in:ciite fuel

Most people think.....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 20:42:00 +0000

Most people think they can’t afford to take action,

be kind,

be generous,

be serving,

be giving,

be thoughtful,

be hopeful,

or make life changing impact for good in others…….

But we are not most people, are we?

Seeing Potential

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 09:30:00 +0000

If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”

—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

How great does it feel when someone believes in you – and genuinely means it – maybe even after barely meeting you?

Everyone is capable of being generous, at least once.

Everyone is capable of being original, inspiring and connected, at least once.

And everyone is capable of leading, I think more than once.

If we see the best in others, we bring out the best in others – and in ourselves.

IS IT THE END?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 17:58:00 +0000

The desire to know the end is a distinctly human impulse, born from the need for resolution and closure. We are fragile (insert Sting song) and we long for a means to settle that tension, to subtract ourselves from the hard issues in which we find ourselves.

Things are terrible in the world right now. From the religious persecutions in China and North Korea to the terrorists in ISIS and the erosion of faith in the West, the threat of financial ruin, earthquakes and eclipses, comets and asteroids, wars and their rumors.…..things are so terrible, it must be the end, right?

We’re always eager for the end. We are obsessed with it. Not that we don’t have cause. We see it in the scripture and it will come according to God’s Word. But obsession with it is also unbiblical and unhelpful.

Paul is pretty straight forward about this in the book of Thessalonians:

“Now,” says Paul, “concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come” (2 Thes 2.1-2). He continued, “But as to the times and the seasons,” he said, “you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thes 5.1-2).

Paul told the Thessalonians to be sober and vigilant. And, importantly, he urged them “to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands” (1 Thes 4.10-11).

Keep your head down and do your work. Be faithful and wait.

It may seem boring compared to Armageddon, but that’s the path we’re called to walk.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said this in Letters From a Paper Prison:

I discovered later, and I’m still discovering right up to this moment, that is it only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith. . . . I mean living unreservedly in life’s duties, problems, successes and failures, experiences and perplexities. In so doing we throw ourselves completely into the arms of God, taking seriously, not our own sufferings, but those of God in the world—watching with Christ in Gethsemane. That, I think, is faith and that is how one becomes a man and a Christian. . . .

Life’s duties and problems and perplexities are the things the Thessalonians and we keep trying to avoid. Nonetheless, they are the things that prove and develop our faith, which is arguably faux Christianity until tested by the trials of life.

We’re not meant to escape the world. We’re meant to work with Christ in redeeming it. That won’t happen until we scuttle our desire for escape and embrace Paul’s ethic of work and faithfulness. That is how we live like—and become like Christ.

If it is the end, good news….God is in control!

If it isn’t the end it is pretty clear…..we have work to do!

*image used from http://thomaschristianson.com

TRUTH as a revolutionary act

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 07:10:00 +0000

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” George Orwell

Deception occurs by degrees and in our culture it seems we are accepting it as a “norm” more and more. It especially seems prevalent as we head into a year of political forums and elections. It is harder and harder to discern who in fact is relaying factual information or pieces of factual information or just fabricating information.

I read a recent article citing six motives that push people onto the slippery slope of lying:

1. To protect the liar from danger
2. To protect others from danger
3. To enhance a story
4. To prevent embarrassment
5. To benefit a liar
6. or to hurt others.

Clearly, not all these motives are intended for evil but I do believe it has been proven that any of us who try to justify lying “just once” put ourselves at risk of slowly and gradually becoming habitual or compulsive liars.

It is amazing that we need a study on this but a new study tells us people can improve their mental and physical health by, get this, by simply not lying!

“We found that the participants could purposefully and dramatically reduce their everyday lies, and that in turn was associated with significantly improved health,” said Anita Kelly, study author and professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame,. Kelly presented her findings at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in Orlando.

“Lying can cause a lot of stress for people, contributing to anxiety and even depression,” says Dr. Bryan Bruno, Chairman of the department of psychiatry at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “Telling the truth is not only good for your relationships, but for yourself as an individual.

