than the small chains that have kept you from realizing your full potential as God"s unique and valued creation.

Remind yourself and remind others:

You are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. 1 Peter 2:9

Put simply:

You is kind.

You is smart.

You is important.

Pass it on!

If you like the quote art "You is" above I found it was created by Alana Winder and you can find out more about her and her art @ www.mrs-alanas-miscellany.com

On the line....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:05:00 +0000

We all know the success stories; Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Steve Jobs..etc... Those and many more have risked failure by putting it all on the line for their art and profession and have succeeded.

We also know there are many people not succeeding everyday because of fear, lack of encouragement, or unwillingness to get out of their comfort zone.

So consider this, if you put everything on the line it might not work out.

But the problem with not putting it all on the line is that it will never (ever) change things for the better.

Not much of a choice, I think.

"No risk, no art. No art, no reward." -Godin

Today is life.....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:29:00 +0000

Eleanor Barry, a 70-year-old ex-actress, was passionate about books. She loved to read and she loved books so much she acquired as many as she could and kept them all! She made large stacks because she did not have enough walls and book shelves to hold them. In December of 1986 A giant pile of books collapsed on Miss Barry while she lay in bed. Police had to use an axe to smash the door of her bedroom because the collapsed pile blocked their entry. They stated the weight of the papers muffled her cries for help.

A great argument for iPads and ereaders....huh? I don't know of anyone killed yet by an iPad falling on them!

Here is the lesson for me from Miss Barry's story....it is a good thing to be passionate about what we love...the danger is obsession, isolation, and loss of perspective if we are not careful.

I have many things screaming for my attention today before the week starts but I think instead I will not let them fall on me and kill my day.

Today is life - the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. -Dale Carnegie

2012....WHY NOT?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:19:00 +0000

I took a little time off from the "blogosphere" during December. Mainly, to rest, rebound, reevaluate, and remember all the things God has done for us this past year.

Launching into 2012 is interesting. I know we are in still in the midst of less than ideal times but I still find myself having more reasons than ever to be grateful and hopeful. YES it is still a challenging time but it is also the best possible time for us to be alive and pursuing what God has called us to do.

As I said, I did a lot of reading and "re-reading" in December and ran across an article I had bookmarked by Seth Godin from 9 years ago that truly impacted me but is more relevant than ever in my life and I want to share some of it with you....because I think it is very relevant for you and our journey into 2012.

Hindsight is 20/20.

Here's a question that you should clip out and tape to your bathroom mirror. It might save you some angst 15 years from now. The question is, What did you do back when interest rates were at their lowest in 50 years, crime was close to zero, great employees were looking for good jobs, computers made product development and marketing easier than ever, and there was almost no competition for good news about great ideas?

The thing is, we still live in a world that's filled with opportunity. In fact, we have more than an opportunity -- we have an obligation. An obligation to spend our time doing great things. To find ideas that matter and to share them. To push ourselves and the people around us to demonstrate gratitude, insight, and inspiration. To take risks and to make the world better by being amazing.

Are these crazy times? You bet they are. But so were the days when we were doing duck-and-cover air-raid drills in school, or going through the scares of Three Mile Island and Love Canal. There will always be crazy times.

So stop thinking about how crazy the times are, and start thinking about what the crazy times demand. There has never been a worse time for business as usual. Business as usual is sure to fail, sure to disappoint, sure to numb our dreams. That's why there has never been a better time for the new. Your competitors are too afraid to spend money on new productivity tools. Your bankers have no idea where they can safely invest. Your potential employees are desperately looking for something exciting, something they feel passionate about, something they can genuinely engage in and engage with.

You get to make a choice. You can remake that choice every day, in fact. It's never too late to choose optimism, to choose action, to choose excellence. The best thing is that it only takes a moment -- just one second -- to decide.

Before you finish this paragraph, you have the power to change everything that's to come. And you can do that by asking yourself (and your colleagues) the one question that every organization and every individual needs to ask today:

Why not be great?

