tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040463608816366992024-03-05T16:36:50.706-08:00Andrew's Anecdotes: OM USAthe mount familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17492009435342004306noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-15210777916935885042011-12-09T06:24:00.000-08:002011-12-09T06:49:46.261-08:00What happens when you step out of bed?I heard a quote recently. It came from the Roma people.<br /><br />"Live your life in such a manner, that when you awake in the morning and your feet hit the floor, Satan shudders and says.."OH NO! HE'S AWAKE"!<br /><br />Wow!<br />May this be so in our lives.<br /><br />Is how we are living our lives so impacting the kingdom of darkness that we cause Satan to take notice of us?<br />As we finish 2011 let's make sure Satan shudders a lot over Christmas.<br />When he does we have nothing to fear because greater is He that is in us.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-39131606461035825632011-09-16T09:21:00.000-07:002011-09-16T10:02:30.516-07:002 Million People<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdi4Y8TKEVUvvRyqiiRDbKJBM_MeLH9xjavIOdq6bFEr5LaWiNQt61wgbL5_VeSxwQtJxUMtKbTEoqK38W9PMFNB36SGlR6arKQUlHnskHErZeLRIGRX-TcftNunTh8YSeVrLtWR-nQ3M/s1600/logoshope400w.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdi4Y8TKEVUvvRyqiiRDbKJBM_MeLH9xjavIOdq6bFEr5LaWiNQt61wgbL5_VeSxwQtJxUMtKbTEoqK38W9PMFNB36SGlR6arKQUlHnskHErZeLRIGRX-TcftNunTh8YSeVrLtWR-nQ3M/s400/logoshope400w.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653003934606650818" /></a><br />Just recently the two millionth person visited our ship, Logos Hope. <br />2,000,000! <br />That is a lot of people. People from war torn Liberia, secular Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and the vast country of India have come on board where they have met Christ followers and have had the opportunity to hear their story of Hope. <br />2 million! <br /><br />Some folks have commented on how expensive it must be to run a ship and ask the question, 'Is it worth it?'.<br />In response I tell them of the impact that I know of - <br />- Close to a million people hear of Jesus every year. <br />- I know of churches that have been planted as a result of teams visiting villages and the then local missionaries carry on the work. <br />- A whole nation being reconciled with its neighbor and peace was restored after many years of fighting.<br />- 30 prisoners in a high security prison coming to faith as a result of a group of deck guys going and spending a full day with them and sharing Jesus with them.<br />- Drug addicts coming to faith.<br />- In one of the hardest places to see fruit 80 people came forward to accept Christ at just one event.<br />- 350 Buddhist monks came on board to hear a presentation from the Gospels and all received a New Testament.<br />- In an island in the Pacific 300 people came forward to accept Christ at an International Night. <br />- Young crew members lives being radically changed as they see God work in them and through them.<br />- Thousands of people every year from nations that have little access to the gospel come on board and see it, hear it and interact with those who are living it out.<br /><br />Is it worth it?<br />There are many more stories if you need them. <br /><br />I know of many churches that have spent more on their buildings than Logos Hope cost and few if any will impact close to a million people every year of their existence. God is using this unique ministry in a unique way. All glory to Him.<br />Check out more at <a href="http://www.omships.org">www.omships.org</a>Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-71836856838341870932011-09-12T07:31:00.000-07:002011-09-12T10:48:26.248-07:00911 - how far we have moved in 10 years.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKivBHuIRadK0dOOfhrN-4rcidGmc3GheVrVFga7Myr-RqTb-nR4uzTFJ2ZxQQ3WCTFMkXCu6RCUqdKoO8WVZ5ndrAPVkBow-QiqdlS-Xi2yvPHgrfrSTrK5mfZdcQxqCooHF7KRDI5gBX/s1600/billy_graham_911.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651499643939986098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKivBHuIRadK0dOOfhrN-4rcidGmc3GheVrVFga7Myr-RqTb-nR4uzTFJ2ZxQQ3WCTFMkXCu6RCUqdKoO8WVZ5ndrAPVkBow-QiqdlS-Xi2yvPHgrfrSTrK5mfZdcQxqCooHF7KRDI5gBX/s400/billy_graham_911.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 220px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<b>With all the coverage of the events commemorating the terrible happenings on 9/11 something became painfully obvious to me.</b><br />
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Before I share what it was I will admit to being one of "them there foreigners" and so my view is from the perspective of one who has only lived here 9 years but who has always loved the USA. I guess I am a little unique - many Americans claim Irish roots while I am an Irish man who has American roots - my mother's parents met and married in New York and all her siblings were born here. <br />
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What became evident to me (I would believe many others also) is the stark contrast between the US in the days after 9/11 in 2001 and now 10 years later.<br />
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<b>10 years ago</b> we had a Christian statesman Billy Graham give a message outlining our need, as a nation, of God. He said, "we desperately need spiritual renewal....my prayer is that we will feel the loving arms of God wrapped around us." We had scripture reading and prayer in the name of Jesus. Our president said that these events "lead us to pray....prayers that yield our will to a will greater than ours.....may He always guide our country." <b>Today </b>the same event was held excluding evangelicals and certainly was a far cry from the messages we heard 10 years ago. It was more of a muddle of syncretism and political correctness.<br />
