LIBERALISM

The political process in the United States of America has had exponential change. It has changed so much that I, as a self-described conservative, am writing this month on the wisdom of liberalism. First, let's define terms and see if the dictionary definition is different than what you imagine. The 1st definition listed under liberal is: having/expressing or following social or political views or policies that favor nonrevolutionary progress or reform. The 2nd definition listed under liberal is: having/expressing or following views or policies that favor freedom of individuals to act or express themselves in a manner of their own choosing. The 3rd definition listed under liberal is: expressing or following a belief in LAISSEZ-FAIRE economic policies. I checked quickly to discover that LAISSEZ-FAIRE is the doctrine that government should not interfere with commerce. Since I'm sure our government needs to be reformed, and I favor freedom of the individual, and I'm sure the market is better than government regulation, it is obvious. Because of governmental changes I am now a Christian LIBERAL capitalist.

Conservatism is defined in the dictionary as the disposition in politics or culture to maintain the existing order. It involves the principles and practices of those who resist or oppose change or innovation. A conservative is averse to and distrustful of change, tending to favor the preservation of the existing order. When the existing order was similar to how it made sense to me, I was a conservative. Not any more. In the first 100 days of the Obama administration (actually the last 100 days of the Bush administration as well) the hope and change discussed in last year's campaign became the reality that has raised this concern. Liberty is the condition of not being subject to restriction or control and we have lost it. A libertarian is someone who believes in freedom of action and thought, especially for individuals. These folks are now referred to in the media as right wing extremists, but they are not conservative at all. The hope and change policies, government power grabs, and spending bills passed that my grandchildren will be saddled with over the past 200 days is mind numbing, and they want them changed.

Last month there were "tea parties" around the country on the day income taxes were due. Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers who thought they were conservatives only a few years ago were in favor of nonrevolutionary reform of government spending. They protested against the government taking over banks and auto companies (sounds like that LAISSEZ-FAIRE non-interference with commerce plan). They expressed concern that their constitutional right to bear arms might be further restricted. By now, a vast majority of you reading this recognize the wisdom of liberalism applies to an entirely new group of people than it did previously. What used to be thought of as left wing people now want even more change and progress with their agenda. That defines them as liberals since they don't want the status-quo either. There are very few conservatives anywhere in the United States because anyone at this point that does NOT want change is insane. We are now a country of right wing liberals and left wing liberals fighting for nonrevolutionary progress or reform, but polar opposites regarding what those reforms are. We all know it can't stay the way it is.

This month makes history as the longest recession in America since the Great Depression. The national debt is planned to increase as much as it has since the beginning of the country over 230 years ago. Unstable governments around the world have nuclear weapons. Pirates on the high seas attempt to take over our ships. We are at war in multiple countries with people we don't even have enough courage to call terrorists. Any disposition to maintain the existing order and resist change, a description of conservatism, is no longer acceptable. The battle is between differing ideologies of liberals who want reform. We can call them left and right for discussion purposes, or perhaps socialists and libertarians. The days of Democrats and Republicans are over, as the compromising of principles by leaders of both political parties have created the conditions we find ourselves in. The executive, legislative, and judicial balance set up by our founders to sustain us through periods such as this, are each conspiring against the populace for their own personal gain. It is past time to do battle, but how?

As regular readers of this blog know, the answer to all questions are found in the Bible. Lets refer to a few verses to determine the best approach for this situation. From Matthew we find Jesus saying: "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand....Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill....But go and learn what this means, I desire compassion and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners....Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand." From Mark we find His words: "These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the traditions of men... And what I say to you I say to all, Be on the alert". From Luke we get: "Beware, and be on guard against every from of greed; for not even when one has abundance does his life consist of his possessions.....You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you did not expect.....Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.....For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." It sounds to me like repentance is the first step we are to take individually and corporately.

Much has been written in the media about the demise of the religious right. The leaders such as Jerry Falwell and James Dobson are dead or retired. The policies they railed against are still law and more laws like them have been passed. Economic conservatives (the old meaning, not the new one) went along with their organizations to get Reagan elected in the 1980's but were not affected by their message of morality. Teaching morality or teaching ethics within the confines of political ideologies is bound to fail. We were all created by God and he yearns to develop relationships with us individually and corporately. Following commands from His Word rather than suggestions from humans always work better. Changing our country starts with each individual, not groups of people. There are obviously many other verses in the Bible than the ones mentioned above, but any red letter edition easily shows the words of Jesus. None makes the point better than Luke 12:31 that says "But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you." As previously mentioned, repentance is the first step. The second step follows automatically for the repentant. Focusing on God and His purposes will create obedience and sharing of the Good News. As we share with those that he placed in our sphere of influence, the correction in the country occurs as exponentially fast as the disaster. If you've read all of this, the baton is being handed to you. Change your country by starting with yourself and the wisdom of liberalism and change. I'm with you all the way, and so is He. /

MARKETING

This month celebrates the beginning of my 5th year of writing this monthly blog on wisdom. In August of 2005 I published 50 "borrowed bits of wisdom". As my life has changed over the years and I've now completed my first year as a Director of Marketing, here are another 50 "borrowed bits of wisdom", but with a focus on marketing. Although the strict definition of marketing is to buy and sell in a market, the business of promoting sales of a product, business, or person is a better definition. As you have to "sell yourself" to others in most aspects of life, consider the following information to be market research. A special thanks to Roy Williams who wrote a great book entitled "The Wizard of Ads". For your reading pleasure, after checking out August of 2005, here are 50 more pieces of wisdom:
1) The risk of insult is the price of clarity.
2) Don't allow the dictates of public opinion to hamper your efforts.
3) Customers seldom pay attention so entice them.
4) Information is to intellectual as experience is to emotional.
5) The most powerful three letter word in the language is YOU.
6) Truth we have realized is the only truth we own.
7) Honest persuasion is the water that will put out any fire.
8) The human mind discounts the predictable.
9) Everyone acknowledges the audacious.
10) Successful companies don't teach their customers to wait for a sale.
11) A traffic driver that reinforces your market position is a winner.
12) Compromise can make even the best plan ineffective.
13) Everyone imagines themselves doing a thing before they do it.
14) Transferring imagined experiences to actual experiences is persuasion.
15) Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
16) Brevity is never using two words when one will do.
17) Reaching 100% of the people and persuading 10% costs more than the reverse.
18) The ability to answer questions no one is asking has no value.
19) Intellect and Emotion are partners who do not speak the same language.
20) Time is the currency of this generation.
21) Ideas that fail are promoted by people who refuse to accept reality.
22) The only thing more expensive than training is NOT training.
23) Elevation of the anticipated price is environment, not advertising.
24) Value is the difference between the anticipated price and the marked price.
25) Massive success came to many with the audacity to say "everyone else is wrong".
26) Intangibles are the most honest merchandise anyone can sell.
27) People use intellectual logic to justify what their emotions decided.
28) Pious experts do a poor job of making people feel good.
29) Cheerfully embrace failures and count on successes to outweigh them.
30) Success is often the result of noticing what others overlooked.
31) It is management's job to make sure employee's needs are met.
32) Difficulties are things that show what and who people are.
33) Don't let the polite knock of opportunity become the relentless banging of obligation.
34) The preparation required to take advantage of opportunities is observation.
35) The finger of God never leaves identical fingerprints.
36) Vision is the ability to see the end from the beginning.
37) Risk the ridicule of those who say it can't be done.
38) Democracy recognizes there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people.
39) Every successful father wishes he knew how to give his children the hardships that made him.
40) No great person has ever complained for want of an opportunity.
41) All success is a journey, not a destination.
42) Wealth is always a by-product of passion.
43) He who overcomes himself is mightier than he who overcomes others.
44) Geniuses are just regular people doing what they love.
45) Destroy your enemies by converting them to friends.
46) The only cure for birth or death is to enjoy the interval.
47) Intuition is the ability to come to the right conclusion without information.
48) It is always easier to be brave from a safe distance.
49) The lure of distant and difficult is deceptive as simple and close win.
50) Answers come easily when we embrace a new perspective.