More than "just enough"

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:10:00 +0000

Champions do not become champions when they win an event, but in the hours, weeks, and months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely a demonstration of their championship character. -Michael Jordan

We need a reality check.....doing just enough to get by is not enough to get ahead. It is a fact and one we all have to come to grips with in our life or we can ignore it and remain where we are. Many have hopes and dreams of great things but the tough, honest, unforgiving, Michael Jordan truth is, it doesn't happen by sitting around hoping....it turns out you actually have to do something and do it with excellence.

Ok but what about natural talent and ability you say? Scientific experts are producing remarkably consistent findings that talent doesn't mean intelligence, motivation or personality traits. It's an innate ability to do some specific activity especially well. British-based researchers Michael J. Howe, Jane W. Davidson and John A. Sluboda conclude in an extensive study, "The evidence we have surveyed ... does not support the notion excelling is a consequence of possessing innate gifts."

The first major conclusion of these studies is that nobody is great without work. It's nice to believe that if you find the field where you're naturally gifted, you'll be great from day one, but it doesn't happen. There's no evidence of high-level performance without experience or practice.
Reinforcing this "nothing is free" finding is vast evidence that even the most accomplished people need around ten years of hard work before becoming world-class, a pattern so well established researchers call it the ten-year rule. A different research but equally compelling is that author Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers discusses a phenomenon that he calls “The 10,000 Hour Rule.” Gladwell quotes neurologist Daniel Levitin, who says that scientific studies show that 10,000 hours are required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert — in anything.

So, here I am.... reminding myself ..... hard work is essential and .... hard. But It is so easy to get caught in the "I wish it were easier or why do I have to do the things I don't want to do" trap but the truth is if great performance were easy, it wouldn't be rare and everyone would be doing it.

The striking, liberating, and amazing news is greatness is not reserved for an ordained few and it also should be pointed out it is actually in our DNA, Genesis 1:27 tells us we are created in the image of God!

So be encouraged my friends, those hours you are putting in are not in vain and they will propel you to your next level of achieving all you can be if you don't give up.

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 better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, the man who strives valiantly. Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President

On Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:19:00 +0000

I have had requests lately to post about some of the projects and events we are working on. I know I have not been very consistent in updating you here on the blog about the things we are facilitating but my goal for these posts has not been advertising products or events so I have tried to be careful in how much I post on what we are doing at inciite.com or incastevents.com. My inconsistency is in no way a lack of conviction, purpose, or importance of the projects but more of a sense of making sure we stay on mission and vision.

Our mission corporately and personally is:

Helping build God's Kingdom by creating remarkable experiences through media products and events that are culturally and spiritually relevant.

So, each product, event, and even these blog posts are about reminding me, our team, and those who are a part of accomplishing this mission to be encouraged and emboldened to continue the journey.

Which brings me to a new series of products from in:ciite called Faithsongs.

Faithsongs is about Hope. Worship. Purpose.

Creating awareness and connecting people to causes worldwide. We know each one of us can make a difference one day at a time and strive to educate and connect those people who desire to act in love, for Love’s sake with the organizations on the front lines of making a Kingdom and eternal impact.

Each CD released through the “Faithsongs” brand is partnered with an active social aid organization along with a call to action through carefully chosen songs.

The music is a reminder… a call to action… a small moment in time to inspire change that will last a lifetime.

Our first project under Faithsongs is Indelible Love and is in partnership with Love146.org.

Love146 is about abolition and restoration! Combating child sex slavery & exploitation.

Slavery is still one of the darkest stories on our planet. But the hope of abolition is a reality. Love146 believes in helping grow the movement of abolition while providing effective, thoughtful solutions.

You can find out more about Love146 by clicking on the banner below:

We are excited about Faithsongs and hope we can be a part of impacting lives through these projects by bringing awareness and participation to important causes. You can find out more about Faithsongs at www.faithsongs.org.

Our next project will be releasing early 2012 and is titled Unrivaled King....more soon on the project and the cause associated with it.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:58:00 +0000

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12 NIV

Persecution is a reality for nearly two hundred million Christians around the world. Daily, they risk their lives simply because they believe in Jesus. They could surrender, or convert, or quit but the love of Jesus is worth the sacrifice. For many of them, this road leads to death.

