EmPulse for Week of July 19, 2010

no dark in day

There is no dark in day

In the world of work…, and play

For clear is light, with eyes bright

We are not captive to night, to sadness, to a heart wrenched dry

We need not surrender to the empty void within, nor without

For our soul was forged from tougher stuff, tempered gold, alloyed metal—

Strength of spirit, confident in conflict, assured of our bearing

We are no weaklings, thrashing under plan and program

Scurrying to meet deadlines that to others matter

Rather, we know meaning, purpose, cause, and triumph

In the daily crunch of life, yes, but in so much more

We find…

A reason to live, to be alive, nere dead inside, nor to any in need

Alive

To celebrate, to give, to bless, to care

To serve and be of consequence; to honor— God, friends, family, and faith

Faith that this world may never become any better than it is

But, with God’s grace, and strength, and mercy, and forgiveness—

We will

There is no dark in day

Have a nice week.

Gary

EmPulse for Week of July 12, 2010

course corrections

Navigating the twists & turns of everyday life often involves some minor adaptations we call course corrections. These are mere practice lessions for the major course corrections we will have to negotiate when our lives sail through rougher seas. Going off to school, becoming responsible for our own lives, getting married, getting divorced, starting a family, losing a job, being fired, losing our parents, burying a child, a wife, a husband— none of these events are simple matters to endure; some are painful, some, oddly exciting. Any one of these experiences will bring on the occasion for a major course correction. This will be the time when our true metal will be tested and refined.

How we negotiate a course correction will determine, to a large degree, who we become on the other side of the circumstances. Not all of us handle change very well. A worst-case scenario occurs when we stand by idly and wait to see what happens. We simply relinquish any control and responsibility we might have to influence the outcome of a situation. Just short of this kind of passivity is the position of avoidance— we avoid facing a course correction by sticking to our guns and maintaining the original course direction we set, even though it leads us into catastrophic wreckage. We need to pay attention to that funny little voice in the back of our head sometime; and we should carefully consider the insights of close friends who know us well.

Course corrections always demand that we change. Whether it be a shift in corporate ethos, personal perception, or team realignment, course corrections acknowledge changes in societal wind direction that demand we steer our course on another heading. On a corporate level, this will mean uprooting offices, families, relationship networks…, the whole kit & caboodle. On an individual scale it may mean admitting that you just might have been wrong about some cherished traditions or practices that are no longer appropriate on this new bearing. It may mean it’s time to learn a different perspective on things.

Advice on Navigating Life’s Course Corrections—

1.       Establish a set of core values which are non-negotiable, which are central to any course correction. How will this course corrections challenge my/our core values?

2.       Ponder the implications of a course correction. What will I gain? What will I lose? What will I have to let go of? How big a risk is this new direction?

3.       Run a potential problem analysis (thank you Charles Kepner & Ben Tregoe) on each course of direction.

a.       What might go wrong if we stay the original course?

b.       What might go wrong if we change bearings and set a new course direction?

4.       Find a set of friends with different perspectives than your own and have them play “devil’s advocate” with you.

5.       Think through things. Stop thinking. Put everything up on a shelf for a week. Look at it again.

6.       Pray…, but listen, too. You really need to listen for the input of the God who made you.

Course corrections are a part of life; get used to them. Do not try to circumnavigate them; the earth is flat, it has boundaries, and you will fall off if you sail too far off course. Better to settle on a new bearing and take the helm on the new course correction.

Have a nice week.

Gary

EmPulse for Week of July 5, 2010

deep waters

“Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.”

[Proverbs of Solomon 20:5 NKJV]

Deep water can mean different things to different people. For some it means going through hard times, for others it is deep thought that draws them into self-reflection and serious evaluation. Sometimes it means you’re just in over your head. Whatever it is, deep water runs deep…, deep into the heart of a man, a woman, and draws upon our life experiences for counsel, wisdom, direction, and answers. Every one of us has this stream flowing deep within our being. Some try to avoid its current and cling to branches in our surface lives; but it is still there, surging below. Others seem constantly pulled under by its flow, always seeking to resolve the disparity between its course and the direction of their lives.

