Here is peice of art my wife did for me for Christmas. Will hang at work when I get back from leave. 
Page 29 of 43
"I believe that I am responsible for my own personal development. Only I know who I want to become. Only I know my real strenghts and weaknesses, my passion and my talent. Only I know the price I am willing to pay to be who I can become."
– Fred Smith Sr.
How very true of me!
Discovered this week that the Greek word for "I" is "ego" (εγώ).
The english definition of ego is often around a person having egotism, conceit or self-importance. I guess ego is I-ism to the extreme. Beyond self confidence. Much more that good self talk.
So when I next say 'I' in english, I want… I need… I think…, in greek I am saying ego, ego want… ego need… ego think.
Not always a bad thing, but certainly worth thinking about.
The opposite of love is not hate, its indifference.
– Elie Wiesel
Yesterday was a picturesque day.
As I headed to Tauranga for work I had my kids in the car who were destined for a stay at my parents house.
We had some ice on the car before we left home but as we progressed east most fields and roadsides were covered with a brilliant crisp white frost. The sun had yet to rise sufficiently above the Kaimai ranges to burn off the white ice and return the scene to lush green grass.
I had a reasons not to stop. Work, my mum was waiting, and it was cold.
But I stopped anyway.
Let the kids out of the car to stomp on the thick white frozen grass. The loved it, had ice on their shoes as they returned to the car and were invigorated by the fresh air. (just what my mum needed!)
In my journal this morning I rated the trip to Tauranga A1.
A1 A = Builds Energy; 1 = Very Productive
This week I have dedicated a couple of pages of my journal to tracking my days with the specific purpose of reviewing energy and productivity. In broad stokes I am giving activities ABC ratings for energy and 123 ratings for productivity.
I was thinking about why I would rate letting the kids out as very productive. After all it cost my 10 minutes and when compared to some other meetings I have had this week that I rate 3, unproductive, it is kind weird.
I realised that, for me, productivity is about production.
About producing.
But is not about producing something.
It is about producing me!
When I stop to let the kids stomp on white grass I am producing a father who values fun and living and adventure and the impromptu.
I produces a better me,
therefore
I am productive!
Death is more universal than life;
everyone dies but not everyone lives– Alan Sachs
While down south Karina & I visited the Royal Albatross Centre.
I was blown away by two things.
1) The distance and speed these birds fly. One Bird calked Toroa (with GPS tracking) flew from Dunedin to South America. Top speed 109 km per hour, and did 1020km in one day.
2) The rubbish that is in our oceans. Picture one is taken of a dead Albatross chick that was found, and the rubbish in its gut. Picture 2 is the rubbish arranged in a mural. (click to enlarge images)
Thanks to Kate at the Royal Albatross Centre for the picture of the Albatross Chick.
Our task today is recklessness.
For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature,
We lack a holy rage.The recklessness that comes from the knowledge of God and humanity.
The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets . .
and when the lie rages across the face of the earth —
a holy anger about things that are wrong in the world.To rage against the ravaging of God's earth,
and the destruction of God's world.
To rage when little children must die of hunger,
when the tables of the rich are sagging with food.
To rage at senseless killing of so many,
and against the madness of the militaries.
To rage at the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destruction — peace.
.
To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change
human history until it conforms with the norms of the kingdom of God.– A peom by Kaj Munk, a Danish pastor killed by the Gestapo in 1944. Cited in Exiles by Michael Frost, and The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne.
Firstly Kevin Carroll author of the Red Runner Ball, did a shoutout about my very out of date block. You can read it here. http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/index.php/blog/shoutout_thursday/
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1OHz0zJaWg&hl=en]
I was blown away, and humbled that Kevin, wrote about me. The net and social networking perplex me alot.
Some posts I wrote in the last month:
I Think I Do… @ lead2live.com
Mowing the lawns … oh JOY! @ lead2live.com
sexy @ lead2live.com
Imagine you’re at a wedding and the Minister asks the Groom. “Will you take Jane to be your wife?” and then the Groom responds, “I think I do”.
To that question there is only one correct answer. One of action. “I do!”
How many people do you know, that know the right thing to do? They could fix the process, eliminate the stress, mend the relationship, change the world and yet do nothing.
Doesn’t it really bug you when other people don’t take action and just complain about the problem. It is so flippin annoying.
Yes flippin I say!
The problem is not that they don’t think, but that they don’t do. Why cant they just get on and do something. Anything. Now!
Why do some people have all the knowledge I ask myself, and yet do nothing?
Why? In a John Campbell voice.
Clearly, I have decided, there are two kinds of people. “I think” people whom think and never do. And “I do” people who actually make things happen.
Two kinds of people.
And for the record “I think” people really flippin bug me!
So with that in mind which one are you?
Unfortunately …
I am both … and I flippin bug myself.