Though persecution is severe, the faithful continue to rise. The church is advancing. God’s people are risking it all in the name of love.

We have just added a national simulcast event featuring experts in the area of Christian persecution and the widely acclaimed documentary film "LOVE COSTS EVERYTHING".

You can get more details and see a video on our incastevents.com website by clicking here:

LOVE COSTS EVERYTHING

I hope you will join us for this very important event!

“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.”
Matthew 5:10 (MSG)

So, what do you do?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:02:00 +0000

“Not only is your story worth telling, but it can be told in words so eloquent that it becomes a song.” Gloria Naylor

I have the opportunity to travel a lot and talk to many people in airports, planes, rental car offices, and in restaurants and usually at some point the question is asked "So, what do you do?".

This is what I have observed, usually your job description says nothing about what you uniquely bring to the world.

You and I both know that the official definition given for your job can’t hold a candle to the unspoken reality and probably what you actually do on a daily basis.

Telling your real story can open opportunities and relationships that are usually very interesting.

I think taking away some the general descriptions, saying goodbye to the generic bio and shining a light on what you really do and more importantly why you do it can make a huge impact.

There are problems to solved, experiences and products to be created, and lives to be change and I don't think a one paragraph job description from the Human Resources Department is going to get it done!

So I am changing my question.....not "What do you do?" but "WHY do you do what you do?"

Who knows if you tell it eloquently enough it may become a song! :-)

THINK about such things....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 11:48:00 +0000

One of the points about distractions is that everything they do is destabilizing. - Bruce Sterling

We love shiny and bright, the allure of the bigger and better, and can get distracted by these things or even live in them for a while but ultimately we have a deep need for authentic not just simulated reality.

By authentic I mean what proves to be true, integrious, and full of character.

True art and meaning inspiring creativity, artistry, and hope doesn't happen by just stringing the words together on a page, launching a website, twittering about it, or promising it in a speech.

The authenticity of living or in most of our lives just trying to live these words out and how we handle actually failing being full of truth, integrity, and of good character is what is authentic.

How do we do it?

The "end of the journey" truth is we can't on our on....we need help and grace from God, family, friends, and be willing to personally make the choices to be authentic. And when we fall (and we will) get back up ask for forgiveness and help. Then resolve to improve each step of the way and to actually become all we are created to be.

So, the observation that is proving authentic for me is that to truly inspire these concepts and to actually live them takes more than just saying or projecting the perception of them.

The everyday, hard work, don't get distracted task, is to do them.

Work is hard. Distractions are plentiful. And time is short. -Adam Hochschild

Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV

To the EDGE and STRETCH......

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:45:00 +0000

The success of Western thinking in science and technology has been due to the ‘possibility’ system, not to the analytical system—though of course the analytical system is important.. -Edward De Bono

In science, possibility gives us hypotheses.

In technology, possibility gives us vision.

in life, possibility gives us hope.

Sometimes all you need to go from confused, frustrated, and overwhelmed to clear, positive, and capable is a change of perspective and the hope of possibility. .

"Some people see things as they are and say 'Why?' I dream of things that never were and say 'Why not?'" - George Bernard Shaw

I hear some of you saying, "really?...."why not"?, that is a nice idea but way too vague and too many options."

I get it, the option of infinite possibilities or the open ended "why not" or "what if" is hard for some of us.....overwhelming is probably a better word. Do you know anyone who has a difficult time making choices with just a few things in front of them? much less an unlimited "what if" scenario.

So, maybe a solution to our problems isn't in the "infinite" possible choices but lies in the edges of where we are.....just going to the edge of our knowledge and comfort zones and stretching just a bit farther.

Here is a great analogy from Seth Godin:

For me, creativity is the stuff you do at the edges. But the edges are different for everyone, and the edges change over time. If you visualize the territory you work in as an old Boston Bruins sweatshirt, realize that over time, it stretches out, it gets looser, the edges move away. Stuff that would have been creative last year isn’t creative at all today, because it’s not near the edges any more.