NETWORKING

I'm sad to say I wasted a few decades of my life before I grasped the real value of networking. The 1987 dictionary defines it as"establishment and use of a system of professional contacts in business and industry for such purposes as mutual guidance and exchange of information about jobs". Multi-level marketing was more popular in that day and was sometimes called network marketing. With the high unemployment in today's economy, these more traditional views of networking still exists. The Pensacola Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a "networking" event this week that appears to be no more than matching up employers with unemployed people. It all seemed to be an unpleasant situation of meeting strangers and taking turns using each other, so I avoided any opportunities involving networking.

The on-line dictionary "The Free Dictionary" today defines networking :To interact or engage in informal communication with others for mutual assistance or support. The social networking site MY SPACE kicked off this more updated view of networking. FACEBOOK took the market by storm and now has well over 100 million "subscribers". LINKED IN and PLAXO are several of the business networking sites that more closely resemble the networking of old. The big difference is that geographic areas no longer confine the contacts that can be made, and the software provides all the information about each person so you don't have to ask questions in a conversation to find out the facts you want to know. This is also a weakness as the rest of this blog will show.

The start-up of our office in Pensacola (see the April 2008 issue of this blog) involved moving to a city where I knew very few people, and hiring people from outside the area who were in the same situation when they moved. Through church, Toastmasters, and business I soon met hundreds of people, many that I got to know over time. The Brand and Advertising Manager that moved here from Texas purposed to get to know the people she met, so that she would meet the people they knew. In the same way that FACEBOOK growth has been exponential, one of her contacts who owns a sports marketing agency seems to know everyone in our key markets. As I'm able to meet the people she met and the people he knows, for the business reasons presented, the real advantages of networking are so clear.

The number of "friends" I have on the social networking site FACEBOOK continues to grow, across all age groups, states, and even countries. The number of "friends" I have off-line are just acquaintances until I take the time to get to know about them. Unlike website versions, people don't walk around with a way to know their beliefs, their dreams, their interests, and their goals. It requires time and conversation to have those discussions. The result of those conversations are how friendships are built. The mutual guidance and exchange about LIFE, not just employment, is where networking has the greatest value. Understanding the needs of others allows me to serve, often by finding people who can meet those needs. It's not taking turns using each other, as the first paragraph said, it's about helping each other.

Galatians 5:13 says "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve one another in love". The fewer people you know well enough to be aware of their needs, the more focused on yourself you will become. Philippians 2:3 says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself". Jesus explained it this way in Mark 10: "Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many".
Networking is just an extension of our purpose, and the new technologies a quicker way to be aware. If your focus when you meet people is how you can help them, your list of friends will grow quickly. When you can link them with someone you previously met so their need is taken care of you are networking correctly.

TRUST

I've heard a story about a father who had his six year old son jump off a table into his arms. After repeating this a few times, rather than catching him he stepped back and let the boy fall to the floor. As the six year old lay there crying, the father said "That will teach you. Don't trust anyone, not even your father". The dictionary defines trust as confidence or reliance in the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship, or other sound principle of another person or thing. A second meaning is to allow to do something without fear of consequences. Difficulty in trusting is usually for the same reason the six year old experienced. Expecting one thing and getting a far different result reduces or eliminates the confidence needed to trust. The older people get, the more experiences they have that destroys their ability to trust.

Barak Obama was inaugurated ten days ago after running a campaign that promised hope for the future. His campaign attracted many young people, who haven't had as many years of political disappointment. It also attracted 90% of black voters who believe this was their best shot at having a black president elected in a country that previously endorsed slavery of black people. His administration took over at a time of economic turmoil, multiple wars overseas, and a national debt that is not sustainable. While the future is unknown, it's very difficult to believe that the multi-trillion dollar expenditures by the federal government is likely to improve the situation, and quite likely to make it worse (ironically all those dollars say In God We Trust). While conservatives believe the free market is best, liberals believe in the government spending Obama is pursuing.

The Bible advises in Isaiah 20: 4 to "Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord we have an everlasting rock". An old hymn says it this way" Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey". We can have confidence in the Lord, but will be disappointed by mankind many times over. The question is: Why is having trust in a flawed man, a flawed administration, or a flawed relationship wisdom"? It is wisdom because we are not God. We can't be in charge of all things and our purpose is to develop relationships with other people who are not perfect. In the Super Bowl today one team will win and one team will lose, but within each team are offensive and defensive units that must play as a team regardless of the mistakes made by a team member.

Trusting will include negative consequences as well as positive consequences. Trusting will sometimes result in being caught, and sometimes hitting the floor as the six year old did. Our expectations should include all results, not just the ones we like. Our relationships should not be conditional, but unconditional. Over and over we should trust those who fulfill their roles in life, no matter what the results. To believe in a person is the ultimate confidence builder for that person. To believe in God, who is perfect, is easy by comparison. To believe in a person that you know is not perfect requires more faith. The wisdom of trust allows you to overlook all previous failures and have confidence in your spouse, your child, your teammate, even your elected politician. Give it a try.

BLESSING

Has anyone said to you lately "You are such a blessing"? The dictionary defines blessing as the act of one who blesses. It also says beatify is to make blessedly happy. Think for a minute about the word blessing used as a verb, rather than as a noun. Blessing is an action, one that we should consciously make. The wisdom of blessing implies it is a wise thing to do, but most people are confused about how to bless. If you watched the video at the start of this blog, you heard Baxter Black recognizing how blessed we are as Americans. He also identified some actions taken by our forefathers, our fathers, and our fellow citizens that account for many of our blessings. In the October 2006 edition of this blog I discussed reflection as a means of recognizing your own blessings. I believe this is a key first step to preparing for the task of blessing others.

Blessed means happy. If blessing is the act of one who blesses, then you are to make others happy. When I hear the term, sweet spirit, I think of a kindly Christian woman who in all humbleness delights in serving others. Certainly having a sweet spirit is an important prerequisite to blessing people, but the most important aspect is to have God's perspective of people's happiness. Because of the culture we live in, the wealthy, the famous, and the successful are considered groups that have been blessed. Matthew Chapter 5, Jesus lists some groups that he calls blessed, and the freedoms and fortunes Baxter Black spoke of didn't make the list. The groups He calls blessed are: the poor in spirit, ...those who mourn,...the gentle,...those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,...the merciful,..the pure in heart,...the peacemakers,...and those who have been persecuted. Proverbs 3:13 says "How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding".

For you to start handing out "happiness" in our modern culture requires teaching what happiness is. Job 5:17 says "Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty". Nurturing, comforting, training, ministering, listening, and loving are examples of the blessing you are called to do. All of these deal with what we call problems or needs that people have. The key point is not for you to try to get rid of the problems or needs. The problems may be a divine discipline or reproof. We should never look down on the problems because they are different than the ones we have. We are to support people as they go through their life experience. That is why Matthew 22:37-40 sums up the Old and New Testaments: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and foremost commandment. And a second is like it; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets".

Another word that can be used for blessing is serving. Galatians 5:13 says it this way: "For you were called to freedom brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another". Happiness comes from giving not from getting. What seems like happiness from the temporary pleasures of fulfilling what momentarily feels good is a trap. When you start purposely blessing other people you'll begin to see that you're ministering to people who got themselves trapped and are paying the price required, sometimes a very painful price. Or, you may recognize from the reflection of blessings in your own life that focusing on what Baxter Black calls "as good as it gets" instead of other people, is the American trap. With the start of a new year, now is an excellent time to examine how much time and effort you spend on the important task of blessing those around you. In our global environment, there are billions around you. Don't worry about how many there are, just start where you are. God will take it from there. Make Happy New Year a reality to those you're called to serve.

