Let The Boy Stay In Your House http://chrisstapper.posterous.com Most recent posts at Let The Boy Stay In Your House posterous.com Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:47:39 -0700 New kicks! http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/new-kicks http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/new-kicks
Photo

I love getting new shoes and I think I've passed down the quality to
my boy. He has not stopped wearing his new chucks for the past three
days.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:48:10 -0700 Clenched Fists http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/clenched-fists http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/clenched-fists
Open-hands

I've never been in an actual fistfight.  My younger brother and I would wrestle and try and throw each other off of the trampoline, but actually hitting each other with our fists seemed outside the bounds of our gentleman's agreement.  I've hit a punching bag before and I can also think of a few times where I punched a wall or some other object to release whatever tension had built up inside of me.  So I have no idea what it feels like to clench your fists in preparation for a throwdown.  

All of that has been on my mind recently as God is undoing some stuff in me that has been misplaced.  I swear the thing that God has been repeating for the past few months is "Open Your Hands Chris."  At first, there were moments and small decisions but lately I have been aware of how much of my life is held so tightly.  It's probably no surprise to say that I like a certain amount of control in my life.  I like to make decisions and be in charge and hold tightly to the reins of whatever project or task I am leading.  And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

However, what God has been showing me lately is that some things will be more successful if I will let go of them a little.  Totally counterintuitive.  This is essentially the message that gets preached during any sermon on tithing. As we loosen the grip on our money, we are able to hold on to more important things.  For whatever reason, when it comes to money I am not nearly as controlling as other areas of my life.  But it's the same dilemma - am I willing to let go and give up control and believe that God will do a better job than I can?

Of course when it is phrased that way the choice seems clear.  But when the choice comes in the form of everyday life events, it's not quite so cut and dry.  This morning the dam might have broken.  I was preparing for MIDWEEK (wednesday night bible study) and I was reading and re-reading James 2.  "Faith without works is dead."  Does my faith and belief that I am utterly dependent on Jesus Christ match up with the way that I actually live each day?  When is the last time that I chose faith over my abilities?  I've been turning this question over and over in my head all day long.

The problem is that it is so hard to unclench your fists once they are wrapped around something.  It's so hard to forgive.  It's so hard to get vulnerable.  It's so hard to be as trusting as you know you should be.  It's hard to be optimistic rather than cynical.  But I know that I should live with open hands - ready to give to God and ready to receive from God.  I'm letting go - one finger at a time.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:45:09 -0800 Kindergarten Economics http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/kindergarten-economics http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/kindergarten-economics Emma and I were discussing ownership tonight as I was tucking her in.  She told me to get out of "her bed" and I asked who the bed really belonged to.  "Mommy" she said.  

"Where did Mommy get the money to buy the bed?"
"The bank."
"Where did the bank get the money?"  And this is where it got interesting.
"The church."
"What?  The church?  How does that work?"
"The church gets the money and takes it to the bank," Emma explained to me.

I asked Emma who could go and get money from the bank.  "Anyone."  "Anyone?"  "Anyone."  Well that sounds simple.

I pressed her for a few more details, and this is where we landed for Emma's fiscal understanding.

The church gets money in the offering plate.
People work at the church so the money can be taken to the bank.
The bank gives the money to people.
People take the money to buy stuff and give it back to the church.

Without realizing it, Erin and I have raised a mini-Socialitst.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:44:59 -0800 The Day After The Birthday http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/the-day-after-the-birthday http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/the-day-after-the-birthday Yesterday, my boy turned three, and if you know anything about me, you know that I love to reflect and get nostalgic about years gone by.  It was fun to retrace Erin and my steps three years ago.  I kept thinking, "I bet we were doing ________ about this time."  The fact is that Friday February 23, 2007 was an incredibly fun day.  Erin's mom was with us all day, Emma spent the day with Erin Humphries, Dr. Curran did a great job delivering the boy, and my parents rolled into town that evening.  Everything was going so smoothly that we were pretty sure we would leave the hospital on Saturday afternoon and begin the journey of being a family of four.