Just like in science we all need to have facts and analysis in certain areas of our life to move forward and we can't live in every minute in the "blue sky" world of possibilities but cultivating the edge of the "what is possible?" thought process absolutely can help us when there seems to be no way forward.

Think of the alternative, an "I can't do this" or "there is no way out" process which can be your reality just because you have not even tried to find a solution or possibility.....so, you don't and day after day, month after month, and sometimes year after year you continue to be stuck where you are.

Today can be a turning point, a once-in-a-lifetime moment in time when you get to make a choice. Maybe you can't bring yourself to dream the impossible (yet) but maybe for now, just for this moment, you choose to go down a less well-defined path.....one in which you go to your edge and make choices and make a difference in your life and in the life of others.

We need you and the world needs you to make a difference and to make the impossible possible....so go ahead and live on the edge for a moment and see what might be possible.

“If you are deliberately trying to create a future that feels safe, you will willfully ignore the future that is likely.” ― Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

*disclaimer and free promotion: I have no connections to the sweatshirt in the picture....I found it online at zazzle...they are for sale: POSSIBILITY SWEATSHIRT

Dare to Dream....BIG Dreams!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 05:17:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to have a great conversation tonight with a friend who has a dream.....I believe it is probable that it is a God given dream because it aligns with some critical and inspiring points I read in Bruce Wilkinson's book "The Dream Giver".

They are:
3 Insights into Every God-Given Big Dream

1. A Big Dream always seems overwhelming at first.

2. Ultimately, a Big Dream is aimed at meeting a Big Need in the world.

3. While you still have breath, it’s never too late to act on your Dream!

No matter where you are or what your think, God has called you and me for a purpose on this earth. It’s already in you. It’s already who you are. It is your opportunity to discover it.

It never fails, when we see a dream come together and see someone engaged in doing what they’re born to do, it creates a thrill and a rush unlike any other. The resulting work is stellar, extraordinary, and remarkable.

But it doesn't usually come without hard work and maybe a little stress along the way. :-)
Life’s most challenging and agonizing times are ripe with opportunity and growth. Being pruned is exceedingly painful but of course is required to reap fruit.

“To do for yourself the best that you have in you to do – to grit your teeth and clench your fists in order to survive the world at its harshest and worst – is, by that very act, to be unable to let something be done for you and in you that is more wonderful still. The trouble with steeling yourself against the harshness of reality is that the same steel that secures your life against being destroyed secures your life also against being opened up and transformed. The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep need meet.” The Sacred Journey, Frederick Buechner.

So here is what I told my friend; now is your time, don't wait another six months before starting DO IT NOW!

Follow your God given dream ignore the naysayers, stare down the skeptics, face your fears. Dare to dream. Answer the call. Go do it while you still have breath!

You have all you need and the world’s needs are great.

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe said it best:

“Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.”

The impossible revolution....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 05:40:00 +0000

How do we miss out on the next big moments? I believe the answer is found in building barriers instead of taking action.

"We can't release it until it is perfect" and "It can't be done....it is impossible" are two common comments we all hear.

The balance between impossible and perfect is what usually stops most of us from seeing the opportunities.....it is much easier to make an excuse about why we aren't doing more.

It is becoming more clear everyday though that we don't need a big office building and a large company to create and distribute a product and build. Instead, we need connections and problem solving skills to build the impossible and a "new perfect".

The other misinformed statement I have heard lately is "we have to embrace our failure"....I have some more to say on this but for now I will leave you with these words from Johni Pangalila:

There are so many ways to fail but only one way to succeed; NEVER GIVE UP!

You see there is no map in this revolution.

Value today continues to be created by solving a problem no one has solved before.

It is easy to copy others, but the real challenge is creating your own map while balancing the perfect and the impossible and never giving up!

I look forward to seeing your new map!