FRUGALITY

Warren Buffet was recently quoted with some great investing advise. "Be fearful when everyone is greedy and be greedy when everyone is fearful". With the economic difficulties the world economies are currently facing, this must mean it's a good time to buy. That's probably true for those that have cash. Most of us, however, don't have cash because we have already spent it. To make matters worse, most people also spent what they did not have via a devastating crutch called credit. The only thing worse than having no cash is having no cash while you're in debt. The reason people go into debt is to have things now that they can't afford until later. Multiple generations of Americans are now known as Gimme-Now folks that created a cliche of "keeping up with the Jones". Since Warren Buffet is a multi-billionaire and one of the wealthiest people in the world, you may be surprised he still has the same house in Omaha that he paid $31,000 for. He has demonstrated he understands frugality. Possessions can rule your life, or they can be a tool to accomplish what you've been called to provide.

Frugality is the state of being frugal. Frugal is defined in the dictionary as 1) economical; not spending freely or unnecessarily; saving; sparing; not profuse, prodigal or lavish, or 2) denoting economy; indicating the necessity or desire to save; sparingly provided; not costly or luxurious. Between the words of the definitions is an unwritten understanding that the use of money is disciplined. Americans would do well to remember the words of Thomas Jefferson "Never spend money before you have it. Never buy what you do not want, because it is cheap; it will be dear to you. Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold." Of course thousands of years before Thomas Jefferson, the Psalms recorded in chapter 22 "Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender". Romans 13:8 even says "Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another..". The Bible contains over 2350 verses dealing with money so there is no shortage of biblical wisdom on how to handle and view money. There are also many great organizations to help, such as Crown Financial or Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.

A visit to a third world country, either physically or virtually, will help you determine the difference between needs and wants. At this time of year, many of the ministries that focus on the needy in our county or the children in other countries target consumers to support those that they provide for. Yet, billions of dollars will be spent on gifts for the Christmas season that are often not even what people want. A celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, is what Christmas is about. Because the wise men from the east brought gifts, the tradition of gift giving began and grew into the commercialism we witness today. Perhaps some words from Jesus himself on the subject would be enlightening. Matthew 16:19-21 says "Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your hear will be also". He followed that up with a series of parables, but Chapter 25 verse 40 clarifies what was meant: "Whatever you did for the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me".

Therefore the purpose of frugality is not to build up wealth for yourself, it is to be a good steward of what God allows you to control. The needs of others trumps the wants we each have. We have responsibilities to provide for ourselves, our families, our futures, but also for those placed in our life experience. The balance between what our loved ones want and what our "neighbors" need is where frugality comes into play. The bad economic news we hear from the media include growing numbers of people who don't have jobs. The plunge in the value of stocks and real estate have caused many to consider adjustments to their lifestyle. Frugality practiced in previous years would free up the cash needed now. Frugality now just allows survival through the tough times. The point is that the wisdom of frugality is important at all times. Live on less than you make. Stay out or get out of debt. Become more disciplined with how you handle money if you can't provide what is needed and wanted now. Have a Merry Christmas with what you have and start the next year off with a frugality plan.

STRESS

Several people lately have asked how I handle stress, as I often appear to be calm when others don't. The definition of stress I'm referring to is "the state of extreme difficulty, pressure, or strain". In physics, stress is an applied force or system of forces that tends to strain or deform a body, and the internal resistance of that body to the applied force. That is the root of what we refer to as stress in our lives. Many times it is capable of an increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression, with perhaps more alarming damage to both our physical and mental health. A recent Booth Research poll for Ester-C asked adults if they were more stressed today than they were only 6 months ago. An astonishing 64% of adults aged 18 to 24 said they were. The percentage dropped with each age group (55% of 25-34, 47% of 35-44, 46% of 45-54) to a low of 37% of adults 55 and older. It provides a clear picture that stress continues to build at an increasing rate in our culture. With internet access the amount of knowledge available (often negative) is increasing exponentially, perhaps explaining some of the age related percentages in the poll. I want to make a case that this stress is not a bad thing, but a good thing, and explain the heavenly wisdom of how it should be handled.

About 15 years ago I started a physical fitness regimen that included a session with a personal trainer. He explained that muscles grow in size when I lift additional weights by tearing the muscle fibers causing them to repair themselves with more fibers if given time to do so. Muscles also grow in strength with increased repetition of the same weight without additional pounds. My choice of exercises and the time period between them would end in two different results, either bulky muscles or smooth muscles. The difference was the level of stress I chose to apply to them. If I chose no exercise at all my muscles would continue to weaken until I had no strength. It is a principle that made sense to me because the output was determined by the input. Recent 24/7 news about our economy, negative campaigning for the election, housing price fluctuation, and years of war on terrorism are all examples of negative input. Our mind is the control center of the body, so the input we choose for our mind will result in the output of our physical and mental health. Our thoughts are often controlled by the surroundings we choose to place ourselves in.

In the same way that lack of exercise results in weak muscles, lack of stress results in a weak person. God made us with all the chemicals in our body that react to input. Adrenaline automatically is released when we come face to face with a bear, or one we fear. Seratonin is automatically released when we come face to face with our spouse, or one we love. Spending our time and our thoughts on these two extremes requires a balance. If you are running from "bears" every day your personality will become increasingly negative and stressed. If you always want to feel good and avoid all the "bears" you won't learn how to run and one will eventually eat you (think of drug, alcohol or sex addiction). Learning to deal with and enjoy all aspects of life is wisdom. I'd say it requires a plan, as what we were probably taught by our parents comes from a different era that didn't have the 24/7 news of every event in the entire world. In the February 2006 version of this blog I wrote about a balanced life, and that should be your plans starting point. Many of the subjects written about that year apply to your plan: Confidence (where its says loving and being loved is the key), Goal Setting, Preparation, and Contentment. The point I am making is it won't happen accidentally, you need a plan. The plan should not avoid any area of life, nor should it dwell on any one area of life, but the first step is the most important.

Those that teach martial arts or boxing say that the key is to redirect the force behind the punch. In Toastmasters we teach that the nervous adrenalin should be redirected to the energy and passion behind your words and gestures. Consider those things in your life that you find stressful and determine how they can be redirected. I believe everything I have is God's and I am a steward of what He has allowed me to accumulate. When events beyond my control such as the large drop in 401K values happened recently the stress level was low for me as a sovereign God changed where he placed what belongs to Him, so my response was to pray for financial wisdom as a steward of what remained. When the presidential candidates inundate me with negative ads and insult my intelligence with what they say, I know the Bible says in Romans 13 and elsewhere that governmental authorities are established by God for his purposes, so my role to vote and pray (not necessarily in that order). For God to send his only Son to die on a cross for my sins, then promise a heavenly reward for accepting him and repenting of sin, is only possible if He loves me. John 3:16 says that is applicable to the entire world. He calls for those that have accepted to "deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Being a Christian is not an easy life as we are voluntarily slaves of the King of Kings, but it should not be a stressful life.

The applied force or system of forces that tends to strain or deform a body, and the internal resistance of that body to to the applied force is how we defined stress earlier. The Bible acts as an owners manual for what is absorbed, what is redirected, and specifically how the resistance to the applied force should be obediently completed. Adversities are allowed by God to not only strengthen us, but to help us look to him in all things. Stress is not a bad thing, but a good thing, as for both the Christian and the seeker it ultimately focuses our attention where it belongs, a commitment to God. The first commandment God gave to Moses was "You shall have no other gods before me". Becoming a Christian involves putting ALL things lower than Christ. That acceptance is the first step of any plan, which will allow 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18 to become a reality in your life as I strive to make it in mine. "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus". Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things". Verse 6 is the ultimate for how to live in our stressed-out world. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God".