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<b>10 years ago </b>the solution in 2001 was to turn to God and <b>today</b> it seems to be "if we can come together." Difficult for God to wrap His arms around a people who distance themselves from Him. In regards to the New York service Mayor Bloomberg stated, "what religion would we chose anyway?" A strange question for a leader in country which states in their pledge, "under God," a God who the founding fathers had no doubt as to His identity.<br />
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<b>10 years ago</b> this country was united in an unprecedented way - Americans stood shoulder to shoulder hand in hand. I remember visiting 6 months afterwards and still every house, every yard had at least one flag flying. <b>Today </b>this country is as divided as it has been in decades.<br />
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<b>10 years ago</b> people flocked to churches with a new understanding of their deep need of the Judeo Christian God and a desire to feel his comforting touch. Church attendance immediately increased by 25% that Sunday. The following week, half of American adults attended a church somewhere. <b>Today</b> many churches are far below pre-9/11 numbers. Surveys show us that there seems to be more acceptance of other ways and sources of peace and God has been downgraded to one among many.<br />
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<b>10 years ago</b> our president called out on our behalf to Almighty God and challenged us to do the same. <b> Today</b> our president deems national prayer unconstitutional.<br />
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<b>We have come a long way......<i>in the wrong direction</i>.</b><br />
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<b>God gives us a simple solution. </b><br />
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<b>If we would humble ourselves, pray, and turn from our wicked ways He would heal our land. </b>Could it be that <b>the pain that we are feeling as a nation today is somehow linked to our unwillingness to do these three things</b>. 9/11/2001 humbled us and caused us to pray like never before. I fear that we we have not simply become passive in this regard but have taken clear steps to move in the opposite direction of doing these things.<br />
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<b>May God have mercy on us and turn the hearts of this nation once again to Him.</b><br />
May we personally learn the lesson of how easy it is for us as individuals to also slip and forget some of the foundational principles of our faith.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-77378183898437301242011-09-02T06:02:00.000-07:002011-09-02T11:47:31.961-07:00No time for playing it safe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdqqsTgRowExx3VxyejTB6hQN1MPxTs1m2vXJ9TOOJAvpH8K6KIVbh9vXoIFtMsRRU7Sl7co08WXCFdqZPthiS8QBZp5ZlpiWSxH4RFjcq-CEPsNo11nb5e5O_Acb8PQqsm-gLOl-cPJu/s1600/2011-634465850582865321-286.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647759208945022642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdqqsTgRowExx3VxyejTB6hQN1MPxTs1m2vXJ9TOOJAvpH8K6KIVbh9vXoIFtMsRRU7Sl7co08WXCFdqZPthiS8QBZp5ZlpiWSxH4RFjcq-CEPsNo11nb5e5O_Acb8PQqsm-gLOl-cPJu/s400/2011-634465850582865321-286.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 239px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>
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A quick glance at the news reminds us that these are challenging days in which we live. Unemployment is still north of 9% in the US with little hope of recovery just yet. Syrian forces continue to gun down street protesters. Libya sits on a knife edge, millimeters from complete anarchy. As we dig deeper into the statistics and stories of lives and communities we see and hear things that trouble us much more deeply. Nearly a quarter of the people in the world today have never heard of Jesus once. Many of them are also suffering unimaginable pain brought on by poverty and its impact. I have been sharing about the communities where rape and STD's are the norm; that nearly a million people, mostly women and children, will be trafficked into slavery this year. Today 27,000 people, mostly women and children, will die from hunger-related diseases. At least three times that will die today and, as far as we know, go into a lost eternity.
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God has brought the Parable of the Talents to my mind many times in the last year. I am not going to comment much on it because I think the words below from The Message speak for themselves. Just remember that Jesus put this in the context of "This is what the Kingdom heaven is like". There is an expected urgency from the Master, a wise use of what we have been given, regardless of the quantity. There is no room for, "But you only gave me one." There was a serious consequence for "playing it safe", holding on to what we have now and not seeking to take risks and invest for the sake of the master. These are not days to play it safe -- there is too much at stake for the people mentioned above and we have been called by the Master to be involved in taking the transformational message of the gospel in word and deed.