On Saturday morning, I woke up at the house and checked on Emma to discover she had a fever.  It wasn't that big of a deal-at the time I was only thinking about how she wouldn't be able to go up to the hospital at all that day.  After talking to my parents who were staying with us, we decided that my mom would hang out with her that morning while my dad, brother, and I went to the hospital.  Lunch time arrived and the guys decided that we would go pick up some BBQ sandwiches and bring them by the house for my mom and Emma.  I was having a hard time reaching mom on the phone, but I finally I got through to hear this: "I called an ambulance for Emma.  You need to come home right now."  The mile from Cripple Creek BBQ to my house seemed like an eternity.  What happened?  Why was an ambulance involved?  Why hadn't I been there?  What was I going to tell Erin?

When we got to the house, there was indeed an ambulance in the driveway, and Emma was lying on the gurney.  To see her two-and-a-half year old frame inside of an ambulance filled with tubes and masks and wires was too much.  My mom and the EMTs were all telling me the story-her fever had spiked and she had a seizure.  She had been looking at the DVD's trying to find a movie to watch when she went limp and became unresponsive.  Mom was the only one at the house and she called 911.  After a few preliminary checks, I hopped in the ambulance with Emma and we went to the ER.  One of the perks of living in a small town (and having a hospital in town) was quickly apparent - Dr. Curran met us at the ER doors, and Erin was able to come down not long after.  In fact, Erin's OB nurses checked on her for the next couple of hours in the ER; I seriously doubt that Methodist Hospital (where Emma was delivered) would have been so helpful.

Although Emma was not very responsive, the doctors and nurses assured us that she would most likely be fine in a little while.  The seizure was a febrile seizure brought on by a high fever, and had most likely not caused any damage.  It's actually the body's natural way of breaking an exceptionally high fever.  To be on the safe side, Emma was admitted for the night, and in a strange twist of fate, her room was exactly 50 steps away from Erin and Caedmon's room.  Erin and I each went to one of our children's rooms, and if we wanted to switch we would call each others rooms and hug as we passed in the hallway on our 50 step journey.

Rob Bell talks about the hallways of life in his newest book Drops Like Stars and I know exactly what he means.  The 24 hours in the hospital was lived in a hallway between the one of the best and worst experiences of our lives.  On the way to Caedmon's room, I remember feeling lifted and excited, but traveling to Emma's room was such a reminder of how little control we have in life.  How could I have helped her?  What could I have done to keep this from happening?  After one night, everyone was released to go home; to this day, Emma has never shown any ill effects from her seizure.  But the experience made deep impressions on me, and is a constant reminder of the tension between wonderful and awful that seems to fill up our lives.  It's a tension between how things should be and how things actually are.  I long for a time when everything is made new and right, but for now there will be more instances of heartache and pain.  And I will continue to live in the hallway between the two.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:45:51 -0800 Let The Lent Begin http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/let-the-lent-begin http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/let-the-lent-begin Lent is such a strange time of year.  I can remember having discussions about why as a non-Catholic there was no reason to pay any attention to Lent.  There does not seem to be a great deal of focus in most Baptist churches about this season, but you could easily say the same thing about Sabbath, confession, or silence and each of those have held a important place in my relationship with Christ.  Primarily, I've understood Lent as a time where you give up chocolate or sodas to identify with Christ's suffering...and maybe that's why I've never quite understood it.  It's like saying, "I know what you're going through Jesus-I haven't been to Starbucks in two weeks!"  Giving up one simple thing for 40 days sounded a bit empty and like a fancy case of legalism and more rules.

In Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book Life Together, he says "Let him who cannot be alone, beware of being in community.  Let him who is not in community, beware of being alone."  Bonhoeffer's point is that our normal habits must be put aside so that we can develop the life of a disciple of Jesus.  Community and solitude both have their benefits, but they also have their pitfalls, and without a balance we are find ourselves lost in despair.  I can hear the echoes of this sentiment in the Lenten period - the point is not to give up something simply to give it up; no, there is something much greater going on.