ACCUMULATION

A single snowflake is beautiful and eagerly anticipated at the beginning of the winter season. Even thousands are viewed with appreciation. It isn't until they begin to accumulate that the scenario begins to change. The accumulation begins to be measured in inches, then in feet, and if it continues to snow can stop almost all activities. When the season changes, the warmth begins to melt the snow and a trickle of water runs into a small creek, then a river, and eventually an ocean. If the accumulation of warm days comes too fast, the trickle becomes a stream, the creek becomes a rapids, and the river becomes a flood. The accumulation of all things have a different long term effect than a small quantity in a short amount of time. With warm weather comes opportunities to spend time in the sun, absorbing vitamin D. Stay outside too long and you'll have a sunburn. Accumulate too many sunburns and you'll have permanent skin damage or even skin cancer. Wise people understand the effect of accumulation and over their lifetime use that understanding to avoid catastrophes, and embrace positive uses of the abundance. The accumulation of knowledge is happening faster than at any time in the history of the world, challenging our educational systems. 2nd Timothy 4:3 and 4 warns however, "for the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will accumulate teachers for themselves because they will have an itch to hear something new. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths". Please recognize the difference between known facts and truth (see my January 2007 blog on avoiding truthiness).

A recent AP story stated that Amazon deforestation is on the rise. It noted that in 2007 4,250 square miles of rain forest was razed for agricultural use. That accounted for 2.7% of the Amazon rain forest according to the National Institute for Space Research. The need of Brazilians to raise cattle and grow corn and sugar cane is recognized but the accumulation of years of deforestation affects the entire world. Our human systems produce CO2 and need oxygen, while trees need CO2 and produce oxygen. If deforestation continues in Brazil at the current rate the accumulation of years will eliminate the largest rain forest on earth in 37 years. While tree planting programs can prevent the damage to the world environment from becoming permanent, the reality is that they are not even close to offsetting the damage. Most people listen to loud music, work where excessive noise is part of their commute or workplace, or attend celebrations with loud fireworks each year. Long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. The louder the sound, the shorter the time period before hearing loss can occur. Noise induced hearing loss is a permanent hearing impairment resulting from prolonged exposure to high levels of noise. One in 10 Americans has a hearing loss that affects his or her ability to understand normal speech. Excessive noise exposure is the most common cause of hearing loss. When noise is too loud, it begins to kill cells in the inner ear. As the accumulation of exposure time to loud noise increases, more and more hair cells are destroyed. As the number of hair cells decreases, so does your hearing. There is no way to restore life to dead hair cells; the damage is permanent. These are two examples where the accumulation of daily events can lead to catastrophe.

Retirement planners recognize the time value of money. The accumulation of funds grow exponentially, depending on the interest or rate of return and the length of time. The rule of 72 says money will double when the multiplication of time and interest equals 72. $1,000 becomes $2,000 when invested at 14.4% for 5 years, or 7.2% for 10 years. The idea of interest is that those who need money will pay a charge for the use of it. If you are paying the interest, such as with credit cards, you'll have a different view than if you are earning interest, such as a savings account. Banks can pay you interest for your savings because they loan your money to others at a higher interest rate. An entire industry of mutual funds exists to accumulate the investment funds of many people and use those larger totals to purchase stocks or bonds of businesses and provide a rate of return. The larger the amount of money, the higher rate of return can be expected. The longer the time of accumulation the bigger the total. Saving $25 per week for 30 years will give you significantly more money than saving $50 per week over 15 years, assuming it is invested in something with the same rate of return. Most of us eat three meals a day, and all of us eat food. If it is good food that nourishes our body, we remain healthy and have fewer diseases. If the food that we eat is not nourishing, but just tastes good at the moment, we become sickly and have more diseases. By controlling the intake of food each day to only the nourishing kind, each year and decade has fewer diseases. These are two examples where the accumulation of daily events can lead to abundance.

The discipline I'm asking of you is to take a lengthy view of the accumulation of each thing you do each day. A great saying is "life will come out the way today went". It means that our life is an accumulation of all the days in it. Another consideration is a lengthy view of the accumulation of each thing you do NOT do each day. Our days fill up with thoughts, and those thoughts become our actions, and eventually our actions become our habits. A quarter pound hamburger won't hurt me, but if I eat that everyday for twenty two years I've consumed a ton of beef. Will eating 2000 pounds of beef improve my health? Setting aside 20 minutes per day to pray and converse with my heavenly Father doesn't sound like a long time. Do that for 30 years and you've spent over 150 days focused totally on Him. Planting a tree each month to offset what is happening in Brazil will add 120 trees in 10 years. Convince 10 people to do the same and their 1200 trees will add to your 120, but if they also convince 10 people the ten year total will be over 12,000 trees. The Bible warned us about the population turning away from truth. Understanding the wisdom of accumulation, we can make a difference where we have been placed. The same math that works for trees also works for people. Jesus said to Thomas in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. " In Matthew 28:19 he told all the disciples "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you". A film was produced this year titled "Demographic Winter". http://www.demographicwinter.com It graphically shows that Satan understands accumulation very well. How we live makes a difference and our combined lives make a bigger difference. The various roles your life has been assigned need introspection. Will you start the accumulations of abundance and stop the accumulations of catastrophe? It's up to you.

HUMOR

Most people think of jokes or someone being funny when they hear the word humor. Seriously, it has an astoundingly powerful meaning that you may need to check out yourself to believe. It is more closely associated with moisture, and the liquids required of life. The #1 meaning of humor in the unabridged dictionary is "any fluid or juice of an animal or plant considered responsible for one's health and disposition". If you're like me, you're thinking that's not funny, just weird. Meaning #2 is "a person's disposition or temperament - mood or state of mind. Meaning #3 is a whim or fancy. You have to get to meaning #4 before it even sound familiar "the quality that makes something seem funny or amusing". When I laugh hard my eyes tear up and become moist, but other than that I didn't get the connection at all to the critical importance of humor. Laughter may be contagious but some people laugh more than others. Is laughter even a good thing?

The truth is that laughter reduces stress and perks up the immune system. Clifford Kuhn, professor of psychiatry at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, said "drug companies would be knocking themselves out to get the patent, if medicine could harness the proven health benefits of laughter". In his book, The Fun Factor, he states that laughter reduces the level of stress hormones, relaxes muscles, clears the respitory tract, increases circulation and reduces pain. Lee Beck, while an associate professor of Pathology at Loma Linda University said "laughter soothes and stimulates with endorphins allowing us to feel like we do after an aerobic workout". Psychiatrist William Fry of Stanford University says "laughter is a total body exercise that requires repetition. All mental stimulation expands brain function which is a good reason to laugh a lot". Milton Berle called laughter an instant vacation.

For most of us a sense of humor is defined as the ability to perceive and appreciate or express what is funny, amusing or ludicrous. In Ecclesiastes 3:4 the Bible says there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance". Well executed humor has the power to deliver a message in an entertaining and therefore memorable way. Peggy Noonan, a noted speech writer for President Reagan, says "humor is gracious and shows respect". Perhaps the best way to describe humor is to review what it is NOT. It is not joke telling. It does not embarrass, insult, offend, or demean. It is not slapstick silliness, although there is a place for that skill. Comments that are sexist, racist, or otherwise dismissive of a group of people, just like crude language, is not funny. When people think of Mark Twain as a humorist it is because of his stories. The more tangled they were the more entertained we were.

Humor is the attitude we have about what happens to us. If your family has not drummed the humor gene out of you, your life experiences can be described in a way that will make folks laugh. As you learn to paint rich word pictures of your life events the comical view you have will cause your own life sustaining laughter. Author Norman Cousins reported in his book, Anatomy of an Illness, that 10 minutes of laughing at himself resulted in the release of enough natural opiates to be pain free for 2 hours. Keeping company with positive, optimistic people helps raise our moods. Emotions are an "open" system that allows us to pick up the moods of others. Rudyard Kipling said "words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind". Creating a "light mood" around you at work, at home, at church, or with others as you meet them, will encourage spontaneity and mirth-making. Humor is that fluid in the brain responsible for my disposition, and I have the responsibility of administering it.