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Here is how Jesus puts it in Matthew 14-30 (The Message):
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<i>"It's also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master's investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master's money. </i><br />
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<i>"After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'
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<i>"The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master's investment. His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'
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<i>"The servant given one thousand said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'
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<i>"The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
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<i>"'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.'"</i>Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-88608351697683189752011-08-26T10:03:00.000-07:002011-09-02T11:47:56.964-07:00What ever it takes..... are we ready?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6tEQc2lQ_u58nNsuzzxtIGGfFkB-K6jiKrPJQyLRFFpTwLTr7o-e1iljL1eP6aex-Hg3lKoem8897JvxuDufkGo3R6JoQVofNhcjpU_CE3UsMjnZ54eddV4hTRKHnucRqCUUlhnUAnRv/s1600/DSC04617.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645246619579681858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6tEQc2lQ_u58nNsuzzxtIGGfFkB-K6jiKrPJQyLRFFpTwLTr7o-e1iljL1eP6aex-Hg3lKoem8897JvxuDufkGo3R6JoQVofNhcjpU_CE3UsMjnZ54eddV4hTRKHnucRqCUUlhnUAnRv/s400/DSC04617.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 160px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> <br />
It was like stepping back in time or onto the set of an old western movie. Dry season ensured that everything had a layer of fine dust covering it. Small half-clothed children sat playing by the side of the road, their cheeks and eyes a little darker as the tears they had been crying washed the dust away, at least for now.<br />
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A number of men are slouched in plastic chairs, their glazed eyes giving away the truth of their alcohol addiction.<br />
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Colorfully clothed women sat at the side of the road behind their stalls with piles of ripe tomatoes, hoping to sell enough to buy corn meal for the family. Others carried heavy loads on their heads as they make their way from one task to the next. Most women had a baby cleverly strapped to their back with only the head peeking out.<br />
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I was taking it all in. I had seen scenes like this before so there was no novelty factor or overwhelming feeling. Then my driver said, <b>"Andrew, every girl in this village will be raped at some point in their life." </b><br />
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How do you cope with that statement? You are not reading it in a book or hearing a report from a returning missionary. You are watching the faces of the young girls who will suffer this horrendous act, seeing the eyes of the women who have already experienced it many times and now suffer both emotionally and physically from STD's and even HIV/AID's. You are now glaring into the faces of the drunkards who most likely are the perpetrators, as they often exercise what they see as their right as a man. <br />
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<b>The sad reality is that this is just a small snapshot of the situation our world is in.</b> Whether it is the risk that women and children face from multiple issues linked to impoverished communities, or the plight of the unreached who have yet to hear of Jesus for the first time, we have still so much to do if we are to complete what Jesus asked us to do. <br />
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<b>How did this experience impact me? </b>One big way was that <b>I realized that tomorrow for so many is too late.</b> Too late because they will not be alive tomorrow. Too late because they will be sold today. Too late because their dignity and future will be ripped from them today. Now I was feeling overwhelmed. We needed to stop this now. But we will need more people, more prayer, more money. Our recent totals have shown me that we can't provide more of any of them. If we are to provide for them we will need to change how we do what we do, and do it soon because one or two extra people or a few thousand more dollars will not suffice. I was filled with the fear that we will not be able to change quickly enough. <br />
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Then I shone the light on my own life and realized how I allow my preferences, my comfort, the way I want to do things, to drive what gets done rather than, <b>"What is it going to take to see these lives and communities transformed <i>today</i>?" </b>I was rebuked inside. <b>How much have I held back progress by my lack of willingness to change? </b><br />
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<b>I want to challenge us as a team -- we need to be very careful that we are not doing anything that causes the advancement of the hope of the gospel to be hindered.</b> There is just too much at stake. It could be a lack of urgency, a process or system we have become comfortable with and don't want to change, or a rut we have gotten into that has caused us to lose focus or momentum.<br />
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Paul said, <b><i>"I consider my life worth nothing to me if only I may finish the race and complete the task the master has given me of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." </i></b><br />
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<b>We entered into a strategic planning process to ask the question, "What will it take to see more people, prayer and money raised up?</b>" Although we are still working this through and do not know what those changes will be, I can assure you that there will be changes. These changes are not to satisfy some crazy desire to do things differently but are driven from a deep desire of the leadership team, and many others on the team, to find a way to meet the incredible need for resources, in order to see lives and communities, like the one I just experienced, transformed by the love of Christ.<br />
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<b>So let's be prepared to change. To change whatever it takes.</b> Let's do it for the sake of the gospel. Let's be ready to see our personal preferences as worth nothing if only the gospel can go out. Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-91485457088662282852011-07-22T09:22:00.000-07:002011-07-24T18:58:59.153-07:00Squirrel!<iframe width="400" height="330" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xrAIGLkSMls" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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I am someone who can be easily distracted. Sometimes it is a new idea or opportunity that draws me in and I get lost in the dream. Other times it can be a problem that has arisen that forces its way into the forefront of my mind, seeking to grab the majority of my attention. While it is true that I need to dream and think about the future and also be involved in seeking solutions for pressing problems, there is an inherent danger always lurking. A danger that I may get distracted. Instead of keeping my eye on the overall purpose and goal, I start to allow the urgency or pain of the current situation to take over. What happens next is that I get buried under the weight of the issue and it pulls me down further and further each day I allow it that power.<br />
