Bick's Quicks

Thursdays Through My Eyes

Typically I'll take time on Thursdays to re-calibrate, relax and attempt to reorder my personal world-it's supposed to be my day off.  However, over the past few years I've found myself working Thursdays, part out of necessity (with staff transitions) and some out of my addiction to action and activity.  

As I age (even though I may be younger than you) I feel the impact physically, I sense it emotionally and my attitude and temperament show it spiritually.  

I'm wrestling with the how's the why's and the what's-this needs to change. 

In our culture these days as people are losing their jobs, those that remain employed pick up more work, at times doing the jobs that used to employ 2 or 3 others.  They are paying the price, so are their families, so is our culture.  

As our nation experiences an economic course correction it's a good time for a course correction of our souls -  beginning with mine.

Get Em God!

We all have people in our lives who seem to make it their chief goal to "trouble" us. They work behind the scenes orchestrating coalitions, smear campaigns, spreading outright slanderous lies about our character or actions. If we were classmates on the playground a strong punch to their nose would bring relief for me and deserved pain for them. But as an adult living in a "grown up world" such things can't happen what with laws and all. That doesn't mean I don't entertain how good it would feel to walk up and slug some knuckleheads right in the face. Don't judge me-you've thought that too. Lately I've found myself praying: "Get Em God!" Part angry prayer, part cathartic release it's a prayer that others have prayed through out time. Just read through the Psalms and you'll see for yourself.

"Getting" someone isn't my job, as much as I want it to be, as much as it would bring personal satisfaction it's not my work, it's not my responsibility, it's not my call. I don't discipline kids who aren't mine. My enemy isn't my responsibility.

I'm convinced that some people I know would sleep better, have better relationships with others, laugh, smile and enjoy life so much more if they would simply pray; "Get Em God!" And leave the "gettin" up to Him.

Somewhere Between

As my conversion continues from PC to Mac I'm finding that there are few neutral bystanders.  One of my New Yorker friends could barely say the word Mac without rolling his eyes and sighing.  He says I'll hate it. Another emailed yesterday to let me know that I'll love it.

Currently I'm hating the fact that the converting outlook to mac mail process is just not simple and that I'm waiting to hear back from a company regarding an error message that's coming up on the PC side of the equation.  I'll have to wait and see who "owns" this issue.

I'm loving the unique features of the mac that conserve power, allow me to easily manage files and the fact that to date, it's been a very stable OS platform.  In my previous PC outings I'd had a few crashes by now and had probably called a help support center located far away where the guy who said his name was "John" really wasn't named John.

I did note that the mac faq's could come across as 

the reason to switch-for the mac fan

snobbish-to the PC diehards

remains to be seen

Convicted....

A conference like this is a good one for me...so many of the other conferences that I attend feed an unhealthy part of me that's driven to achieve and succeed.  In and of themselves neither achievement or success is bad but I tend to value mission over vision. 

Today Ortberg brought that home.  We (I) cannot replace mission with vision.  When I forget that it's all about God, when I forget that I don't have to carry the load, when my ego gets wrapped up in the achievement of goals and objectives and I begin to take setbacks or gains personally...I've placed mission before vision.

When that happens I lose joy, I get stressed, I run over people.....I don't act like Jesus.

Sad....

Silence for a Season

If you're still dropping in on the old blog thanks....I've not posted as much in recent days/weeks/months for a very good reason....I haven't had much to say.   

I'm sensing that words are coming, at least words that may be worth sharing.  (You'll have to judge that) I've been in a challenging season, good in many ways.  Learning more about me...and others and that has come through silence.  I really don't want to be the guy who is first to share his opinion....especially when it isn't necessary. 

I don't want to simply share an opinion because I have one.  Opinions are like belly buttons, everybody has one, most aren't that clean.

Blog Bog and Personal Lessons

Over the last 4-5 months I've made some transitions in my life professionally and personally.  Transitions are often difficult for me, new responsibilities and schedules require me to re-calibrate my routines and patterns.

I love keeping up with blogs via Bloglines it's a great service.  If you like to read blogs and want to have them all in one place it's a great app.

My personal blog reading has bogged down incredibly due to the changes in my schedule.  I had hundreds of unread posts in my bloglines reader as of this morning--still do--but I've decide to let the majority of them go.  I'm rebooting my blogreader, clearing the clutter.  At the same time I realize that I'm missing out on some really good information from some of my favorite bloggers--information that I just don't have the time to go back and get.  This has reinforced my awareness that......

• New transitions require new routines
• Disruption can lead to depression-been struggling with this one big time
• Life's delete button must be pressed-I can't do it all
• It's good to let somethings go
• New places provide new perspectives-it's great getting away and working in a new location
• God is sovereign-he gives me what I need, when I need it.

I haven't been wearing any pants

For the last two weeks I've been pants-less, I declared a shorts only break. Vacation is good for that.  I didn't get my tan at the beach in Corpus or in San Antonio-I got it here working in the yard, on my fence, swimming with the kids and playing tennis with my wife. 

In addition to going "shorts only" I officially unplugged from the digital world for over a week, no blogs or email.  For me this was one of the most difficult parts of the break.  I like to work, always have.  When away from work I think about what I am missing-what might be happening-the work piling up while I'm away.  I love serving at Springcreek-I love my co-workers.    

I'm beyond thankful for a church where I can laugh, be true to my unique God given design,  enjoy life with friends and see people come to know Jesus every week.  They even pay me once and a while-bonus.

It's good being back.

Anne is right-I've been a Blogsnob

Anne called me out without evening knowing I suspect.  She's right, I confess, I'm guilty of her number one reason why she would ditch my feed.

1.  don’t interact. this is my biggest blogging pet peeve. to me, blogging is interactive. personally, i do my best to send a thank you email to new people who comment on my blog, to interact in the comments, or to write back to comments that are especially witty or interesting and thoughtful.

If you've commented and I haven't responded, I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me....

Wrecked....by God

There are times when God jumps into my life with a force similar to a collision between two cars traveling at high speed.  When that happens all forward motion stops....I find myself stunned at the abrupt interruption and redirection.

What pulled into my path?  A question from this morning's Imagine devotional guide..

"What is your safe and comfortable?"

I wrote the answer in my journal.....then something happened that upset what was safe and comfortable...hmmm.

Addicted

I've never thought of myself as an addict, until today.  This from Dan Allender's book: To Be Told

Addictions make us dull.  We are meant to be sensitive, but as we deaden our senses we compensate by trying to bring them back to life through more indulgence.  The more we do so, the more we need to do so.  We are on a cheap pony ride that turns in tighter and tighter circles until the tether rope is wound so tightly around the center pole that neither rider or pony is can take even one more step.  Thus we are immobilized. 

Addictions aren't always illicit substances purchased from a thug on a corner or some frat guy at a party, it's possible to be addicted to good things that dull our senses and are acceptable in our circles.

Knowledge, Approval, Success, Fun, Comfort, Achievement, Innovation, More.

Eye opening.