YOU CAN....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 14:16:00 +0000

You can... ...reply to email. ...pay the bills. ...cross off to-do’s. ...fulfill your obligation....do your job....anticipate roadblocks. ...all of these are the right things to do of course...But don't let the tyranny of the urgent deter you from...following God with a passion ...making art. ...taking a risk. ...setting ambitious goals. ...giving more than you take. ...changing perceptions. ...forging a new path. ...creating possibilities. ...demanding excellence....YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

picture ©words over pixels

PERSISTENCE

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 07:54:00 +0000

Reasons you won't succeed:

You run out of time (and quit).
You run out of money (and quit).
You get scared (and quit).
You’re not serious about it (and quit).
You lose interest or enthusiasm or settle for being mediocre (and quit).
You focus on the short term instead of the long term (and quit when the short term gets too hard). - Seth Godin

So.....Don't quit! easier said than done....right?

The challenge in reaching any meaningful goal, requires persistence. It’s persistence that keeps us moving forward, meaningful goals are not achieved overnight, they require, no they demand persistence, patience and perseverance. continue to take action, you will build the necessary momentum…..

In the face of challenge, persistence ensures that we continue to take action towards the achievement of our goal.

“If Columbus had turned back, no one would have blamed him. No one would have remembered him either.” – Unknown

I know there days when you feel like giving up. It’s during days like these, that sheer determination and persistence is all that is left. It’s persistence that ensures we continue and don’t give up!

DON'T QUIT!

Have you seen the news....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:10:00 +0000

....there is no shortage of reasons to be pessimistic.

Cynicism can have two targets. A cynic may believe that people are motivated only for self-interest or they may believe that something good can or will never happen.

The cynic loves to quote Deuteronomy, “The poor you have with you always.” This is our reality; it will never change. But the cynic never finishes the passage: “Therefore I command you, you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and the poor.”

In the end, cynicism is a lousy strategy because it doesn't tell the entire story.

Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us. Cynics always say no. But saying yes begins things. Saying yes is how things grow. Saying yes leads to knowledge.

Saying yes moves us beyond our selves.

“Every time we act, we make room for others to do the same. Courage is contagious.” - Frances Moore Lappe - author of You Have The Power - Choosing courage in a culture of fear.

Create and Connect more dots!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 19:52:00 +0000

Once in a while, a creative act comes out of nowhere, an innovation, something apparently created out of thin air.

Although this is easy for God it is not the way most mere mortals work in coming up with new things.

Creativity is connecting. When you ask a creative person how they did something, they actually may feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they connected the dots in a way that others didn't see. It just seemed obvious to them.

"Creativity is the ability to see relationships where seemingly none exist." -- Thomas Disch

New ideas are generated because someone was able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do this was because they’ve had more experiences or have thought more about their experiences than other people have. Unfortunately, it is too rare a commodity these days. This is because we have created a culture of entitlement. We want others to do the work and deliver it too us effortlessly....at lightening speed and wirelessly preferably. Most of us haven’t had very diverse experiences, enough education, or been curious enough to be able to connect more than a couple of dots. This leaves very few resources for creativity and not enough dots to connect, and ends with very linear solutions, without a broad perspective on the problem.

"I pressed down on the mental accelerator. The old lemon throbbed fiercely. I got an idea." -- P G Wodehouse.

I encourage you to collect more dots...learn, listen, try something new and start connecting your old and new dots. I look forward to being amazed by your new feats of creativity and innovation!

And for fun from the brilliant Bill Watterson:

Explore. Dream. Discover.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:15:00 +0000

Mark Twain's wisdom in humor and also his ability to see just past the human in himself and others and put a practical "this is what you do" mentality on life is instructive and never tiresome :-)

For instance:

“Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.”

What a real picture and great practical instruction on what we focus our mind on greatly determines how things play out. We can focus on our problems and dwell in suffering and a victim mentality. Or we can focus on the positive in situation, what we can learn from a situation or just focus our mind on something entirely different.

It may be the “norm” for most of us to dwell on problems and swim around in a sea of negativity. But that is a choice. A thought habit where we will then reflexively start to dwell on problems instead of refocusing our mind on something more useful. So, "drag your thoughts away from your troubles"!

I leave you with this gem:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

An Expression of Breathless Expectation

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:18:00 +0000

In 1932, a German physicist named Werner Heisenberg won the Nobel Prize for his theory of quantum mechanics. Later, another of his discoveries became one of the greatest scientific revolutions of the 20th century. For hundreds of years, determinism ruled the day. Physicists believed in a clockwork universe that was measurable and predictable. Heisenberg pulled the rug out from under the scientific community.