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It happened this week. A number of issues were pressing. I chose to allow them to take hold. <br />
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Then I came to Prayer Morning. Story after story of what God is doing in places like Turkey, Greece, Bangladesh and Ireland. Seeing the picture of the homes built by our teams in Pakistan after the flood: 100 in one community and 70 in another. Amazing. Lives and communities being transformed. Somehow my eyes and heart were pulled back to the purpose and goal - testifying to the Gospel of God's grace. Once again I could see that the challenges I faced are worth the effort if it helps ministry like this happen. I was reminded that I need to work through the problem and chose to not let it overcome or overwhelm me. Not because I want an easier life or a less stressful life but because I want people to hear of God's grace.<br />
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I realize that it is a choice, a daily choice to keep my focus sharp. It takes a conscious decision and God's grace to daily say I chose not to allow this issue to distract me from this calling. When challenges come and things do not work the way I want them to I choose to rise above the problem, seek a solution and even when a solution is not forthcoming, I choose to say that this temporary pain is worth it if the gospel is going out. After all, I am to consider my life worth nothing to me in the context of ensuring that the gospel of God's grace is made known on the earth.<br />
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Have you, like me, allowed anything to distract you recently? Are you so focused on an issue or problem that you somehow have lost sight of your calling? Lost sight of why your master made you?Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-58744252336829843862011-07-15T13:25:00.000-07:002011-07-15T13:37:48.998-07:00Bearing one another's burdensThis week as I chatted to a number on the team I was reminded again of the tremendous burdens that many are carrying. We have those who have lost loved ones. Some are separated from immediate family for significant periods of time due to work. Others are facing major financial challenges at this time. We just heard of Mark Kuo's diagnosis. I know some are facing huge issues with their children and the choices they have made. Some have deep concerns over their spouse's job security. The list could go on. Each item carries with it some degree of pain and can weigh us down on our journey.<br /><br />I pray that we can do as Paul told us to do - 'encourage (put courage into) one another' and bear one another's burdens. <br />These trials in many ways are normal to life so as Christians we need to be constantly on the look out for ways to listen and encourage those around us who inevitably are facing some type of challenge. Take time this week to encourage one another and in so doing help carry the burden.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-39982120913321663932011-07-01T08:47:00.000-07:002011-07-06T09:17:36.974-07:00What are you seeing?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpAOQLrUQaN1Cw9Welw1PU5fZGREFio3EIsaED_-RPeQk_Wg_OUx8IYs7wqPrYIGyp6GNMqMl-3ZthhAGTi40iW7xg6FiZ-SGNa0iZsRkTtFpjA8vLgKRjZKCnPLixRKdiXi4QF3mr1xt/s1600/i-vQzkKKd-X3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624417269739587282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpAOQLrUQaN1Cw9Welw1PU5fZGREFio3EIsaED_-RPeQk_Wg_OUx8IYs7wqPrYIGyp6GNMqMl-3ZthhAGTi40iW7xg6FiZ-SGNa0iZsRkTtFpjA8vLgKRjZKCnPLixRKdiXi4QF3mr1xt/s400/i-vQzkKKd-X3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 400px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 281px;" /></a>The road to becoming a champion was proving quite challenging for one of my dogs. Her mother was practically unbeaten in the ring so a few defeats with this one was causing me to question her ability. I began to look at her and see only her faults. In reality she only had two out of the many attributes a judge is looking for. But all I could see were these two. They became huge in my mind. So much so I had seriously considered selling her on as a pet as I only want to breed Champions and in my mind she was not going to make it because of these two now massive faults.<br />
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The show arrived, which I had determined would be her last chance to perform and win. It was a big one -- Regional Specialty with 26 other dogs entered. She won! (See picture.) Very few breeders ever get to win a Regional specialty. That is not the amazing thing, however. What amazed me was how I looked at my dog after the win. Now I saw all the amazing qualities she has that allowed her to win. I still knew she had two faults but they were not as significant now and could be overlooked in light of the qualities.<br />
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I often see this play out in life. Often we choose to see the negative in a situation, in a person, in an event. No matter how small the fault it can grow and become something so big it hinders relationship, robs us of joy, destroys unity and so consumes us we can no longer see the beauty that is there. In fact, there is usually more beauty, more good and positive attributes, but somehow we choose to focus in on the negative. <br />
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How do you look at life -- do you tend towards seeing the negative first? Are you able to see past the negative and observe the positive, the beauty? The Bible tells us <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=%22by+him+and+for+him%22&qs_version=NIV1984" target="_blank">"all things were made by Him and for Him" </a>. May we be a people who look for the beauty first and chose to be positive, even in the presence of the negative.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-45710163709101604492011-05-06T08:35:00.000-07:002011-05-06T08:55:50.012-07:00Does it really work like this.Does prayer really change something this big? If I pray alone or even with a group of people does it make any difference never mind impact a nation? This week was the National Day of Prayer for America. Many Christians across America cried out to God on behalf of this nation that many believe has wondered far from its foundation and the beliefs that built it as a world power. As it begins to mirror Europe in its decline of, and adherence to, Judeo-Christian morals and the subsequent disintegration of the church do the prayers of repentance by a few on behalf of America really suffice. <br />I struggled with this during the week as I read about the prayer day.<br /><br />I was reminded of Abraham who petitioned, even bartered with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah and God entered the dialog and was willing to stop the coming destruction if he found even 10 righteous men. A few years later God told Moses that He was going to totally destroy the Israelite people because they had just formed and erected a golden calf to worship. Moses pleaded with God on behalf of a whole nation and God relented.<br /><br />So does this mean that God is looking for a remnant of righteous people within a land and is actually ready to hear the prayers of the few in order to save the many from impending decline and disaster?Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-46975215914514697192011-04-29T09:59:00.000-07:002011-04-29T10:12:38.734-07:00A wedding that highlighted a big cultural change.Well, we got William and Kate married today. A big day for the British. I was amazed to see how much of the world was watching - some stats say more people tuned into the wedding than the Olympics or World Cup final. The American News websites ran twice as many articles than their British counterparts. <br />One of the things that stuck out for me was the remarkable difference between this wedding and the wedding of William's Father and Mother. First of all William and Kate clearly enjoy each other's company and have great chemistry. But the biggest difference was their attitude to the day and to life. William and Kate wanted their day to be more demure, they seemed much more relaxed and in the moment with their guests, their enthusiastic and somewhat more authentic waves to the crowd from the balcony, the two kisses, the list could go on. Charles has never put his own toothpaste on his brush, William and Kate have insisted that they live without maids and servants allowing Kate to do the cooking. I think that some of this may be personality but a lot of it is generational. Institutionalism is dead and ceremony is holds little weight. There is a longing for authenticity that pushes past titles, pomp and ceremony.<br /><br />It was a reminder to me that in a short space of time (less than a generation) culture has changed dramatically. A younger generation do things differently....very differently. And the change is increasing rapidly. <br /><br />How am I changing in order to meet people within this changed culture? How is OM changing? Are we changing fast enough?<br />Are we changing in the right ways?Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-17550575359729799952011-03-07T07:25:00.000-08:002011-03-07T07:54:50.230-08:00A real soaking.Have you ever played 'chicken' with the waves on a beach? When the water recedes you go out as far as you can and then try to beat the next wave in before it gets you. You think you can read each wave and you succeed.....most of the time. There is always at least one wave that looks the same as the rest but then it breaks bringing with it a wall of water you just did not expect. Everyone screams and looks rather shocked, wondering what just happened.<br /><br />Sunday was like that for us as a family. It looked like a normal Sunday. Coming home from church with the usual cries of 'I'm starving, what's for lunch?' Three very different events unfolded that somehow converged to totally 'soak' us and leave us more than a little 'soaked' and impacted.<br /><br />1) Driving down Briarcrest road we passed a young latino man walking with 2 large suitcases, three other bags on top and ladened with a backpack. He was crying as he struggled with his load on the cold afternoon. After a brief discussion as a family, who had minds set on food, we turned around and caught up with him. Antonio's (not his real name) story broke our hearts. He shared it in broken english with many tears as he held a 3 inch button in his hand. The button had a picture of a small baby on it. His first baby was born 2 days before but now his girlfriend had asked him to leave wanting to go back with a previous boyfriend. He was devastated. Having to leave his baby behind. He stepped out into the cold air walking from Tyrone with his earthly belongings to meet his uncle at the Shell station on the I-85. The deep hurt he was feeling was very evident. We took him to meet up with his Uncle. The lunch table made for interesting conversation.<br />2) Sharon and Ana then went to their weekly High School group. God broke through and a young man was saved and an amazing prayer time ensued. Rarely had they experienced the presence of God in this way.<br />3) In the evening we watched Secret Millionaire (my new favorite show since Extreme Home Makeover finished). Dani Johnson, a successful business woman, went undercover to meet with people who were impacting their community for good. The needs were huge. She met different groups. One was lead by two 80 year old African American ladies. Ellen and Helen feed over 2,000 people a week. Dani gave away $100,000 to different groups at the end of the week. She was deeply moved and brought great joy to these charities. God used her to bring hope. (Although not stated in the program there were signs that she was a believer)<br /><br />By bedtime we were 'soaked' with the emotion of the day. We reflected that millions in the world (including America) were feeling as hopeless as Antonio due to family break up, poverty, lack of food, war, oppression and slavery. That there is nothing more important in life than to bring the gospel of God's grace into these situations. That God can and will break through into these situations and use us if we are willing and obedient.<br /><br />This weekend we had numerous discussions about a couple of items we were selling on ebay - there was even a prayer that they would sell. Our final 'soaking' was when we realized how easy it is to get distracted by stuff. Stuff that means nothing in light of what God has called us to to bring His transforming gospel to lives and communities. <br /><br />May I not dry out too quickly.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-19596500704688320292011-01-21T11:59:00.000-08:002011-01-21T12:29:52.956-08:00Comfort is not the goal.Some verses in the Bible hurt more than others. They hit home hard and cause deep pain. They were not meant to comfort or encourage. You won't find them in a 'Daily Blessing from the Bible' book, or a 'Thought to Encourage you' devotional.<br />They are verses we know but try not to think too long or hard on what they mean. After all we don't want to be convicted or challenged because that involves pain and may even mean we have to change our lifestyle and that is just simply inconvenient. Somehow we have been subtly sucked into a mindset that is prevalent today - life should be comfortable; strive for comfort; expect comfort. We hear it in the pulpits and read it in our best sellers.<br /><br />Somehow this is incongruent with much of scripture. <br />Let's reflect on what Jesus called his disciples to and how one of them (Paul) lived it out.<br /><br /> Jesus<br /> “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.<br /><br />He went on to say to His father on the eve of his crucifixion, probably the most excruciatingly painful and humiliating way to die known to man (the Romans were good at that type of thing) '......not my will but yours be done.'<br /><br />Paul<br />However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace<br /><br />Not much comfort here but then again comfort was never the goal. Testifying to the gospel of God's grace is.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-47631414418138578642010-10-22T09:16:00.000-07:002010-10-22T09:29:34.252-07:00Which of the three r u?It has been said there are three types of people. <br />Those who make things happen,<br />Those who watch things happen, <br />and those who say 'what just happened?' <br /><br />There is a lot of truth in this and unfortunately the truth is that many of us fall into the trap of living life as the latter of the three - lacking in awareness, engagement and intentionality.<br />This week in Team Development Time at our office we had training on Body Language. It was excellent. It reminded me again that I so often can take my communication too casually and let it 'just happen' rather than being intentional. Intentional not only with my content but with my tone of voice and body language. <br />It is a lot of work. <br />It takes effort and discipline. <br />It takes intentionality. <br />The results however will be greater effectiveness in communication thus helping to ensure that the person understands what I am saying. Just letting it happen means that anything can happen and this can be very negative. Being intentional will lead to having a greater chance of seeing the outcomes that we desire and us making things happen rather than simply watching or even being surprised at what just happened.