Picture me as a young first-time father proud that I could be helpful in the care of our new son when my wife asked me to change his diaper. I knew from previous observations that the chill of being diaper less could cause a steady stream of yellowish liquid shoot straight up in the air to an amazing height. I cautiously ripped the sticky tape holding the sides of the diaper together and cleverly held it above his appendage like a hovering UFO. With my other hand I deftly grabbed a wet wipe and began to cleanse the buttocks area when an unexpected eruption occurred. A gray-green substance began oozing onto my confidently placed wet wipe. It continued and continued and soon my large outstretched hand was full so I spun the hovering diaper around to assist the out manned wet wipe. Now both hands are placed to receive what I later found out was a meconium release seemingly as large as my son. I instinctively yelled for help, but when my loving wife and my sister saw my predicament they both fell down laughing and were of no help at all. I prayed for a third hand but God was apparently laughing as well and didn't send one. By this time the ooze has left the wipe and diaper and was headed up my arm while I was stuck awaiting the soon to arrive urine stream aimed at my self-confidence as a father. I suppose that is humor, especially if you laughed.

QUALITY

Twenty five years ago the dentist I went to had a sign in his office that said "The bliss of a low price is long forgotten when the pain of inferior quality shows up". The longevity of items we choose or purchase should be weighed against the price we paid, when comparing to other price points for similar things that will last for less time. The low salary of employees who accomplish little, are far more expensive than a highly paid employee that performs well. An old English saying is "penny wise and pound foolish". It meant a person was tight with money in small things but lost all their savings and more with big things. Wal-Mart has had an enormous effect on our country in the past 25 years by forcing their vendors to provide lower price points on the items they carry. As consumers warmed to the lower quality and price points provided by these vendors, the retail competitors of Wal-Mart were forced to reduce the quality of their goods to compete in the marketplace. Companies who provide high quality goods have been forced to find retail channels that cater to groups other than the masses. More and more consumer goods have become disposable. As costs were driven out of the supply chain, manufacturing moved to other countries that provided lower production costs. When Sam Walton was alive Wal-Mart advertised that their products were made in America, but no longer. Other third world countries have offered labor at even lower rates, moving manufacturing jobs to their people. The American consumers that liked the low prices found more of their own jobs disappearing and Wal-Mart products came from China and Indonesia, among others.

Without jobs, Americans had less money to spend, causing retailers to find even cheaper means of providing goods. When the toys they bought their children turned out to have potentially deadly lead in the paint, they were outraged. When the helpful employees at stores they shopped were replaced with fewer lower paid people who didn't know enough to help, they were disgusted. The result of this multi-decade process has been a huge decline in the number of people in the U.S. considered middle income, as more people are employed at low quality jobs, that pay less than what is called a livable wage. When health warnings go out because our food sources as a country have been moved beyond the inspection of a bloated government agency, nothing changes to prevent the next one. The percentage of low income workers is now big enough to control the election of politicians who promise higher "minimum wages". The percentage of the population employed in non-government jobs is at the lowest in history, about 58%. Combine folks who get their incomes from the government and those who make less than a "livable" wage and politicians find a new majority that can get them elected with promises of higher income, guaranteed jobs regardless of work performance, and higher government benefits. Once elected, they provide poor quality representation to the overall population, choosing instead to focus on promises to their special interest groups for re-election .

During this 25 year time period the quality of family life came under attack by a rapid rise in dual-income families as people tried to keep up with an increasingly disposable society. Products that previously were made to last for many years were manufactured to be disposable or in need of replacement frequently. A new generation believed they could have everything immediately that their parents worked many years to obtain. Easy credit made it seem simple and those same politicians mentioned earlier passed laws to encourage trade, consumption, and growth in all areas that could be taxed (or get them re-elected). When societal disintegration of the family grew, politicians then used those tax dollars to lock up the people who had reduced parenting in the home and committed crimes against society. Quality family life (see the July 2007 blog on family) can not be cheapened by teaching and preaching that quantity of time with each other is not as important as so called "quality" time with each other. The current foreclosure crisis is but one example of the economic strain on families who have been weakened by too many hours of employment and not enough at home. When the market price drops and the easy credit becomes hard credit, they not only lose their house but also their family. The definition of family has now begun to change. If you believe, as I do, that the foundation of our society is the nuclear family and the qualities instilled by caring parents, our future looks quite bleak without fundamental changes.

Quality is defined by the dictionary as any characteristic which make something commendable or reprehensible; the degree of excellence which is possessed; the attributes or elements of superiority. 1st Corinthians 3:13 says "his work will be shown for what it is, because the day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work." Precious metal is considered more valuable when it is purified, a process that is accomplished with fire, then removal of the impurities. The lesson here is that the process of burning off the poor quality components is what brings out the high quality components. Many Old Testament stories are misunderstood, because God seemed to continually "burn" the Israelites in ways that consumed seemingly important things. The reality is that He was exposing the true quality and pureness by burning away the rest. Deuteronomy 8:2 says "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these 40 years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands". So, you ask, how do we get out of this mess? A glimpse is seen in 2nd Kings 23:3, which reads "The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord - to follow the Lord and keep His commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant."

Quality life begins in the heart, is taught in the home, preached in the marketplace, and chosen by you, the individual. Society is made up of the people and in the U.S.A. the majority of voters choose the politicians that make the rules that govern society. Our founding fathers realized people are responsible for their government. John Adams in 1798 wrote: "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." Joshua said in the Bible "choose this day whom you will serve". All aspects of life have high quality and low quality options. The choices are yours to make, and your actions make the choices so you can't choose not to participate. The sign in the dentists office meant the seemingly higher price for high quality is always worth it in the long run. Be discerning in all things and constantly question choices made for any reason other than top quality. The burning sensation you feel is the impurities being "burned" away to reveal what really matters. Do your actions as a consumer, as a voter, as a parent, as a spouse, as a follower of Christ, as a citizen, as a worker, as a human being, match up with the highest degree of excellence? If you need a reference book to define the highest degree of excellence I would suggest the Bible. When a boat crosses the water the ripple effect is called a wake. What does the wake of your life look like? If it is not what you want, please change and teach all those placed around you to influence, to do the same. Together we can reverse the previous choices of low quality made by our fellow citizens, making the channels chosen by the masses the high quality choice.

OWNERSHIP

From my perspective there are three roles you can play in a given situation. One is observer, two is as a helper, and three as the owner. Knowing your role is a crucial part to knowing how you should respond. I mentioned last month that private ownership had proven to be a far better economic system than government or societal ownership. I live in an area that has homes that are rented as well as homes that are owned by the occupants. Normally I can tell the difference by what we refer to as pride of ownership. Rights, responsibilities and privileges come from the ownership role. My boss tells a story that illuminates this. "Imagine yourself walking down a deserted street and finding a $20 bill in the gutter. Most people would look around, note there was no way to discern the owner of the $20 and put it in their pocket. Imagine the same scene but the $20 is in a wallet with an ID card. Most people would attempt to find the owner and give them the wallet and $20". In both cases the $20 was not yours, but it was much easier to keep when ownership was not assigned to it. The owners of the homes in my area link the appearance of the yards to themselves, while the renters link the appearance of the yards to the owners of the house, not themselves, and don't take as much care with the appearance. Small business owners are often more entrepreneurial than corporation owned businesses because they recognize the positive or negative results affect them more. Employees may see themselves as helpers, but like the renters know they are not the actual owners.

This same thought process applies to more than homes and small businesses. In any group activity ,the roles of owner, helper and observer become obvious even if they are different than assigned. Observers may be engaged but only at a superficial level of talking, not at an activity level of helper, or responsibility level of owner. If observers are expected to help, or helpers are expected to own, major disruptions and poor results will occur. Joint ownership takes an even higher hurdle to overcome unless they think and believe exactly the same about all things (an unlikely scenario). In many cases the multiple helpers also make success more complex. Each one knowing and carrying out their role is the best avenue for success. Certain types of people who more willingly accept responsibility will move toward the ownership role of any group project. Others, who are not as interested in the limelight or responsibility, work better as helpers. Many times their assigned roles in the project don't match up. Project management can be defined as getting the right people in the right roles at the right time. By the way, observers do have value. The perspective they provide from the detached position they've taken is helpful for direction. It should be obvious, however, that a limited number of quality observers is all that is needed. Observers should not offer their opinions or observations unless requested, because only the owner can make what is actually an opinion into an observation.