Deep water beckons us to ponder ultimate questions— Who am I? What am I doing with my life? How much time do I have left to make a difference? What kind of husband, wife, son, or daughter am I? Do I matter anywhere? These are the kinds of questions we all need to ask ourselves on a regular basis (yearly?) They are self-assessment questions. [For other approaches go to http://www.soon.org.uk/question.htm, or http://www.personalityquiz.net/ ] Questions that are designed to help us to come more in touch with ourselves, with how we come across to other people and with how they view us.

The better each of us understand ourselves, the more we will understand our role in society, in a family, on the job, and even at leisure. (We need to know what relaxes us just as much as we need to know what motivates us and gets us out of bed in the morning.) Some of us seek counsel to understand ourselves better. This is not an admission of mental illness, or some personality disorder, but rather an acknowledgment that having a guide to help sort through all the history just makes sense. The guide can be a wise friend, or a professional counselor. Doesn’t matter. But we all need someone to swim with us in the deep waters.

Two wrap-up questions:

1.       Do you have some unsettled questions about life, in your own deep waters, where you could use a guide, someone who might offer you some wise counsel?

2.       Is there someone for whom you need to be “a man (or a woman) of understanding?” Someone who needs a person exactly like you to walk into their life, who will take the time to win the right to be heard, who will have the patience to be invited deeper in, and then who will bring just the right Truth that is needed at just the right time?

If you answered yes to either of these two questions, make sure you are first in close touch with the God who made you…, and that you hold tight to a deep discernment concerning your own soul.  Now…, go for it!

Have a nice week.

Gary

side effects (read at your own peril)

So many medications come with WARNINGS about their serious side effects.

Do not take XXXX if you take nitrates, as this may cause a sudden, unsafe drop in blood pressure. Discuss your general health status with your doctor… . If you are older than age 65…, consult with your primary care physician before using this medication.

In rare instances, a sudden decrease or loss of vision has been reported. If you experience sudden decrease or loss of vision, stop taking XXXX, and call a doctor right away. Sudden decrease or loss of hearing has been rarely reported in people taking XXXX. If you experience sudden decrease or loss of hearing, contact a doctor right away.

The most common side effects of XXXX are headache, minor memory loss, diarrhea and vomiting. Less commonly, hallucinations, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light may briefly occur. In some instances loss of use of the limbs or death has also been reported; but this is rare.

With these kinds of accompanying Warnings it is a wonder anyone would dare take any kind of medication! Where is our trust in the pharmaceutical industry being compromised by legalize language? Do the benefits of our medications truly outweigh the possible side effects? Don’t misunderstand, modern medicine is a miracle workers dream come true. What we take for granted today, Aspirin and Penicillin, weren’t even known slightly over a century ago. These were miracle drugs throughout the last century, and we are still discovering more of their surprising uses today.

Still, so many things that are truly good for us always seem to come with warnings of possible detrimental side effects. Power tools (not safe for children), fine whiskey (alcoholism), or gourmet food (high cholesterol/obesity), and just about ALL medications (for legal protection). Some things should come with Warnings— Bugatti Veyrons (don’t ask…), 5 blade razors (ouch!), children (loss of privacy & and any life of your own), and even the Christian faith. Yes, the Christian faith should come with a WARNING about its side effects, just like children should.

Some side effects of faith that have been reported— first, a sense of lightness comes over you, like a great weight has been lifted off. Second, you start to perceive reality & people differently, as having intrinsic value. Then, you begin to assemble a worldview where things start hanging together instead of merely being strung together. Fourth, you start to understand your place in the grand scheme of things. You are not the center of the universe; you are a humble creation, gratefully in love with your Creator. The whole Jesus-Savior, Creation-Fall-Redemption-Fulfillment thing starts to really ring true. Finally, you start to care—  about world situations, the poor, injustice, AIDS, your community, having integrity, your family, people at work, even strangers asking for $$$ on the street. There are serious side effects to the Christian faith that come upon a person when they get serious about facing the God who made them.

OR, you could continue taking XXXX, ignoring the warnings of possible detrimental side effects, and die an excruciating death. Your choice. [Did I mention there are also detrimental side effects to ignoring the claims of your Creator on your life. You have been warned!] And DO enjoy your children; you’ll get your life back someday, maybe-sorta.