<br /><br />Let us be among those who make things happen and let's impact the world for God's Glory.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-39536837459317165742010-09-30T09:09:00.000-07:002010-09-30T09:32:47.095-07:00Evangelizing the WorldLast Tuesday we looked at our core value, 'Evangelizing the World'. This huge task that has been given to us by Jesus. The bottom line is that as we serve here in the US this is at the core of why we do what we do. We want to ensure that the message of the gospel is lived out and spoken out around the world until every people group has an opportunity to hear and understand it. All what we do here is in order to help the message of Christ go out to the nations.<br /><br />The challenge for us in a 'home office' environment is to keep that at our core. To not lose sight of it in the midst of our daily tasks. One thing that will help us keep it central is being personally involved with people who do not know Christ. I shared with those present how I have struggled to know how we can best do it. Should we all take a day off a month to go to the Avenue and talk with people about Jesus? Should we require everyone go down and work among the homeless in Atlanta once a month?<br />I think we would all agree we have been made differently. Therefore how we would go about evangelizing should look differently.<br />Peter Maiden's example is very helpful to me. He took his love for and gifting in small group discussions and ran a weekly Bible Study in his home for non Christians. He has seen many come to Christ in his living room. The two things that struck me were - he identified what evangelism looked like in the context of how God made him and he was intentional about making it happen. <br /><br />For me I realized that I needed to be in touch with the non Christian world more as my job kept me around Christians. So I took my passion for sports and animals and started playing soccer in a team of mostly non Christians and started showing dogs among predominantly non Christians. This gives me great opportunities to live my faith out in front of others and also speak it out. Without a doubt it still remains a challenge to speak up and share about Jesus but putting ourselves in the places where we have that opportunity is a start - we must keep building on it.<br /><br />What does evangelism look like in your life currently? If it is non existent what could it look like based on your passions and gifting? How can you make it happen in the next 2 weeks?Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-87948323800783843552010-09-16T12:58:00.000-07:002010-09-16T13:30:26.185-07:00A little fuelThere have been many things that have encouraged me in this last week. I wanted to share them with you and maybe they will encourage you also and fuel your fire as it has mine.<br />- The large crowd of people (our team) in the worship center on Thursday morning.<br />- The combined thoughts and input from our team as we studied John 6 - my brain was hurting (so many added great thoughts to chew on) but my heart was full at the end.<br />- The tribal stories at lunch on Thursday - also the willing and enthusiastic participation of the Tribal Elders.<br />- watching people have fun on Thursday afternoon - seeing Sheila give out money to ensure the dunking of every poor soul in the dunk tank; watching Tom take great delight in facilitating the demise of those unfortunates; the transformation of character and dress of all involved in 'Family Feuds'; <br />- a full dining room and worship center for Team Connect.<br />- all the hands on deck to help with the work day - all the work that got accomplished as a result.<br />- seeing the Muslim Peoples leaders in working with our team to find a better way to tell their story.<br />- spending an hour with a young man who wants to join our team.<br />- hearing the stories about Pakistan from Ray in Prayer Time.<br />- seeing all the Carver students file in to Prayer Time and then spend the morning with us.<br />- reflecting on how Edgar has faithfully nurtured that relationship over years to keep it growing.<br />- being introduced to some people who are willing and very able to help us be more effective in telling our story.<br />- a drop in meeting with one of our team today where they shared their passion and excitement for their role in this team and their heart to know the Father.<br /><br />There is more. <br />I am thankful for these things as they help me see the threads of God's grace in my life and the life of our team.<br />Take some time to reflect on your encouragements - it will help fuel you along.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-43476621240978514682010-09-13T09:23:00.000-07:002010-09-13T09:40:18.587-07:00HistoryI spent this last weekend in Washington, DC attending some meetings. <br />What a beautiful city - at least the parts I saw. <br />As i walked the streets I was reminded of how much I love cities especially ones with historical buildings and beautiful architecture - DC has this in bucketfuls. Now I know it is not like a Rome with buildings as old as dirt itself but boy did the Americans build a lot of amazing monuments and buildings in a short period of history. It speaks highly of this nation and marks well many of the moments and heroes of it's history that are well worth honoring.<br /><br />History is important. Marking the important milestones and characters is very important. Honoring these and learning from them is vital for a nation or any group of people if they are to continue to build on their rich heritage. Of course today our new buildings look different and the modes of transport that file past them daily are very different from when these historical buildings were first erected but such is life. Progress must be built in the midst of our history. Progress means that things will look differently. Some of the old buildings have and will be removed in DC because they are obsolete. Others will remain for a long time to come because they have value even in the present. <br /><br />In life and in ministry the challenge is to understand and discern the difference. <br />What of our history in OM is important and valuable to build on (and there is much) and what is obsolete and needs to be removed?<br /><br />May we have the wisdom to know the difference.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-7979748939410559772010-07-22T13:19:00.000-07:002010-07-23T07:43:43.457-07:00Living Dangerously<b>To live outside God's will puts us in danger, but to live in His will makes us dangerous. When we begin to seize our divine moments, we do not begin to live risk-free, but instead become free to risk.</b> Erwin McManus, <i>An Unstoppable Force</i><br />
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Throughout this week I have been reflecting on what it means to risk. I have been blown away by re-reading the biblical stories of Noah, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Elijah...... the list goes on. God asked them to do things that were way outside their realm of understanding, current norms, proven methods and in some cases incredibly dangerous. Think of taking on the most feared army of the day with trumpets, torches and clay pitchers...and with 300 men. Somehow Gideon trusted in his God and obeyed. We know the end of the story - they had little to do other than break a pitcher, hold up a torch and blow a trumpet....not your typical combat activities. <br />
