2012: Looking Ever Forward

2011 was truly a challenging year in my little corner of the world.  I hate to invoke a metaphor I use too much - but it was quite a mountain to climb.

We made a few big decisions, some of which have proven to be good.  For some, of course, we still await the verdict.

And all the while, the age-old conundrums mock us - "Why is everything so hard?" or "Why do bad things happen to good people?" or "Why is there so much suffering in the world?".

Christianity and the Continuous Improvement Mindset

So I'm working on a project to improve how we're going about the job of releasing millions of children from poverty in Jesus' name.  A part of what we're implementing could be termed a "continuous improvement mindset", and discussions on the subject reminded me of the following post I wrote a few years ago.

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I worked in technology management for an uber-successful chemical company back in the late eighties and nineties. I owe so much to that organization because I've based a chunk of my approach to business, ministry and life on a few of the concepts I learned there.

Thanksgiving 2011

This year I've made a few additions to the list, but though every Thanksgiving I try - I can't seem to say it much better than this. 

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You know, God does what he does in our lives through people - people that are gifted, kind and patient - people that have our best interests at their heart.

The Big Picture at Kanakuk's Link Year

It was my pleasure to spend the last three days at Kanakuk's Link Year program.  As I love to do - we started in Genesis and ended in Revelation.  We talked Covenant and Kingdom.  We envisioned the convergence of Heaven and Earth.

And most importantly, we found with our brains and felt with our hearts some invigorating ways to move our lives forward - ways in which those students will build (in bits and pieces) the Kingdom that Messiah will complete when he returns.

The students were both sharp and respectful.  The conversations were crisp and the re-connections with my old friends were just plain fun.

Many thanks to the students, to "the Adams" Martin and Donyes, and to the rest of the quality leadership team at the Kanakuk Link Year for their warm hospitality and for their kind reception of my take on the greatest meta-story ever told.

Leadership Lunacy

A friend of mine has an entire bookcase jammed full of tomes on the topic of leadership and you know - just thinking about those sagging shelves gives me a headache.  

I get a headache because popular leadership authors almost invariably propose "The 10 Steps to Laudable Leadership" or "The 7 Habits of the Workplace Wunderkind" or "The 92 Traits of . . . " and on and on and on.  

One book's title, "Leadership for Dummies", is perhaps the most telling example of leadership lunacy.  Dummies, indeed.