Here is Heisenberg's "uncertainty principle" in a nutshell: We cannot know the precise position and momentum of a quantum particle at the same time. Here's why; sometimes matter behaves like a particle, it appears to be in one place at one time and sometimes matter behaves like a wave, it appears to be in several places at the same time, almost like a wave on a pond.

"The imprecise measurement of initial conditions precludes the precise prediction of future outcomes" -Werner Heisenberg

Or to put it in layman's terms: There will always be a level of uncertainty!

Right now with the economy, stocks, wars, and political climate it seems everything is uncertain!

So, knowing it is a scientific fact that there will always be uncertainty how do we cope with this?

God....He is consistent, steady, and faithful....He doesn't change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself. (Hebrews 13:8)

At the end of the day, embracing our uncertainty comes back to faith. It is faith that gives us hope and a sense of destiny and it is the sense of destiny that helps us embrace the positive and negative uncertainties that happen in our lives.

The thing that has become painfully obvious recently is; we can not put our faith in the economy, jobs, and especially the government. Today I think it is time to put our faith in the source of certainty and fill our destiny with hope for a future.

"To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways; we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness; but I believe it should rather be an expression of breathless expectation." -Oswald Chambers

*Banner Fractal Art by Vicky Brago-Mitchell

PRODUCTIVITY

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 21:31:00 +0000

In light of where our nation and culture is today, I believe it is important to remember how we got here.

First, God has been gracious and blessed us greatly. Secondly, historically we have been a people of hard work which has led to great PRODUCTIVITY. Work that has achieved great things and helped many people. So, thinking through this I am reminding myself of the necessity to be responsible for what I have been given and not to expect to be given everything in life and stand against a government promoting welfare instead of independence.

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson

You can always find some exception to the rule but this is why it is important to remember the reason for work because there is no evidence of consistent high-level performance without experience or practice.

The conclusion: it is not probable to achieve greatness without work....hard work....and lots of it.

It is also important to note that we are not hostage to some naturally granted level of talent either. We can make ourselves better...we can rise above the average. This truth about hard work is not easy or popular. People dream of waking up one morning with everything they have ever wanted and believe they can coast to fame and riches or someone will discover that they are brilliant and they won't have to put in the work. But that view is tragically constraining, because when someone hits life's inevitable bumps in the road (and I am sorry to be the one to tell you but you are going to have troubles and problems), they then conclude that they just aren't gifted enough or decide it is just too hard and give up.

When you get to this moment, (and you will), REMEMBER: this is where you pray and ask God to help you and then call someone who will tell you DON'T GIVE UP! DON'T QUIT! KEEP TRYING! I AM WITH YOU!

I can guarantee you it won't be easy, it will be demanding and you may have to start over again and again but the alternative is worse....a complete waste of your talents and guaranteed failure.

Proverbs 14:23 says this: All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Let's continue to encourage ourselves and our government to take action, work, and move our country toward PRODUCTIVITY not just "mere talk" which leads to poverty physically and mentally.

A CLUE about Quick Response

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 14:27:00 +0000

When you were growing up did you ever want to be Sherlock Holmes? I was intrigued by the secret clues and codes, the cryptic vocabulary and stealthy ways of passing secret messages. When I was in elementary school I did a lot of reading about secret code languages and even attempted to develop one of my own that I could share with friends.....of course you have heard of it....the Thomason code. Ok so it didn't catch on but at the time I thought it was very clever :-)

Perhaps that explains some of my new found fascination with QR codes, which have been all the rage over the last year. QR stands for Quick Response Codes, they are those little black and white squares that resemble patterns of tetris game. QR codes were invented in Japan in the 1980s and have been popular in Asia for a while. They can be scanned by a QR code reader on your mobile phone and linked to a Web page, text, phone numbers or special offers. When I first was introduced to the idea by my friend Amy, I wondered if people would "get it" and actually use them. Now, you see them everywhere....an easy way to connect and a much more interactive way to receive information.