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How do we live that out today?<br />
How do we live dangerously like Gideon?<br />
As we look to the future and the huge challenge of mobilizing people, prayer and finance to meet the increasing needs of our work around the world we have less resources than we had before the economy collapsed. It seems an impossible proposition.<br />
What will it look like to take risks and take on this challenge with all the limitations we have?<br />
I dont' know the answer but I can say I want His way and I want to learn how to risk more.<br />
May God give us the ears to hear, the mind to understand and the heart to obey.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-83940618915236133562010-07-09T12:56:00.000-07:002010-07-10T18:07:39.308-07:00Walk SlowlySome people have made fun of how fast I walk around the office. Those who have offices near the stair wells hear me take the steps 3 at a time and always know when I am coming. My mum would say I sounded like an elephant coming down stairs. I do not know why I do it. Maybe it is because my dad did it.<br />
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Recently I have been reminded of the importance of walking slowly. Not literally but figuratively. This week I have had a number of conversations with people on our team who are going through some very trying times within their family. They needed a listening ear and to be held up in prayer. I can only imagine that there are many others who have similar struggles that need the same type of support. I realized that so often I do not take the time or am too busy to notice, stop and ask.<br />
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Walking slowly through the crowd will help us to notice who these people might be and then help us pause and ask the caring questions and lend the listening ear.<br />
I hope we can all grow as a team in this area - bearing one another's burdens.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-43928779465195512502010-07-01T09:22:00.000-07:002010-07-01T11:11:04.078-07:00The power of wordsGrowing up we often used the phrase 'Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me'. <div>Boy, is that untrue!</div><div>Words can be incredibly hurtful and I am sure we all have stories to tell which prove this to be true.</div><div>James was very careful to warn us to guard our tongues due to its ability to cause deep harm.</div><div>There is great power in our words. </div><div>It is a good thing then that this power can be used very positively.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today I experienced this power in the most positive way possible - I experienced words that strengthened and emboldened me. That built up and encouraged. Both from the notes I have received and the words spoken over me as I step into this new role.</div><div>I have been blessed beyond words by the spoken and written words of my friends and co-workers. Thank you to all who used the power of words to bless me.</div><div><br /></div><div>May I be someone who maximizes the power of words to empower and encourage others in their journey of life.</div><div><br /></div>Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-88891700100132375822010-06-04T07:52:00.000-07:002010-06-10T13:37:19.269-07:00Gaining PerspectiveRecently I found myself worrying about how well my kids were doing with their end of term exams. It was consuming a lot of my thinking. Then I heard of someone who had just lost an 18 month old baby to cot death. And another family whose daughter was battling Leukemia. My attitude started to change to one of thankfulness as my persepctive was realigned. Should I be concerned about my children's studies? Absolutely, but with the right perspective I can keep a better balance - afterallmy children were healthy and enjoying life.<br />
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I find that I can also lose perspective in work as well - focusing on things that are not so important in light of the big task and great need. This week we had the International leaders in our office - what a blessing. They helped me gain a better perspective once again - hearing their stories of answered prayer, of mighty acts of God, of incredible need still existing. These all helped send me back to my desk with renewed purpose and a better perspective.<br />
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How are you doing with the perspective issue?<br />
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Are you keeping the main thing the main thing or are you sweating the small stuff?<br />
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Have things that are not so important knocked your focus out a little?<br />
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Let's keep checking our perspective on life - if you are like me it gets a little whacked out at times and needs some nudging and in some cases a little more.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-35406927049949119772010-05-06T12:32:00.000-07:002010-06-10T13:43:41.848-07:00Values IndicatorsYou have heard it said, 'It is easier said than done.' <div>This is very true in many aspects of life. None more so than in the area of values. We are all capable of talking a good talk but if you are like me, living out the talk is much more challenging. <div><br />
Our Pastor at the weekend made reference to the fact that our <b>check book</b> will reveal how much we really are in obedience to God's word and are in tune with His purposes. We may say 'I surrender all' but our check book says 2-3%.</div><div><br />
I got to thinking of other indicators. </div><div><br />
<span style="font-weight:bold;">My calendar</span>. How much time do I spend in the word and prayer as opposed to TV, Sports, friends, yard work (i like yard work) you name it. This can be very revealing and frightening. </div><div><br />
<b>My conversation.</b> What do I speak most often about and what do I speak most passionately about? How often does Jesus or matters of an eternal nature grace my conversation.</div><div><br />
How often is my conversation God or others centered as opposed to me centered.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I am sure you can think of other values indicators, things that show our true values.</div><br />
<div>These three are enough for me to deal with right now - I have a bit of work to do on these before I move on to any more.</div><div><br />
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Whether it was turning on the gas taps in the Chemistry lab and ligthing it creating a flame that shot across the classroom. Or, sucking innocent tadpoles (whose growth we were supposed to be monitoring) up in a small stopper tube then placing them on my plastic ruler and spring boarding them on to the roof where they instantly disintegrated into a nondescript black mark. The 'not so bright' list could go on. Bottom line I get bored easily and classrooms were theaters of boredom to me.<br />
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I am sure I am not alone.<br />
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(The reality is however that by the time I went to collge I had worked out the benefit of what took place in the classroom and applied myself more - it is amazing how the grades changed accordingly.)<br />
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As a result when it was suggested that we have an all day training for the new Performance Management Process I was not so keen. Maybe you share(d) my sentiment.<br />
However, when I reflected on the value and the heart behind it my attitude changed.<br />