Have a nice week.

Gary

EmPulse for Week of June 21, 2010

A.I.

A.I.— “Artificial Intelligence.” Def.- “the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it.” [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI]  AI, coined by computer-cognition scientist John McCarthy in 1956, is “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines.” [see John McCarthy, WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE? ©1993, Nikos-Drakos, Computer Based Learning Unit, University of Leeds].

It is obvious to all that we are truly dependent upon intelligent machines in our everyday lives. Machines that respond to us and then take action accordingly. The Terminator (1984, 1991, 2003, 2009, ?) kicked off the popularity of the idea in the early ‘80s. Coupled with films like A.I. (2001), and I-Robot (2004), we are prodded to ponder just how far AI development might take us (not to mention “Data” on the unending reruns of the TV/Film franchise, Startrek: the next generation). It gives pause to wonder about the expendability of we homo sapiens?

[But then again…, there is WALL-E . (2008) ]

The gadgets of today do not compare with the science fiction presented in the movies and TV series above. Ours are mere toys by comparison. Yet I find myself more dependent upon them every day. Some examples— I no longer “dial” a phone number; I simply say “Call John.” I pay bills electronically, online, not with a written check. My mobile smartphone holds my calendar, contact lists, personal reminders & notes, and a calculator. Did I mention it also connects to the Internet, allowing me access to 4 email accounts, text messaging, and browsing over the WorldWideWeb!?! Not to mention it serves as a clock, stopwatch, Internet-radio (I love Pandora), camera, Media Player (movies & itunes), & note recorder. Really…, take my wallet…, not my Blackberry! Oh, I forgot…, I don’t carry a wallet anymore.

The contributions that these gadgets have made to our society are wonderful, to be sure. But instead of freeing us to think about more important things they have rather lulled us into complacency. We tend to not-think at all, especially about the weightier issues of life. Though we may perfect incredible artificial intelligence we may find some of our own diminished.

Question— What do you think about? No, really; what thoughts engage the greater parts of your energies? Allow me to suggest some things worth thinking about—  Understanding WHO you are as a person. Learning comfortable congeniality in relationships. Being graciously honest. The value of establishing a richer relationship with God. The art of genuine, implemented forgiveness. Keeping commitments. Living by an oath to truth, or to another. How to put in an honest day’s work that honors your employer. Being honorable in all you do. Sacrificing…, not to feel good about it but because it is right.

Warning— DO NOT allow your intelligence to languish;  you may just find something else doing your thinking for you.

Have a nice week.

Gary

EmPulse for Week of June 14, 2010

truth serum

“Sodium thiopental, better known as Sodium Pentothal, is a rapid-onset short-acting barbiturate general anesthetic. Sodium thiopental is a depressant and is sometimes used during interrogations – not to cause pain (in fact, it may have just the opposite effect), but to weaken the resolve of the subject and make him more compliant to pressure.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_thiopental)

Do you ever wish you could simply administer a truth serum to everybody around you!?! Think of it—no cover-ups, no deceit, no more lies, no shaded truth, no hypocrisy, no more pleasantries & nice smiles concealing hidden animosities. Truth serum…, O the possibilities! People have trouble with the truth, and the Truth. We don’t like to hear it about ourselves, we don’t like to tell other people about their truths. It’s easier to avoid the truth, or the other people, or just to not face it altogether. We even prefer half-truth to the to the whole truth. [Thus the admonition is a Court of Law.]

The truth is hard to face. Live with it. It can hurt to hear it; it’s just as hard to speak truthfully to a friend. Live with it. But we need the truth (and the Truth): truth is the bearer of trust, of camaraderie; it is the basis of international alliances and clear communication. Truth is the keystone of relationships, the foundation for forgiveness, the essence of any business partnership that is to be productive over any given time. Truth is the key ingredient in Trust that can never be slighted; for if trust is betrayed, the “truth” can no longer be known.