This is the period of renewing our minds from Romans 12:1-2 - by putting aside habits and emptying ourselves, we are creating space for God to fill us up.  The point is not what you give up, but how to create more space for God to transform us.  This leads down a road of 1,000 more questions - is giving up Facebook going to help me stay connected to a community of Christ or cause me to retreat further into my introverted shell?  How does giving up soda open me up to God?  Is staying away from fast food going to allow me to focus on a new aspect of my relationship to Christ?

Lent is like any other discipline in that it is a means to an end, not the end itself.  Start with the end in mind.  For me, I have realized that I can become so obsessed with reading about Scripture that I am often drawn away from Scripture.  I have stacks of books about church, God, Jesus, disciplines, how to study the bible, etc, and often I spend more time reading those than I do the actual word of God.  So I have decided to put aside that non-essential reading for the next 40 days.  It will mean my Kindle goes dark for a while.  It will mean that I won't get around to reading Crazy Love like I had wanted to.  But the point isn't to prove to Jesus that I can sacrifice books - the point is to give up one thing to get something else.  I want these next 40 days that are leading up to Easter to be an intense time of opening the Scriptures and letting God speak to me through them, rather than an interpreter like Donald Miller, Rob Bell, or even Bonhoeffer.

Where could you create more space in your life for God to move?  What would you have to sell in order to buy the treasure hidden in a field?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:06:14 -0800 Free Graphics for Church and Stuff http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/free-graphics-for-church-and-stuff http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/free-graphics-for-church-and-stuff
Media_httpwwwcreative_sbsgc
via creativemyk.com

Creativemyk.com is a great site to go to if you are in need of a graphic, background, sermon slide, or just some inspiration. Users can upload their work and make it available for download for free. There is also a forum for getting constructive criticism on your work.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:05:42 -0800 Sunday Sermon Audio http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/sunday-sermon-audio http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/sunday-sermon-audio
The Letter To Thyatira by First Baptist Church - Athens, Tx Listen on Posterous

This past Sunday, I had the chance to deliver the sermon on Sunday morning. I went through my process of crafting a sermon last week, and here is the finished product. For some reason, the first few minutes are missing but it was just some introduction stuff. No big deal.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper First Baptist Church - Athens, Tx - The Letter To Thyatira Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:38:35 -0800 Through The Wall http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/through-the-wall http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/through-the-wall
IMG_0134.MOV Watch on Posterous

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:09:53 -0800 Busyness and Donatists http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/busyness-and-donatists http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/busyness-and-donatists The honeymoon of the new year is over.  It started so calmly...there was no school, work was a little more relaxed, things were peacefully flowing along.  The past five days have been hectic; it hasn't been bad, but I have just let a few things slip (like this blog) that I wanted to keep up with.

One of the great things this week has brought is a complete selling out of the Help Haiti shirts.  144 shirts in 4 days...not too shabby.  Thank you people of Athens, Martin's Mill, Poyner, Crandall, and San Angelo.

Today I was reading for school about a controversy in the early church from a group called the Donatists.  The Donatists believed that the church was strictly a place for the saints, not for sinners.  Their movement gained steam during a period of persecution from Diocletian.  The possession of Scripture was illegal and some Christians had turned over their copy of the Scripture to officials and authorities-in essence they were renouncing their faith.  Those who hadn't caved in were critical and denounced this group.  After the pressure had subsided, many of the turncoats rejoined their churches much to the chagrin of the Donatists.  They believed that they had no place because of their previous actions.  Fascinating stuff.

I had never heard of this movement before, and I was so happy that our churches aren't anything like that....right?  We never think that it's only a place for Christians.  We don't try to exclude other people.  I was just overjoyed that American Christianity is so advanced and we don't have to deal with silly controversies like this.

