Brenda’s Blog – March 4, 2014

“Just don’t take your jacket off – you’ll be fine!” 

As college student newly-weds, our schedules were chaotic.  Good friends invited us to their apartment for dinner, and this was one of our first married couple outings.  Only problem – I was behind on my ironing.  In those days, shirts were button-down oxford cloth which definitely weren’t “wash and wear.”  They required starch, much elbow grease… and time.  On that Saturday night, I was fresh out of all three!

“I will iron the collar and the front of the shirt – they will never know and you will look fine.”  Famous last words.  Out he went in his faux-ironed shirt under a wool sport coat, even though it was a balmy fall evening.

They kept urging him to “make yourself comfortable and take off your jacket .”  To his credit, my husband braved the hot, un-air-conditioned apartment with a smile, while wiping the perspiration from his forehead, and ignoring their offers.

I don’t remember if we ever told Ted and Kathy what lay behind the crisp shirt front.

For years I was in a sales world which espoused the “fake it ‘til you make it” philosophy.  “Don’t ever let them see you sweat” was taken as reasonable truth.  How foolish!  We need to be willing to let others see that beneath the wool sport coat are lots of wrinkles.  We need to acknowledge we don’t have all the answers.

A female associate of mine years ago was known for her painstaking efforts on her hair – at least the front of it.  One day the comment was made, “Doesn’t she know she has to eventually leave the room?  Why doesn’t she brush the back?”  All of us have to leave the room, don’t we?  When we are tempted to put up a front, let’s remember that.

Life is messy; life is wrinkled.  Authenticity has a high price tag… but it pays high dividends, as well. 

Brenda’s Blog – February 18, 2014

“Splash Kingdom – Family Waterpark”

          SEEK THE KINGDOM

                            Matthew 6:33

The interstate billboard caught my attention. I understand the intersection of faith and work.  But, is it possible we sometimes transpose the emphasis?  Is this perhaps making faith a marketing tool, instead of making the market a place for our faith?

Certainly, the owners are believers who connect their company with the community of faith. I have taken my grandchildren to their fine establishment, throwing themselves mercilessly down slides and traversing watery canals.  I hold no ill will, but wonder about the ad campaign.

Just as the early Christians drew the symbol of the fish in the dust to notify others of their secret meeting places, we have our own Christianese. We speak in lingo, don’t we?  We draw ichthus symbols, we wear crosses, we say “bless you,” and communicate in Christian code among ourselves.  We think this will add a plus to our business among the faithful.

But do we take the significance of these symbols too lightly?  John Peterson, a noted Christian musician once said, “in composing I cannot approach the cross with flippancy.  I cannot take this subject lightly.”  Perhaps we should think carefully about the way we handle these icons.

There are Christians in business, but there are no Christian businesses.  Christ died in obedience to the Father for individuals, not for corporations (or even partnerships or sole proprietorships!)  Our faith should be evident, indeed, but should we reconsider the way we market our membership in the most holy of all associations?

Ours is a sacred privilege – to bear the name of Christ and to have access to His Word, and His throne room.  Let’s hold this with awe, not aw-shucks!

Brenda’s Blog – February 4, 2014

“Kennett, Missouri – home of Sheryl C_OW.”  Clearly a mischief maker found great humor in removing the “R.”  It made me think about the power of letters.

Think about the power of an “e” when you decide to be better, rather than bitter.

During my years of care giving I experienced many difficult and challenging moments.  There were times when I felt truly overwhelmed.  One night I sat at the computer, typing out my emotions.  At the end, I realized Mom and Dad gave me the opportunity to see the Lord change “scared into sacred.”  Holy transposition!

An old game gives you a word, requires you to shift one letter at a time, and then arrive at a completely new word.  There is a great leadership principle embedded in this exercise.  Cultural transitions aren’t made by jumping from A to Z.  Making incremental steps allows the organization to stabilize before making the next move.  They are shifting a letter at a time to complete the change.

Sometimes the word game gets off track because the moves weren’t the right ones.  Isn’t this true of organizational morphing, as well?  With each step, reassessment and review is necessary to see if the ultimate goal will be reached.

When we play the Scrabble® game of life we want to make sure it doesn’t turn into a Scramble!