So why is it so many of us find it so hard to tell the Truth!?! Where do children learn lying? Why do teens go silent and young couples hide things from one another? How can there be so many interpretations of “the Truth?” What is the TRUTH about God? Could the Biblical statements about origins, the purposes of life, and humanity’s brokenness in need of some serious salvation possibly be true? Then, closer to home, why do so many genuine followers of Christ find it so very difficult to tell other people the Truth about the God who made us!?! In a society where even a pale memory of genuine Christianity is down to around 7% of the population, where people have all but chucked any religious faith for their own designer-religion (transcendental golf meditation to improve one’s karma and balance the chi), why is it that true Christians have not endeavored all the more to express their faith in ways that today’s normal people can comprehend and embrace!?!

Actually, there is a simple, naïve answer. It’s just too much work. It’s just easier to go through an abbreviated summary of Truth, boiling it down to four propositional statements, lifted from life’s context, and to let the other guy reject or accept them…, so be it, whatever way it may be. We’ve done our job!

In the real world, though, Truth (truth) is always blended with three other ingredients—, a god-reflective life, interpersonal relationships, and the inner workings of the Holy Spirit of God. Life—because talk is cheap. Truth not reflected in godly living is no more than pretense. Relationships—because Truth does not exist for its own sake, but for ours: we need to know it. And the inner, mysterious, work of the Holy Spirit of God—how does anyone comprehend the wondrous work that God does in the human heart to draw the whole person to faith, forgiveness, and freedom!?! Repentance becomes that one small step at the beginning of a quite magical journey! Truth serum indeed… . It’s been around for eternity! Be about it!

I’ll take the first dose.

Have a nice week.

Gary

… just another day

Fall out of bed at 5:30 a.m. Brush teeth. COFFEE! MORE COFFEE! Feed the animals/read the paper. COFFEE & breakfast. Rural—to the fields to tend the crops, drop off the grain, hay, etc. Urban—rush hour/traffic jams, subways, daily commute. College—what’s 5:30 a.m.?!? Late to class, forget teeth, pull on yesterday’s clothes (now where are they?). Grab a Pop Tart. Whoops. Wrong class— it’s Monday.

Every phase of life creates its own pattern, its own routine. To a very large extent we are governed by the commitments we have made to the farm, our families, our jobs, or our education. Very few of us wake up at 10:00 a.m. and wonder what day it is and ponder what do I want to do today? We need to earn a living—work, to bring income into our bank accounts to meet our needs and some of our wants. [It is odd, though, that as we age, what we once considered a need we later realize was actually a want; and our wants grow less and less, falling under the perspective of time, wisdom and things that are truly important.]

Eventually, our routine, our life-pattern fades to become the backdrop for all we do. We become governed by the unconscious regularity of our daily schedule. We define ourselves by what we do, and lose track of any idea of who we are. Character development gives way to business savvy and the desire to get ahead; then we live for the weekends. In farming, we define ourselves by working sunrise to sunset, seven days a week. We are what we do, in North America; this is the way it has been since before the industrial revolution, more than a century ago.

Still, in those fleeting quiet moments, on the tractor or on the commuter train, even with the world swirling all around you, have you ever wondered if you might do just one thing that is significant? Have you ever wanted to make a difference on a grander scale, a national platform, a worldwide stage? In war, ordinary people find themselves heroes, merely by rising to the occasion. In ordinary life we rarely have to rise to the occasion. Or do we?

Try this—  For no other reason than to make a difference, give some money away to a worthwhile cause…, or to someone you know is going through hard times. Anonymously. Volunteer in a Mission soup kitchen, hire someone who needs a job and train them, join a short term mission trip to Haiti, Ghana, southern India, Appalachia, New York City, East LA. Do not do it to feel good about yourself. Sacrifice is about sacrifice, not calculated comfort or feel-good. It is about serving, loving, caring, giving—expecting nothing in return. [Example— read The Gospel of Matthew, The Bible.]

Can you really go on living just another day? Do something to make a difference!

Have a nice week.

Gary

EmPulse for Week of May 31, 2010

driving to atlanta

Tim Norton lives just outside of Knoxville in Maryville, TN (locally pronounced Mur-ē-vul). On May 21^st, he had the occasion to drive to Atlanta, the very day a sink-hole appeared right in the middle of Interstate HWY 24, eastbound. Ergo—a simple four hour trip turned into a leisurely six hour drive to Atlanta, along the rural byways of Tennessee.