The best feature of QR codes is that they act as a bridge between the online and offline world. Also for you secret detective types, what's cool about QR codes they can be made out of anything. In the past year, I’ve seen some pretty crazy examples of QR codes made out of sand, carved into pumpkins, and even designed into hair styles!! (ok that may be going to far...even for a sherlock holmes story!)

All you have to do to decipher the QR is to download an app on your smart phone and start scanning away when you see one! There are many of these apps out there so give it a try and become that detective you have always wanted to be!

Here is one of our new customized QR....get a clue and give it a try!

I have a CHOICE

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:49:00 +0000

Why is it so much easier to have a negative attitude than a positive one?

If you want to live a longer, healthier life then you need to develop and maintain a positive attitude – it's now a fact thanks to a study from the two Universities. Researchers followed and studied 1500 people for 7-years. All 1500 were in good health when the study started. Researchers followed how they aged. What exactly did they discover? They found that people who maintained a positive attitude were significantly less likely to show signs of aging, they were less likely to become frail and were more likely to be stronger and healthier than those that had a negative attitude. If you have a doom and gloom attitude you're actually killing yourself and at the very least – you're negative attitude is just making you weaker.

The Bible proven to be true again:

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

A positive attitude and choosing to be positive of course is not magic and is not a "EASY" button fixing everything in our life but it does have power in helping us overcome challenges and obstacles in our lives.

This story is a great example:

Jerry is the kind of guy who is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He worked in the restaurant industry and was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant.

The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee the positive side of the situation.

If you ask Jerry about his style of life he will reply, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

One day as Jerry was working in his restaurant, he left the back door open and was held up at gun point by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital.

About 6 months after the surgery a friend asked Jerry how he was doing, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" The friend declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" the friend asked. Jerry continued, "...the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man.'

I knew I needed to take action." "There was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'"

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. Every day we have the choice to live fully.

“For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else” -Winston Churchill

Today, my goal is that my attitude remains positive regardless of challenges I face.

WHEN YOU COME TO A FORK IN THE ROAD....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:52:00 +0000

WHEN YOU COME TO A FORK IN THE ROAD.....TAKE IT - YOGI BERRA

After reading a blog post by Derek Sivers (sivers.org) I was inspired to brainstorm MORE options on a decision I am trying to make. I was exactly at this place a fork in the road and thinking I only had two options....but after reading this I realized there were more ways to think about the solution. I hope it inspires you to look at options and be creative about your decision making process as well.

Blessings on all you are doing! Chris

THERE ARE ALWAYS MORE THAN TWO OPTIONS! - by Derek Sivers

Lately I've been helping a lot of friends with decisions. The common theme I've found is that they thought they had only two options.

That's not a decision. That's a self-created dilemma! The way out is to realize there are always more than two options!

Backing up: When someone says they only have one option, they're really saying, “I have no choice,” and you know that's wrong. (At very least, add “do nothing” and “go insane” as choices.)

When they say they only have two options, beware. It means they got stuck. Once people get two options, they start comparing the pros and cons of those two, and forget to think of more options.

But remember those silly creative brainstorming exercises we did as kids? As adults, people let the “real world” wear them down so much, they forgot that those lessons were not just for kids.

As an example, a friend was trying to decide between:

   1. sticking with his well-paying boring job

   2. or quitting to start his own company

I suggested some other options:

    * Fully delegate your new company. Just fund it and direct it. Hire a manager that understands your vision, and spend only an hour a day overseeing it.

    * Bring your new company idea to your boss, and propose it as a division of their company, so you can stay on salary.

    * Go into work 2 hours early, but spend the first 2 hours just setting up your new company. Use lunch breaks and downtime as well. Do this until the income from the new company is 50% of your salary, then quit.

    * Rent out your house for a year and be a house-sitter, to reduce your living expenses to almost-nothing, and take a year-long sabbatical, reading and learning as much as possible about this new industry you want to go into, so you can attack it with more confidence in a year when you return.