Here's to being more graceful people and sharing Christ's love with everyone, not just those who are already in the family.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:40:54 -0800 Blog Worth Looking At: The iPhone Mom http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/blog-worth-looking-at-the-iphone-mom http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/blog-worth-looking-at-the-iphone-mom http://www.theiphonemom.com/

Heather Leister runs a blog called The iPhone Mom that covers apps for iPhone toting moms.  It's a cool site, and pretty handy for those dads out there that sport iPhones.  The games and activity apps that she covers are cool and I can tell you from experience that having some handy apps make for a much more peaceful car ride.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:41:15 -0800 "Amos Story" Music Video Released - Aaron Ivey http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/amos-story-music-video-released-aaron-ivey-0 http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/amos-story-music-video-released-aaron-ivey-0
via youtube.com

Aaron and his wife Jamie have adopted two children from Haiti, Amos and Story. Story has been with them in the US for 3 months, while Amos is still living in Haiti. This song is from Aaron's latest album.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:31:59 -0800 Help Haiti Update http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/help-haiti-update-0 http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/help-haiti-update-0 It's crazy to believe that last Sunday life was moving along as normal in Port Au Prince, Haiti. The past few days have been filled with watching the news, praying for the people, and thinking of ways that we can help. Two ideas came together: Cookies & TShirts. We threw out the idea, and you guys have stepped up. Students from Middle School to College, Parents, and other friends have helped raise money and awareness about the help we can offer Haitians. Here's where we stand right now:

+ We raised $177 selling cookies
+ We have sold 74 (out of 144) shirts.
+ Total Money Raised = $1,087
+ That means that 31 families will have food and water for a week through Compassion International

That's awesome! We still have shirts available, and Erin can always make more cookies. :)

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:08:00 -0800 Testing Out Posterous http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/testing-out-posterous-264 http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/testing-out-posterous-264

I just signed up for a Posterous account, and I'm testing it out.  The cool thing about Posterous is the ability to send an email and share text, pictures, video, sound, etc. across your facebook, twitter, blog, youtube, flickr....the list goes on.  So this is the first entry.

736660559_ha4ik-o

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:42:41 -0800 This is Too Cool http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/this-is-too-cool http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/this-is-too-cool When Erin and I got home from picking up the Help Haiti shirts tonight, we thought we would try one on and see how it fit. Erin tells me, "Look at the tag..." Below is a picture of what we were looking at. That's right, these shirts that we are selling to help Haiti were actually made in Haiti. Too cool.