Tim recounts, “I was forced to go to the Internet and my printed, neatly folded 2006 edition of the Official Tennessee Travel and Tour Map (I don’t have GPS) for instructions on an appropriate re-route. Along the path of my pre-departure discovery, several re-route suggestions came my way via the internet, however radio reports made it clear that those published routes were clogged and delayed, so I set out to chart my own course.”  [Something many of us have done when life’s road has taken us over some unexpected bumps, or, in this case, around a deep, dark sink-hole.]

Tim continues, “From Nashville I departed southward on I-65, exiting on State Road 99 on a heading that eventually took me onto other routes through Lewisburg, Hudson State Park, Shelbyville, Lynchburg (population 361, and the famous home of the Jack Daniels Distillery), Winchester, Cowan, Sewanee, Saint Andrews, and Monteagle at which point I was well below the sinkhole’s location on eastbound I-24. In all, this detour consumed about 1 hour longer than what the normal interstate routing would have required. But, the journey was scenic, relaxing, and, quite frankly, felt like an adventure.” Well, well…, not a total loss then; and not even the anticipated two hour torture of stop & go traffic.

Unlike Tim, though, many of us are not willing to set out on our own, to chart our own course. We come up against a major sink-hole in life and stop dead. We cannot go forward, and the traffic of our past blocks us from making a U-turn to start over again to find another route. We are stuck! Some of us stay stuck for months, even years; some of us make it a life-time pattern and perspective—an attitude, never rising to Carpe Diem! We’re content to believe it’s all about carpeting.

There are no real explanations for people getting stuck. It’s just one of those things that happen to us; yet, until we get frustrated enough with the way we are, we will, for sure, remain in the sad state of stuck-ness. You may find yourself in many states-of-stuckness throughout life—commitments you never should have made in the first place, insistent loyalties to those who have long since disregarded you, starting projects (sheds, siding, books, ships-in-a-bottle, paintings, afghans) but never finishing them, complex problems that still need resolution (eg- the Poincaré conjecture)…, convoluted relationships. These are sink-holes all, that drain you of your focus, energy, time, and ability to think clearly about priorities and people that should take precedent, that should draw your attention to what is truly important in life and in the service of our fellow human beings on this planet.

Sometimes the shortest distance between two points is the Interstate. But though it may be the most direct route to success, or money, or power, or position, it may also hold such gigantic sink-holes that swallow you whole, dreams and all. You may not find yourself or the God who made you unless you set out on your own and chart your own course.  Thanks Tim!

Have a nice week.

Gary

EmPulse for Week of May 24, 2010

placebo effect

placebo– def. (latin- “I will please.”) “A placebo effect occurs when a treatment or medication with no therapeutic value (a placebo) is administered to a patient and the patient’s symptoms improve. The patient believes and expects that the treatment is going to work, therefore it does.”  [http://www.enotes.com/alternative-medicine-encyclopedia/placebo-effect]

Funny things, placebos— they work, but for no apparent therapeutic or medical reason. There are all kinds of them too— prescription pills, psychological suggestion, alternate realities (avatars), short term love-lifes, rock concerts, even religious experiences. Sure, they can be real; but we can use them all as placebos.

Actually, we like placebos in our lives. Make-believe cures for serious illnesses, pretend solutions to real-life problems, fallacious corrections to failing relationships— quick fixes. Anything that takes away the pain, removes our anguish, or distracts us from the significance of our situation is more desirable than a truly therapeutic treatment. Like saying our Confession to a Priest, we get our sin off our chest; or we seek counseling to feel good about ourselves, all-the-while suppressing what we know to be true. True-lies, they’re called; still, don’t you feel better now!?!

A lot of us use God as a placebo. We go to church to check-in, to see if it’s like we remember. When we find it isn’t, we either fake our faith to blend in or fade to a grey-plaid, lost in a checkerboard of not knowing where to move next. Still, God is one of the best placebos around—we can take him or leave him at our convenience; go to church or just stay home and watch some TV preacher. Sometimes, even pick up a Bible! But don’t push it. That’s a big pill that might get stuck in my life.

