Recent pictures...

A fun sunny day in the park.

Discovering wood chips.

Wants to be in summer gymnastics.

Lost child?

Nope, just working on the modeling career.

A new haircut and seven missing teeth (two on the bottom are coming in.)

Ding! You Are Now Free to be Creative

I've never flown Southwest airlines...but I want to.

I hear that in this age of fees for checked bags, long delays, and disgruntled passengers, Southwest works hard to make flying simple, affordable, and enjoyable.

Three things struck me about this video that I believe contribute to their oasis of success in a desert fledgling airlines. I think they could benefit you and your team.

1. The message may be sacred, but the method of delivery is not. Don't be afraid to try something different.
   
   
2. The team benefits when members are given creative liberty. Individuality + passion = people actually enjoying what they do. It's contagious. Let your team loose and enjoy the results!
   
   
3. If you do something ordinary in a remarkable way, people will take notice and tell others. Almost 1.3 million have viewed this video in one month. Southwest's TV spots are legendary (Wanna get away?). Go ahead and try to recall one of United or American's ads.

Yep, I can't wait to fly Southwest, let's just hope the flight attendant isn't a country music lover.

Don't forget your socks

Our family loves trips to the 'big city' of Sioux Falls. Lots to do, see, and eat. A must for any trip is the Empire Mall; and once there the first stop is the children's play place. The girls love to crawl, run, jump and climb throughout this padded palace that is for kids only.

How did we get by in malls before these?

A few thoughts crossed my mind as I sat and watched my girls the last time we were there. Some Rules for Life from the play land...if you think about it, there's some great spiritual application here.

1. Follow the rules: no food, no one over 42 inches, no unattended children, and above all...wear your socks. Rules are for our benefit and God blesses submission to authority.
2. Share: let someone else go in front of you. You can't go wrong by putting others first.
3. Stay within the boundaries: No running outside of the play area. Boundaries and balance are essential in life.
4. Try new things. Don't stay where you're familiar. Be curious; climb that huge wall or try that steep slide. You'll be glad you did...daddy will be close by to help if you fall on your face.
5. Laugh, jump around, and have some fun! Have the heart of a child more often. Laugh a lot, cast your cares on Him, and forget about who is watching. Don't take yourself so seriously.

I think the world would be a happier place if we they built adult play lands. We'd probably save money and by playing more and shopping less too.

Who's In Your Top 20?

Yesterday my pastor was preaching about Samson and he mentioned that he keeps a list of 20 people who have influenced his life the most. This got me to thinking about who would be in my top 20.

There are some obvious ones; my mom, dad, wife, and youth pastor. There's also some not so obvious who were still very influential. A Sunday School teacher, a college professor, a family from my home church that welcomed me into their home at a key moment in my life.

As I compiled the list I also realized how blessed I am...and that I have never told many of them how they affected my life.

Who is in your Top 20? How did they affect your life? How would your life be different without them? Have you taken the time to let them know?

Are you influencing someone so that you might end up in their Top 20?

Forgiven from shoveling

Last week it snowed seven inches in Aberdeen. Fulfilling my manly duty, I went to shovel our drive in order to get the van out. I had the bottom third closest to the street left. It was two degrees, the snow was wet and heavy, I had sore ribs from a basketball injury, and I needed to get to the office. Shoveling was not what I wanted to be doing.

Suddenly a man driving Bobcat tractor with a huge scoop drove up my street. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed him stopping, backing up and coming up my drive. I realized this guy was going to help me out! I didn't know him and I didn't ask for help but he did it any way.

Two passes with his huge shovel and thirty seconds later, my drive was done. The skeptic in me thought he was going to ask for money, and I was so excited to have the shoveling done I would have paid! But I didn't even have a chance to thank him, he just continued up the street. Wow, 20 minutes of hard shoveling done in 30 seconds...thank you Lord!

As a I finished our sidewalk I noticed my neighbor's walk that hadn't been touched. Suddenly it was like God prompted me to go over there and shovel. Immediately I objected, "they are able bodied, let them shovel their own," I thought. Then I was reminded of what just happened to my driveway. Wow, how quickly I had forgotten the favor and forgiveness I was shown.

It's kind of like a story Jesus told about about the unforgiving debtor in Matthew 18. Check it out. It's a great reminder. We've been forgiven so much. Don't hold back, give a heavy dose to someone in need.

A Very Special Football Game

The idea that the word 'Christian' should be a verb instead of a noun or adjective has been getting more attention lately, and it should.

The video below illustrates this concept in a powerful way.

Try...Fail...Learn...Adjust

Here's a solid leadership lesson for you and your team. This video teaching from Craig Groeschel is based on his book "It: How Churches and Leaders can Get It and Keep It". He talks about the necessity of failure. That's right...the necessity.

If there's one thing I fear being labeled, it is: a failure. A few things Groeschel said in this video stood out for me:

The fear of failure limits our future.

Failure is not an option. It's an absolute necessity.

What works was often born out of something that did not work.

You Try... You Learn...You Fail...You Adjust.

Bookie from LifeChurch.tv on Vimeo.