So what does this tell us? Yep you guessed it, the Bible has been right all along on how to conduct ourselves in dealing with the truth in our lives, relationships, and our relationship with God.

In Ephesians 4:25 (The Message), Paul lays out really clearly how to stop going down this unhealthy road and gives us a solution to turn around our lives and our culture

What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.

Telling the truth a revolutionary act? I wish it wasn’t but in our current culture and environment I think it might be just that!

This is the kind of revolution I want to be a part of...….how about you?

Continuous improvement.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 19 May 2015 09:54:00 +0000

I think one of the most remarkable and admirable people in American history is Dwight D. Eisenhower 34th President of the United States. For two decades, the lives of thousands, sometimes millions, of people and the fate of great nations hung on his decisions.

As Supreme Allied Commander during World War II, Eisenhower oversaw the greatest amphibious assault in history, organizing the largest air and sea armadas ever assembled and commanding 160,000 men in the momentous Operation Overlord.

After the success of that mission helped bring the war to a close, Eisenhower dreamed of going home to a happy and peaceful retirement. Instead, he went on to serve in five more globally pivotal positions: Head of the American Occupation Zone in Germany, Chief of Staff, President of Columbia University, Supreme Commander of NATO, and President of the United States of America.

One of the things I have admired and stands out to me about Eisenhower in all that is written about him is his relentless pursuit of improvement and the building of character in himself and by example to those around him.

"When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

Continuous improvement. Chipping away at problems through daily perseverance results in breakthrough improvements again and again over the years. It is not easy but the habit of chipping away relentlessly does produce results and success.

As we know, Eisenhower achieved great successes. But whether he was navigating setbacks or achieving triumphs, he led with perseverance. His dedication to principle and his bounding vitality could inspire people to lofty visions, while his humility created a feeling of friendship and intimacy even with those he had never met. These qualities and more won him the affection, loyalty, and admiration of those who served both under him and over him.

Inspired to win

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 07:51:00 +0000

During any sporting event, it’s only natural that the focus be on the athletes. And yet in the 2014 Winter Olympics, when Canadian freestyle skier Alexandre Bilodeau stepped up at the start of his gate, those watching the event were not only paying attention to him, but also to his older brother Frederic cheering him on at the bottom of the hill.

Many Canadians remember from Alexandre’s gold medal win at the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010, Frederic has been a big inspiration for Alexandre in large part because Frederic suffers from cerebral palsy, a congenital physical disability that impairs physical movement.

When Alexandre finished his run down the mountain and realized that he had defended his gold medal title, he immediately found his brother in the crowd and helped him over the security barrier so that they could celebrate together Alexandre’s consecutive gold medal win.

In speaking of his history-making achievement, Alexandre was very clear about the role his brother played in helping him to get onto the podium at Sochi:

“It’s crazy the motivation that he takes and every step is very hard for him. In life, I have an easy path and I need to go out there and do the best I can just out of respect to him. He lives his dreams through me. [Two gold medals] is the least I can do; he’s my every day inspiration.”

Alexandre’s story is not just a wonderful reminder of how we should be grateful for all the things we might take for granted. It should also inspire us to be a “Frederic” in someone else’s life.

Who are you cheering on today and inspiring to be their very best self?

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds Hebrews 10:24

More than sugar water

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 09:43:00 +0000

“All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.” C.S. Lewis

Life can be confusing….it is always moving….changing.
There are more unknowns than knowns. There are more variables than constants. There are more possible outcomes than anyone could predict, no matter how smart they are.

We also have an overwhelming amount of information each day telling us what to buy, who to look like, or what to wear to make us current and culturally relevant. It is easy to focus on these things but today’s trend is tomorrow’s "has been".

I think part of the reason we look for the “latest” thing is we are longing for something that makes a difference something that lasts.