The pitiful thing is that what God is offering us, all of us, is a vibrant, fulfilling relationship with Him, personally. Not some take-it-or-leave-it placebo effect that feels good for the moment—the quick fix, but a genuine, therapeutic remedy to life’s serious sicknesses, be they physical, emotional, or spiritual. He may not heal your broken heart the way you want it mended, He may not get you through that fever, or cancerous growth, or depression the way you had hoped. But He will be there for you at every turn of wheel.

God doesn’t mend broken hearts or heal all our illnesses; but He does offer the strength of His Spirit, His Holy Spirit, to buoy you through the toughest of life’s experiences. There is a spiritual perception that comes from seeing life through His eyes that changes you forever. Once you reconnect with the God who made you, you’ll have little use for any placebos again. For you are plugged into the source of all strength and sustenance.

Placebos, and other meds may genuinely be helpful to us in life; but, truly, we need so much more that can only be found in God.

Have a nice week.

Gary

EmPulse for Week of May 17, 2010

peripheral vision- God on the edges

Eye exams— read the 4^th line down…, now read the lowest line that is clear to you. And you read “The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.” Seeing things clearly, seeing things as they are, is the function of eyes. Blurred vision misinterprets reality…, really; ask any Impressionist; ask any pharmacist who prescribes allergy relief medicine. Ask any Navy, Marine, or Air Force recruiter interviewing a potential recruit who says, “I want to be fighter pilot.” What’s the recruiter’s reply? How’s your vision? They want to know if you’re 20/20, but they also want to know what your peripheral vision is. If you are flying a fighter jet at Mach2, you need to be keenly aware of not only what lies directly in front of you, but also what lies just outside of the corners of your eyes. Yes, modern military aircraft are loaded with all sorts of sensor arrays that keep a pilot informed; but you still need to be aware of what lies on the edges of your vision.

Many of us are so focused in our lives that we miss God on the edges. We miss the little things, which, in the grand scheme of things, turn out to not be so little. We miss His work in people’s lives around us that bolster and underpin the focus He has commissioned us to fulfill. WE miss those subtle connections, serendipitous surprises, and gentle movements of His Spirit that cause all things to work together for good. Still, it is good to move through life with our focus on a goal to be achieved, on a mission to be accomplished, a purpose for which to be used up entirely. There are very many distractions in the rush of information-age life to keep us from fulfilling God’s design on our life. Who do you know who is not busy…, all the time!?!  Work, family, school, seeking a mate, another grad-degree, the gym, sports, chauffeuring kids, church, working on the house, the lawn, fixing the car, etc.

Two things start to become clear—we are too focused, we are too busy. And we are all moving so fast, that it is a wonder we have any sensitivity to the movements of God anywhere, directly in front of us, let alone on the edges. It is true that some personalities naturally move f-a-s-t-e-r than others; however, others seem to be stuck, anchored in some kind of life-muck that not only keeps us from moving ahead, but blurs our peripheral vision at the same time. Either way, we miss the majesty of God all around us. We whoosh past Him just like cars on a freeway; we do that notice He is there, but not exactly. Or worse, we just stop and stare at Him…, and do nothing. “OMG, O yeah…, god; I forgot.” Whooshing by, or stuck staring…, doesn’t matter. If our peripheral vision is not conscious, we could be setting ourselves up for a crash— big time.

So…, what to do about it? For one, challenge your focus; is it inclusive enough, expansive enough to pick up on its own inferences? Reexamine your mission to include/exclude developing variables. Secondly, consider if God is trying to influence you at the edges of your life; commonplace coincidences, marginal insights, intuitions (gut feelings), could be more significant than a passing reflection might notice. Third, ponder more— reflect on the day’s encounters and accomplishments to sense any new movements of God’s Spirit from the edges of your life to its core. Finally (at least for this brief commentary) consider what changes might be well past due in your life that you missed because you were so singularly focused.

Maybe it’s time some of we all had our vision checked again. Get in line…, right behind me.

Have a nice week.

Gary