Sometimes You Have to Pick Up the Broom

I went to my local McDonalds recently and was encouraged by an unexpected site. I saw the owner (not the manager) out in the parking lot with a broom, sweeping up trash. I commented, "Now that's leadership at its finest." She just chuckled.


She's a real neat lady. I met her a few years ago as I happened to be there one day eating and she was out in the dining area, get this, wiping down tables. (I think she has a handle on Servant Leadership.) In that exchange, I commented on how hard her team was always working. She wasted no time letting me know what she thought about her team.

What Are You Missing?

"The person who has everything is missing something."

That phrase came to my mind while working on a lesson about Abraham. Here you have a man who has wealth, power and a "hotty" for a wife and yet he was consumed by the fact that he had no son. In his own words to God, "You have given me no offspring;"

No matter what we have, there is always something missing. I've heard it said that our appetite for more is never fully and finally satisfied. We always desire more. How we manage that desire is an indicator of our the kind of person we are. Check this out...[VIDEO, approx1:30] * It starts with just audio...

How can we manage the desire to acquire? 

1. Settle that EVERYTHING comes from God.
2. Understand the concept of managing versus owning. We're managers...
3. Ask yourself, "Is there anything that I would have a hard time letting someone borrow?" If the answer is "Yes," then, for that object, you are an "owner."
4. When was the last time you reached out to someone who had a need?

Do you have any suggestions on how to keep from "missing" something in life?

Photo credit: http://songsofthesalamander.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html

Are You Blessed for Success?

Have you ever found yourself needing to make a decision, but not sure what to do? You're not alone.  This is not a success strategy for making right decisions. Rather a reminder as to how to tap into a resource that will help you make those decisions.


In Genesis 24, Abraham commissions one of his servants with the task of finding a bride for Isaac. But there are criteria that must be met. Not so strict that it was "Mission Impossible," and yet not so broad that a simple "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" would suffice. There had to be some discernment. And after all, he wanted to do Abraham proud.  


The main stipulation was where to go find the young lady. Other than that, he was on his own as to how to select the future bride for Isaac.  As he settled into the region where Abraham sent him, he found himself with no clear way of deciding who to pick. What would you do? Pray?

I Don't Change Oil, I Change People

[This post was inspired by my pastor, Mike Hamlet, as he recently reminded me of someone we both know and how this person leverages his life for God's glory.]


Like most people, I make my tri-monthly trip to a local "quick-serve" garage to get my oil changed. Actually, it's more frequent than that as I have three vehicles to maintain. None-the-less, I have become a familiar face to the guy who works in the oil bay. His name is Joey.

Are You a Dream Maker or Dream Breaker?

Back in the Garden of Eden, when God created Adam, He recognized that "it was not good for man to be alone." He knew the value of relationships and having other people in our lives.  His solution was what the Bible calls "a helper" also known as Eve. Eve's task was to help Adam fulfill the responsibilities that God had placed on him...in essence she was to help Adam be successful.


In our world today, most everything we do involves relationships with people. People we know, people we don't; people we see everyday, people we see once and never again; people we love, and people with the capacity to be loved although we don't pursue it. There's not much that we do in our daily routines that does not involve people.


In your "world," how do you engage with those people? When they see you coming, do they walk toward you or away? Do you add value to their lives or suck the life out of them? Are you a Dream Maker or a Dream Breaker?