There is a great story told about how Steve Jobs got the president of Pepsi Corporation to leave his very prestigious, secure, and extremely well-paying job to come work for an up and coming company called Apple. He asked him to meet, gave him his pitch, and told him of the need. However, the Pepsi executive wasn’t willing to leave behind his future of power, prestige, and money. Not willing to accept a “no,” Jobs looked at him and said, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugar water, or do you want a chance to change the world?” John Sculley left Pepsi and came to work for Apple.

I think we all have a desire to make a difference with our life and invest in things that really matter. In fact, God encourages us to think about our life from the standpoint of eternity, to ponder and invest in the things that are eternal.

My pastor in college, Dr. Al Jackson, said something almost weekly that constantly rings in my ears to this day, “There are only two things in existence on the earth that will last forever, the Word of God and the souls of men.” If this is true, and I believe it is, then it matters how we invest our lives in these two things every day.

Paul said it this way in Colossians:

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2 (NIV)

In fact, it’s when we lose sight of the eternal things that we often lose our way in life, becoming solely focused on the here and now. Time passes, and before long, you realize – like John Sculley – that you’re simply making “sugar water.”

The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (The Message)

Photo credit: Patrick Roos https://www.flickr.com/photos/10044465@N00/350440294/

The Generous Life

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 11:58:00 +0000

Whether positive or negative, our actions have consequences. Yesterday’s bad choices cause us to spend today repairing the messes we’ve made, whereas the wise choices of the past position us to take advantage of today’s opportunities. (Note the choice equation: Bad choices = equal smaller world and less freedom. Wise choices = equals larger world and more freedom)

Success is based on the seeds you sow, not the harvest you reap. If you sow wisely and diligently, the harvest is automatic. Sow daily in the lives of others, by encouraging and serving and helping, and your investment will compound over time.

This is what most of us think:

Success makes you happy. Happiness permits you to be generous.

In fact, it actually works like this:

Generosity makes you happy. Happy people are more likely to be successful.

It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. Galatians 5:13 (The Message)

sources: John Maxwell “Are you busy building sandcastles”, Seth Godin “The Generosity Boomerang”, photo source; http://www.generosityfactor.com/

Go beyond....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 10:20:00 +0000

Why should any phenomenon be deemed impossible? The universe begins to look more like a great thought than a great machine. - Physicist, Sir James Jean

I believe we are a "great thought", a great thought of God, created in His image. We have been given the ability to do great things to go beyond what we can think or imagine…..but there is this voice…..a voice inside telling us to be careful, take it slow, to compromise.

Do you hear it?….this voice saying to focus on the easy things first, do the Twitter update, the Facebook post, another spreadsheet, do another email before you create something valuable.

This voice in our head is responsible for lengthy meetings, mediocre products, the constant rationalization of everything we professionally or personally produce.

Where does this voice come from? It is likely created from a combination of things...teachers, friends, family, books and other things we've consumed.

Our task today (and everyday)…. quiet the voice. Focus on the things we really believe in.

The voice wants to be heard but it’s our choice to listen to it or not.....it is time to tune it out, be who God created us to be....to go beyond and change the world.

Stuck is a state of mind, and it’s curable. - Seth Godin

Illustration by Tara Jacoby.

I HOPE you read this....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 09:53:00 +0000

I find myself using the word “hope” frequently. “I hope you are having a great day”,”I hope your wife is feeling better" , “I hope you and your family have a great vacation”. It caught my attention today because I was using it in emails as we start the new year, “I hope this year is a great one for you”.

I don’t know about you but it is easy to get in the habit of using words because it seems to be the right thing to say or it is “what I always say”. But words matter and I don’t want to gloss over “hope" because it is an easy word to use. Hope is one of the most powerful and energizing words in the English language. It is something that gives us strength to keep going in the toughest of times. And its power energizes us with excitement and anticipation as we look toward the future.

It’s been said that a person can live forty days without food, four days without water, four minutes without air, but only four seconds without hope. If you want to help people win, then become a purveyor of hope. By John C. Maxwell

Did you get that? Not money or silver or chemicals or rubber or steel or silicon or talk or even sugary water. What we need is hope.