Dysfunction occurs when someone who should be the owner tries the observer role. Accountability means being responsible, answerable for activities and results. If I am assisting or helping, my only accountability is for my actions, not for the result of what I am helping with. Observing is just a way of helping by bringing perspective to the situation that an owner may not have, but should only be given when asked. Ultimately the wisdom of ownership is that authority and responsibility are fully linked. Helpers may be the largest part of the solution but like the renters and employees mentioned before, they recognize their level of accountability does not include ownership. Ownership then, is what we are each individually accountable for, so knowing who to answer to is important. An individual business owner is answerable to the IRS and has to maintain their business records in such a way that they can be audited. In an organization large enough for "ownership" to be delegated, the supervisor recognizes they are ultimately responsible but includes the authority with the delegated responsibility so they can require an answer. Each of us are answerable to God for our conduct and decisions, making us all owners. In each personal relationship we are answerable to the other person for 100% of our side of the relationship. A major component for a civil society is personal responsibility, meaning we are answerable to society for our actions. Everyone is answerable to someone and most of us are answerable to many. This helps us define our ownership areas, which are to have a higher priority than those things we help with.

The theological description of being answerable, Revelations 20:12 and 15 says: "I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. Anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." The Bible explains in John 20:31 "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name". Liable means to be legally bound, as to make good any loss or damage that occurs in a transaction: answerable: responsible. We are all liable for how we live our life, spend our time, treat people, and what we believe. Having it wrong theologically has eternal implications because you can't change your role after death. Having it wrong in other aspects of life can be temporary. Take time now to recognize aspects of your life that require your ownership and step up if you are not performing the ownership role. Look at those areas that your role is helper but you've pushed the owner out to claim ownership and apologize if needed. Perhaps there are areas that your role is helper but you are not even helping. It's possible to "own" the helper role if that is what is to be done. Consider all the instances where your role is observer or you take time to observe even when you have no role at all. Are you spending too much time that way? Are you telling anyone that will listen what your observation is, even when you are not asked? Should you actually be helping by asking the owner what is to be done? There is one of three roles you can be responsible for in a given situation. One is observer, two is as a helper, and three as the owner. Knowing your role is the crucial part to knowing how you should respond. There is great wisdom in ownership, even when it is owning your role.

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COMPETITION

Our culture has begun to disparage a subject that has previously made us successful as a country and is largely responsible for the current USA world power status. That subject is competition. All humans are born with an innate biological trait to survive, meaning we automatically try to acquire basic needs such as food. That survival instinct is also seen in nature with each species using other species as their food source. Websters defines competition as the act of seeking or endeavoring to gain that for which another is striving; a contest or match. When two lone male lions are after a single wildebeest, one will be fed and the other will keep searching or join a pride as an underling to eat last. At the core of the subject, competitors become better when there is competition. The contest causes each competitor to improve. In the lion example, the one still searching is forced to improve it's hunting or fighting ability for basic survival. The same pressures apply in all societies, in all business, in all aspects of life. The wisdom of competition is the improvement process we must all go through to be more successful in any aspect. That process always includes responding to unsuccessful outcomes. Without competition the sometimes painful lessons won't be learned and the result is we will be weaker, as a person, as a team, as a business, or as a country.

A key difference between humans and lions is how the competition is handled, but lion prides do give us a hint. Some people think the discipline competition teaches should be avoided but it is a crucial part of the action plan process people require. On the other hand, we have the ability to learn how to have proper relationships with our competitors. Picture a family table with multiple children and one plate of food. Children are taught to share the food for the good of the others in the family. They are each in competition for the food but learn to share for a larger cause than themselves. This thought applies to all people. Jesus said in Matthew 15:17 "This is what I command you: love one another". This does not take away the responsibility for each to work. 2nd Thessalonians 3:10 says "in fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: If anyone isn't willing to work, he should not eat". In the famous parable of the talents in Matthew 25 the responsibility to compete in the marketplace was given based on their ability. The one given five talents earned the most, by doubling his money, while the one with only one talent made nothing because he did nothing. The lesson was not for the one with all the talents to provide for the one with only one, quite the opposite. Verse 28 and 29 quotes Jesus; "So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him". It's not as cruel as it may sound because a crucial lesson must be learned. An old saying applies here: Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.

Alfie Kohn, a speaker and author, has published among his 10 books one titled "NO CONTEST: the case against competition". He is also famous for his stance against standardized testing in schools as well as all homework. As a critic against workplace management and the entire education system, he focuses on the thought of winning at the expense of others and success at the expense of failure for others. In his view the comparison of your results with any other is what produces winners and losers, causing self-esteem issues to anyone not at the top of any list. This extremely dangerous thought by him and others has leaked into our education system and is producing an entire generation of Americans that are not able to compete in the global marketplace the preceding generation has left them. India and China each have more high school honor students than the USA has high school students. While a need to develop collaborative teams is certainly a part of the competitive response required, it is ridiculous to whitewash the reality that our best and brightest are being held back by this mind set. The zero sum game mentality (not understanding the marketplace continues to enlarge) believes that all winners cause losers. The reality is that there can be more winners than losers but there will never be a situation where everyone "wins" equally because the abilities, motivations, and situations are all different. Interactive human relationships go through this same competitive process with marriage partners, friends, neighbors, and politics all results of known or unknown competition.

The anti-trust laws passed by Congress and cooperative theories of Adam Smith greatly influenced the competitive business environment I've grown up in. The Bible clearly covers how we are to live, including numerous stories of enemies, competitors, and relationships. Proverbs 24:17 says "Don't gloat when your enemy falls, and don't let your heart rejoice when he stumbles". Matthew 5:43-44 says "You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you". The destructive view of competition isn't really about competition at all, but the human response by some competitors who have lost confidence. One of the sports I enjoy watching is boxing. Mike Tyson was working with a winning record when he fought Evander Holyfield. In the process of being beaten he became frustrated and bit Evander's ear. When the bout was started again he bit a chunk of his ear completely off. He lost on the resulting disqualification rather than a knockout or decision. When we struggle as country competing in an industry, our government adds a tax for imports from a competing country to even the playing field. While there may be situations where that is the reality, the marketplace is the best place for this balance. Capitalism is the economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit under fully competitive conditions. Communism is the economic system in which all means of production are owned by the society and operated under controlled conditions. A "feel good" intervention by governments in business and society is almost always bad. Beware the politicians that promises what they or government can do for you.

Nearly all the modern world now has some form of a capitalist economic system, despite varying government systems. This came about because the competition in the global marketplace forced the weaker, less productive communist system to change. Adaptability became the result of the seeking, or endeavoring to gain that for which others were striving, a response to a competitive marketplace. As people, as businesses, as a country we are also striving for things that many others are striving for. It makes them harder to achieve, causing us to be more innovative, forcing us to face our weaknesses, motivating us to work harder. We can and should stop destructive practices by those like Mike Tyson, who recognize they are losing and wish to hurt others in the process. We should never believe those practices make competition a bad thing, just the unacceptable response to competition. For many people these lessons are taught in team sports. When the right guard in football doesn't do his job the quarterback is sacked as a result. That competition is in response to an opposing team. Prior to the season, each of the players were in competition with others for a spot on the team, as well as first string or second string (an internal competition). As an industry, all the football teams combined are in competition for television time with other sports or other shows. Levels of competition are all around us, so we must be wise enough to measure the talent and motivation required to achieve. The level of individual effort, the leadership required of key positions, and the balance required of a well rounded life are all components of your achievement plan. So, learn how to compete in a civil way and work your plan. One last thing; the marketplace is dynamic and changes constantly, so include in your plan continual awareness of your competitors changes. It's a competitive world out there so continual improvement of yourself shows wisdom.

