Turning Over A New Leaf

Last night, my wife and I went out on a date to a concert!  We have chosen to set aside Friday’s as either family time or date night for us by using alternating Friday’s for each.  So far, the schedule is working out great.  Last Friday, we went to Chuck-E-Cheese’s with our daughters and had a blast eating unhealty foods and playing video games.   This Friday, my wife and I went to the conert and celebrated with the crowd!  I can’t wait until next Friday.  And no, this doesn’t mean we’ll go out and spend money every Friday, but the point is that we schedule regular time  that is set apart from our other life activities.  This coming Friday, I’m going to suggest we do arts and crafts with home supplies.  I’m so looking forward to it!

A concert alone–$50.  A concert and dinner with friends–$65.  A concert with the one you love (and they love you back)–priceless!

Contentment!

Yes, I know…it’s been way too long!  Oh, but the plates are spinning now…

The Upward Sports Ministry at Meadowbrook Church is getting underway.  Our team is actively seeking coaches, referees, prayer partners, and donations to have a basketball/cheerleading season twice as better as last year.  It’s an awesome ministry for children between the ages of 5-12 to play sports/cheer without the highly intensive competitive feature.  That doesn’t mean our program lacks competition; it’s just not so competitive that it crushes a kid’s self-esteem by them “riding the bench” or being labeled “second string” because they are not the best player.  We don’t create the “win-by-any-means” mentality.  In fact, EVERY CHILD IS A WINNER in our motto.

Frankly, I believe that the “win-by-any-means” or “win-at-all-costs” mentality is to blame for much of the reason why our society has such high anxiety–WE WANT TO WIN!  It’s why we get active in organizations/groups, join certain churches, fellowship with certain people, gain an education, apply for certain jobs, open a business, and etc.  If we are honest, most of what we do is to gain some type of competitive edge on anybody we may feel we are competing against.  And no, I am not endorsing mediocrity, but I am endorsing the constant search for contentment in life.  (I’m preaching to myself too, you know? )  Unchecked competitiveness leads to greed, and greed…well…check the news and fill in the blanks.

An author wrote:  “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Paul’s letter to the Philippians 4:12, NIV).

The Values Challenge Follow-up

Okay, I admit that I missed a few days of posting and responding, but you gotta remember the title of the blog…”our spinning plates.” :-) In the past few days, a plate or two hit the floor:  my 2 yr old daughter got a fever of 103+ and the world stopped.  Not to mention the attempt at the completion of  remodeling our guest bathroom in which 90% of the work was done by me, and I’m not just talking about a paint job.  My wife watches HGTV so she’s very idealistic!  There are some other things that happened but it would sound like a list of excuses so I’ll spare you and get to the business at hand.

So to address the post about the values list and prioirites:  some experts say that if your # 1 valued item in life is your family, then the questions are asked, “Well, how much time do you spend with your family?  How much of your money is spent on them?”  So if you actually spend 8-10 hours per day at work for 5 days a week, then its your job that you value most. (There is a presupposition that time and money are really # 1 and 2)  It’s logical, but is it truthful?  What do you think?  Can our values really be ordered by how much time we contribute to things or people?

What are your values challenge?

Please share “the list” of the things you value most?  (ex:  world hunger, family, job, etc.)  The reason I am asking this question is because a friend of mine challenged me with it yesterday–it was a very interesting way of looking at values that is so worth sharing with others.  I’ll give the challenge after you post your list.

Do you remember the time when…?

I recalled a conversation I had with a friend about prayer and devotion time.  My friend asked me how long I prayed.  I told him an hour.  He chuckled and then said, “how and for what do you pray for that long?”  I told him lots of things:  people, peace, protection, provision (the 4 p’s).  Being able to pray for an hour was during my “pre” days:  pre-grad school, pre-parenting, pre-homeownership, pre-church appointment, and some other pre- I can’t think of right now.  I was “pre-ing” it up!  I asked him how long he prayed and he said, “15 minutes.” 

Having a solid hour for prayer and devotion is a fleeting memory of mine now.  I don’t really know how I had so much time…better yet, a quiet mind to sit still for an hour…alone…with God…even in silence for a good portion of it without falling asleep.  Ah, life was much simpler then.  Nowadays, its still about an hour, but it’s in segments throughout the day/night, and mostly with other people.  There is nothing wrong with communal prayer, but my challenge is to carve out personal prayer and devotion time without an academic bent to it.  So, today I’m making a public challenge to myself and all readers to read a Psalm correlated to that day’s date (e.g., Sept. 1, read the entirety of Psalm 1), pray about it, look for its connection in life throughout the day (or make the connection), and then blog about your experiences here and other places.  If you choose to accept this mission, blessings to you…if not…um…blessings anyway!  Peace.

A LESSON on PRIORITIES

I was having a conversation with our new postman in the office the other day; it was our first time meeting.  Well, he opened up and told me he had 4 kids.  I immediately thought about our Sports Ministry for children between 5-12, and told him that we had karate, basketball, cheerleading, and we’re about to add soccer.  He was glad to hear that.  In the midst of our conversation, my co-worker said, “hey, Kyland, you have a phone call.”  I paused……..then I said, ”is it my wife?”  She said, “no.”  I said, “then they can wait.” 

Later that day another co-worker who overheard the whole thing said that she liked the way I prioritized in that moment.  I never thought twice about what I did, but obviously she did and she told me she was going to try it instead of addressing the immediate needs as they arise.

If I had to be explicit about the lesson:  schedule your priorities, don’t let them schedule you!  Deal with the most important thing first!  (And if you ask how you decide what’s most important, then you’ve just answered your own question)   You’re on your way!

My spinning plates and questions for YOU

1. I love to watch movies for enjoyment, and to analyze them for deeper meaning.  I also like to identify the tie(s) which hold movies together…if you unravel it, the whole movie falls apart.  It’s a strange love, I know. 
2. Earlier this year, I started doing a longtime passion of mine—martial arts.  I started attending classes for aikido (it’s the stuff Steven Seagal does aside from the corny acting).  It’s great, fun, and strenuous exercise.  I also agree with the philosophy and meaning of its name, ai-ki-do:  do—method or way; ai—for the coordination or harmony; ki—of mental energy or spirit.  It is pronounced “ahe-key-doe.”
3. I love to play “with” golf…LOL!  I genuinely enjoy the sport and would love to play more, but…
4. Sleep.  Somehow, I have begun to manage on 5-6 hours of sleep.
   1. Oh, did I mention we have a newborn of 6 weeks old as of this past Tuesday.
   2. Oh, did I mention that we also have a 2 year old who is going on 22.
5. My relationship with God.  Yeah, I know it’s kind of strange reading that a minister attempts to spin a plate called God.  In my opinion, the relationship is not where it needs to be simply because of the plates I attempt to spin
6. Other task forces, committees, and socio-political and professional organizations
7. Grad school…enough said!
8. Associate pastor at a church with a desire to do multicultural and multigenerational ministry!

How and when does life become so compact and complex?  How do you deal with the balancing acts within your life’s scenes?  How do you prioritize, delegate, and organize your life without robbing yourself of the joy of spontaneity and moments of serendipity?  Talk to me people!

Hello world!

Irony:  Me taking the time to begin a weekly blog concerning time management, priorities, and the balancing act of life.  I already don’t have time but here I am blogging.