The magical thing about hope is that it makes everything else work better, every day get better, every project work better, every relationship feel better.

Hope cures cynicism. Hope increases productivity. Hope needs no justification.

Also great news, our God is the God of hope….an unending supply of what we need! Isaiah 40:31 says this:

but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

So no matter where you are or how difficult or dark it seems…..don’t give up! There is good news…..there is hope!. It is not just a word I am using to make you or me feel better….it is what we need, powerful and life giving!

Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! Romans 15:13

references: pic:creatonomics blog, seth godin, john maxwell, the Message Bible, NIV Bible

GENEROUS LIVING

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 18:50:00 +0000

The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.
The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;those who help others are helped.

Proverbs 11:24-25 (The Message)

It is always encouraging to see people who have built a life used for generosity.

Why be generous?

Why go out of your way for someone who can't possibly pay you back or even think about getting something for your giving?

This kind of giving creates meaning and momentum and structure and something money, or possessions, or fame can't possibly ever give you….it is a deep satisfaction and happiness that can’t be manufactured.

It is true wealth, the kind that only comes from connecting to others through real sacrifice.

It manifests itself in different forms, sometimes it is giving of your energy, time, knowledge, experience, and yes every once in a while even possessions and money.

But this is what I know…usually the person or people or organization you are helping are not nearly as blessed as you are for making the sacrifice.

A SPARK of INNOVATION!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 09:33:00 +0000

Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! Proverbs 4:7 (The Message)

Don’t ask me why but recently I was reading an article on “analogies”. It was a good article but what really caught my attention was a remarkable story inside this article about how observation led to innovation. An interesting and true story about the Ford motor company in its early years and how a process from another industry sparked an idea that revolutionized building car engines.

How is a Ford Model T like a dead cow?

By 1913, the Ford Motor Company had a lofty goal of producing two hundred engines per day, but its process remained inefficient, involving workers who fetched parts from multiple bins and moved them around on hand trucks.

One day, Bill Klann, a Ford employee whose colorful resume included working for a streetcar company, a blacksmith, a machine shop, and a shipbuilder, took a trip to a Chicago slaughterhouse. There, he saw a model of industrial butchering efficiency: animal carcasses moved by on overhead trolleys, while a series of butchers performed specialized tasks in sequence as the carcasses advanced. As Klann watched this bloody symphony of movement, he had an analogical epiphany: dismantling something (a carcass) was fundamentally similar to building something (an engine); therefore, adopting a moving assembly line at Ford would increase productivity and reduce costs.

“If they can kill pigs and cows that way, we can build cars that way,” Klann told his boss upon his return.

His boss protested. The differences seemed too pronounced: what could be more different than flesh and machinery? “Here you’ve got something else. You’ve got this and that and pistons and rods,” said his boss.

“It’s the same thing,” insisted Klann.

Klann prevailed, and the moving assembly line wound up a signature of Model T production, exploding productivity and enabling the company to cut the price of the car from $575 to $280. Ford doubled its market share in mere years.

Klann saw through the superficial differences between slaughtering animals and assembling cars. There, at the heart of both processes, lay an underlying structural analogy waiting to be exploited. Seeing Ford’s success, it took little time for almost every other industry to imitate, creating what is estimated to be “trillions of dollars of growth in virtually every industry.
_______________

As I have contemplated this story I have thought about how innovation occurs and believe this story highlights one of the keys. In our human nature we tend to analyze problems with filters that are familiar to us (our work, family, education, region of the world, etc…) but as the story of Bill Klann emphasizes we need to be open to being observant and curious enough to seek solutions outside our normal “box”.

Here is something I am going to challenge myself and our team to do; Take time once a month to observe other companies, people, and strategies outside of our industry to see if we can apply and adapt ideas observed to what we do.