INFLUENCE

The power of persons or things to affect others, seen only in effects, is a great definition of influence because we all influence others. The purposeful power to produce positive effects without the exertion of force or authority is the wise use of influence. Consider all the people you know and the things you control, then determine if your influence is positive or negative. Does anyone rely on you for their physical, emotional, or spiritual health? Is your neighborhood, city or workplace better or worse because you are a part of it? You may read that you negatively affect the environment based on a carbon footprint, meaning the natural resources you consume. Rarely is there any discussion of what is produced and positively affects the environment with the natural resources you use. Perhaps you know someone that is so needy people avoid them because of the negative effect they have on those around them. Should you list everyone you know in two columns, one would be positive people and one would be negative people. Negative people have influence, but it is always negative influence. While they all influence others, more than likely you'd rather be around the positive group. The first step of having influence is to be positive. When Jesus walked the earth people were attracted to him and were delighted to be in His presence. In John 13:35, Jesus said "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another". Sometimes our English language doesn't have enough words to properly convey what was meant in the original text, and love is a word with multiple meanings. This use isn't eros, a romantic love, but a benevolent concern we can refer to as serving or ministering to.

One of the mysteries of human nature is the belief that it is important to point out to people what is wrong. It's as if we seem sure that if we don't tell them they won't ever know. Problems or bad habits different than ours are often at the top of the list. Just like in math class in school, the solution is all anyone is really looking for. In this election year most of the presidential candidates ran on platforms that included solutions for specific problems. Barack Obama took a slightly different approach that resonated with many people, especially young people. He didn't provide solutions, he just sold the idea that they could be found by people that care if they stay positive and don't lose hope. Many people think that leadership is identifying problems and obstacles that need to be overcome. While I don't support Barack Obama in any way I can see and appreciate the leadership influence he uses in convincing people they can be effective by being positive and working to make a difference. Joel O'Steen has broadened his influence far beyond the megachurch he pastors in Houston with a positive message. Another term for positive influence is encouragement. Encouragement is inspiring someone to continue on a chosen course, primarily by imparting confidence to embolden and support them, as I wrote about in the November 2007 edition of this blog. The second step of having influence is to be assertive. Unlike being aggressive which is an attack, assertive means to declare with assurance. Art Williams used to say nobody follows a dull, disillusioned, dadgum, crybaby. Influencers are persuasive about those things they care about. This reveals their passions and is often accomplished with a process called framing. Using key words to add desired context to any subject frames the perception of those you want to influence. As an example, the murder of babies is framed as a woman's right to choose what happens to her body by one side, and the horror of the immoral, extremely cruel and painful death of a human life, that God created for himself, is framed by the other side.

Successful influence goes beyond a positive attitude, encouragement, asserting your beliefs, and even advancing solutions to problems. The wisdom of influence is in the inspiration. My son, who is already wise at age 29 suggested I read a Dale Dauten book "Laughing Warriors". Dale says "Take helping and innovating together and you've tapped into the "chi" of expanding usefulness. The best bosses and the best employees, the best suppliers and the best customers are attracted to innovation, being in on the action, to the adventure of the different and the better". Achieving creative usefulness is a fancy way of saying your contribution matters. Understanding human nature is the third step of having influence. We are born with a need to be part of something bigger than ourselves. The Bible describes how humans really are, from the perspective of the Creator. When we hear that different isn't always better, but better is always different, we desire to be better (therefore different). Your positive influence comes from reinforcing the desire with specific actions. The first is to regularly express confidence that the person you are influencing can and will do it (whatever it is). The second action is to regularly specifically describe the better future (whatever it is) and the positive impact it will have. There are fakes in this process to be aware of. Oprah recently publicized "The Secret", which boils down to a concept that you attract positive things to yourself. People may be inspired by it for awhile, but they really want to focus on others, not themselves. They know selfishness is not a high achievement and ultimately feel guilty when they exercise it. James 3:17 says "wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy".

Staying positive and understanding human nature so you can call upon their admirable qualities works well, but requires continual and constant reinforcement. The fourth step in having influence is persistence. Critics hesitate to attack the positive uplifting message of high achievement, and the longer you persist the wider the audience that will listen. Writing books, giving talks, and now writing blogs are ways to expand the size of the group you desire to influence, but sending out those in the group to tell others about the message is where influence truly grows. The verses in John previously mentioned are part of the story of Jesus, who has influenced the world for thousands of years after starting with 12 followers. His followers, and I count myself as one, are out influencing the world around them. Blog entries for May of 2005 and May of 2006 both had the "Cliff Notes of Christianity", so if you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, check out those archives. If you are a Christian, you are in the process of being discipled. Discipling is a process of submitting to the perspective of your Creator about everything. The sin nature is the part of our nature that causes the focus on self and what is wrong. The action to be taken by our spiritual nature is to focus on others and what is right. Hence the saying, you are what you think about. The human nature mentioned earlier has two sides that have to be understood as good and evil. That understanding is available to all by the divinely inspired words recorded in the Bible, the Word of God. A great example is Philippians 4:8 that says "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise - dwell on these things."

DIVERSITY

In preparation for opening our new office in Pensacola, I've been responsible for hiring an entire marketing team in the past month. With a new group of people in a new office comes the opportunity to establish the desired workplace culture. Because it is a one-time opportunity at the beginning of a new organization I had to reflect on what was important and what was not. Each of the 13 authorized positions have specific responsibilities but need to be a cohesive unit reinforcing our market position and plans. The results produced, however, have to be better than our competitors and preferably better than any other team in the company. Because of the modern use of the term diversity many people think of racial differences or even sexual orientation. The dictionary defines diversity as the fact or quality of being different, or a point or respect in which things differ. That opens up a much wider spectrum with not only gender, but cultural differences, religious and political beliefs, as well as what I'll call a worldview. While diversity is highly desirable, a similar worldview regarding human respect is crucial to teamwork. I believe that without exception every human being is a valuable person created by God in His image (Genesis 1:26-27) and thus possesses inherent dignity, and we are called to love and treat every person with genuine respect. Regardless of the source that each one on the team derived their belief in the worth and dignity of the individual, they all must affirm it.

Critical thinking is a form of judgement that is purposeful and reflective. It gives due consideration to evidence, known facts, applicable methods and knowledge of societal pressures. We want to make fact based decisions in our business, so logic avoiding bias, prejudice, propaganda, and distortion is desirable. We also want teamwork, a cohesive, well integrated marketing group presenting a united front to promote unity. A risk is groupthink, where members try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing and evaluating ideas. The key to these potentially opposing concepts is what I'll call celebrating diversity. Sometimes people fear that if they accept someone or something different, that they are approving. Diversity isn't approval of the differences, it is the acceptance and understanding of the differences with respect given to the person. Many times people refer to tolerance, but that is just tolerating or putting up with the differences, rather than investigating them. Human respect (Romans 5:17) should be given to all people of all age groups so that constructive conversation is possible.

The real value of diverse beliefs, personalities, cultures, genders, upbringing, and perceptions comes from that constructive conversation. If everyone lived the same way, had the same opinions, and looked at the world the same way, the same risk that groupthink causes would take place. It's the discussion that prompts research, factual review, and improves the decision process (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). The potential for conflict is elevated when there are differing strong opinions about any subject. To mitigate that potential, hiring quality, open-minded humans that are diverse in as many ways as possible, while finding track records of successful experience has been very challenging. I've read an enormous number of applications and resumes and interviewed dozens of people. It's similar to putting a puzzle together in that the various shapes have to fit together to reveal the true picture, but more like a 3-D version.

