thinking on your feet

Consider this story about a college football team whose starting quarterback had just been injured. Their #2 quarterback was sick, so he hadn’t even dressed for the game. All the coach had left was a third-string freshman who had experience as a quarterback in high school but was used to being used as a punter on this team.

To make matters worse, the team was backed up on its own third-yard line. It was a desperate situation, and the coach’s only thought was somehow to get a little farther from their goal line to give them room to punt out of danger.

Sending in the third-string quarterback, the coach said, "Son, I want you to hand off to the big fullback Kowaski for the next two plays, letting him run right into the middle of the line to get us a few yards of breathing room. Then I want you to punt."

The young quarterback did as he was instructed. On the first play he handed off to Kowaski, but almost miraculously Kowaski found a hole off tackle and ran for 50 yards. The young quarterback called the same play again, and once more (miracle of miracles), the hole opened again and Kowaski gained another 45 yards. The fans went crazy. In two plays they had gone 95 yards and the ball was on their opponent’s 2-yard line. It was first down and goal to go!

Confidently the team lined up once again. The young quarterback received the snap, then stepped back to everyone’s amazement, and punted the ball into the end zone. As his stunned teammates came off the field, the coach angrily grabbed the young quarterback and demanded, "What in the world were you thinking about when you called that last play?" The quarterback answered, "I was thinking what a dumb coach we have."

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Perhaps you find that story ridiculous, for indeed it is.  It's actually not as far-fetched as you may imagine, for many professional coaches today do not expect their quarterbacks to make decisions.

And yet I wonder... where in your week are you most tempted to be passive instead of active?  What are the areas of life that you don't intentionally engage the moment and merely go an auto-pilot?

Granted, there is something to be said about when we need to follow someone's instructions literally.  I've heard stories about soldiers whose lives were saved because when their commanding officer told them to "hit the deck" they ducked away from something they couldn't see (but their C.O. could).

The greater question, then, is are you able to not only follow instructions... but are you able to follow the POINT of those those instructions?

maximizing media in ministry

Someone recently complimented our church on the choices we make in a service to look at a core truth from a variety of angles.  She picked up on the massive forethought that goes into these decisions, as it is something I spend time on.  However, that wasn't always natural nor easy for me... especially since it's so easy to depend on the medium versus the Message.

Recently I shared about this in an article I wrote for Youthworker Journal.  If you're in a position like I am, may my hindsight help create some foresight for you.

http://www.youthworker.com/digital/issue/2010/may/pageflip.aspx

See page 34-35

an insider's knowledge of facebook

Sometimes it helps to know the back story.


[Source: Online PhD Programs for MashableMashable.com]

word to your mother

Have you ever heard of the woman who hated Mother’s Day? 

According to the Toronto Star, there was such a woman.. and she started it all. If you think the spirit of Mother’s Day has been spoiled by the commercialism of cards, flowers and once-a-year sincerity, you stand united with the woman credited with giving us the annual event.

Anna Jarvis, a West Virginian woman, was so horrified by what the holiday she helped create in 1914 turned into that she spent most of her later years campaigning to have the second Sunday in May removed from the calendar as the day to honor your mother.

In the end, Jarvis lost the fight. The woman, who was never a mother herself, exhausted her financial resources and ruined her mental health in that fight. She died alone in 1948 in an asylum at the age of 84. Just before her death Jarvis told a local reporter: "I devoted my entire life to Mother’s Day and the racketeers and grafters have taken it over."

In 1914, Jarvis spearheaded a campaign to help persuade U.S. president Woodrow Wilson to set aside May’s second Sunday as a national day for recognition. She orchestrated a letter-writing campaign to him, lobbied influential politicians and clergymen, and distributed brochures arguing about the importance of a national day for mothers.

Jarvis’ cause came from admiration for her recently deceased mother, Anna Maria, and others like her who had been an inspiration. But by the early 1920s, she was sickened by the commercial circus she had helped create. She felt the day had nothing to do with celebrating the real achievements of women.

Jarvis spent her latter days crashing floral company conventions to protest and urging card companies to give the money they made from Mother’s Day to the poor. At one Mother’s Day convention where flowers were being sold she was arrested for disturbing the peace. She even launched a lawsuit to stop a Mother’s Day festival from being held.

This only drives home the point that the things we start up may become something we never intended them to be.  From casual conversations we begin that soon become negative gossip sessions to baby steps into temptation that creates a noose around our neck, consider the impact of that next thing you're pushing for.