Who knows maybe we will come up with a revolutionary idea or simply solve some of our challenging issues. Either way I think we will broaden our knowledge, gain wisdom, and expand the possibilities for what we do next.

Reference article by David Zax: http://www.fastcompany.com/3037014/my-creative-life/how-steve-jobss-mastery-of-analogies-sent-apple-sky-rocketing

The Balancing Act.....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 22:34:00 +0000

The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it. — William James

What we do, how we do it, and how that affects others has been top of my mind lately. We (me) are sometimes so occupied with the “numbers” we forget the “why” behind what we are doing and only focus on the bottom line. Don’t hear me saying there is anything wrong with the bottom line. It is VERY important! After all we can’t do the “why” without it and somehow we have to balance both. But often what I have experienced is what I would call the “fear factor” of this balancing act. The “don’t look down” or you will fall / fail factor which then paralyzes us to the point we don't do anything well.

I read something recently from Seth Godin and I am completely in agreement. It said this; I am more afraid of settling — I am more afraid of not giving what I can give — than I am afraid of doing it.

So when we’re sitting quietly, there’s a debate we have to have with ourselves, which is:
“What is my work?” and “How can my work have more impact?”

You see I don’t think we start by asking — I think we start by giving…and once you get hooked on that, then I believe doors open — doors open because your work will precede you.

Don't go it alone......

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 11:14:00 +0000

We all want to succeed but if you are like me you may feel a lot of times like I am shooting myself in the foot when trying to accomplish my goals.

Along this line of thinking, I recently read a great article by Bernard Marr a best selling author and performance coach. The article focused on mistakes successful people DON'T make.

Here were a few listed:

1. Successful people don’t Avoid Responsibility “The price of greatness is responsibility.” –Winston Churchill

2. Successful people don’t Procrastinate "Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday." ~Napoleon Hill

3. Successful people don’t Follow Trends “Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion”. –Jack Kerouac

But #4 was the one that caught my eye because it is such a trap for all of us and I have seen so many people fall and fail because they did not recognize it.

4. Successful people don’t try to go it alone.
One of the most vital things successful people do is to surround themselves with other successful people. No man is an island, and having a network, a mastermind group, and surrounding oneself with experienced, educated, clever people can make all the difference between success and failure.

“Life is not a solo act. It's a huge collaboration, and we all need to assemble around us the people who care about us and support us.” –Tim Gunn

When Phil Jackson one of the most famous NBA players and Coaches of all time took over as head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1989, he inherited a struggling team with one of the best players in the world—Michael Jordan. Still, he knew he had to nurture the rest of the team instead of focusing solely on its star. Phil had his players repeat this statement at every practice:

"No man is an island. No man goes his way alone. What I put into the lives of others will come back unto its own.”

Proverbs 11:25 (The Message) says it this way:

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

Good news; you and I don’t have to go it alone and the proven success and failures of people before us means we also don’t have to learn everything in the “School of Hard Knocks".

GOOGLE WORRY.....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 23:06:00 +0000

If you Google “Top Things to Worry About” 200 million results appear in .39 seconds to populate your web browser.

I don’t know about you but I already felt like there were a million things to worry about so I don’t want to know about the other 199 million!

The first page of the search is a combination of a list of things to worry about “The 20 things we worry about the most” or “The 150 things the World’s smartest people are afraid of…” so there seems to be no end of things we can find to worry about.

Probably though you don’t need a list or a Google search, you like me probably already have some thoughts about this and your question is:

“When should I start worrying about this situation?"

Of course, the answer is, we should never start worrying.

I think we sometimes fool ourselves into thinking it's useful or unavoidable, but it's not.

Here is the truth about worrying:

- Worrying is not a useful use of your time.

- Worrying doesn't change outcomes.

- Worrying ruins your day.

- Worrying just distracts you from the work at hand and from finding solutions to your challenges.

So what is the solution to worrying?

Here is some direction from
Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message)

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

I like it….hope you do too!

In over your head?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 13:56:00 +0000

I recently read an inspiring article from Kelly Belmonte author of the book "Three Ways of Searching" that spurred on the thoughts of how we look at risk and experience.