In the January 2006 version of this blog I wrote on the subject of offending and being offended. I'll repeat a key line from that issue: Demonstrate respect and civility in the discussion that is so crucial to our critical thinking. Political correctness has devastated the ability of large parts of our population to challenge the status quo without being rude or having it perceived as a personal attack. It has been my experience that the more intelligent someone is the harder it is for them to consider points of view that differ from their own. As I strive to hire the best it is obvious I've hired a group of intelligent people, so this culture of respect takes on a new level of importance (Proverbs 24: 5-6). Working with 20 somethings and caring for elderly widows the past couple years has provided insights into age groups of people that I wouldn't normally socialize with. My Tampa Toastmasters club with a majority of members from India has been helpful in the same way. I can be more persuasive about my point of view when I've taken the time to understand theirs. I also open the possibility that my point of view can change with added input, but with a caveat that it could change with false information so research is required. Even my training in servant leadership through a decade as a Deacon prepared me for this task.

I've described our future office culture as relaxed intensity. It's important to me that we are principled, consistent, disciplined, and communicate clearly in simple language. Each person was hired with my belief that they are capable of being developed and promoted to the next level, (1st Thessalonians 5:11) which puts pressure on me to provide that path to career success. Tony Dungy, coach of the Indianapolis Colts football team, wrote a book titled "Quiet Strength". It was important to him that they win the Super Bowl the right way. When results were less than expected they didn't question their strategy, they worked on their execution. As he wrote for those situations, they would do what they do, but better. It is an excellent book and he read the audio version himself. I was inspired to that same type of leadership role, that has a larger worldview than the business at hand. We won't do a large number of innovative things, but we will do well what we do. When our Vice President hired me he wisely engineered the culture of accountability by allowing me to recruit, hire, train, and develop the team that will determine our marketing success. By choosing the diverse group I've chosen I'm striving for life success as well. This entry marks my third complete year of sharing my insights each month. I pray they help you as much as they have helped me.

NUMEROLOGY

Perhaps because I'm aging or perhaps because I've now voted for a presidential candidate that was younger than I, or maybe for the divine reason of explaining it with this blog, I've become interested in numerology, specifically Biblical numerology. In a strange way I don't fully understand, mathematics and music is intertwined. Music seems creative and mathematics seems logical, but experts in both recognize the linkage. The dictionary definition says that numerology is the study of the occult meanings of numbers and their supposed influence on human fate. Occult has a negative connotation in modern life that doesn't match it's true meaning. It means a study of supernatural spiritual realities that are difficult to see. There are however many twisted views that you must avoid. Unless it comes from the source God chose to reveal himself, God's Word, it is a danger to consider it. The Bible includes a book with the title of "Numbers", but I believe there is a link to the supernatural that is more than Israelite census figures. Numerals contain symbolic meanings that add dimensions to understanding God's revealed message, but do NOT try to make numerology fit everything. Before we start, let me repeat the warning: DO NOT try and force this where it isn't to be applied, just consider it another perspective on what is written. I heard Dr. Adrian Rogers, former President of the Southern Baptist Convention who is now deceased, speak on this once and that started my research. My understanding of this subject is similar to looking through a slightly opaque glass. You can't be positive of the detail but you know something is there.

One means primacy; unity, as in One God and One Church, or God the Father. Two means confirmation; marriage; strength, as in a witness, or Jesus the 2nd person of the Trinity. Three is the divine number, the simplest unity as the Trinity is three in one, so the connotation of the Godhead with the Holy Spirit, heaven and love is understandable. Four means the world, or the number for the earth with 4 seasons, 4 directions, and 4 world empires. Five is the number for Man: complete: 5 senses. Six is number of evil: failure, falls short of perfection by one. Seven is the number of perfection; fulfillment, representing the earth crowned with heaven (7 days). Eight is for new beginnings. Nine represents finality or attainment. Ten is five doubled or human completeness, 11 is sin and twelve (3x4) is God's perfect manifestation of himself to the created order: authority; government. Multiples are interesting as well with 40 being testing and trial (4 x 10) and multiples of seven meaning perfection in time, while seven divided is evil. It's quite a bit to think about. 77 is maturation to it's greatest potential. Addition is as important as multiplication to this subject.

The Bible has many specific passages that refers to numerals in the original text, as chapter and verse numbers were added later to enhance studying. I've seen some writings that used the chapter and verse numbers to make a point and that is probably not correct. The book of Daniel is a prophetic book that uses these numerical references. Perfection (7) without God (1) is evil (6). There are 7 notes on a musical scale (and you were wondering how I'd bring music back to this). The Bible says the Anti-Christ will have a number of 666, showing evil(6) a divine (3) number of times. Revelations 1:4, 2:10, 7:1 and 21:12 explain some of the numerals, with Deuteronomy 6:4, Ecclesiastes 4:9&12, and Leviticus 14:14 providing other examples of what's being presented. The more important part to consider is the interworking of the mathematics. Three, the number of God, times 4, the number of earth makes 12, a number of authority on earth. Six, the number of evil, when doubled also makes 12, setting up a conflict of authority. A prime number is one that can only be divided by 1 or itself. All prime numbers are odd numerals (2,3,5,7,11,13...) except for #2. The only even number among all those prime numbers, representing an exception to the norm, is the one that is used as Jesus. If the Father represents #1, then he can divide all numbers (and what they represent). When Man (#5) tries to be his own god (#1) the result is evil (5 plus 1=6). When he adds Jesus (#2) to himself he finds the provided perfection (5 plus 2=7) and the addition of the divine number (#3) and Man (#5) results in a new beginning (5 plus 3=8).

The 8 (new beginning) people on the ark and the 40 (trial) days of rain in the story of Noah have new meaning with the addition of biblical numerology. When the ark rested on Ararat in the 7th month on the 17th day is there a special victory meaning? 13 is the number for rebellion, 14 for deliverance, 15 for rest, 16 for love, 17 for victory, 18 for bondage, 19 for faith, and 20 is redemption. A subset of alphabetics is a discipline called gematria. It assigns numerical value to letters, largely because Greek and Hebrew languages had no numbers. The sum of the letter values in words create total numbers. I should point out that there are no hidden codes, nor end times prophesies likely to show up in this study. Controversies like the DaVinci Code book and movie alarmed many Christians due to the false conclusions it arrived at. My interest is understanding more about God's Word, not contesting what it says. I've read that mathematicians revere the number six because it is the first perfect number (in our fallen world). Ivan Panin was a Russian mathematician who immigrated to the United States and around 1890 made news as an agnostic who converted to Christianity by applying gematria to the Greek text in the New Testament. JESUS in Greek adds up to 888, CURSE adds up to 66 and other intriguing words and phrases clicked for Ivan. He became a leader in the previously referred to gematria discipline. I'm hopeful at this point that your interest has been piqued enough for you to research this subject even more. Should you do so, I strongly caution you to recognize the dangers in non-Biblical conclusions.

Let's try some easy math without the use of Greek or Hebrew words: 6(evil) plus 5(man) equals 11 (sin). Is it possible that all these numbers apply to our lives? As we prepare to move to Pensacola to start a new job in a new city, does 2008, the 8th year of the new century, apply to my family as a new beginning? Does my new age of 54 add up to 9 and represent the attainment of my recent promotion? Does the address of the new office, 25 Cedar, add up to the perfect number of 7, with the zip code of 32502 meaning authority? Perhaps the address of our new home that God pointed us to first, and after looking everywhere else we agreed, 10725 Crosscut, adds up to rest (15), which mysteriously is the same total as our current address at 21336 Marsh Hawk? Of course, these could all be coincidences and please remember the warning I gave you at the start. DO NOT try and force this where it isn't to be applied. False conclusions can do far more harm than good. It is intriguing however, to consider the possibility that beyond our perception God has numerically written a version of our life that is really a musical score that we're not aware of. To complete my MBA I had to take a course in statistics, that turned out to be a study of mathematics far beyond the finite math courses I took earlier. In my childhood I took years of piano lessons, and some organ lessons. Perhaps this gives me just enough knowledge to be dangerous. In all my teaching I attempt to leave enough unknown to inspire students to research more for themselves. In this subject, my personal research is just beginning so the gaps of my unknown are still huge and my many cautions warranted. This is written to you on March 1st, 2008. Third month (the divine number), first day (unity) in the eighth year (new beginning). I ask that you take it from here, for your life and perhaps the music of your soul.