We care about our team and we care about what we do as an office. We want each person to be healthy and functioning at their maximum capacity so they can be fulfilled in what they do. We want to become more effective at what we do so that more people, prayer and money can be mobilized. It is very difficult if not impossible to know how to improve or if we are improving if we do not measure how we are doing now and set measurements to aim for in the future. The two axioms - 'You can't manage what you don't measure' and 'If you aim at nothing you are sure to hit it everytime.' come to mind. So the heart and value behind this all is to develop people so that we become more effective in what God has called us to do.<br />
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Spending a few hours to ensure we know how to measure and hold each other accountable was made much easier for me when I realized this. I know that this is only the beginning but I like to think of a time in the future when all of us are feeling more fulfilled in our roles, attempting even greater things for God and benefiting from being held accountable to what we said we would attempt and believe God for. I think this is possible but it will take some time and preparation like this training is a key factor in making it happen.<br />
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Just don't let me near the tadpoles.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-1451830801104569762010-03-02T08:45:00.000-08:002010-03-02T09:20:39.476-08:00The lesson of the fourth pillar.There are few things in life as hard as admitting that you got it wrong.<br />Especially if it went wrong 'royally'. <br /><br />A couple of weeks ago something went horribly wrong with the torch lighting at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. It was a huge embarassment for Canada. The world talked, joked and I am sure they judged. This was not what the Canadian Olympic Commitee had planned and it was the last thing they wanted. Failure at this level is very painful and of course very public.<br /><br />How would I respond to such a public failure? How do I respond to failure, period?<br /><br />In the closing ceremony Canada showed a depth of character that was impressive. They played out the lighting of the fourth pillar and had a little fun at their own expense. <br />This time they had success with the lighting but much more importantly in my eyes they showed that they knew they had failed and were prepared to admit it and move on.<br /><br />I want to be someone who is quick to admit when I have failed or done wrong andstrive to put it right.Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-85228156476037662042010-02-22T08:25:00.000-08:002010-02-22T09:18:50.038-08:00Lessons Learned from the Sports World - The Winter Olympics'These guys are a different breed', the NBC news anchor reported. I agree. Anyone who is willing to strap two boards of slippery plastic on to his or her feet and go down a sheer slope of snow that is packed as hard as concrete at speeds in excess of 70 miles an hour, or, with the same slippery plastic boards throw themselves off a jump and 460 feet down a mountain, is different from me.<br /><br />There is one more thing that separates these people from the average Joe.<br />Simon Ammann and Bode Miller both have it. They are men who do what I mention above. Ammann became a celebrity when 8 years ago as a very young competitor he won gold and his high pitched shrieks of youthful excitement endeared him to many, especially his home nation of Switzerland.<br />Both Miller and Ammann had gone to the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics expecting to do well. Both failed miserably winning nothing. 4 years of preparation amounted to nothing.<br />Most of us would have been so dissappointed we would have most likely given up. But Miller and Ammann kept working on their craft. For 4 years they worked hard and with great determination to bring about different results in Vancouver in 2010.<br />As you have probably seen Ammann won Gold in the Ski Jumping with a jump 21 feet longer than his closest opponent. Miller took Gold in the Super Combined last night after he already had won 2 medals in this Olympics.<br />This type of perseverance is incredible. The commitment to a cause over many years for literally moments on the slopes with the hope of getting it all right on the night and to win Gold.<br />They certainly did not <strong>grow weary </strong>and<strong> give up.</strong> I am sure there were times when they wanted to.<br />They moved forward with perseverance.<br />And yet their cause was merely a Gold medal.<br /><br />My desire is that I will have a level of perseverance similar to this.<br />That I will be so driven by the cause of Christ that I will not give up, no matter what happens.<br />That it is Christians who are described as a 'different breed' because of our commitment and perseverance to the cause.<br /><br />'....and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.' Heb 12v3<br />'.... stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.'<br />1Cor 15v58Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104046360881636699.post-64378921148621865252010-02-15T06:58:00.000-08:002010-02-15T13:28:57.960-08:00Lessons Learned from the Sports World - The Locker Room<div align="left">We are still in the Locker Room.</div><br /><div align="left">This is the second point from Part 1 - last week I shared a couple of practical Locker Room experiences from the week.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">The first point was - we encourage each other in the Locker Room. </div><br /><div align="left">The second application is in regards to the coach's role. In the midst of all the excitement and 'infecting' that goes on the coach would come in and give his last remarks before we would go out on the field. His words were normally geared towards narrowing the focus even more and raising our excitement further. Just in case any one of us had ideas of glory for ourselves or individual plans to take on the entire opposition the coach would remind us that we were a team and had a team plan and how together we could beat anyone. He would go over that plan one more time - although we had heard it before we needed it again. It was game time now and somehow the words had more application with the reality of the challenge that awaited us on the field. His words were absolutely necessary as they brought us into the reality of the moment and focused us on the immediacy of the task ahead. No one would have dared miss this time - both from the perspective that the coach would have left us on the bench and also we each knew we needed this encouragement to get us into the frame of mind that allowed us to play at our best. These moments were 'sacred' as we huddled together as a team, alone in the locker room. </div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">We would leave the Locker Room with an air of confidence and a sense of purpose that we did not have when we came in. It was game time. This is where it mattered. But our effectiveness on the field was directly impacted by those minutes in the locker Room. </div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Our Locker Room experiences are vital - for those that lead (Coaches) these times make sure you pray much and plan well - the time is precious and critical. For the rest of the team as I have said often over the last weeks, do not miss these times, they are precious and critical to our success as a team.</div><br /><div align="left"></div>Scott Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579171757651938970noreply@blogger.com0