Maybe using a water reference you have had this said to you before: You better be careful. You don’t want to get in over your head.”

Really?

Do these people understand how water works?

Here’s the thing about water, how it functions with humans or other living things moving around in it: Swimming works better when there’s more water than there is swimmer. Ever try swimming in the shallow end, where the water is not over your head? Very difficult. At best, clumsy. Worse, you could be at risk of hitting your head on the bottom of the pool.

Sticking close to the shoreline makes for fun wading, but ugly swimming. You have to get out past the waves so you can bob around a bit.

Of course, all of this assumes the ability to swim, float, and tread water. Basic skills are necessary. But, simply put (and without metaphor), in the real world, when you want to grow in a particular area, you have to try stuff that feels risky, that pushes you past your place of comfort. Experience has to begin somewhere. Every expert at one time was a newbie, at one time took that first floppy fish dive out into deeper waters.

The secret about those voices urging you to keep in the shallows – including the one in your own head – is that they are simply speaking into their own fear to go out any further. But contrary to such fear-based advice, it can be riskier to try and look like you’re swimming with the big fish when you’re only flopping around at the shoreline with the minnows.

After all, once the water is deep enough that you must swim to stay afloat, does it really matter how deep the water is?

DIVE IN! The water is fine :-)

Sorry, I am very busy.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 14:15:00 +0000

“As competition intensifies, the need for creative thinking increases. It is no longer enough to do the same thing better . . . no longer enough to be efficient and solve problems” — Edward de Bono

One of the most important decisions you and I will make today is the balance of how much time and effort should be spent on inbound issues and information and how much time and effort should be invested in output and creating something new.

If you are like me it is easy to say “I am busy….The output has to wait, I have emails, phone calls, and meetings I have to do!"

Yep, I get it.... we are all busy.

But here is the real question; did we do anything important today?

Here is the reality….Busy does not equal important and measured doesn't equal mattered.

When the resistance pushes us to do the quick reaction, the instant message, check twitter, or Facebook ... perhaps it pays to push back.

Perhaps it's time for the blank sheet of paper, stop the things that aren’t working, dream a bit, and push for the creative breakthrough...

Or I guess we could just check Facebook and Twitter…..again.

Well worth the effort.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 11:02:00 +0000

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
- Thomas Edison

Our great-grandfathers knew what it meant to work hard. They hauled hay all day long, making sure that the cows got fed. The meaning of hard work in a manual economy is clear. Without the leverage of machines and organizations, working hard meant producing more. Producing more, of course, was the best way to feed your family.

Today for a lot of the "technologically advanced world" the word “work” has come to mean something to be avoided and granted it is measured differently because most of us don't have to get up every morning and work in the way previous generations have done. But there’s value in work and work matters. Not just for the money you can earn, but from the people we get to become through it. Hard work draws out talents and increases capacities and helps us discover who we are.

“All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work.”- Calvin Coolidge

I don’t know what challenges you face right now. But I will bet that in order to meet them successfully it will require you to do some hard work. Work of course is not always fun and it can be a grind but that does not diminish its intrinsic value nor should it deter us from having dreams, visions, and goals.

So let's examine our motivation: In what areas of our life are we being called to work harder at work worth doing?

Whether it’s the inner work of transforming the way we live our life becoming more of who God wants us to be, or the outer “roll up our sleeves and setting our alarm early” work it will be well worth it to put in the effort.....it has been proven by many before us.

Remember, you are needed. There is important work to be done that will not be done unless you do it. Catherine Pulsifer

The Builder

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 10:53:00 +0000

An experienced carpenter decided it was time to retire. He told his employer of 20 years of his plans to leave the house building business and live a less rigorous life and enjoy a more time with his wife. Although he needed the paycheck, he also needed a different lifestyle. It would be somewhat of a struggle for him and his wife, but they could get by.

