Check Your Vitals; especially for the new year!

Everything that is healthy needs to be checked up on.  People, systems, automobiles and even our own body need a little assessment, analyzation and a few tweaks every so often.  The start of the year is a great time to do just that, check yourself out; give your self a personal EKG.  I check myself regularly on the following areas.  This is not an exhaustive list but is it some things i'm currently checking myself on.

1.  Beneficial Contacts
Check the little stack of business cards on your desk.  How many of them have been acquired in the last 90 days?  How many of them are significant?  Getting good contacts is seldom an accident. A good strategy for obtaining key contacts is a must for a healthy check up.
Exercise:  list three ways you can meet significant or "upper" contacts in the next 30 days (hint; think network groups, social establishments and friends that can introduce you).

2.  Recent Accomplishments
You need to have a list of you most recent "rock star" accomplishments.  These should be in your head, your heart and definitely written down somewhere.  You never know when someone will ask you what you do or when you might have to defend your job.  Dont have any recent?  Get some ASAP!

3.  Forward Vision
Vision is assumed but it shouldn't be. I want to talk about a big and forward leaning vision but first we have to talk about vision period.  If you have a vision, make sure it is big and not only you but those you lead can be very passionate about it. If you dont have one; step one is realization, step two is acquiring.

4.  Support
Is your family healthy?  What is your spouse complaining about right now?  Is your pace sustainable in light of your support systems?  Do you have replenishing relationship or are you the perpetual giver?  Find balance, find support, find support for you and your mission.

5.  A Passionate Elevator Pitch
You need at least 2 elevator pitches ready to go at anytime; especially in youth ministry.  Here is an example; someone asks you what your real job is...you launch in to elevator 1.0.  Example two, someone notices how well your ministry is doing and yet how underfunded it is...you launch in to elevator 2.0.  If you dont know what an elevator pitch is, email me.

6.  Physical Well Being
Lets face it, if you are not doing well yourself, you are probably not your best for others.  So, eat 4 servings of fruits and veg each day, 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week, get a good nights sleep, keep your mind stimulated, take your vitamins, surround yourself with good friends and stay plugged in to God.

PS get your annual physical too!

Ormel & Cindy

Today I was in the lobby of my home church chatting with friends, wearing a cool jacket that usually gets most of its use during the Christmas season and getting ready to settle into a warm pew, when in walked Cindy.

Cindy didnt look like the rest of the crowd in their christmas best, although she was wearing a green sweatshirt. She walked right up to our holy huddle (uh hum) and had no problem with asking for $8.00 for a bus pass for her and her husband.

If you were like me, you could guess the rest.  She was gonna tell me sh needed money for gas or for a bus ticket to get her hungry baby and wheel chaired husband to the soup line because they haven't eaten since they were evicted by a satanic landlord.  At least that is what i thought was coming.  Cindy did want money for a bus ride because her husband had cancer and they had to get to the hospital and then to her in laws.  But that is where my stale and probably ungodly pre-conceived notions stopped.

Ive been around situations like this all my life, especially being on staff of a local church.  I have this internal program that kicks in when I encounter someone like this. The program makes me think that, among other sweeping generalizations, that all panhandlers immediately take the money they get and run straight to the nearest crack dealer. But this time I actually had time to talk with cindy and, according to my program, prove that this panhandler was likely a liar and a drug user.

I walked with her to the bus station expecting at anytime for her story to change. We rounded a corner and there was an elderly man standing by a bus. His name was Ormel and he wasted no time in telling me about his cancer, surgeries and even raised his shirt to show his recent post op scars (I didnt ask for this but I think God wanted to confirm every detail of the story). I did ask the bus driver how much a ride was which he confirmed that a day pass was $4.00 one for Ormel and one for Cindy.

Before I walked back to the warmth of the sanctuary I prayed for them and then watched the bus pull away with my two new friends and no crack heads or drug dealers in sight.  Every detail of Cindy's story was true and everyone of my pre conceived notions false.  Time for me to start thinking again.

My prayer - Lord let me see through your eyes without pretense; let me give like you would without judgement; let me love like you would - period!