Media_httpchrisstappe_pwcfb

Media_httpchrisstappe_azwof

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:28:44 -0800 I Wish I Were Haitian http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/i-wish-i-were-haitian http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/i-wish-i-were-haitian Today I've been watching CNN.  A lot of CNN.  This morning Aaron Ivey and Jamie Ivey delivered a solid interview on American Morning about adoption.  The rest of the day, I've been trying to let the images of devastation overwhelm me.  But then something crazy happened.  While I was making lunch, there was a video of people walking through the streets singing.  Singing?!?! The reporters started discussing how Haiti is a deeply religious place, and that people all across the island have been turning to their faith in the wake of the greatest disaster in the Western Hemisphere in the past 200 years.  Of all of the pictures and video and iReports that I have seen, this segment has stirred my soul the most.  Basically, I wish I was a Haitian. Don't get me wrong: I love electricity, and satellite TV, and plumbing, and food in my refrigerator.  But I also know that all of these things keep me insulated from absolute dependance on God.  The CNN reporter said something to the effect of, "The Haitians have lost everything, and they are turning to the only thing that cannot be taken away."  It is nearly impossible to cling to Jesus when I'm holding onto all of the stuff around me.  Prime example: this morning I got up to read my Bible and had a choice in front of me.  Should I read from my TNIV or ESV or NIV, or I could read on my computer, or I could even pick up my iPhone and study the Scriptures from there.  The most holy thing I've done all day is still stuck in my consumer lifestyle. I love the life that I have.  I get to spend my days serving other people, and I have a great home with an awesome wife and two wonderful kids.  We have a lot of fun and get to do amazing things.  But deep down, when I saw Haitians worshipping in their tragedy, there was a strong part of me that wants to connect to that and understand that.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Wed, 13 Jan 2010 09:12:11 -0800 Help For Haiti http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/help-for-haiti-6 http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/help-for-haiti-6 We are only 13 days into the new year, but already some major craziness has happened. Within Athens, three churches have been set on fire in what is believed to be a major arson operation. And then last night, a massive earthquake hit Port Au Prince, Haiti. As of this morning, the burned churches are not in need of anything - they have a place to meet Sunday, and they have they other necessary items for a church. However, Haiti is in very real need of some help...and you can be a part of the relief. For those of you in Athens, you can do 2 easy things this week. First, come to Generate tonight at 6:30pm at the ROC and buy a cookie for $1. Second, buy a "Help Haiti" TShirt for $10. (we're getting the shirts for $4 which means $6 goes to relief) All of the money that is collected will be given to Compassion International Disaster Relief. According to Compassion, $35 provides food and water for a family for a week (this means 35 cookies or 6 shirts will help 1 family for a week...not too shabby). The great thing is that you might have an even better idea than shirts and cookies. Go for it. Raise some money...send it to Haiti...help some people...all of it serves Jesus.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Tue, 12 Jan 2010 07:21:28 -0800 Grace and Tolerance http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/grace-and-tolerance http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/grace-and-tolerance I'm thinking through an upcoming sermon, and one of the major themes of the passage is the toleration of sin within a community of faith.  Confrontational preaching is outside of my wheelhouse and I'm trying to wrap my mind around how to explain and teach this difficult subject. The quicksand that I keep getting caught up in right now deals with the difference between Grace and Tolerance.  In their simplest forms, grace can be defined as the unmerited favor of God and tolerance is a disposition to allow freedom of choice.  I have a sincere belief that too often in the church what we mean as grace is actually closer to tolerance, especially when it comes to sin.  We tend to overlook and explain away and justify sin, usually in the name of grace.  We just want to love people. But is there a chance that what we are doing is tolerating the very thing that God finds horrible?  Grace moves us to repentance.  Tolerance lets us stay put.  I'd love to hear some feedback.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:55:41 -0800 The Sound of Silence http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/the-sound-of-silence-4 http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/the-sound-of-silence-4
"Hello darkness, my old friend I've come to talk with you again..."
This past Thursday, I spent the day at a lakehouse to practice 24 hours of silence and solitude.  The only other time I had done something like this was for extra credit in a spiritual formation class during college.  I went to the Lebh Shomea House of Prayer on the King Ranch and did my best to remain silent for the retreat.  My biggest memory of the experience is when I dropped a spoon at dinner, and said "Oh!" because it was so loud as it clanged on the floor; then I realized that I had said something and said "Oh!" again....it was a vicious cycle.  Overall, not the biggest spiritual achievement, but it at least gave me an idea of what I was getting myself into. To be clear: silence and solitude are boring.  I turned my phone off, didn't watch TV, and was without internet for the day.  True, the scenery was beautiful and I had several books with me, but much of the day was spent staring out the window wondering if I should be doing something else.  A friend told me before the retreat that the day would feel "like the first time you work out."  As in, you probably won't experience too much that's life-changing and there will be a lot of discomfort.  Pretty accurate assessment of the day.  But, like working out, the key is to start somewhere.  With that in mind, I wanted to write down a little of what I did, and maybe de-mystify the experience.  Practicing silence and solitude should be a more normal experience in all of our lives, and maybe we can learn together how to go about it better.
  • Location: A couple at our church let me stay at their lakehouse, and it couldn't be a more perfect spot.  It's far enough out of town to be isolated, but close enough that Erin could come and get me if something happened.  But you don't need a lakehouse.  The truth is that I spent 90% of the day in 1 room sitting on the couch.  The point is to find some place with few interruptions.
  • Food: I decided to fast for a portion of the time.  This actually began the night before, and went past lunch.  Fasting is pretty rare in my life, and I thought it would be helpful to make this day completely out of the ordinary.  However, fasting is a separate discipline from silence and not integral to the experience.  It can be helpful, but certainly not a requirement.
  • Phone / TV: I knew I had to turn off my phone or else I would check it 400 times during the day.  So I changed my voicemail greeting and directed people to call either my office or wife if they needed me.  I also decided not to watch TV (yes, I missed the National Championship Game...ugh) or listen to music.  Thankfully, there was no WiFi at the house, so that wasn't even a temptation.
  • Passing the Time: I spent most of the day doing two things: reading and resting.  During the morning, I read the book of Nehemiah and a leadership book called Derailed.  For the afternoon, I read Ezra (you know, to balance out Nehemiah) and Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli.  Between these reading sessions, I would rest and I had two ministry magazines that I looked through.
  • Prayer: This was actually a pretty simple part of the day for me.  To open the day, I said a simple prayer, "God, I am open and available to You.  I'm willing to experience something new."  Towards the end of the day, I practiced Centering Prayer which is a form of prayer but really simply a way of resting in God's presence.
  • Idea Book: I tend to have inspiration and ideas in weird places that make it difficult to save and remember them (driving, the shower, etc).  I figured that by spending an entire day away my mind would travel all over the place, and sure enough it did.  I took a notebook and wrote down every crazy idea that floated through my brain.  I haven't gone back to look at the four pages of craziness yet.
One of my goals for this year is to spend a day away once every 3 months to rest, recharge, and refocus.  Just like working out, I think that each experience will reap more benefits the next time.