His boss was sorry to see his long time worker and great employee go, and asked if he could build just one more house, as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, as he could really use the money, but in time, it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work.

He did not do his usual great work but resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials, he hurriedly finished the job to collect his final paycheck.

When he completed his work and his employer came to inspect the house, the owner of the business handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you for your many years of service, you deserve it"

What a shock! What should have been a moment of joy and gratefulness was now a moment of shame. If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently, he thought.

Now he had to live in the home he had not built to the best of his ability.

We are all building something each and everyday....our life. We should build wisely, for in the end we will live in what we built.

1 Corinthians 9: 26-27 (The Message) I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

Every tomorrow has two handles....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 10:32:00 +0000

Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.
Henry Ward Beecher

What relationship with the future will you choose?

Some people believe that tomorrow is likely to be better. Better opportunities, better technology, a brave new day to make a new kind of difference.

Others think that yesterday was a lot better than today. Tomorrow represents diminished resources, fewer opportunities, one step closer to the end.

Yes the future is unpredictable and represents that dreaded word "change".

But the future isn't so much about absorbing or tolerating change, it's about making change.

The thing is, the future happens. Every single day, like it or not. Sure, tomorrow is risky, frightening and in some way represents one step closer to the end. But it also brings with it the possibility of better and the chance to do something that matters.

So here is what I know, we can live with confidence because God wants to give us hope and holds our future (Jeremiah 29:11). So let's step into the future, trust God and grab the handle of faith because "It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going." 2 Corinthians 5:7 (The Message)

a large portion of this post I credit to the ever inspiring agent of change Seth Godin. Thanks Seth for reminding us to do things that matter in this world!

The Illusion

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 10:17:00 +0000

Am I seeing what I think I am seeing?

In Potsdam, Germany, two artists decided to make a tree levitate, or at least give the appearance of such. After many hours using tin foil and some meticulously detailed spray-painting, Daniel Siering and Mario Shu made a tree look as though it had been bisected while remaining upright--with a chunk of empty air.

I think culture is continually trying to condition us to believe there is a real "levitating tree", an "easy button", or we actually can buy those "magic beans".

Is it impossible to get that job we have always wanted, to get our big break, to be discovered, or to win the big game with 1 second left on the clock?
No it is not impossible, but it is usually not magical either. When it does happen it usually doesn't just magically appear....it really is more of an illusion. We see the tree levitating (or the overnight success) but we did not see all of the hard work and hours (months or years or decades) that it took to make the "illusion" happen.

"If the people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem wonderful at all." — Michelangelo

As much as we would like an easy road or a short cut or a "break" (and they can happen) it usually is not norm. This is not a new concept, the first century Roman philosopher Seneca is credited with saying, "Luck is the crossroads where opportunity and preparation meet". Basically, there is only the illusion of luck and success doesn't just happen it comes from preparation to be ready for the opportunities.

Abraham Lincoln said it this way:

"If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe."

The illusion of overnight success is just that....an illusion. So be encouraged, the hard work you are doing, the education you are achieving, the training you are sweating through is preparing you for those moments when opportunities and your preparation meet. Keep at it and you will be ready and at that moment you will have created your own levitating tree. :-)

"It's not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters." — Paul "Bear" Bryant (Legendary University of Alabama football coach)

SING ANYWAY....some thoughts on resilience.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 12:30:00 +0000

Journalist Hara Estroff Marano wrote:

"Resilience may be an art, the ultimate art of living, at the heart of resilience is a belief in oneself--yet also a belief in something larger than oneself. Resilient people do not let adversity define them. They find resilience by moving towards a goal beyond themselves, transcending pain and grief by perceiving bad times as a temporary state of affairs.”

For most of us sooner or later life throws us a major curve ball or two. And most likely we will have to survive personal and professional adversity repeatedly.

Marano’s remarks about being resilient and surviving adversity really resonate with me. I think that no matter what we do, pursuing anything worthwhile takes a large dose of resiliency.