    * Decide this new business is a hobby, not a business. But you hate your existing job anyway, so find a new job that would allow you the flexibility to spend a good part of each day or week on this new hobby that makes you happy.

    * Go work for the leader in the field of your new company. Learn even more about that industry so when you're ready to launch your new company, you're doing it with full strategic advantage and connections.

    * Be the worst employee ever, and show up to your boring job every day but refuse to do any work. Pretend to be super-busy all the time, but really just be working on your own company, on their dime. Use every sick-day and vacation day until scolded. Do this until fired.

    * Do neither, and move to New Zealand's South Island to be a tour guide on the hiking trails.

    * etc.

Some of those are intentionally silly, but made him say, “You made me realize I need a vacation before making a decision. I'm just feeling really stressed because of this new manager at work, and I was wanting a quick exit, but I think I need to confront this manager about our bad communication. It wasn't the new business that was inspiring me so much, but just needing to fix my current situation.”

Anyway - to my other friends out there who haven't come to me with decisions yet: Great insight only comes from opening your mind to many options. Brainstorm them all, from the hybrids to the ridiculous.

It takes under an hour, but has always helped my friends feel less stressed, think clearly, and honestly - get excited about a decision that used to feel like a dilemma.

SPECIAL OFFERS AND A BONUS!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:13:00 +0000

Hello in:ciite fuel friends! I would like for you to know about some events that are happening this Fall and ask for your help to spread the word if you are so inclined :-)

This is a perfect opportunity for your church (or a church you might think is interested) or your small group to participate in some unique and special events that will be simulcast by our team at in:cast events (www.incastevents.com). in:cast provides the ability for churches/small groups to participate in events normally not accessible and gives an outreach opportunity to the local community with valuable and trusted content from some of the leading authors, pastors, and communicators in the world.

We all have memories of events that impacted or changed our lives in some way and this is exactly what in:cast is about. I am proud to be a part of a team that is passionate about these types of experiences through simulcasts.

So, here is the part where I ask you for a favor:

1. If you are a leader/gatekeeper at your church please consider hosting one of these great events.

2. If you think your church/small group/ or another church/small group might be interested please let them know about these events.

BONUS #1: If you tell the friendly and helpful people at in:cast that you (or whoever you tell) heard about these events on Chris' blog they will give you 25% off an event and for a limited time (by July 15th) if you decide to have TWO events they will give you the first at regular price and 50% off the second event.

BONUS #2: As a special thank you for reading in:ciite fuel, if you sign up or someone signs up for one of these events because you told them about this special (the in:cast team will verify), I will send you a selection of products from in:ciite, you will get access to a webcast event, and I will do a call with you or your team to talk about events, products, music, ideas, or any creative venture you might be working on for your ministry.

So, below are the events, just click on the graphics for each event and it will take you to the event home for more information.

Thanks!

Moving toward SOLUTIONS

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:27:00 +0000

To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask?-Jim Rohn

One of the common traits that I have observed in people who achieve is the ability to deliver solutions and not excuses. Unlike others these leaders never have excuse for anything in any condition. Whatever may be the environment situation or complexity they always come up with a solution.

Excuses, even the really good ones, don't help very much.

Solutions, on the other hand, are both scarce and useful.

Today I move toward my solutions.....how about you?

Focus 90% of your time on solutions and only 10% of your time on problems. -Anthony J. D'Angelo

No Assembly Required

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:09:00 +0000

“If a man has any greatness in him, it comes to light, not in one flamboyant hour, but in the ledger of his daily work.” - Beryl Markham

I have been watching....watching some people I admire greatly and have come to the realization that greatness is found in everyday actions. I think most of us believe that it is complicated and there is a lot of building of strategies, plans, or a magic formula for us to make a difference or be successful.

Being a positive force is more than what we do periodically. It’s how life is lived. It’s doing the right thing and doing it well. Over time, these small things become a part of who we are.

True leadership lies in actions, but also in the strength behind even the smallest of actions.

I am learning not to wait for that grand opportunity before I stretch my potential to make a difference but to work each day on what I can do.

It is a simple but powerful guideline proven by great and successful people and good news there is no assembly required.