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    ]]>     http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper     Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:19:06 -0800 Book Review - Derailed http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/book-review-derailed http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/book-review-derailed I received a copy of Derailed by Dr Tim Irwin from my Catalyst Filter membership. They tend to send good quality books and music so I was excited to read it. Derailed is the story of six high-profile CEO failures and provides a few ideas about how avoid their mistakes. Dr Irwin has a simple idea: character trumps competence. Throughout the book he shows that while these CEOs were all extremely competent, they made major mistakes in their leadership and relationships with employees and boards.  For example: Bob Nardelli of Home Depot installed a private elevator so that he wouldn't have to share an elevator with regular employees.  Carly Fiorina was abusive to the son of one of the founders of HP as she pushed for a merger with Compaq.  The list goes on, and it's pretty startling to see the "cream of the crop" make some stunning mistakes. Hits
    • Great subject material.  Although I hadn't heard of each CEO, many of the stories were familiar enough that I was instantly engaged
    • Dr. Irwin does a great job of outlining what character traits are important, and their negative counterparts that can lead to derailment.
    • While very much a business book, Derailed has a great deal of cross-genre relevance.
    Misses
    • While the CEO accounts are engaging, the stories are basically a compilation of news reports with no first-hand interviews.  Leaves a little something to be desired.
    • While making good suggestions, some of Dr. Irwin's ideas are a bit simplistic.  For example: he recommends having a mentor.  That's a good idea, but he doesn't dive any deeper into how the mentor can help you, what your interactions should look like, etc.
    Overall, the book was a good read, and because it's fairly short, Derailed can be read quickly.

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    ]]>     http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper     Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:27:00 -0800 Colt McCoy - I Am Second http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/colt-mccoy-i-am-second http://chrisstapper.posterous.com/colt-mccoy-i-am-second

    Colt McCoy - I Am Second

    Sports can be a great metaphor for all kinds of things in life, but it can also distract us from what is truly important. And the truth is that it doesn't really matter all that much what happens in Pasadena tonight. Whether you are a UT or Bama fan, you gotta love Colt's willingness to put his faith out there.

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    ]]>     http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/378528/n575021516_1284086_5038.jpg http://posterous.com/users/3snC351ipJXH Chris Stapper chrisstapper Chris Stapper