Regardless of how sharp, clever, or happy-go-lucky we are we will encounter struggle, challenges, difficulties and at times, heart wrenching moments.

This is the moment we decide who we are, who we will be, and how we will survive.

The Bible has something great to say about this in James 1:2-4 (NIRV)

Your faith will be put to the test. You know that when that happens it will produce in you the strength to continue. The strength to keep going must be allowed to finish its work. Then you will be all you should be.

In a culture that would rather escape or have instant gratification it is hard to cultivate courage, endurance, and faith but history continually points to those that persevered and believed as the ones who achieved greatly and showed us we can too.

"Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.” ― Emory Austin

The world is waiting.....

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 21:54:00 +0000

I have not been blogging lately....not because I didn't have some things to say but mainly because I was pre occupied.....in a good way. :-)

Also, I am starting to realize twitter and facebook have been the communication of choice because they both take less time in creation and have a lot more interaction but I am also finding they take up a lot more time in maintaining. So, hence neglect of the blog. Am I giving up the blog? no way! Just changing the way I focus on it starting this new year.

A side note here: thanks to all of you who read....you are very encouraging and kind in all of your notes to me.

So starting this new year here are a few thoughts to spur us on:

Someone this year is going to change everything.

Someone this year is going to do something that matters.

There is something that is not working the way that it used to.

And there is someone this year that is going to fix it, not because someone told them to or asked them to, but because they chose to do it.

Question: Why can't that someone be you?
Answer: It can

The world is waiting.....what are you going to do?

ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 09:03:00 +0000

Do you ever say:

“God has lost track of me.
He doesn’t care what happens to me”?

Don’t you know anything?

Haven’t you been listening?

God doesn’t come and go.

God lasts.

He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out,

doesn’t pause to catch his breath.

And he knows everything,

inside and out.

He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.

For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God

get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
they walk and don’t lag behind.

(Isaiah 40:28-31 The Message)

Want to know what it is like to get fresh strength and soar like an eagle?

Look at this inspiring video....someone strapped a GoPro camera to an eagle and the video is ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING!

(I highly encourage you to click the "full screen" square in the bottom right corner of the video after starting the video)

...If video does not show up click here for a direct link to FLYING EAGLE!

Be inspired....lean into God....and soar :-)

The Snail Perseverance Corollary

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Thomason) — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 11:17:00 +0000

How slow does a snail go? One study clocked a snail at 0.00758 miles per hour—or 40 feet in one hour.

Even though a snail does move at a very “sluggish” pace, one characteristic it does possess is perseverance.

The great 19th-century preacher Charles Spurgeon wryly observed, “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”

Perseverance does usually takes some time but it doesn't always mean slow.

Perseverance is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, especially in spite of difficulties or discouragement.

According to the apostle Paul, perseverance is a key component in character development. He explained that “tribulation produces perseverance” in Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV)

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The original Greek word translated “perseverance” means “steadfastness and endurance.” It was used of believers who endured in their walk of faith despite many trials.

For most of us, getting through a day, or a week or a year is about all the perseverance we can handle. Working full time jobs, raising children, and dealing with friends, family, bills, and taxes uses all of our time and energy. Perseverance is not limited to maneuvering through a crisis or disaster, but enduring the day-after-day faithfulness to get up and do what is needed, regardless of obstacles.

Timing, perseverance, and ten years of trying will eventually make you look like an overnight success. - Biz Stone (co founder of Twitter)

A couple of thoughts that help me:

First, look for those people you admire that have been faithful and persevered. There's comfort in finding someone who has done it before, whatever "it" is you're trying to do. Knowing that it's possible and studying how it was done can't help but increase the chances you'll stick it out.

Second: huge value accrues to the few able to actually stick with it! You may be tired or just frustrated but don't give up!

“The fatigue was there, but some people understood that putting it aside was the single most important factor in succeeding.” - Seth Godin

Life and the future may feel like it is moving at a "snail's pace" for you but before you know it you will look back and see how much you have accomplished by persevering.